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diff --git a/28338-0.txt b/28338-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..88fe1e5 --- /dev/null +++ b/28338-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3223 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Education of Children, by Desiderius Erasmus + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Education of Children + +Author: Desiderius Erasmus + +Translator: Richard Sherry + +Release Date: March 16, 2009 [EBook #28338] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN *** + + + + +Produced by Louise Hope, Greg Lindahl, Joseph Cooper and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by the Bibliothèque nationale +de France (BnF/Gallica) at http://gallica.bnf.fr) + + + + + +[Transcriber’s Note: + +This e-text includes characters that require UTF-8 (Unicode) file +encoding: + + ẽ ũ [e, u with overline = following n or m] + +If these characters do not display properly--in particular, if the +diacritic does not appear directly above the letter--or if the +apostrophes and quotation marks in this paragraph appear as garbage, +make sure your text reader’s “character set” or “file encoding” is set +to Unicode (UTF-8). You may also need to change the default font. As +a last resort, use the Latin-1 version of the file. + +The text is based on scans of two different physical copies. In a few +cases, the two versions have different spelling, or one has an error +where the other does not. These are noted at the end of the file along +with the general list of errors and an explanation of paragraph breaks. + +Superscripts are shown with carets: w^t, y^e. All pilcrows ¶ in the +body text were added by the transcriber (see endnotes). + +The book was originally (1550) printed together with Richard Sherry’s +_A Treatise of Schemes and Tropes_. Since the two texts have no +connection except that Sherry is assumed to be the translator, they +have been made into separate e-texts.] + + + + + ¶ A treatise + of Schemes & Tropes + very profytable + for the better vnderstanding of good + authors, gathered out of the best + Grammarians & Oratours + by Rychard Sherry Lon + doner. + + Whervnto is added a declamacion, + That chyldren euen strayt frõ their + infancie should be well and gent- + ly broughte vp in learnynge. + Written fyrst in Latin + by the most excel- + lent and + famous Clearke, Erasmus + of Rotero- + dame. + + + + + That chyldren oughte to + be taught and brought vp gẽtly in + vertue and learnynge, and that + euen forthwyth from theyr na + tiuitie: A declamacion of + a briefe theme, by E- + rasmus of Rote- + rodame. + + +If thou wilt harken vnto me, or rather to Chrisippus, +the sharpeste witted of Philosophers, y^u shalte +prouide y^t thyne infante and yonge babe be forthewyth +instructed in good learnyng, whylest hys wyt is yet +voyde from tares and vices, whilest his age is tender +and tractable, and his mind flexible and ready to +folowe euery thyng, and also wyl kepe fast good +lessons and preceptes. For we remẽber nothynge so well +when we be olde, as those thynges y^t we learne in +yonge yeres. [Sidenote: Diuision of y^t confutaciõ] +Care not thou for those fooles wordes which chatter +that thys age, partly is not hable inough to receiue +discipline, & partlye vnmete to abyde the labours of +studies. For fyrst, the beginninges of learning, stãd +specially by memorie, which as I sayd, in yõg ones is +very holdfast. Secondly because nature hath made vs to +knowledge the study of y^t thynge can not be to hasty, +wherof y^e author of al thyng her self hath graffed in +vs y^e seedes. Beside this some thinges be necessary +to be knowẽ whẽ we be sũwhat elder, which by a certẽ +peculier readines of nature, y^e tender age perceiueth +both much more quickly, & also more esily thẽ doth y^e +elder, as y^e first beginnings of letters, y^e +knowledge of tõges, tales & fabels of poetes. +Finallye, why shulde y^t age be thought vnmete to +lerning, which is apt to lerne maners? Or what other +thinge shuld chyldrẽ do rather whẽ they be more able +to speake, seyng nedes thei muste do sumwhat? How much +more profite is it y^t age to sporte in letters, then +in trifles? Thou wilt say y^t it is but of litle value +y^t is done in those fyrste yeres. Why is it dispised +as a smal thing, which is necessary to a very greate +matter? And why is y^t lucre, be it neuer so litle, +yet a lucre, dispised of purpose? Now if you oftẽ put +a lytle to a litle, there riseth a greate heape. +Herewith cõsider this also, if beyng an infant he +lerne smaller thinges, he shalt lerne greter, growynge +vpwardes in those yeres, in which those smaller shuld +haue ben lerned. Finally whyle he doth these thinges, +at y^e least he shal be kept frõ those fautes, wherw^t +we se comẽly y^t age to be infected. For nothynge doth +better occupy y^e whole mynd of man, thẽ studies. +Verely this lucre ought not to be set light bi. But if +we shuld graũte that by these labours y^e strength of +y^e body is sumwhat diminished; yet thinke I this +losse well recõpensed by winnynge of wyt. For the +minde by moderate labours is made more quicke, & +lustye. And if ther be any ieopardy in this pointe, it +may be auoyded by our diligẽce. You must haue for this +tender age a teacher to enter it by fayre meanes, +& not discorage it by foule. And ther be also some +things both plesaũt to be knowen, & as it wer sibbe to +childrẽs wittes, whiche to lerne is rather a play thẽ +a labour. Howbeit childehod is not so weake which euẽ +for thys is y^e more mete to take paynes & labour, +because they fele not what labour is. Therfore if thou +wylte remember how far vnworthy he is to be counted a +mã which is void of learning, and how stirring the +life of man is, how slypper youth is to myschiefe, and +mans age howe it desyreth to be occupied, how baren +olde age is, and further how few come vnto it, thou +wylt not suffer thy yong babe in the whych thou shalte +lyue styll as it were borne agayne, to let go any +parte of hys tyme vnoccupied, in the whych any thynge +maye be gotten that eyther maye do muche good to all +y^e whole lyfe afterwardes, or kepe it awaye from +hurtes, and mischiefes. + + + The selfe same matter enlarged by copye. + +After the longe despayred fruitfulnes of thy wyfe, +I hearsay thou art made a father, and that wyth a man +chylde, whyche sheweth in it selfe a meruelous +towardnes, and euen to be lyke the parentes: and +that if so be we maye by such markes and tokens +pronosticate anye thyng, maye seeme to promise perfite +vertue. And that therfore thou doest entend, to se +thys chylde of so grete hope, assone as he shalbe +somewhat of age to be begonne in good letters, and to +be taught in very honest learnynge, to be instructed +and fashioned with the very wholsome preceptes of +philosophy. In deede you wyll be the whole father, and +you wyll haue hym your very son, and to loke lyke you, +not only in the fashion of hys face, and liniamẽtes of +hys bodye, but also in the giftes of hys wytte. Verely +as I am hertelye glad for the good fortune of myne +especiall friende, so I greatlye alowe your wyse +entente. This one thynge I wolde warne you of boldlye +in deede, but louinglye, not to suffer after the +iudgemente and example of the cõmon people, that the +fyrst age of your infante shulde flytte awaye without +all fruite of good instrucciõ, and then at the last to +set hym to learne hys fyrste letters, when bothe hys +age wyll not so well be handled, and hys wytte shall +be more readye to euyll, and peraduenture possessed +alreadye w^t the fast holdyng bryers of vices. ¶ Yea +rather euẽ now loke about for some man, as of maners +pure & vncorrupt, so also wel learned: & into his lap +deliuer your litle chyld, as it wer to a nurse of hys +tẽder mind, that euẽ w^t his milke he may sucke in +swete lerning: & deuide the care of thy litle sõne to +his nurses & teacher that they shuld suckun the litle +body w^t very good iuyce, & so indue hys mynd w^t very +wholsom opinions, & very honest lernynge. For I thinke +it not conuenient that y^u one of al the best learned, +& also wysest shuldest geue care to those piuyshe +women, or vnto mẽ very lyke to thẽ the beard excepted, +whych by a cruell pytie, & hateful loue, iudge that +the chyldren euen vntyl they waxe springoldes, shuld +be kept at home kyssyng theyr mothers, and among the +sweete wordes of theyr nurses pastymes, and vnchaste +trystynges of seruauntes and maydens. And thynke that +they ought vtterlye to be kepte awaye from learnyng as +from venome, saying that the fyrst age is so rude that +it can receiue no discipline, and so tender that it is +not mete for the labours of studies: and finally that +the profite of that age is so lytle worth, that +neyther anye coste shulde be made vpon it, neyther y^t +the weakenes of the chyldrẽ shuld be vexed. Whyle I +proue euery of these thynges false, I pray you a lytle +whyle take hede, countyng as the truth is, fyrst that +these thynges be writtẽ of him which loueth you as wel +as any mã doth, & inespecially of y^t thing which so +perteineth to you, y^t none can do more. For what is +more derer to you thẽ your son, inespecial hauing but +him alone, vpon whõ we wold be glad if we might +bestowe yea our life, not only our substaũce. Wherfore +who mai not se y^t thei do leudly & also vntowardli +which in tilling their lãd building their houses, +keping their horse, vse y^e gretest diligẽce thei cã, +& take to counsell men y^t be wyse, & of great +experience: in bringing vp and teachynge theyr +chyldren, for whose sakes al other thinges ar gotten, +take so litle regard that nether they once councel +with theyr owne mynd, not seke for the iudgements of +wyse men, but as thoughe there were a trifle in hande, +geue care to folyshe women, and to euery rascal +wretche, whych is no lesse shame to hear, then if a +man taking thought for the shooe, wolde set naught by +the foote, or wyth great study wold prouide that there +shuld be no faut in the garmente, naught reckynge for +the healthe of the bodye. Good syr, I wyl not here +cause you to tarye wyth common places, howe muche the +strength of nature, how much fatherly loue, the law of +god, mens constitucions require the parentes to owe +vnto the childrẽ, thorowe whom asmuche as we maye wee +escape to dye, and be made to lyue euer. But some +thynke they haue gaylye done the office of a father, +when they haue only begottẽ chyldren, where as thys is +the least porcion of loue that the name of a father +requyreth. What greate thought take the mothers +comenlye leste the infant shulde loke a gogle or a +squint, lest he shuld be puffe cheked, wrie necked, +croke shuldred, croke legged, splaye footed, and lest +that the proporcion of his bodye shuld not be trimme +in euery point: whereunto besyde other thynges, they +be wont to vse swadelbondes, and keepe in their chekes +wyth lytle miters. They haue regard also to theyr +mylke, their meate, theyr bathes, & their mouinges, +by whyche thynges the phisicions in many bookes, and +inespeciall Galene hath taught that the chyldren get +good healthe of theyr bodye: neyther do they differ +thys diligẽce vnto the seuenth or tenth yere, but euẽ +assone as the chylde commeth oute of the mothers +wombe, they take greate charge of thys. And they do +well, for the infancie not regarded, oftentymes +causeth men to haue a syckely and sore disseased olde +age, if they happen to come to it. Yea moreouer or +euer the chyld be born, yet dothe the mother take +great heede: Thei eate not of euery meat when they be +greate with chylde, they take heede that they moue not +theyr bodie to hurte them: and if there happen any +thyng to fall vpon their face, by and by they take it +away wyth theyr hand, and laye it vpon the priuie +part of theyr body. It hath ben proued by many +experimentes, that by this remedie the deformitie +whych wold haue bene on that part of y^e body that is +sene, hathe lyen hyd in the secrete place. No mã +calleth this to hasty a care whych is vsed for the +worser parte of man. Why then is that parte of man, +wherby we be properly called menne, neglected so many +yeres? ¶ Shuld he not do all agaynste gods forbod which +wold trim his cap, lettyng his head be vnkempt, and +all scabbed? Yet much more vnreasonable is it that we +shuld bestow iuste labours vpon the mortall bodye, and +to haue no regarde of the immortal soule. Further, if +a mã haue at home an horse colte, or a whelpe of a +good kynd, wyl he not straight waye begynne to fashion +hym to do sumwhat, and wyll do that so muche the more +gladlye, the readyer the yonge age is to folow the +teachers mynde? Wee wyl teache a popiniaye while time +is, to speke as a manne dothe, knowynge well that the +elder he waxeth, the lesse apte he wyll be to be +taughte, yea the common prouerbe geuyng warnynge of +thys thynge: That an old popiniaye careth not for the +rod. ¶ And what a thynge is it to be diligente in a +byrde, and slowe in teachynge thy sonne? What do the +wytty husbandmen? Do they not teach euen straight way +the plãtes whyle they be yet tender, to put awaye +theyr wylde nature by graffynge, and wyll not tarye +tyll they be waxen bygge and myghtye? ¶ And they do not +onlye take heede that the litle tree grow not croked +or haue any other faute, but if ther be anye, they +make haste to amend it, whyle it wyll yet bowe, and +folowe the hande of the fashioner. ¶ And what liuyng +thynge, or what plante wyll bee as the owener or +housebande manne wolde haue it to serue for, excepte +oure dylygence helpe nature? The sooner it is donne, +the better will it come to passe. + +¶ In dede to manye dumme beastes, nature the mother of +all thynges, hath geuen more helpe to do theyr natural +offices, but because the prouidẽce of God hath of al +creatures vnto men onlye geuen the strength of reason, +she hath left the greatest parte to educacion, in so +much that one hath written very wel the first poynte, +the middle, and the thirde, that is the chyefe of all +mans felicitye, to be good instruccion, & ryght +bryngynge vp. Whych prayse Demosthenes gaue to ryght +pronunciacion, and that in deede not falsely, but +ryghte bryngynge vp helpeth muche more to wysedome, +then pronunciation to eloquence. For diligente and +holy bringing vp, is the founteyne of al vertue. As to +folye and myschief, the fyrst, seconde, and thyrde +poynte, is vndiligente and corrupte educacion. Thys is +the thynge that is chiefelye lefte vnto vs. That is +the cause why vnto other beastes nature hathe geuen +swyftnes, flyght, sharpnes of sight, greatnes, and +strengthe of bodye, scales, flyshes, heares, hornes, +nayles, venome, wherby they may both defende their +healthe, and prouide for theyr liuynge, and brynge vp +their yonge: and bryngeth forthe man onlye softe, +naked, and vnfensed: but in stede of all thys, hath +geuen hym a mynde hable to receiue all discipline, +because in this onlye are all thynges, if a man wyll +exercise it. And euerye liuynge thynge, the lesse mete +it is to teachynge, so muche the more it hathe of +natiue prudence. Bees learne not to make their celles, +to gather iuce, and to make honye. The Emets are not +taughte to gather into their holes in somer, wherby +they shulde lyue in wynter, but all these thynges be +done by instruccion of nature. But man neyther can +eate, nor go, nor speake, except he be taught. Then if +the tree brynge forthe eyther no fruite or vnsauerye, +without the diligence of graffing, if the dogge be +vnmete to hunte, the horse vnapte to iuste, the oxe to +the plowe, except oure diligence bee putte to, howe +wylde and vnprofitable a creature wolde man become, +except diligẽtlye, and in dewe tyme he shulde be +fashioned by good bryngynge vp. ¶ I wyll not here +rehearse vnto you the example of Lycurgus knowen of +euerye man, whyche bryngynge oute two whelpes, one of +a gentle kynde, but euyll taughte, that ran to the +meate, that other of sluggyshe syres, but diligently +brought vp, that leafte the meate and leapt vpon the +beast. Nature is an effectuall thynge, but educacion +more effectuall, ouercommeth it. Menne take heede that +they maye haue a good dog to hunte, to haue a good +horse to iournei with, and here thei thynke no +diligence to be to hastie, but to haue a sonne that +shulde be both worship and profite to the parentes, +vpon whome they myghte laye a good part of the charges +of their houshold, whose loue mighte noryshe and beare +vp their vnweldy age, and y^t shuld shew hym self a +trustye and healpynge sonne in a lawe, a good husbande +to his wife, a valiaunte and profitable citizen to the +common wealthe, I saye to haue suche one, eyther they +take no care, or else they care to late. For whõ do +they plant? for whõ do they plowe? for whõ do they +buylde? for whõ do they hunt for riches both by land & +by sea? not for theyr chyldrẽ? But what profite or +worshyp is in these thinges, if he y^t shal be heire +of thẽ can not vse thẽ? With vnmesurable studye be +possessions gotten, but of the possessor we take no +kepe Who prepareth an harpe for the vnskylfull of +musycke? Who garnysheth a librarie for hym that can +skyl of no bookes? And are so great ryches gotten for +hym whyche can not tell howe to vse them? If thou +gettest these thynges to hym that is well broughte vp, +thou geueste hym instrumentes of vertue: but if thou +get them for a rude and rusticall wytte, what other +thynge doest thou then minister a matter of +wantonnesse and mischiefe? What canne bee thoughte +more folyshe then thys kynde of fathers? They prouide +that the bodie of the sonne maye be wythout faute, and +shulde bee made apte to do all manner thynges comelye, +but the mynde, by whose moderacion all honeste wyrkes +do stand, that they care not for. It nedeth me not +here to rehearse that riches, dignitie, authoritie, +and also healthfulnes of body, whych menne so +desirouslye wyshe to theyr chyldren, nothynge doth +more get them vnto man, thẽ vertue and learninge. They +wyshe vnto them a praye, but they wyll not geue thẽ a +nette to take it with all. That thing which is of al +most excellent, thou canst not geue thy sonne, but +thou mayest store hym wyth those good sciences, wherby +the best thynges be gotten. Now is this a great +inconuenience, but it is yet a greater, that they +leaue at home their dogge wel taught, their horse well +broken and taught, and theyr son enstructed wyth no +learnyng. They haue land well tylled, and theyr sonne +shamefull rude. ¶ They haue their house goodly trimmed, +and theyr sonne voyde of all garnyshyng. Further, they +whych after the peoples estimacion seme to be +meruelouse wyse, do prolong the diligence to garnyshe +the mind eyther in to an age vnapte to bee taughte, +or else take no care at all for it, and are meruelouse +thoughtfull of externall goodes of fortune, yea or +euer he be borne, whom they haue appoynted to be lorde +of thẽ all. For what se we not them to do? When their +wyfe is greate with chylde, then call they for a +searcher of natiuities, the parentes axe whether it +shall be a man or a woman kynde. They searche oute the +destenye. If the astrologer by the byrth houre haue +sayde that the chylde shulde be fortunate in warre: +wee wyll, saye they, dedicate this chyld to the kynges +courte. If he shal promyse ecclesiasticall dygnitie, +wee wyll, saye they, hunte for hym by some meanes, +a Byshoprycke, or a fatte Abbotshyp. Thys chylde wyl +we make a president or a deane. ¶ Thys semeth not to +them to hasty a care when they preuente euen the wery +byrth: and semeth it to hastye that is vsed in +fashioning your childrens myndes? So quyclye you +prouide to haue your sonne a capteine or an officer, +and therewyth wylte thou not prouide that he maie be a +profitable captayn or officer of the common wealth? +Before the tyme come you go aboute this, to haue your +sonne a byshop, or an abbot, and wylt thou not fashion +hym to this well, to beare the office of a byshop, or +an abbot? Thou setteste hym to a chariot, and shewest +hym not the manner to guyde it. Thou puttest hym to +the sterne, and passest not that he shulde learne +those thynges that becommeth a shypmaster to know. +Finally in all thy possessions thou regardest nothing +lesse then that, that is moste precious, & for whose +sake al other thynges be gotten. Thi corne fieldes be +goodly, thy houses be fayre, thy vessel is bright, thy +garmentes, and al thy housholde stuffe, thy horses bee +wel kept, thi seruaũtes wel taught, only thy sonnes +wyt is foule, filthy & all sluttishe. Thou hast +perchaũce bought by the drũme a bond slaue, vyle, and +barbarous, if he be rude and ignoraunt, y^u markest to +what vse he is good, & trimly thou bryngest hym vp to +some craft, either of the kytchen, physicke, +husbandrye, or stewardshyp: only thy sõne thou settest +lyght by, as an idle thynge. Thei wyl say: He shal +haue inough to lyue on, but he shall not haue to lyue +well on. Comonly the rycher that men be, the lesse +they care for the bryngyng vp of their chyldren. What +neede is it, say they, of anye learnyng, they shall +haue inoughe? Yea the more nede haue they of the helpe +of phylosophy and learnyng. The greater the shyp is, & +the more marchandyse it carieth aboute, the more neede +it hathe of a connynge shyppe master. Howe greatlye do +Prynces go about this, to leaue vnto their sonnes as +large a dominion as they cã, and yet do none care +lesse that they shuld be brought vp in those good +wayes, wythoute the whych, principalitie can not wel +be ordred. How muche more dothe he geue, that geueth +vs to lyue well, then to lyue? Verye lytel do chyldren +owe vnto theyre fathers of whome they be no more +but begotten, and not also broughte vp to lyue +verteouslye. + +¶ The saying of Alexander is muche spoken of: excepte +I were Alexander, I wold wishe to be Diogenes. But +very worthely doth Plutarch rebuke it, because that so +much the more he shuld haue wyshed to haue had +Diogenes philosophye, howe muche the greater hys +dominion was. But muche more shameful is theyr +sluggardy, whyche not onely bryng not vp their chyldrẽ +aright, but also corrupte them to wyckednesse. When +Crates the Thebane dyd perceiue thys abhominacion, not +without a cause he wolde go in to y^e hyest place of +the citye, & there crie out as loud as he could, & +caste them in the teeth wyth theyr madnesse in this +wyse. You wretches what madnesse driueth you? Take you +suche thought to gette money and possessions, & take +you no care for your children for whom you get these +thynges? As they be scante halfe mothers whych onlye +bringe forth, and not vp their chyldren, so be they +scante halfe fathers, which when they prouide +necessaries for theyr chyldrens bodies, euẽ somuch +that they maye ryot wythall, prouide not that their +myndes maye be garnyshed wyth honest disciplines. +Trees paraduẽture wyl grow though eyther baren, or +wyth wild fruite: horses are foled, though perchaunce +they be good for nothyng: but menne (truste me) be not +borne, but fashioned. Menne in olde tyme which by no +lawes, nor good order ledde theyr lyues in woodes, in +wãderynge lustes of bodye, were rather wylde beastes +then men. Reason maketh a man: that hathe no place +where all thynges are gouerned after affection. If +shape and fashion shulde make a man, Images also +shulde be counted among men. Elegantly sayde +Aristippus when a certen ryche man axed him what +profite learnyng shuld brynge to a yong man: & it be +no more but this quod he, y^t in the playing place one +stone sytte not vpon an other. Very properly another +Philosopher Diogenes I trowe, bearynge in the mydday a +candle in his hand, walked aboute the market place +that was full of men: beinge axed what thynge he +sought: I seeke quod he, a man. He knewe that there +was a greate company, but of beastes, and not men. The +same man on a daye, when stãding on an hye place he +had called a great sort together, and sayde nothing +else but come hither men, come hyther men. Some halfe +angrye cryed agayne: we are here men, say what thou +hast. Thẽ quod he: I wold haue men come hyther & not +you whych are nothyng lesse then men, and therwyth +draue them away wyth his staffe. Surely it is very +trewe, that a man not instructed wyth Phylosophye nor +other good sciences, is a creature somewhat worse then +brute beastes. For beastes folowe onely the affectes +of nature, a manne except he be fashioned wyth +learning, and preceptes of philosophy, is rawght into +affeccions more thẽ beastlike. For there is no beast +more wylde, or more hurtefull then a manne, whom +ambicion dryuethe, desyre, anger, enuye, ryot, and +luste. Therfore he that prouideth not that his sonne +may by and by be instructed in the beste learnyng; +neyther is he a manne, nor the sonne of a man. ¶ Were +it not an abhominable sight that the mynde of a man +shulde be in a beastes body? As we haue read that +Circes when she had enchaũted men wyth her wytchcraft, +dyd turne them into Lions, beares and swyne, so that +yet ther shuld be stil in them the mynde of a man, +which thyng Apuleus wrote to haue happened to hym +selfe, and Austin also hathe beleued that men haue +bene turned into wolues. Who could abyde to be called +the father of such a monster. But it is a more +merueylous monster that a beastes mynde shulde be in a +mans bodye, and yet do very many please them selues in +suche chyldren, and bothe the fathers seme, and the +common people thynke suche to be verye wise. + +¶ It is sayde that beares caste oute a lumpe of fleshe +wythout anye fashion, whych wyth longe lyckyng they +forme and brynge into a fashyon, but there is no +beares yonge one so euyll fauored as a manne is, borne +of a rude mynde. + +¶ Except wyth much studye y^u forme and fashion this, +thou shalt be a father of a monster and not of a man. +If thy sonne be borne wyth a copped head or +crockeshuldred, or splay footed, or wyth syxe fingers +in one hande, howe lothe woldest thou be for it, how +arte thou ashamed to be called the father not of a +man, but of a monster: and art thou not ashamed of so +monstrous a mynde? ¶ Howe discoraged be the fathers in +theyr hertes if their wyfe brynge forthe a naturall, & +an infante of a brute mynde? For they thynke they haue +begottẽ not a man, but a monster, and excepte feare of +the lawe dyd let them, they wolde kyll that that is +borne. Thou blameste nature whych hath denied the +minde of a man to thy chylde, & thou causest by thyne +own negligence, that thy sonne shulde be wythoute the +mynde of a man. But thou wylte saye: Better it is to +be of a brutishe rather thẽ of an vngracious mind. +Naye better it is to be a swyne, thẽ an vnlearned and +euyll man. Nature, when she geueth the a sonne, she +geueth nothyng else, thẽ a rude lumpe of fleshe. It is +thy parte to fashiõ after y^e best maner, that matter +that will obey & folow in euery poynt. If thou wylt +slacke to do it, thou hast a beaste: if thou take hede +thou hast, as I myght saye, a God. Srayght waye assone +as thy infãte is borne, it is apte to be taughte those +thynges whych properlie belonge to a man. Therfore +after the sayinge of Vyrgyll, bestowe diligente labour +vpon hym, euen from hys tender age. Handle the waxe +strayght way whyle it is very soft, fashion thys claie +whle it is moist, season thys earthen vessel wyth +verye good liquour, while it is newe, bye your wolle +whyle it commeth whyte frome the fuller, and is not +defiled wyth any spottes. Antisthenes dyd verye +merilye shewe the same, whyche when he had taken a +certen mans sõne to be taught, and was axed of hys +father what thinges he had neede of: a newe booke quod +he, a newe pensyle, and a new table. Verelye the +philosopher requyred a rude and emptye mynde. Thou +canst not haue a rude lumpe; but and if thou fashyonst +not lyke a manne, of it selfe it wylt waxe naught, +into monstruous formes of wylde beastes. Seynge thou +doest owe this seruyce to God & nature, although there +were no hope that thou shuldest haue any profite +therby, count in thy mynd, how greate comforte, how +greate profite, howe much worshyp the children that be +well brought vp brynge to theyr fathers. [Sidenote: +Chyldren euyl broughte vp, brynge shame to their +parẽtes] Agayne into what shames and greate sorowes +they cast their parentes that bee euyll broughte vp. +There is no nede to bryng here vnto the examples out +of olde chronicles: do no more but remember in thy +mind the housholdes of thine owne citye, howe many +examples shalt y^u haue in eueri place? I know thou +doest often hear such wordes. O happye man that I +were, if my chyldren were buryed. O fortunate mother, +if I hadde neuer broughte forth chylde. It is a +wayghty matter to brynge vp chyldren well, I graunt: +but no man is borne to him selfe, no man borne to be +idle. Thou woldest nedes be a father, y^u muste be a +good father; y^u haste gotten thẽ to the cõmon wealth, +not to thy self only; or to speake more lyke a +christen man, y^u hast begottẽ thẽ to god, not to thy +selfe. Paul wryteth that so in dede women be saued, if +they bryng forth childrẽ, & so brynge thẽ vp that they +continue in y^e study of vertue. God wil straitly +charge the parẽts w^t the childrẽs fautes. Therfore +excepte y^t euen forthwith thou bryng vp honestly y^t, +that is borne, fyrst y^u dost thy self wronge, which +thorow thy negligence, gettest y^t to thy selfe, then +the which no enemye could wyshe to an other, ether +more greuous or paynful. Dionisius did effeminat w^t +delyghtes of the court Dions yong son y^t was run +awaye from him: he knew y^t this shuld be more +carefull to y^e father, then if he had kylled hym w^t +a swerde. A litel whyle after when the yong manne was +forced of his father that was come to him, to returne +agayne to his old vertue, he brake his necke out of a +garret. In dede a certeyne wise hebriciõ wrot very +wisely. A wise child maketh the father glad, & a +folish son is sorow to y^e mother. But a wyse chyld +not only is pleasure to hys father, but also worship +and succoure, and finallye hys fathers lyfe. Contrarye +a folyshe and leude chylde, not only bringeth +heauynesse to hys parentes, but also shame and +pouertye, and olde before the tyme: and at laste +causeth death to them, of whom he had the begynnyng of +lyfe. What nede me to rehearse vp? daily are in our +eies the examples of citizens, whome the euyll maners +of theyr chyldrẽ haue brought to beggarye, whome +eyther the sonne beyng hanged, or theyr daughter an +whoore of the stewes, haue tormented wyth intollerable +shame and vylany. I know greate men, whych of manye +chyldren haue scante one lefte alyue. ¶ One consumed +wyth the abhominable leprie, called by diminucion y^e +french pockes, beareth his death aboute wyth hym: +another hathe burste by drynkynge for the beste game, +an other goyng a whorehuntynge in the nyghte with a +visar, was pitifullye kylled. What was the cause? +Bycause theyr parentes thynkynge it enough to haue +begotten them, and enryched them, toke no heede of +theire bryngynge vp. ¶ They shall dye by the lawe, whych +laye awaye theyr children, and cast them into some +wood to be deuoured of wylde beastes. But there is no +kynde of puttynge them awaye more cruell, then to geue +vp that to beastlye affeccions, whych nature hath +geuen to be fashioned by very good waies. If ther wer +ani witch could wyth euyl craftes, and wold go about +to turne thy sonne into a swyne or a wolfe, woldest +thou not thynke that ther were no punyshemente to sore +for her myscheuouse deede? But that whych thou +abhorrest in her, thou of purpose doest it thy selfe. +How huge a beaste is lechery? how rauenous and +insaciable is ryot? howe wylde a beast is dronkenshyp? +how hurtfull a thing is anger? how horrible is +ambicion? To these beastes dothe he set ouer hys +sonne, whosoeuer from his tender youthe doth not +accustume hym to loue that, that is honeste: to +abhorre synne: yea rather not onlye he casteth hym to +wyld beastes, whych the most cruel casters away are +wonte to do, but also whych is more greuouese, he +norisheth this greate and perilous beaste, euen to hys +owne destruccion. It is a kind of men most to be +abhorred, which hurteth the body of infantes wyth +bewitchyng: and what shal we say of those parentes +whiche thorowe their negligence and euyll educacion +bewitch the mynd? They are called murtherers that kyll +their children beynge newe borne, and yet kyll but the +body: howe great wyckednes is it to kyll the mynde? +For what other thynge is the deathe of the soule, then +foly and wickednes. And he doth also no lesse wrong to +his contrey, to whom asmuch as lyeth in hym, he geueth +a pestilente citizẽ. He is naught to godwards, of whom +he hath receyued a chylde for thys purpose, to brynge +hym vp to vertue. Hereby you may se, how greate and +manifolde mischiefes they committe whych regarde not +the bryngynge vp of tender age. ¶ But as I touched a +lytle before, they synne more greuouslie then do +these, whych not onely do not fashion them to +honestye, but also season the tender and soft vessel +of the infante to myschiefe and wyckednesse, and +teacheth hym vyce before he knowe what vice is. How +shuld he be a modeste man and dyspyser of pride, that +creepeth in purple? ¶ He can not yet sound his fyrste +letters, and yet he nowe knoweth what crimosine and +purple sylke meaneth, he knoweth what a mullet is, and +other dayntie fyshes, and disdainfullye wyth a proude +looke casteth away cõmon dyshes. How can he be +shamefast whẽ he is growen vp, which being a litel +infãt was begon to be fashioned to lecherye? How shall +he waxe liberal whẽ he is old, which being so litel +hath lerned to meruell at money & gold? If ther be ani +kynd of garment lately foũd out, as daili y^e tailers +craft, as in time paste dyd Africa, bringeth forth +some new mõster, y^t we put vpon our infãt. He is +taught to stand in his own cõceite: & if it be takẽ +away, he angerly axeth for it again. Howe shall he +beyng old hate drũkennes, whych when he is an infãt is +taught to loue wine? They teach them by lytle and +lytle suche filthy wordes whych are scant to be +suffered, as sayth Quintilian, of the delicious +Alexandrians. And if the child speake any suche after +them, they kysse hym for hys laboure. I warant you +they know their yong, growynge nothynge out of kynde, +when theyr owne lyfe is nothynge else then an example +of naughtynes. Beynge an infant, he learneth the +vnchaste flatterynge wordes of nurses, and as we saye, +he is fashioned wyth the hand to wanton touchynge. +He seeth hys father well whetteled wyth drynke, and +heareath hym bablynge oute that, that shulde be kepte +in. He sytteth at greate, and not very honest feastes, +he heareth the house ful of iesters, harpes, mynstrels +and daunsers. ¶ To these maners the chyld is so +accustumed, that custume goeth into nature. There be +nacions that fashion their chyldren to fiercenesse of +warre whyle they be yet redde frõ the mother. They +lerne to loke fierslie, the learne to loue the +swearde, and to geue a strype. From such beginninges +thei are deliuered to the master: and do we merueyle +if wee fynde them vnapte to lerne vertue, whych haue +dronke in vyces, euen wyth the mylke? But I hear some +men defendynge theyr folye thus, and saie that by thys +pleasure whiche is taken of the wantõnes of infantes, +the tediousnes of noursyng is recõpẽsed. What is this? +Shuld it be to the verye father more pleasaunt if the +chylde folowe an euyll deede, or expresse a leude +worde, thẽ if wyth his lytle stuttyng tonge, he spake +a good sentence, or folowe any deede that is wel done? +Nature specially hathe geuen to the fyrste age an +easines to folowe and do after, but yet thys folowyng +is somewhat more prone to naughtynesse then to +goodnes. Is vyce more plesaunte to a good man then +vertue, specially in hys chrldren? If anye fylthe fall +vpon the yonge chyldes skyn, thou puttest it away, and +dost thou infect the mynd wyth so foule spottes? +Nothynge stycketh faster then that that is learned in +yonge myndes. I pray you what motherlye hertes haue +those women, whiche dandle in their lap their chyldren +tyl they be almost seuen yeres old, and in maner make +thẽ fooles? If they be so much disposed to play why do +they not rather get apes, and litle puppets to play +wythall? O saye they: they be but chyldren. They be in +deede: but it cã scant be told how muche those fyrste +beginninges of our yong age do helpe vs to guide all +our lyfe after, & howe hard & vntractable a wanton and +dissolute bryngyng vp, maketh the chylde to the +teacher, callynge the same gentlenes, when in deede it +is a marring. Might not an accion of euyl handlyng +children meruelous iustli be laid against such +mothers? For it is plainely a kynde of witchcraft & of +murther. They be punyshed by the lawe, y^t bewitche +their childrẽ, or hurt their weake bodies with +poisons: what do thei deserue which corrupt y^e chiefe +parte of the infãt w^t most vngracious venome? It is a +lighter matter to kyl the body then the mind? If a +child shulde be brought vp amõg the gogle eied +stutters, or haltyng, the body wold be hurt w^t +infecciõ: but in dede fautes of the mind crepe vpon vs +more priuely, & also more quickely, & settel deper. +The apostle Paul worthily gaue this honor vnto the +verse of Menãder, y^t he wold recite it in his +epistels: Euyl comunicaciõ, corrupteth good maners: +but this is neuer truer thẽ in infantes. Aristotle whẽ +he was axed of a certen mã by what meanes he myghte +bringe to pas, to haue a goodly horse: If he be +brought vp quod he, among horses of good kynde. And +y^t if neyther loue nor reason can teach vs howe +greate care we ought to take for y^e first yeres of +our children, at y^e least waies let vs take example +of brute beastes. For it oughte not to greue vs to +learne of thẽ a thynge y^t shall be so profitable, +of whome mãkinde now long ago hath lerned so many +fruitful things: sence a beast called Hippopotamus +hath shewed y^e cutting of veines, & a bird of egipt +called Ibis hath shewed y^e vse of a clister, which +y^e phisiciõs gretly alow. The hearbe called dictamum +whiche is good to drawe out arrowes, we haue knowne it +bi hartes. Thei also haue taughte vs that the eatinge +of crabs is a remedy against the poyson of spyders. +And also we haue learned by the teachyng of lysardes, +that dictamum doth confort vs agaynst the byting of +serpentes. For thys kynde of beastes fyghte naturally +agaynste serpentes, of whom whẽ they be hurt, they +haue ben espyed to fetche theyr remedye of that herbe. +Swallowes haue shewed vs salandine, and haue geuen the +name vnto the hearbe. ¶ The wesyll hathe shewed vs that +rewe is good in medicines. The Storke hathe shewed vs +the herbe organye: and the wylde bores haue declared +y^t Iuy helpeth sickenesses. Serpentes haue shewed +that fenel is good for the eye syght. That vomite of +the stomacke is stopped by lettise, the Dragon +monysheth vs. And that mans donge helpeth agaynst +poyson, the Panthers haue taught vs, and many mo +remedies we haue learned of Brute beastes: yea and +craftes also that be verye profitable for mannes lyfe. +Swine haue shewed vs the maner to plow the land, and +the Swalowe to tẽper mud walles. To be short, there is +in maner nothyng profitable for the lyfe of man, +but y^t nature hathe shewed vs an example in brute +beastes, that they that haue not learned philosophy +and other sciences, maye be warned at the least waye +by them what they shulde do. Do we not se howe that +euery beaste, not only doth beget yonge, but also +fashion them to do their natural office? The byrde is +borne to flye. Doest thou not se how he is taught +therunto & fashioned by his dãme? We see at home how +the cattes go before their kytlynges, and exercyse +them to catch myse and byrdes, because they muste lyue +by them. ¶ They shewe them the praye whyle it is yet +alyue, and teache them to catche it by leapyng, and at +last to eate them. What do hartes? Do they not forth +wyth exercise their fawnes to swyftnes, and teach thẽ +howe to runne? they brynge them to hye stiepe doune +places, & shewe them how to leap, because by these +meanes they be sure agaynste the traines of the +hunters. Ther is put in writing as it were a certen +rule of techyng elephãtes and dolphins in brynginge vp +their yonge. In Nyghtingales, we perceiue the offices +of the techer and learner, how the elder goth before, +calleth backe, and correcteth, and howe the yonger +foloweth and obeyeth. And as the dogge is borne to +huntyng, the byrde to flyinge, the horse to runnyng, +the oxe to plowynge, so man is borne to philosophy and +honeste doinges: and as euery liuing thing lerneth +very easly that, to the whiche he is borne, so man +wyth verye lytle payne perceiueth the lernyng of +vertue and honestye, to the whiche nature hath graffed +certen vehemente seedes and principles: so that to the +readinesse of nature, is ioyned the diligence of the +teacher. What is a greater inconuenience then beastes +that be wythout reason to knowe and remember theyr +duetye towarde theyr yong: Man whych is deuided from +brute beastes by prerogatiue of reason, not to know +what he oweth to nature, what to vertue, and what to +God? And yet no kynde of brute beastes looketh for +anye rewarde of theyre yong for their noursynge and +teachynge, excepte we luste to beleue that the Storkes +noryshe agayne they dãmes forworne wyth age, and bear +them vpon their backes. But among men, because no +continuance of time taketh awaye the thanke of +naturall loue: what comfort, what worshyp, what +succoure doth he prepare for hym selfe, that seeth hys +childe to be well brought vp? Nature hathe geuen into +thy handes a newe falowed fielde, nothynge in it in +deede, but of a fruitfull grounde: and thou thorow +negligence sufferest it to be ouergrowen wyth bryers +and thornes, whyche afterwardes can not be pulled vp +wyth any diligence. In a lytell grayne, howe greate a +tree is hyd, what fruite will it geue if it spring +oute. + +¶ All thys profite is lost except thou caste seede +into the forowe, excepte thou noryshe wyth thy labour +this tender plant as it groweth, and as it were make +it tame by graffyng. Thou awakest in tamyng thy plãt, +and slepeste thou in thy sonne? All the state of mans +felicitie standeth specially in thre poyntes: nature, +good orderyng, and exercyse. I cal nature an aptnes to +be taught, and a readines that is graffed within vs to +honestye. Good orderynge or teachyng, I call doctryne, +which stondeth in monicions and preceptes. I call +exercyse the vse of that perfitenes which nature hath +graffed in vs, and that reason hath furthered. Nature +requyreth good order and fashionynge: exercyse, except +it be gouerned by reason, is in daunger to manye +perylles and erroures. They be greatly therefore +deceiued, whych thynke it sufficiẽt to be borne, & no +lesse do they erre whyche beleue that wysedome is got +by handelynge matters and greate affayres wythoute the +preceptes of philosophye. Tel me I praye you, when +shall he be a good runner whych runneth lustelye in +deede, but eyther runneth in the darke, or knoweth not +the waye? ¶ When shall he bee a good sworde player, +whych shaketh hys sworde vp and downe wynkyng? +Preceptes of philosophye be as it were the eyes of the +mynde, and in manner geue lyght before vs that you may +see what is nedefull to be done and what not. Longe +experience of diuerse thinges profite much in dede, +I confesse, but to a wyse man that is diligently +instructed in preceptes of well doynge. Counte what +thei haue done, and what thei haue suffered all theyr +lyfe, whych haue gotten them by experience of thinges +a sely small prudence & thinke whether y^u woldest +wyshe so greate myschiues to thy sonne. Moreouer +philosophye teacheth more in one yere, then dothe anye +experience in thyrty, and it teacheth safely, whẽ by +experience mo men waxe miserable then prudent, in so +much that the old fathers not without a cause sayde: +a man to make a perill or be in ieopardy, whych +assayed a thyng by experience. Go to, if a man wold +haue hys sonne well seene in physycke, whether wolde +he rather he shulde reade the bookes of physicions or +learne by experience what thynge wolde hurt by +poysonyng, or helpe by a remedy. Howe vnhappye +prudence is it, when the shypman hathe learned the +arte of saylynge by often shypwrackes, when the prince +by continuall batayles and tumultes, and by cõmon +myschieues hath learned to beare hys office? Thys is +the prudence of fooles, and that is bought to dearlye, +that men shulde be wyse after they be strycken wyth +myschief. He learneth very costely, whych by wanderyng +lerneth not to wander. Philippus wyselye learned hys +sonne Alexander to shewe hym selfe glad to lerne of +Aristotle: and to learne philosophy perfectlye of him +to the entẽt he shuld not do that he shuld repent hym +of. And yet was Phylyp cõmended for hys singuler +towardnes of wytte. What thynke ye then is to be +looked for of the cõmon sorte. But the manner of +teachynge doth briefly shewe what we shulde folowe, +what wee shulde auoyde: neyther dothe it after wee +haue taken hurte monyshe vs, thys came euyll to passe, +hereafter take heede: but or euer ye take the matter +in hande, it cryeth: If thou do thys, thou shalt get +vnto the euyll name and myschiefe. Let vs knytte +therfore this threfolde corde, that both good teachyng +leade nature, and exercise make perfite good +teachynge. Moreouer in other beastes we do perceiue +that euery one doth sonest learne that that is most +properly belonging to hys nature, and whych is fyrste +to the sauegarde of hys healthe: and that standeth in +those thynges which brynge either payne or destrucciõ. +Not onlye liuing thyngs but plantes also haue thys +sence. For we se that trees also in that parte where +the sea doth sauour, or the northen winde blow, to +shrynke in their braunches and boughes: and where the +wether is more gentle, there to spreade them farther +oute. + +¶ And what is that that properly belongeth vnto man? +Verelye to lyue according to reason, and for that is +called a reasonable creature, and diuided frõ those +that cã not speake And what is most destrucciõ to mã? +Folyshenes. He wyll therfore be taught nothyng soner +then vertue, and abhorre from nothynge sooner then +folyshenesse, if so be the diligence of the parentes +wyll incontinent set aworke the nature whyle it is +emty. But we here meruelous complantes of the common +people, howe readye the nature of chyldrẽ is to fal to +vyce, & how hard it is to drawe them to the loue of +honesty. They accuse nature wrongfullye. The greatest +parte of thys euyll is thorowe oure owne faute, whyche +mar the wittes w^t vyces, before we teache them +vertues. And it is no maruell if we haue them not +verye apte to learne honestye, seyng they are nowe +already taught to myschiefe. And who is ignoraunt, +that the labour to vnteache, is both harder, and also +goth before teachyng. Also the common sorte of men do +amysse in thys pointe thre maner of wayes: eyther +because they vtterlye neglecte the bryngynge vp of +chyldren, or because they begynne to fashion their +myndes to knoweledge to late, or because they putte +them to those men of whome they maye learne that that +muste be vnlerned agayne. Wee haue shewed those fyrst +maner of men vnworthi to be called fathers, and that +they very litle differ from suche as sette theyr +infantes out abrode to be destroyed, and that they +oughte worthely to be punyshed by the lawe, which doth +prescribe this also diligentlye by what meanes +chyldren shuld be brought vp, & afterwards youth. The +second sorte be very manye, wyth whom nowe I specially +entend to striue. The thyrd doth amysse two wayes, +partly thorowe ignoraunce, partly thorowe retchlesnes. +And syth it is a rare thynge and a shame to be +ignoraunte to whome thou shuldest put oute thy horse, +or thy grounde to be kepte, howe muche more shamefull +is it not to knowe whom thou shuldeste put thy chylde +in truste wythal, beynge the dearest part of thy +possessions? Ther thou beginnest to lerne that, that +thou canst not skyll well of thy selfe, thou axest +counsell of the beste seene: here thou thynkeste it +maketh no matter to whom thou committest thy sonne. +Thou assignest to thy seruantes, eueri man his office +that is metest for hym. Thou tryest whom thou mayest +make ouersear of thy husbandrie, whome to appoint to +the kitchen, and who shulde ouersee thy housholde. And +it there be any good for nothynge, a slug, a dulhead, +a foole, a waster, to hym we cõmit oure childe to be +taught: and that thynge whych requireth the cunningest +man of all, is put to y^e worst of our seruauntes. +What is vntoward, if here menne haue not an vntoward +mind? Ther be some whych for theyr couetous mynd be +afeard to hyre a good master, and geue more to an +horskeper then a teacher of the chyld. And yet for al +that they spare no costly feastes, nyght & day thei +playe at dice, and bestowe moch vpon houndes & fooles. +In thys thynge onely they be sparers and nigardes, +for whose cause sparinge in other thynges myght be +excused. I wold ther wer fewer whych bestowe more vpon +a rotten whore, then vpon bringyng vp of their chylde. +Nothyng sayth the Satir writer stãdeth the father in +lesse cost then the sonne. Peraduenture it wyll not be +much amisse here to speake of y^e day dyet, which +longe ago was muche spokẽ of in y^e name of Crates. +They report it after thys fashion. Alow to thy coke +.x. poũd, to thy physicion a grote, to thy flatterer +.v. talẽts, to thy coũseller smoke, to thy harlot a +talent, to thy philosospher .iii. halfpẽs. What +lacketh to this preposterous count, but to put to it +y^t the teacher haue .iii. farthings: Howbeit I thinke +y^t the master is meant vnder y^e name of philosopher. +Whẽ one that was riche in money, but nedy of wit axed +Aristippus what wages he wold axe for teching his son, +& he answered .v.C. grotes. You axe quod he to great a +sũme: for w^t this much money a man maye bye a +seruaunte. ¶ Then the philosopher very properly againe: +but now, quod he, for one thou shalt haue two: a sonne +mete to do the seruice, and a philosopher to teache +thy sonne. Further if a man shulde bee axed, whether +he wold haue hys onlye sonne dead to wynne an hundred +horses, if he had any crumme of wysedome, he wold +answer (I thinke:) in no wyse. Whi geuest thou then +more for thi horse? why is he more diligẽtly takẽ hede +to then thy sonne? why geuest thou more for a fole, +then for the bringyng vp of thy chylde? Be frugall and +sparynge in other thynges, in thys poynt to be +thryfty, is no sparynge but a madnes. There be other +agayn that take good heede in chosyng a master, but +that is at the desyre of their friendes. They lette +passe a meete and cunninge man to teache chyldren, and +take one that can no skyll, for none other cause, but +that he is set forwardes at the desyres of their +friendes. Thou mad man, what meanest thou? In saylynge +thou regardest not the affeccion of thẽ y^t speake +good wordes for a man, but thou setteste hym to the +helme, whych can beste skyll to gouerne the shyp: in +the sonne, whẽ not only he hymself is in ieopardy, but +the father and mother and all the housholde, yea and +the common wealth it selfe, wylte thou not vse like +iudgement? Thy horse is sicke, whether wilt thou sende +for a leche at the good word of thy friend, or for his +cũning in lechcraft. What? Is thy sonne of lesse price +vnto the then thi horse? Yea settest thou lesse by thy +selfe then by thy horse? This beyng a foule thynge in +meane citizens, how much more shamefull is it in great +menne? At one supper a dashynge agaynst the mischeuous +rocke of dice, and so hauynge shypwrake, thei lose two +hundred poũd, and yet they saye they be at coste, if +vpon theyr son they bestowe aboue .xx. pounde. No man +can geue nature, eyther to himselfe, or to other: +howbeit in this poynte also the diligẽce of the +parẽtes helpeth much. The fyrst poynt is, that a mã +chose to hym selfe a wyfe that is good, come of a good +kynred, and well broughte vp, also of an healthfull +bodie. For seyng the kynred of the body and mynde is +very straytlye knytte, it can not be but that the one +thynge eyther muste be holpen or hurte of the other. +The nexte is, that when the husbande dothe hys duetye +to get chyldren, he do it neither beyng moued wyth +anger, nor yet drunken, for these affeccions go into +the chylde by a secrete infeccion. A certen +philosopher seemed to haue marked that thyng properly, +whyche seynge a yonge man behauinge hym selfe not +verye soberlie, it is meruell quod he, but if thy +father begat the whẽ he was dronke. Verily I thynke +this also maketh greatli to the matter, if the mother +at all times, but specially at y^e time of concepcion +and byrthe, haue her mynde free from all crimes, and +be of a good cõscience. For ther can be nothyng eyther +more quiet or more merye then such a mynd. The thyrd +point is y^t the mother noryshe with her own brestes +her infãt, or if ther hap any necessitie that it maye +not so be, let be chosẽ a nurse, of a wholsome body, +of pure mylke, good condicions, nether drunkẽ, not +brauler, nor lecherous. For the vices that be takẽ +euen in y^e very beginninges of lyfe, both of the +bodye and of the mynd, abyde fast vntyl we be olde. +Some men also write y^t it skilleth muche who be his +sucking felowes & who be his playfelowes. Fourthlye +that in due season he be set to a chosen scholemaster +alowed by all mens witnes, and many waies tryed. You +must be diligẽt in chosyng, and after go thorowe with +it. Homer disaloweth wher many beare rule: and after +the olde prouerbe of the grekes. The multitude of +captaines dyd lose Caria. And the oftẽ chaunginge of +physicions hath destroyed manye. There is nothynge +more vnprofitable, then often to chaunge y^e master. +For by that meanes the web of Penelopes is wouẽ and +vnwouen. But I haue knowen childrẽ, whych before they +wer .xii. yere old, had more thẽ .xii. masters, and +that thorowe the rechelesnesse of their parẽtes. And +yet after this is done must the parẽtes be diligẽt. +They shall take heede bothe to the master & to the +sonne, neither shall they so caste away al care from +thẽ as they are wonte to laye all the charge of the +doughter vpon the spouse, but the father shall +oftentyme looke vpon them, and marke whether he +profite, remembrynge those thynges whych the olde men +spake both sagely and wittely, that the forehead is +set before the hynder part of the head: and that +nothyng sooner fatteth the horse then the masters eye, +nor that no dunge maketh the ground more fruitfull +then the masters footyng. I speake of yonge ons. For +as for the elders it is meete sometyme that they be +sente far out of oure syght, whiche thing as it were a +graffing, is inespecially wont to tame yonge mens +wyttes. Emonge the excellent vertues of Paulus +Emilius, this also is praised, that as oftẽ as he +might for his busines in the cõmon welth he wolde be +at the exercises of hys sõnes. And Plinie the nepheu +was contente nowe and then to go into the schole for +his friendes sonnes sake, whom he had taken vpon him +to brynge vp in good learnynge. ¶ Furthermore, that that +wee haue spoken of nature is not to be vnderstand one +wayes. For there is a nature of a common kinde, as the +nature of a man in to vse reason. But ther is a nature +peculier, eyther to hym or him, that properly belõgeth +either to thys man or that, as if a man wolde saye +some menne to be borne to disciplines mathematical +some to diuinitie, some to rethorike some to poetrie, +and some to war. So myghtely disposed they be and +pulled to these studies, that by no meanes they canne +be discoraged from them, or so greatly they abhor +them, that they wyl sooner go into the fyre, then +apply their mynde to a science that they hate. I knewe +one familierlye whych was verye well seene both in +greke and latin, and well learned in all liberall +sciences, when an archbyshop by whõ he was found, had +sende hither by hys letters, that he shulde begynne to +heare the readers of the lawe agaynst hys nature. +After he had cõplayned of this to me (for we laye both +together) I exhorted hym to be ruled by his patron, +saying that it wold wexe more easily, that at the +beginning was harde, and that at the least waye he +shulde geue some part of hys tyme to that study. After +he had brought oute certen places wonderfull folyshe, +which yet those professours halfe goddes dyd teache +their hearers wyth greate authoritie, I answered, he +shuld set light by them, & take out that whyche they +taught well: and after I had preased vpon hym wyth +many argumentes, I am quod he so minded, that as often +as I turne my selfe to these studies, me thinketh a +swerde runneth thorowe my hert. Menne that bee thus +naturallye borne, I thynke they be not to bee +compelled against their nature, lest after the common +saying we shuld leade an Oxe to wreastlynge, or an +Asse to the harpe. Peraduenture of this inclinacion +you may perceiue certen markes in lytle ons. There be +that can pronosticate such thynges by the houre of hys +birthe, to whose iudgemente howe muche ought to be +geuen, I leaue it to euerye mans estimacion. It wolde +yet muche profite to haue espyed the same assoone as +can be, because we learne those thynges most easelie, +to the which nature hath made vs. I thinke it not a +very vayne thing to coniecture by y^e figure of the +face and the behaueour of the rest of the bodie, what +disposicion a man is of. Certes Aristotle so greate a +philosopher vouchsaued to put oute a booke of +phisiognonomye verye cunnynge and well laboured. As +saylyng is more pleasaunt when wee haue borne the wynd +and the tyde, so be we soner taught those things to +the whych we be inclined by redines of wyt. Virgyll +hath shewed markes wherby a man may know an oxe good +for y^e plough, or a cowe meete for generacion & +encrease of cattell. Beste is y^t oxe that looketh +grimly. He techeth by what tokẽs you may espie a yong +colt mete for iusting. Straight waye the colt of a +lusty courage trãpleth garlic in the fieldes .&c. for +you know the verses. They are deceyued whyche beleue +that nature hathe geuen vnto man no markes, whereby +hys disposiciõ maye bee gathered, and they do amisse, +that do not marke them thar be geuen. Albeit in my +iudgemente there is scante anye discipline, but that +the wyt of man is apt to lerne it, if we continue in +preceptes and exercise. For what may not a man learne, +when an Eliphant maye be taught to walke vpõ a corde, +a bear to daunse, and an asse to playe the foole. As +nature therefore is in no mannes owne hande, so wee +haue taught wherin by some meanes we maye helpe +nature. But good orderynge and exercise is altogether +of our own witte and diligence. How much the waye to +teach doth helpe, thys specially declareth, that we se +daylye, burdens to be lyft vp by engins and arte, +whiche otherwyse coulde bee moued by no strength. ¶ And +how greatly exercise auaileth that notable saying of +the old wise man, inespeciallye proueth, that he +ascribeth all thynges to diligence and study. But +labour, say they, is not meete for a tender age, & +what readines to lerne can be in children whych yet +scarse knowe that they are men: I wyll answere to +bothe these thinges in few wordes. How agreeth it that +that age shulde bee counted vnmeete for learnynge, +whych is nowe apte to learne good maners? But as there +be rudimentes of verture, so be there also of +sciences. Philosophy hath his infancie, hys youthe, +and rype age. An horsecolt, which forthwyth sheweth +his gentle kynd, is not straight way forced wyth the +bytte to cary on his backe an armed manne, but wyth +easy exercises he learneth the fashion of warre. +The calfe that is appoynted to the plowghe, is not +strayght wayes laden wyth werye yockes, nor prycked +wyth sharpe godes, but as Virgyl hath elegantlye +taught: Fyrst they knyt aboute his necke circles made +of tender twygges, and after when his free necke hathe +bene accustumed to do seruice, they make rounde hoopes +mete, & when they be wrythẽ, ioyne a payre of meete +ons together, and so cause the yonge heyfers to gooe +forwardes, and often tymes they make them to draw an +empty cart, and sleightly go awaye, but afterwards +they set on a great heauy axeltree of beeche, and make +them to draw a great plough beame of yrõ. Plowmen can +skyll howe to handell oxen in youthe, and attemper +their exercises after their strength muche more +diligently ought this to be done in bringing vp our +children. Furthermore the prouidẽce of nature hath +geuen vnto litle ons a certen mete habilitte. An +infant is not yet meete to whome thou shuldest reade +y^e offices of Cicero, or the Ethickes of Aristotle, +or the moral bokes of Seneca or Plutarche, or the +epistles of Paule, I confesse, but yet if he do any +thyng vncomly at the table, he is monyshed, and when +he is monyshed, he fashioneth hym selfe to do as he is +taught. He is brought into the temple, he lerneth to +bowe his kne, to holde hys handes manerly, to put of +hys cap, and to fashion all the behaueour of hys bodie +to worshyp God, he is cõmaunded to holde hys peace +when misteries be in doyng, and to turne hys eyes to +the alter. These rudimentes of modestye and vertue the +childe lerneth before he can speake, which because +they sticke fast vntil he be elder, they profit +somwhat to true religiõ. There is no differẽce to a +chyld when he is first borne, betwene his parẽntes & +straungers. Anon after he learneth to knowe his +mother, & after his father. He learneth by litle & +litle to reuerẽce thẽ, he learneth to obey them, & to +loue thẽ. He vnlerneth to be angrye, to be auẽged, +& when he is biddẽ kysse thẽ that he is ãgry withal, +he doth it, & vnlerneth to bable out of measure. He +lerneth to rise vp, & geue reuerence to an old mã, & +to put of his cap at y^e image of the crucifix. Thei +that thinke y^t these lytle rudimẽtes help nothing to +vertue, in my mind be greatly deceiued, A certẽ yonge +man whẽ he was rebuked of Plato because he had plaied +at dice cõplained y^t he was so bitterly chiddẽ, for +so litle harme. Thẽ quod Plato, although it be but +smal hurt to play at dice, yet is it great hurt to vse +it. As it is therefore a greate euyll to accustume thy +selfe to euyl, so to vse thy selfe to small good +thynges is a greate good. And that tender age is so +muche the more apte to learne these thyngs, because of +it selfe it is plyaunt vnto all fashions, because it +is not yet occupyed wyth vyce, and is glad to folowe, +if you shewe it to do any thinge. And as cõmonlye it +accustumeth it selfe to vyce, or euer it vnderstand +what vyce is, so wyth lyke easynes maye it be +accustumed to vertue. And it is beste to vse best +thinges euen at the fyrst. That fashion wyll endure +longe, to the which you make the empty and tender +mynde. Horace wrote that if you thruste oute nature +wyth a forke, yet wyll it styll come againe. He wrot +it and that very truly, but he wrote it of an olde +tre. Therefore the wise husband man wil straight waye +fashion the plante after that maner whyche he wyll +haue tarye for euer when it is a tree. It wyll soone +turne in to nature, that you powre in fyrste of all. +Claye if it be to moyste wyl not kepe the fashion that +is prynted in it: the waxe may be so softe that +nothynge can bee made of it. But scarse is there any +age so tender that is not able to receyue learnyng. No +age sayth Seneca, is to late to learne: whether that +be true or no I wot not, surely elderly age is very +harde to learne some thyngs. This is doutles, that no +age is so yonge but it is apte to be taught, +inespecially those thynges vnto the whych nature hathe +made vs, for as I sayd: for thys purpose she hath +geuen a certen peculier desyre of folowyng, that what +so euer they haue herde or seene, they desyre to do +the lyke, and reioyse when they thynke they can do any +thyng: a man wolde saye they wer apes. And of thys +ryseth the fyrste coniecture of their wyt and aptnes +to be taughte. Therefore assone as the man chyld is +borne, anone he is apte to lerne maners. After whẽ he +hath begon to speake, he is mete to be taught letters. +Of what thynge regarde is fyrste to be had, a readines +by & by is geuen to lerne it. For learnyng although it +haue infinite commodities, yet excepte it wayte vpon +vertue, it bryngeth more harme then good. Worthilye +was refused of wyse menne theire sentence, which +thought that children vnder seuen yere olde shulde not +be set to lernyng: and of thys sayinge many beleued +Hesiodus to be the author, albeit Aristophanes the +gramarian sayd, that those morall preceptes in the +whych worke it was written, were not made by Hesiodus. +Yet nedes must be some excellẽt wryter, which put +forth such a booke that euen learned menne thought it +to be of Hesiodus doing. But in case it were Hesiodus, +without doute yet no mans authoritie oughte to be of +suche force vnto vs, that we shulde not folowe the +better if it be shewed vs. Howebeit who soeuer wer of +thys mynd, they meant not thys, that all thys time +vntyll seuen yeres shulde bee quite voyde of teachyng, +but that before that tyme chyldren shulde not bee +troubled wyth the laboure of studies, in the whych +certeine tediousnes muste bee deuoured, as of cannyng +wythout booke, sayinge the lesson agayn, and wyth +wrytinge it, for scant maye a man fynde anye that +hathe so apte a wytte to bee taught, so tractable and +that so wil folowe, whyche wyll accustume it selfe to +these thynges wythout prickyng forward. Chrisippus +apoynted thre yeres to the nourses, not that in the +meane space there shuld be no teachynge of manners, +and speach, but that the infante shulde be prepared by +fayr meanes to lern vertue and letters, ether of the +nurses, or of the parentes, whose maners wythout +peraduẽture do help very much to the good fashionynge +of chyldren. And because the fyrste teachyng of +chyldren is, to speake playnly and wythout faute, in +this afore tyme the nourses and the parentes helpe not +a lytle. Thys begynnyng, not only very muche profiteth +to eloquẽce, but also to iudgement, and to the +knowledge of all disciplines: for the ignoraunce of +tonges, eyther hath marred all the sciences, or +greatly hurt thẽ, euẽ diuinitie it selfe also, +phisicke & law. The eloquence of the Gracchians was +muche merueyled at in tyme paste, but for the most +they myghte thanke theyr mother Cornelia for it, +as Tullie iudgeth. It apeareth sayth he, that the +chyldren wer not so much brought vp in the mothers +lappe, as in the mothers cõmunicacion. So theyr fyrste +scholyng was to them the mothers lap. Lelia also +expressed in her goodly talke the eloquence of her +father Caius. And what marueile. While she was yet +yonge she was dyed wyth her fathers communicacion, +euen when she was borne in his armes. The same +happened to the two sisters, Mucia and Licinia, neeces +vnto Caius. Specially is praysed the elegaunce of +Licinia in speakyng, whiche was the daughter of Lucius +Crassus, one Scipios wyfe as I weene. What nedes many +words? All the house and all the kynred euen to the +nepheus, and their cosyns dyd often expresse elegance +of their fore fathers in artificiall and cunnyng +speakyng. The daughter of Quintus Hortencius so +expressed her fathers eloquence, that ther was longe +ago an oracion of hers to se, that she made before the +officers called Triumuiri, not only (as Fabius sayth) +to the prayse of womankynd. To speake without faut no +litle helpe brynge also the nourses, tutors, and +playefelowes. For as touching the tonges, so great is +the readines of that age to learne them, that within a +few monethes a chylde of Germany maye learne Frenche, +and that whyle he dothe other thinges also: neyther +dothe that thynge come euer better to passe then in +rude and verye yonge yeres. And if this come to passe +in a barbarous and vnruled tonge, whych wryteth other +wyse then it speaketh, and the whych hathe hys +schriches and wordes scarse of a man, howe muche more +easely wyl it be done in the Greeke or Latine tonge? +Kyng Mithridates is read to haue perfitly knowen +.xxii. tonges, so that he could plead the lawe to +euery nacion in their owne tonges wythoute anye +interpreter. ¶ Themistocles within a yeres space lerned +perfitely the Persians tong because he wolde the +better cõmen wyth the kyng. If sũwhat old age can do +that, what is to be hoped for of a chylde? And all +this businesse standeth specially in two thynges, +memorye and imitacion. We haue shewed before alredy +that there is a certein naturall greate desyre in +chyldren to folowe other, and very wyse men wryte that +memorie in chyldren is verye sure in holdinge faste: +and if we distrust there authoritie, experience it +selfe wyll proue it vnto vs. Those thynges that we +haue seene beying chyldren, they so abide in our +mindes, as thou we had sene them yesterdaie. Thinges +that we read today whẽ we be old, wythin two daies +after if we read thẽ agayn they seme newe vnto vs. +Furthermore howe fewe haue we seene whych haue had +good successe in lernynge the tonges when they were +olde? And if some haue wel spedde them in knowledge, +yet the right sound and pronunciacion hath chaunsed +either to none, or to very few. For rare examples be +no common rules. Neyther for thys muste we call +chyldren to lerne the tonges after sixtene yere olde, +because that the elder Cato lerned latine, and Greeke, +when he was thre score and ten yeres olde. But Cato of +Vtica muche better lerned then the other and more +eloquent, when he was a chylde was continuallye wyth +hys master Sarpedo. And hẽce we ought so much the more +to take heede, because that yonge age led rather by +sense then iudgemẽt, wyll assone or peraduenture soner +lerne leudnes & things y^t be naught. Yea we forget +soner good thinges thẽ naught. Gentile philosophers +espyed that, & merueyled at it, and could not search +out the cause, whiche christẽ philosophers haue shewed +vnto vs: which telleth y^t this redines to mischiefe +is setteled in vs of Adam the first father of mãkind. +Thys thynge as it can not be false, so is it very +true, that the greateste parte of this euyll cõmeth of +leude and naughty bryngyng vp, inespeciallye of tender +youthe, whyche is plyeable to euerye thynge. + +¶ We fynd in writyng that great Alexander lerned +certeine fautes of hys master Leonides, whyche he +could not leaue when he was well growẽ vp, and a great +Emperour. Therfore as long as amonge the latines +floryshed that old vertuousnes of good maners, +chyldren were not committed to an hyrelynge to be +taught, but were taughte of the parentes them selues & +their kinsfolke, as of their vncles both by father and +mother, of the graundfathers, as Plutarch sayth: For +they thought it especially perteyned to the honour of +their kynred, if they had very manye excellentlye well +seene in liberall knowledge, where as now adayes all +nobilitie almost stãdeth in painted & grauen armes, +dauncing, huntynge and dicynge. Spurius Carbilius of a +bond man made free, whose patron Carbilius brought in +the fyrste example of diuorce, is reported to be the +fyrste that taught an opẽ grãmer schole. Before thys +tyme it was counted a verye vertuous office if euery +mã taughte hys kynsefolke in vertue and lernyng. Nowe +is thys theyr onlye care, to seeke for their chyld a +wyfe wyth a good dowrye. That done, they thynke they +haue done all that belongeth to a father. But as the +world is alwayes redy to be worse and worse, dayntines +hathe perswaded vs to comune this office to a tuter +that is one of our householde, and a gentleman is put +to be taught of a seruaunte. In whyche thynge in +deede, if we wolde take heede whom we chose, the +ieopardy were so muche the lesse, because the teacher +liued not only in y^e fathers syght, but also wer +vnder hys power if he dyd amysse. They that wer very +wyse, either bought lerned seruauntes, or prouided +they myghte be lerned, that they myghte be teachers to +their children. But howe muche wyser were it, if the +parents wolde get lernyng for thys entent, that they +them selues myght teach theyr owne chyldren. Verelye +by thys meanes the profite wolde be double, as the +cõmoditie is double if the Byshoppe shewe hym selfe a +good man, to the entente he maye encourage very many +to the loue of vertue. Thou wyle saye; euerye mã hath +not leasure, and they be lothe to take so greate +payne. But go to good syr, Lette vs caste wyth oure +selfe howe muche tyme wee lose at dice, bankettynge, +and beholdynge gaye syghtes, and playinge wyth fooles, +and I weene wee shall bee ashamed, to saye wee lacke +leasure to that thynge whych oughte to be done, all +other set asyde. We haue tyme sufficiente to do all we +shoulde do, if we bestowe it so thriftelye as we +shulde do. But the daye is short to vs, whẽ we lose +the greater part thereof. Consider thys also, howe +greate a porcion of tyme is geuen now and then to the +foelyshe busines of our friendes. If we can not do as +they all wolde haue vs, verelye wee oughte chiefely to +regarde our chyldren. What payne refuse we to leaue +vnto oure chyldren a ryche patrimonye and well +stablished: and to get that for them whiche is better +then all this, shulde it yrke vs to take laboure? +namelye when naturall loue and the profite of them +whyche be mooste deareste vnto vs, maketh sweete al +the grief and payne. If that were not, when wolde the +mothers beare so longe tediousenes of chyldbyrth and +nursyng. He loueth his sonne lyghtlye whych is greued +to teache hym. ¶ But the manner to enstructe them was +the more easy to them in olde tyme, because the +learned and vnlearned people spake all one tong, saue +that the learned spake more truelye, more elegantly, +more wiselye, and more copiouselye. I confesse that, +and it were a very shorte way to learnynge, if it were +so nowe a dayes. And there haue bene some that haue +gone aboute to renewe and brynge again those olde +examples, and to doo as those olde fathers haue done +afore tyme, as in Phrisia, Canterians, in Spayne +Queene Elisabeth the wyfe of Fardinandus, out of whose +familye there haue come forthe verye manye womenne +bothe merueylouselye well learned and verteouse. Emong +the englishe men, it greued not the ryght worshypful +Thomas More, although beyng much occupyed in the +kynges matters, to be a teacher to hys wyfe, +daughters, and sonne, fyrste in vertue, and after to +knowledge of Greke and Latine. Verely this ought to be +done in those that we haue apoynted to learnynge. +Neyther is there anye ieopardie that they shulde be +ignoraunt in the peoples tonge, for thei shall learne +that whether they wyl or not by companye of men. And +if there be none in oure house that is lerned, anon we +shulde prouide for some cunnyng man, but tryed both in +maners and lernyng. It is a folyshe thyng to make a +profe in thy sone, as in a slaue of litle value, +whether hys teacher be learned or not, and whether he +bee a good man that thou haste gotten hym or not. In +other thinges pardon may be geuen to negligence, but +here thou muste haue as manye eyes as Argus had, and +muste be as vigilant as is possible. They say: a man +maye not twyse do a faute in war: here it is not +laweful to do once amisse. Moreouer the soner the +child shall be set to a master, so much shal hys +brynginge vp come the better to passe. I knowe some +men fynde thys excuse, that it is ieopardy lest the +labour of studies make y^e good health of the tender +bodye weaker. Here I myght ensure, y^t althoughe the +strength of the bodye wer sumwhat taken awaye, that +thys incõmoditie is well recompensed by so goodly +gyftes of the mynd. For we fashion not a wrestler, but +a philosopher, a gouernour of the common wealth, to +whõ it is sufficient to be healthful, although he haue +not the strengthe of Milo: yet do I cõfesse that +somewhat we must tender the age, that it maye waxe the +more lustye. But there be manye that foolyshely do +feare leste their chyldren shulde catche harme by +learnynge, whych yet feare not the much greater peryll +that cometh of to muche meate, whereby the wyttes of +the litle ons no lesse be hurted then bee theyr bodyes +by kyndes of meates and drynkes that be not meete for +that age. They brynge theyr lytle children to great +and longe feastes, yea feastyng sometyme vntyl farre +forth nyghtes, they fyl them wyth salt and hoat +meates, somtyme euẽ tyl thei vomite. They bynde in and +loade the tender bodies wyth vnhandsome garmentes to +set them out, as some trym apes, in mans apparel, and +otherwayes they weaken their children, and they neuer +more tenderlye be afrayed of their health, then when +cõmunication is begon to be had of lernynge, that is +of that thynge whych of al other is moste wholesom and +necessarye. That whych we haue spoken touchyng health, +that same perteineth to the care of hys bewety, whyche +as I confesse is not to be lyght set bye, so to +carefully to be regarded, is not very meete for a man. +[Sidenote: A wayward feare for hurting childrẽs +bewtye.] Neyther do we more weywardlye fear any other +thyng then the hurt of it to come by studie, where it +is hurt a greate deale more by surfet, dronkennes, +vntymelye watchynge, by fyghtyng and woundes, finally +by vngracious pockes, which scarse anie man escapeth +that liueth intemperatly. From these thyngs rather let +thẽ see they keepe their children then frõ lernyng, +whych so carefully take thought for the health and +bewtie. [Sidenote: Prouisiõ for easinge chyldrens +labour] Howbeit thys also may be prouided for by our +care & diligẽce that ther shuld be very litle labour +and therfore litle losse. This shal be if neyther many +thyngs, neither euery lyght thynge be taught them when +they be yong, but the best only & that be mete for +their age, whiche is delighted rather in pleasaũt +thynges then in subtile. Secondly, a fayre manoure of +teachynge shall cause y^t it may seme rather a playe +then a labour, for here the age must be beguiled with +sweete flattering wordes, which yet cã not tell what +fruit, what honour, what pleasure lernyng shall brynge +vnto them in tyme to come. And this partly shal be +done by the teachers gẽtlenes & curteous behaueour, & +partlye by his wit & subtile practise, wherbi he shal +deuise diuerse prety meanes to make lerning plesaũt to +y^e chylde, & pul hym away frõ feling of labour. For +there is nothynge worse then when the waywardnes of +the master causeth the children to hate lernyng before +they knowe wherefore it shulde be loued. The fyrst +degree of lerning, is the loue of the master. In +processe of tyme it shall come to passe that the chyld +whych fyrst began to loue lernyng for the masters +sake, afterwards shall loue the master because of +lernyng. For as many giftes are very dere vnto vs euẽ +for thys cause, that they come from them whome wee +loue hertelye: so lernyng, to whom it can not yet be +pleasaunt thorowe discrescion, yet to them it is +acceptable for the loue they beare to the teacher. It +was very well spoken of Isocrates that he lerneth very +much, whych is desirous of lernyng. And we gladlye +lerne of them whome we loue. But some be of so +vnpleasaunt maners that they can not bee loued, no not +of their wyues, theyr countenaũce lowryng, their +companye currishe, they seme angrye euen when they be +beste pleased, they can not speke fayre, scarse can +they laughe when men laugh vpon them, a man wold saye +they were borne in an angrye hour. These men I iudge +scant worthye to whome we shulde put oure wylde horses +to be broken, muche lesse wuld I thynke that thys +tender and almost suckynge age shuld be committed to +them. Yet be ther some that thynke that these kynde of +men, euen inespecyally worthye to be set to teache +yonge chyldren, whylest they thynke their sturdynes in +lookynge is holynes. But it is not good trustyng the +lookes, vnder that frownynge face lurke oftẽ tymes +most vnchaste and wanton maners, neyther is to be +spoken amonge honeste men, to what shamefulnes these +bouchers abuse chyldren by fearyng them. No nor the +parents thẽ selues can well bring vp theyr chyldrẽ, if +they be no more but feared. The fyrste care is to be +beloued, by lytle and lytle foloweth after, not feare, +but a certen liberall and gentle reuerence which is +more of value then feare. Howe properly then I praye +you be those chyldren prouided for, which being yet +scante foure yere olde are sente to schole, where +sytteth an vnknowen scholemaster, rude of manners, not +verye sober, and sometyme not well in hys wytte, often +lunatike, or hauynge the fallyng sycknes, or frenche +pockes? For there is none so vyle, so naughte, so +wretched, whome the common people thynketh not +sufficiente ynoughe to teache a grammer schole. And +thei thynkyng they haue gotten a kingdome, it is +marueyle to see howe they set vp the brystels because +thei haue rule, not vpon beastes, as sayeth Terence, +but vpõ that age whiche ought to be cheryshed wyth all +gentlenes. You wolde saye it were not a schole, but a +tormentynge place: nothynge is hearde there beside the +flappynge vpon the hande, beside yorkynge of roddes, +besyde howlynge and sobbinge and cruell threatnynges. +What other thynge maye chyldren learne hereof, then to +hate learnyng? When this hatered hath once setteled in +the tender myndes, yea when they be old they abhorre +studye. It is also muche more foolyshe, that some men +sende their lytle chyldren to a pyuyshe dronken woman +to learne to reade and wryte. It is agaynste nature +that women shulde haue rule vpon menne: besyde that, +nothynge is more cruell then that kynde, if they bee +moued with anger, as it wyll soone be, and wyll not +cease tyll it be full reuenged. Monasteries also, and +colleges of brethern, for so they cal them selues, +seeke for their liuynge hereof, and in theyr darke +corners teache the ignoraunt chyldren commenlye by +menne that be but a lytle learned, or rather leudlye +learned, althoughe we graunte they bee bothe wyse and +honeste. ¶ Thys kynde of teachynge howe so euer other +menne alowe it, by my counsell no manne shall vse it, +who soeuer entendeth to haue hys child well brought +vp. It behoueth that eyther there were no schole, or +else to haue it openlye abrode. It is a shorte waye in +dede that cõmonlye is vsed: for manye be compelled of +one more easelye by feare, that one brought vp of one +liberallye. ¶ But it is no great thynge to beare rule +vpon Asses or Swyne, but to brynge vp chyldren +liberallye as it is veri hard, so is it a goodly +thing. It is tiranny to oppresse citizens by feare, +to keepe them in good order, by loue, moderacion and +prudence, it is princely. Diogenes beynge taken out of +the Agenites, and brought oute to be solde, the cryer +axed hym by what title he wolde be set out to the +byer. Axe quod he if any wyl bye a man that can rule +chyldren. At this straunge prayse manye laughed. +One that hadde chyldren at home communed wyth the +philosopher, whether he could do in deede that he +professed. He sayde he coulde. By shorte communicacion +he perceyued he was not of the cõmon sorte, but vnder +a pore cloke, ther was hydden great wisedome: he +bought hym, and brought hym home, & put his chyldrẽ to +him to be taught. As y^e Scots say, ther be no greater +beaters then frenche scholemasters. When they be tolde +thereof, they be wonte to answere, that that naciõ +euen lyke the Phrigians is not amẽded but bi stripes. +Whether this be true let other mẽ iudge. Yet I graunt +that there is some difference in the nacion, but much +more in the propertie of euerye seueral wyt. Some you +shal soner kyl, then amende wyth stripes: but the same +bi loue and gentle monicions you may leade whither ye +wyll. Truth it is that of thys disposicion I my selfe +was when I was a childe, and when my master whych +loued me aboue all other, because he sayd he conceiued +a certen great hope of me, toke more heede, watched me +well, and at laste to proue howe I could abyde the +rod, and laying a faute vnto my charge which I neuer +thought of, did beat me, that thinge so put awaye from +me all the loue of studie, and so discouraged my +chyldyshe mynd, that for sorowe I hadde almost +consumed awaye, and in deede folowed therof a +quartaine ague. When at laste he had perceiued hys +faute, among his friendes he bewailed it. ¶ This wyt +(quod he) I had almoste destroyed before I knewe it. +For he was a man both wyttye and well learned, and as +I thynke, a good mã. He repẽted him, but to late for +my parte. Here nowe (good syr) cõiecture me howe many +frowarde wyttes these vnlerned greate beaters do +destroye, yet proud in their owne conceite of +learnyng, wayeward, dronken, cruel, and that wyl beate +for their pleasure: them selues of suche a cruell +nature, that they take plesure of other mens +tormentes. These kynde of men shuld haue ben bouchers +or hangmẽ, not teachers of youth. Neyther do any +torment chyldren more cruelly, thẽ they that canne not +teache them. ¶ What shulde thei do in scholes but passe +the daye in chydyng and beatynge? I knewe a diuine and +that familierly, a man of greate name, whych was neuer +satisfied wyth crudelity against his scholers, whẽ he +him selfe had masters that were very great beaters. He +thought y^t dyd much helpe to caste downe the fiersnes +of their wittes, & tame the wãtonnes of their youth. +He neuer feasted amonge hys flocke, but as Comedies be +wont to haue a mery endyng, so contrary when they had +eaten theyr meat, one or other was haled oute to be +beaten wyth roddes: and sometime he raged against them +that had deserued nothynge, euen because they shuld be +accustumed to stripes. I my selfe on a time stode +nerre hym, when after diner he called out a boie as he +was wõt to do, as I trow ten yere olde. And he was but +newe come frome hys mother into that compani. He told +vs before that the chyld had a very good woman to hys +mother, and was earnestly committed of her vnto hym: +anon to haue an occacion to beate hym, he beganne to +laye to hys charge I wotte not what wãtonnesse: When +the chylde shewed hym selfe to haue nothyng lesse, +and beckened to hym to whome he committed the chyefe +rule of hys colledge, surnamed of the thynge, +a tormentoure, to beate, hym ne by and by caste doune +the chylde, and beate hym as thoughe he had done +sacrilege. The diuine sayde once or twyse, it is +inoughe, it is inoughe. But that tormentour deaffe +with feruentnes, made no ende of his bochery, tyl the +chylde was almost in a sounde: Anon the diuine +turninge to vs, he hathe deserued nothynge quod he, +but that he muste be made lowe. Who euer after that +maner hath taught hys slaue, or hys Asse? A gẽtle +horse is better tamed with puping of the mouth or +softe handlyng, then wyth whyp or spurres. And if you +handle hym hard, he wil whynche, he wyll kycke, he +wyll byte, and go backwardes. An oxe if you pricke hym +to harde wyth godes, wyl caste of his yocke, and run +vpon hym that pricked hym. So muste a gentle nature be +handled as is the whelpe of a Lion. Onlye arte tameth +Elephantes, not violence, neyther is there any beaste +so wylde, but that it wyl be tamed by gentlenes, +neyther any so tame, but immoderate cruelnes wil anger +it. It is a seruyle thynge to be chastened by feare, +and common custume calleth chyldren free men, because +liberall and gentle bringyng vp becommeth them, much +vnlike to seruile. Yet they that be wyse do thys +rather, that seruantes by gentelnes and benefites +leaue of their slauyshe condicions: remẽbryng that +they also be men, and not beastes. There be rehearsed +meruelous examples of seruauntes toward their masters, +whome verely they shulde not haue founde such if they +hadde kept them vnder only by strypes. ¶ A seruaunt if +he be corrigible is better amended by monicions, by +honestie, & good turnes, then by stripes: if he be +paste amendmente, he is hardened to extreme mischief +and eyther wyll runne awaye and rob hys master, or by +some craft go aboute his masters deathe. Sometime he +is reuenged on his masters crueltie, thoughe it coste +hym his lyfe. And there is no creature more fereful +thẽ man, whõ cruell iniurie hathe taught to dispyse +his owne lyfe. Therfore the commõ prouerb that sayth a +man hath as manye enemies as he hath seruauntes, If it +be true, I thynke it may be chiefly imputed to the +vnreasonablenes of the master: for it is a poynte of +arte, and not of chaunce to rule wel seruauntes. And +if the wyser masters go aboute thys thynge, so to vse +their seruauntes, that thei shuld serue them well and +gently, and in stede of seruantes had rather haue them +fre men, how shameful is it bi bryngyng vp, to make +seruantes of those that be gentle and free by nature? +Nor wythout cause dothe the olde manne in the comedie +thynke that there is greate difference betwixte a +master and a father. The master only compelleth, +the father by honestie and gentelnes accustumeth hys +sonne, to do well of hys owne mynde, rather then by +feare of an other: and that he shulde bee all one in +hys presence and behind hys backe. He that can not do +this sayth he, lette hym confesse that he can not rule +chyldren. But there oughte to be a litle more +difference betwyxte a father and the master, then +betwixt a kinge and a tirant. Wee putte awaye a +tiraunte from the common wealthe, and we chose +tirauntes, yea for oure sonnes, eyther we oure selfes +exercyse tirannye vpon them. Howebeit thys vyle name +of seruitude oughte vtterlye to be taken awaye oute of +the lyfe of chrysten menne. Sainte Paule desyreth +Philo to bee good to Onesimus, not nowe as a +seruaunte, but as a deere brother in steede of a +seruaunte. And wrytyng to the Ephesians, he monysheth +the masters to remitte theyr bytternesse agaynst theyr +seruauntes, and their threatnynges, remembrynge that +they are rather felow seruauntes then masters, because +they both haue a common master in heauen, whyche as +well wyll punyshe the masters if they do amysse, as +the seruauntes. The Apostle wolde not haue the masters +ful of threatning, muche lesse full of beatynge: for +he saythe not, pardonynge your strypes, but pardonynge +your threatenynges, and yet wee woulde haue oure +chyldren nothynge but beaten, whyche scarse the Galeye +masters or Sea robbers do agaynste theyr slaues and +rowers. But of chyldren, what dothe the same Apostle +commaunde vs? + +¶ In somuch he wyll not haue them beaten slauyshely, +he cõmaundeth all crueltye and bytternes to be awaye +from our monicions and chydyng. You fathers saythe he, +prouoke not your chyldren to anger, but bring them vp +in discipline and chastisyng of the Lorde. And what +the discipline of the lorde is, he shal soone se that +wyll consider, wyth what gentlenes, what meekenes, +what charitie the Lord Iesus hath taught, suffered and +noryshed and brought vp by litle and lytle his +disciples. The lawes of man do temper the fathers +power: the same also permit vnto the seruauntes an +accion of euyll handlyng, and from whence then commeth +thys crueltye amonge christen men? In time paste one +Auxon a knight of Rome, whylest he wente about to +amende hys sonne by beatynge hyn vnmesurably, he +kylled him. That crueltye so moued the people, that +the fathers and chyldren haled hym in to the market +place, & al to be pricked hym, thrust him in with +theyr wrytyng pinnes, nothynge regarding the dignitie +of his knighthod, and Octauus Augustus had much a do +to saue hym. But now a daies howe many Auxons do we +see whiche thorowe cruell beatynge, hurte the +chyldrens healthe, make them one eyed, weaken them, +and sometyme kyll them. Roddes serue not to some mens +crueltie, they turne them and beate thẽ wyth the great +ende, they geue them buffettes, and stryke the yonge +ons wyth their fistes, or whatsoeuer is next at hand +they snatche it, and dashe it vpon them. It is told in +the lawe, that a certen sowter, when he layd one of +hys sowters vpon the hynder parte of the heade wyth a +laste, he stroke oute one of hys eyes, and that for +that deede he was punyshed by the lawe. What shall we +saye of them whyche beside their beatinges, do thẽ +shamefull despite also? I wolde neuer haue beleued it, +excepte both I had knowen the chylde, and the doer of +this crueltie perfitelye. + +¶ A chylde yet scante .vii. yere olde, whose honeste +parentes had done good to his master, they handled so +cruellye, that scarse anye suche tiraunt as was +Mezencius or Phalaris coulde do more cruelly. They +caste so much mans donge into the childes mouth y^t +scarsely he coulde spit, but was cõpelled to swallowe +doune a great parte of it. What tiraunt dyd euer suche +kynde of despyght? After suche daynties, they +exercysed suche lozdelynes. The chylde naked was +hanged vp wyth cordes by y^e armeholes, as though he +hadde bene a stronge thyefe, and there is amonge to +Germanes no kynde of punishement more abhorred then +thys. Anone as he honge, they all to beat hym wyth +roddes, almoste euen tyll deathe. For the more the +chylde denyed the thynge that he dyd not, so muche the +more dyd they beate hym. Put also to thys, the +tormentour hym selfe almoste more to be feared then +the verie punyshemente, hys eyes lyke a serpente, +hys narowe and wrythen mouth, hys sharpe voyce like a +spirite, hys face wanne and pale, hys head roulyng +about, threatninges and rebukes suche as they lusted +in theyr anger: a manne wolde haue thought it a furie +out of hel. What folowed? anone after this punishement +the chyld fel sicke, with great ieopardye both of +mynde and lyfe. Then this tormentour began fyrst to +complayne, he wrote to hys father to take awaye hys +sonne as sone as could be, and that he had bestowed as +much phisicke vpon him as he coulde, but in vayne vpon +the chylde that was paste remedye. ¶ When the sicknes of +the body was somewhat put away by medicines, yet was +the minde so astonied, that we feared leste he wold +neuer come agayne to the olde strength of hys mynd. +Neither was thys y^e cruelty of one daye, as longe as +the childe dwelte wyth hym there passed no daye but he +was cruelly beatẽ once or twise. I know y^u suspectest +o reader, that it was an haynouse faute, wherunto so +cruell remedie was vsed. I wyl shew you in few words. +Ther was foũd both of hys y^t was beaten, and of two +others, theire bookes blotted wyth ynke, their +garmentes cutte, and their hose arayed wyth mannes +donge. + +¶ He that played thys playe was a chylde borne to all +myschiefe, whiche by other vngracious deedes +afterwardes, made men beleue the other to be true that +were done before. And he was nephewe by the systers +syde to this mad docter: euẽ then playing a part +before to these thyngs whych souldiers are wont to do +in bataile or robbynge. At an hostes house of his, he +pulled oute the faucet, and let the wyne runne vpõ the +ground, and as one to shew a pleasure, he sayde that +he felt the sauour of the wyne: wyth an other of hys +felowes he daylye played at the sworde, not in sporte, +but in earnest, that euen then you myght wel perceyue +he wolde be a thyefe or a murtherer, or whych is very +lyke to them, that he wolde be an hyred souldier. +Although the teacher fauored hym, yet fearynge leste +they shulde one kyll an other, he sente awaye his +cosen. For he had for that other a good rewarde: and +he was of this sorte of gospellers, to whom nothing is +more swete then monei. His godfather was made surely +to beleue that the child was w^t a good and diligent +master, when in deede he dwelte wyth a boucher, & was +continually in company, and made drudge with a man +that was halfe mad, and continually sicke. Thus +fauoringe more his kynseman then hym by whom he had so +much profite, the suspicion was layde vpon the +harmeles, to whom they ascribed so muche malice that +he wolde teare and defile his owne garmentes to auoide +suspicion if any suche thyng had bene done. But the +child commyng both of good father and mother, dyd +neuer shewe any tokẽ of such a naughtie disposicion: +and at thys daye there is nothing farther from all +malice then are hys maners, whyche nowe free frome all +feare telleth all the matter in order as it was donne. + +¶ To suche tutors do honest citizens committe their +chyldren whome they moste loue, and suche do complayne +that they be not wel rewarded for their paynes. And +this tormentour wolde not once knoweledge he had done +amisse, but had rather playe the starke mad man, then +confesse his faute: and yet agaynst such is not taken +an accion of euyll handlyng, neither hath the rigoure +of the lawe anye power agaynste suche huge crueltie. +There is no anger worse to be pleased thẽ theirs that +be lyke to haue the fallynge sycknes. Howe many things +be crepte in, into the lyfe of christen men, not meete +neither for the Phrigians nor y^e Scithians, of y^e +which I wyl shew one much like this matter. The yong +gentlemã is send in to y^e vniuersitie to lerne the +liberall sciences. But w^t how vngentle despightes is +he begun in them? Fyrst they rub his chyn, as though +they wolde shaue his bearde: hereunto thei vse pisse, +or if ther be any fouler thyng. This liquour is dashed +into his mouth, & he may not spit it out. Wyth +paynfull bobbes they make as though thei drewe hornes +from him: sõtime he is cõpelled to drinke a great +deale of vinegre or salte, or whatsoeuer it listeth +y^e wyld cõpany of yong mẽ to geue him: for whẽ they +begin the play, thei make him swere y^t he shal obey +al that they cõmaund him. At last they hoyse him vp, +& dashe his backe against a post as oftẽ as they list. +After these so rustical despightes sũtime foloweth an +ague or a paine of y^e backe y^t neuer cã be remedied. +Certes this foolishe play endeth in a drõken bãket: +w^t such beginninges enter they into y^e studies of +liberal sciences. But it were mete that after this +sorte ther shuld begin a boucher, a tormẽtour a baud +or a bõde slaue or a botemã, not a child appointed to +y^e holy studies of lerning. It is a meruel that yong +mẽ geuen to liberal studies be mad after this fashiõ, +but it is more meruel y^t these things be alowed of +suche as haue the rule of youth. To so foule & cruel +folyshenes is pretẽsed the name of custume, as though +the custume of an euil thing wer any thing else thẽ an +old errour, whiche ought so much the more diligẽtly to +be pulled vp bicause it is crept among many. So +cõtinueth amõg the diuines y^e maner of a vesper, for +they note an euyl thynge w^t a like name, more mete +for scoffers thẽ diuines. But thei y^t professe +liberal sciẽces, shuld haue also liberal sports. But I +come againe to chyldren, to whome nothyng is more +vnprofitable, then to be vsed to stripes, whiche +enormittie causeth that the gẽtle nature is +intractable, and the viler driuen to desperacion: +and cõtinuaunce of thẽ maketh that both the bodye is +hardened to stripes, & the mynd to wordes. Nay we may +not oftentymes chyde thẽ to sharplye. A medicine +naughtelye vsed, maketh the sickenes worse, helpeth it +not, and if it be layde to continuallye, by litle and +litle, it ceaseth to be a medicine, and dothe nothinge +else then dothe stinkynge and vnwholesome meate. But +here some man wyl laye vnto vs the godlye sayings of +the Hebrues. He that spareth the rod hateth hys chylde +and he that loueth hys sonne, beateth hym muche. +Agayne: Bowe downe the necke of thy chylde in youth, +and beate hys sydes whyle he is an infante very yonge. +Suche chastisemente peraduenture was meete in tyme +paste for the Iewes. Nowe must the sayinge be +expounded more ciuilely. And if a man wil be hard to +vs wyth letters and sillables, what is more cruell +then to bend the necke of a chyld, & to beat the sides +of an infant? woldest thou not beleue that a bull were +taught to y^e plowgh, or an asse to bear paniars, and +not a mã to vertue? And what rewarde doth he promise +vs? That he grope not after other mẽnes dores. He is +afeard lest his son shulde be poore, as the greateste +of all mischiefe. What is more coldly spoken then thys +sentence? Let gentle admonicion be oure rodde, and +sometyme chydyng also, but sauced wyth mekenes, not +bitternes. Let vs vse thys whyp continuallye in our +chyldren, y^t beyng wel brought vp, they maye haue at +home a meanes to lyue well, and not be cõpelled to beg +counsell at their neighbours how to do their busines. +Licon the philosopher hath shewed .ii. sharpe spurres +to quicken vp chyldrens wyttes, shame, and prayse: +shame is the feare of a iust reproch, prayse is the +norysher of all verteous actes: wyth these prickes +lette vs quicken our chyldrens wyttes. Also if you +wyl, I wyl shewe you a club to beate their sides +wythall. Continuall labour vanquysheth all thynges +sayth the best of al poetes. Let vs wake, let vs +prycke thẽ forwardes, & styl call vpon them, by +requiringe, repetynge, and often teachyng: Wyth this +club let vs beate the sydes of our infantes. Fyrst let +them lerne to loue, and maruell at vertue and lernyng, +to abhor sinne and ignorance. Let them hear some +praysed for theyr well doinges, and some rebuked for +their euyl. Let examples be brought in of those men to +whom lernyng hath gottẽ hygh glorye, ryches, dignitie, +and authoritie. And againe of them to whom their euyll +condicions & wyt wythout all lernyng hath brought +infamie, contempt, pouertye and myschiefe. These +verely be the clubbes meete for christians, that make +disciples of Iesu. [Sidenote: Emulacion is an enuye +wythout malice, for desire to be as good as an other, +& to be as much praysed.] And if we cã not profite by +monicions, nor prayers, neyther by emulacion, nor +shame, nor prayse, nor by other meanes, euen the +chastenyng w^t the rod, if it so require, ought to be +gentle & honeste. For euen thys that the bodies of +gẽtle children shulde be made bare, is a kind of +despice. Howbeit Fabius vtterly cõdemneth al y^e +custume to beate gentle chyldrẽ. Some mã wil saye, +what shall be done to them if they can not be driuen +to study but by stripes? I answer roũdly, what wold ye +do to asses or to oxen if thei went to schole? Woldest +thou not driue them in to the contrey, & put the one +to the backhouse, the other to the plowe. For there be +men as well borne to the plowe and to the backehouse, +as oxen and asses be. But they wyll saye: then +decreseth my flocke. What then? Yea and myne +aduauntage to. Thys is an harde matter: thys maketh +them to weepe. They set more money then by the profite +of the chyldren. But suche are all the cõmon sorte of +folyshe teachers. I graunte. As the philosophers +describe a wyse mã, y^e rethoricians an oratour, such +one as scarse maye be foũd in anye place: So muche +more easye it is to prescribe what manner of man a +scholmaster shuld be, thẽ to find many y^t wil be as +you wold haue thẽ. [Sidenote: Ciuile officers and +prelates shuld se that ther wer good schole masters.] +¶ But this oughte to be a publyque care and charge, and +belongeth to the ciuyle officer, and chyef prelats of +the churches that as ther be men appointed to serue in +war, to singe in churches, so muche more there shulde +be ordeined that shuld teach citizens chyldren well +and gently. [Sidenote: Vespasian.] Vespasianus oute of +hys owne cofers gaue yerely sixe hũdred poũde to +Latine and Greke rethoricians. [Sidenote: Plinie.] +Plinie the nephew of his owne liberalitie bestowed a +great sũme of money to the same purpose. And if the +comẽty in thys poynt be slacke, certenly euerye man +ought to take hede at home for his owne house. ¶ Thou +wylt saye: what shall poore men do which can scarse +fynd their chyldren, muche lesse hyre a master to +teache them? Here I haue nothynge to saye, but thys +out of the comedie: We muste do as we maye do, when we +can not as we wolde. We do shewe the beste waye of +teachynge, we be not able to geue fortune: Saue that +here also the liberalitie of ryche men ought to helpe +good wyttes, whych can not shewe forthe the strength +of naturall inclinacion because of pouertye. +[Sidenote: Pouertie hurteth good wittes.] I wyll that +the gentlenes of the master shulde be so tempered, +that familiaritie, the companion of contempte, put not +away honeste reuerence, suche one as men say Sarpedo +was, tutour to Cato of Vtica, which thorowe hys gentle +maners gat greate loue, and by hys vertue as lyke +authoritie, causynge the chylde to haue a greate +reuerence, and to set much by him wythout anye feare +of roddes. But these y^t can do nothynge elles but +beate, what wolde they do if they had taken vpon them +to teache Emperoures or kynges chyldren, whome it were +not lefull to beate? They wyll saye that greate mens +sonnes muste be excepted from thys fashion. What is +that? Be not the chyldren of citizens, men as well as +kynges chyldren be? Shulde not euerye manne as wel +loue hys chylde as if he wer a kynges sonne? If his +estate be sũwhat base, so much the more neede hath he +to be taught, and holpen by lernynge, that he maye +come vp, from his pore case. But if he be of hye +degre, philosophy & lernyng is necessary to gouerne +hys matters well. Further not a fewe be called frome +lowe degre to hye estate, yea sometyme to be great +byshops. All men come not to thys, yet oughte al men +to be brought vp to come to it. I wil braule no more +with these greate beaters, after I haue tolde you this +one thing: How that those lawes & officers be +condemned of wyse men, whych can no more but feare men +wyth punyshement, & do not also entyse men by +rewardes: and the whych punyshe fautes, and prouide +not also y^t nothyng be done worthy punishmẽt. The +same must be thought of the cõmon sort of teachers, +whych only beate for fautes, and do not also teache +y^e mynd that it do not amysse. They straitlie require +their lesson of them: if the chylde fayle, he is +beaten: and whẽ this is done daily because the child +shuld be more accustumed to it, thei thinke they haue +plaied the part of a gaye scholemaster. But the chyld +shulde fyrste haue ben encoraged to loue lernyng, and +to be afeared to displease hys teacher. But of these +thynges peraduenture some man wyl thynke I haue spoke +to much & so myght I worthely be thought, except that +almoste all men dyd in this poynte so greatly offende, +that hereof a mã cã neuer speke inough. Furthermore it +wyll helpe verye muche, if he that hathe taken vpon +hym to teache a chylde, so sette hys mynd vpon hym, +that he bear a fatherly loue vnto hym. By thys it +shall come to passe, y^t both the child wil lerne more +gladly, & he shal fele lesse tediousnes of his +laboure. [Sidenote: A sentence to be marked.] For in +euery busines loue taketh away y^e greatest part of +hardnes. And because after the olde prouerbe: Lyke +reioyseth in lyke, y^e master muste in maner play the +childe againe, that he may be loued of the chylde. Yet +this lyketh me not, y^t men set theyr children to be +taught their fyrst beginnings of letters vnto those +that be of extreme and dotyng olde age, for they be +chyldren in verye deede, they fayne not, they +coũterfait not, stuttinge, but stutte in deede. + +¶ I wolde wyshe to haue one of a lustye yonge age, +whome the chylde myght delyght in, and which wold not +be lothe to playe euerye parte. [Sidenote: A lykenynge +of scholemasters and nurses together.] Thys man shulde +do in fashionyng hys wytte, that parentes and nurses +be wont to do in formynge the bodye. Howe do they +fyrst teache the infante to speake lyke a man? They +applye their wordes by lyspyng accordyng to the +chyldes tatlynge. How do they teach them to eat? They +chaw fyrst their milke soppes, and when they haue +done, by lytle & litle put it in to the chyldes +mouthe. Howe do they teache thẽ to go? They bowe downe +their owne bodies, and drawe in theyre owne strides +after the measure of the infantes. Neyther do they +fede them wyth euerye meate, nor putte more in then +they bee able to take: and as they increase in age, +they leade them to bigger thinges. First they seeke +for noryshemente that is meete for them, not differyng +much frõ mylke, whych yet if it be thrust into the +mouthe to muche, either it choketh the chylde, or +beynge caste oute defileth hys garmente. When it is +softelye and pretelye put in, it doth good. Whych +selfe thynge we se cõmeth to passe in vesselles that +haue narowe mouthes: if you pour in muche, it bubbleth +out agayne, but if you powre in a litle, and as it +were by droppes, in deede it is a whyle, and fayre and +softely erste, but yet then fylled. [Sidenote: The +fedyng of the bodye and mynd cõpared together.] So +then as by small morsels, and geuen now and then, +the lytle tender bodies are noryshed: in lyke manner +chyldrens wyttes by instruccions meete for them taught +easely, and as it were by playe by lytle & litle +accustume thẽ selues to greater thyngs: & the +wearynesse in the meane season, is not felte, because +that small encreasynges so deceyue the felynge of +labour, that neuerthelesse they helpe much to great +profite. As it is told of a certen wrestler, whych, +accustumed to beare a calfe by certein furlonges, bare +hym whẽ he was waxen a bull, wythoute anye payne: for +the encrease was not felt, whych euerye daye was put +to the burden. But there be some that looke that +chyldren shulde strayghtwaye become olde men, hauyng +no regarde of their age, but measure the tender +wittes, by theyr owne strengthe. ¶ Straightway they call +vpon them bytterly, straightway they straitly require +perfect diligence, by and by they frowne wyth the +forhead if the childe do not as wel as he wold haue +hym, and they bee so moued as thoughe they had to do +wyth an elder body, forgettyng you maye be sure y^t +they thẽ selues wer once children. How much more +curteouse is it that Pliny warneth a certen master +that was to sore. Remember saythe he, that bothe he is +a yonge man, and that thou hast ben one thi selfe. +But many be so cruel against the tender chyldren, as +though thei remẽbred not neyther them selues, neyther +their scolers to be menne. [Sidenote: What things +lytle yonge chyldrẽ shold be fyrste taughte.] Thou +woldest that I shulde shewe the those thynges that be +meete for the inclinaciõ of that age, and whiche shuld +by and by be taughte the lytle yongons. Fyrst the vse +of tonges whych commeth to them without any greate +studye, ther as olde folkes can scarse be hable to +learne them wyth great labour. [Sidenote: Chyldren +desyre naturally to folow & do as other do.] And here +to as we sayde, moueth the chyldrẽ a certen desyre to +folowe and do as they se other do: of the which thing +we see a certen lyke fashion in pies and popiniayes. +What is more delectable then the fabels of poetes, +which wyth their swete entisynge plesures to delight +childrens eares that thei profite vs very much whẽ we +be olde also, not only to y^e knowledge of the tong, +but also to iudgement and copye of elegant speche? +What wyll a chyld hear more gladlye then Esops fabels, +whyche in sporte and playe teache earnest preceptes of +philosophy? and the same fruite is also in the fabels +of other poetes. The chylde heareth that Vlisses +felowes were turned into swyne, and other fashions of +beastes. The tale is laughed at, and yet for al that +he lerneth that thing that is the chiefest poynte in +al morall philosophye: Those whyche be not gouerned by +ryght reason, but are caried after the wyll of +affeccions, not to be men, but beastes. ¶ What coulde +a stoycke saye more sagely? and yet dothe a merye tale +teache the same. In a thynge that is manifest I wyll +not make the tarye with many exãples. [Sidenote: +Bucolicall, where y^e herdmen do speke of nete and +shepe.] Also what is more mery conceited thẽ the +verses called Bucolicall? what is sweter then a +comedie, whych standing by morall maners, deliteth +bothe the vnlearned and chyldren? And heare how great +a parte of philosophye is lerned by playe? Adde vnto +thys the names of all thynges, in the whych it is +meruell to see howe now a dayes, yea euẽ they be blind +which are taken for wel lerned mẽ. Finally, shorte and +mery conceited sentences, as commonly be prouerbes, +and quicke shorte sayinges of noble men, in the whiche +onlye in tyme paste philosophie was wonte to be taught +to the people. Ther appeareth also in the very +chyldren a certen peculier redines to some sciences, +as vnto musicke, arithmetique, or cosmographie. For I +haue proued that they whych were very dull to lerne +the preceptes of grammer and rethorique, were found +verye apte to lerne the subtile artes. Nature therfore +must be holpen to that parte wherunto of it selfe it +is inclined. And down the hyll is very litle labour, +as contrary is great. Thou shalt nether do nor saye +anye thynge agaynst thy naturall inclinacion. I knewe +a child that could not yet speake whych had no greater +pleasure, than to open a booke, and make as thoughe he +read. And when he dyd that sometyme many houres, yet +was he not weery. And he neuer wept so bitterli, but +if you had offered hym a booke, he wolde be pleased. +That thynge made hys friendes hope that in time to +come he wolde be a well lerned manne. His name also +brought some good lucke: for he was called Hierome. +[Sidenote: That is a teacher of holye lernynge.] And +what he is now I can not tel, for I sawe hym not +beynge growẽ vp. To the knowledge of the tonge it wyll +helpe verye muche if he be broughte vp amonge them +that be talkatiue. Fabels and tales wyll the chylde +lerne so muche the more gladly, and remember the +better, if he maye see before his eyes the argumentes +properly paynted, and what soeuer is tolde in the +oracion be shewed him in a table. The same shall helpe +as much to lerne without boke the names of trees, +herbs, and beastes, and also their properties, +inespecially of these whych be not common to be seene +in euerye place, as is Rhinoceros, whyche is a beaste +that hathe a horne in hys nose, naturall enemye to the +Elephant: Tragelaphus, a goate hart, Duocrotalus, +a byrd lyke to a swã, whyche puttyng hys head into the +water brayeth lyke an asse, an asse of Inde and an +Elephant. The table maye haue an Elephant whom a +Dragon claspeth harde aboute, wrapping in his former +feete with his tayle. The litle chyld laugheth at the +syght of thys straunge paintynge, what shall the +master do then? He shall shewe him that ther is a +greate beaste called in Greeke an Elephante, and in +Latine lykewyse, saue that sometyme it is declined +after the latine fashion. He shall shewe, that that +whyche the grekes cal proboscida, or his snout, the +latines call his hande, because wyth that he reacheth +hys meate. He shall tell hym that that beaste doth not +take breath at the mouthe as we do, but at the snoute: +& that he hath teth standyng out on bothe sides, and +they be iuory, which rich mẽ set much price by, and +therwith shal shew hym an iuory combe. Afterwardes he +shall declare that in Inde ther be dragons as greate +as they. And that dragon is bothe a greke worde and a +latine also, saue that the grekes says dracontes in +the genitiue case. He shall shewe that naturallie +betwyxte the dragons and the Elephantes is great +fyghte. And if the chylde be somewhat gredy of +learnynge, he maye rehearse manye other thynges of the +nature of Elephantes and dragons. Manye reioyse to see +huntinges paynted. Here howe manye kyndes of trees, +hearbes, byrdes, foure footed beastes maye he lerne +and playe? I wyll not holde you longe wyth examples, +seynge it is easye by one to coniecture all. ¶ The +master shall be diligent in chosynge them oute, and +what he shall iudge moste pleasaunt to chyldren, most +mete for them, what they loue best, and is most +floryshyng, that inespecially let hym set before them. +The fyrste age lyke vnto the spring tyme, standeth in +pleasaunt sweete flowres, and goodly grene herbes, +vntyl the heruest time of ripe mans age fyll the barne +full of corne. ¶ Then as it were agaynst reason in ver +or springe tyme to seeke for a rype grape, and a rose +in autumne, [Sidenote: Autumne is the tyme betwyxt +somer and wynter.] so muste the master marke what is +mete for euerye age. Mery and plesaunte thynges be +conueniente for chyldehod, howbeit all sourenesse and +sadnes muste be cleane awaye from all studies. +[Sidenote: The meaning of y^e poetes deuise touching +the muses & Charites.] And I am deceyued except the +olde men ment that also, whyche ascribed to the muses +beynge virgins, excellent bewtye, harpe, songes, +daunses, and playes in the pleasaunt fieldes, and +ioyned to them as felowes the Ladies of loue: and that +increase of studies dyd stande specially in mutual +loue of myndes, and therefore the olde men called it +the lernyng that perteined to man. And ther is no +cause why profite maye not folowe pleasure, and +honestie ioyned to delectacion. [Sidenote: Wherfore +lernyng is called humanitie] For what letteth that +they shulde not lerne eyther a proper fable, arte of +poets, or a sentence, or a notable prety hystorie, or +a learned tale, as well as they lerne and can wythout +boke a piuyshe songe, and oftẽtimes a baudy one to, +& folishe old wiues tatlynges, & very trifles of +triflyng womẽ? What a sũme of dreames, vaine ryddels, +and vnprofitable trifles of spirites, hobgoblines, +fayries, witches, nightmares wood men and gyauntes, +how manye naughty lies, how many euyll sayings +remember wee, yea euen when we be men, whych beyng +lytle chyldrẽ we lerned of our dadies, graũdmothers, +nurses, & maydens whyle they were spynnynge, and heard +thẽ when they kissed & plaied wyth vs? And what a +profite shuld it haue bene to lernynge, if in stede of +these moste vaine garringes, not only folyshe, but +also hurtfull, wee had lerned those thynges that we +rehearsed a litle before. Thou wylt saye, what lerned +man wyll lowly hys wyt to these so small thynges? Yet +Aristotle hym selfe beynge so greate a philosopher was +not greued to take vpon hym the office of a teacher, +to instruct Alexander. ¶ Chiron fashioned the infancy of +Achilles, and Phenix succeded hym. Hely the priest +brought vp y^e childe Samuell. And ther be now a daies +whych eyther for a lytle money, or for theyr plesure +take almost more payne in teachyng a pye or a +popiniay. There be some that for deuocions sake take +vpon them iourneys that both be farre of and +ieoperdeous, and other laboures besyde almost +intollerable. Why dothe not holynes cause vs to do +thys office seynge nothyng can please god better? +Howbeit in teachinge those thynges that we haue +rehearsed, the master must neyther be to much callyng +vpon, neither to sharpe: but vse a continuaunce rather +then be wythout measure. Continuaunce hurteth not so +it be mesurable, & spiced also wyth varietie and +plesaũtnes. Finally if these thynges be so taught, +that imaginaciõ of labour be awaye, and that the +chylde do thynk al thinges be done in playe. Here the +course of our talkyng putteth vs in remẽbraunce +briefely to shewe by what meanes it maye be brought to +passe that lernyng shuld waxe swete vnto the chylde, +[Sidenote: How learnyng may be made swete vnto y^e +chyld.] which before we somwhat touched. To be able to +speake redely, as I told you is easely gotten by vse. +After thys cõmeth the care to reade and write whych +of it selfe is somwhat tedious, but the griefe is +taken awaye a great parte by the cũnyng handling of +the master, if it be sauced w^t some pleasaunt +allurementes. For you shall fynde some whych tarye +long and take great paine in knowyng & ioynynge their +letters & in those fyrst rudimẽtes of grammer, whẽ +they wyl quyckely lerne greater thyngs. The yrksõnes +of these thinges must be holpẽ by some pretie craft, +of the which y^e old fathers haue shewed certẽ +fashions. Some haue made the letters in sweete crustes +and cakes that chyldren loue well, that so in manner +they myghte eate vp their letters. ¶ When they tell +the letters name, they geue the letter it selfe for a +rewarde. Other haue made the fashion of iuorie, that +the chylde shulde playe wyth them, or if there were +any other thyng wherin that age is specially delited. +[Sidenote: The practise of a certen englishe man to +teache hys chyld hys letters by shootyng.] The +englyshe mẽ delyte principally in shotynge, and teache +it their chyldren fyrst of all: wherefore a certen +father that had a good quicke wyt perceiuinge his +sonne to haue a greate pleasure in shotyng, bought hym +a prety bowe & very fayr arrowes, & in al partes both +of hys bowe & arrowes were letters painted. Afterwards +insted of markes, he set vp the fashiõ of leters, +fyrste of Greke, and after of latẽ: when he hyt, +& tolde the name of the letter, besyde a greate +reioysinge, he had for a reward a cherye, or some +other thynge that chyldrẽ delyte in. Of that playe +commeth more fruite, if two or thre matches playe +together. For then the hope of victorie and feare of +rebuke maketh them to take more heede, and to be more +chereful. By thys deuise it was broughte aboute that +the chylde wythin a fewe days playing, had perfitely +lerned to know & sound all hys letters whych ye cõmõ +sort of teachers be scarse able to brynge to passe in +thre whole yeres whyth their beatynges threatyngs, and +brawlynges. Yet do not I alowe the diligence of some +to painful, whych drawe out these thyngs by playinge +at chesses or dyce. For when the playes them selues +passe the capacitie of chyldren, how shal they lerne +the letters by them? ¶ This is not to helpe the +chyldrens wyttes, but to put one labour to an other. +As there be certen engins so full of worke and so +curious, that they hynder the doynge of the busines. +Of thys sorte commonly be all those thynges whych some +haue deuised of the arte of memorye for to gette +money, or for a vayne boastynge, rather then for +profite: for they do rather hurte the memorye. +[Sidenote: The beste craft for memmorie.] The best +crafte for memorie, is thorowlye to vnderstande, +and then to brynge into an order, last of al oftẽ to +repete that thou woldest remember. And in litleons +there is a natural great desyre to haue the mastry +inespecially of suche as be of lustye courage, and +lyuely towardnes. ¶ The teacher shall abuse these +inclinacions to the profite of hys study. If he shall +profite nothing by prayers, and fayre meanes, neyther +by gyftes mete for chyldren, nor prayses, he shal make +a contencion with hys equales. Hys felowe shall be +praysed in the presẽce of the duller. Desyre to be as +good shall quicken forwardes, whom only adhortacion +coulde not do. Yet it is not meete so to geue the +mastrie to the victor, as thoughe he shulde haue it +for euer: but somtime he shall shewe hope to hym that +is ouercome, that by takyng hede he may recouer y^e +shame: whych thynge capteyns be wonte to dooe in +batayle. And sometyme we shall suffer that the chyld +shuld thynke he hadde gotten the better, when he is +worse in deede. Finally by enterchaungyng, prayse and +disprayse, he shall noryshe in them, as Hesiodus +sayth, a stryfe who shall do best. Perchaunce one of a +sadde wyt wyl be loth so to play the child among +chyldren. And yet the same is not greued, neyther yet +ashamed to spende a greate parte of the day in playing +wyth little puppies and marmesettes, or to babble wyth +a pie or popiniay, or to play the foole wyth a foole. +By these tryfles, a verye sadde matter is broughte to +passe, and it is meruell that good men haue litle +pleasure herein, seeing y^t natural loue of our +children, and hope of great profit is wunt to make +those thynges also pleasaũte, whyche of them selues be +sharpe, sowre and bytter. I confesse that the +preceptes of grammer be at the beginnynge somewhat +sowre, and more necessary then pleasant. But the +handsomnes of the teacher shal take from them also a +greate parte of the payne. The beste thynge and +playnest muste be taughte fyrste. ¶ But nowe wyth what +compasses, and hardenesse be chyldren troubeled whyle +they learne wythout the booke the names of the letters +before they knowe what manner letters they bee? + +¶ Whyle they be compelled in the declinynge of nownes +and verbes to can by roote in howe manye cases, moodes +and tenses one worde is put: as muse in the genetiue +and datiue singuler, the nominatiue and vocatiue +plurel? Legeris of legor, and of legerim, and legero? +What a beatyng is thẽ in the schole, whẽ chyldren be +axed these thynges? ¶ Some light teachers to boast their +lerynge are wonte of purpose to make these thynges +somewhat harder. Whyche faute maketh the beginnynges +almost of all sciences in doute, and paynfull, +specially in logicke. And if you shewe them a better +waye, they answere they were brought vp after thys +fashion, and wyll not suffer that anye chyldren shulde +be in better case, then they them selues were when +they were chyldren. All difficultye eyther therefore +muste be auoided, whyche is not necessarye, or that is +vsed oute of tyme. It is made softe and easy, that is +done whẽ it shuld be. But when tyme is, that of +necessitie an harde doute muste be learned, than a +cunnynge teacher of a childe shall studye as muche as +he may to folowe the good and frendlye Phisicians, +[Sidenote: A good schol master in teachyng, muste +folow a phisicion in medicines.] whych whan they shalt +gyue a bytter medicyne do anoyut, as Lucrecius faith, +the brimmes of their cuppes with honye, that the +chylde entised by pleasure of the swetenes shuld not +feare the wholesome bytternes, or else put suger into +y^e medicine it selfe, or some other swete sauoryng +thynge. Yea they wyl not be knowen that it is a +medicine, for the only imaginacion sometyme maketh vs +quake for feare. Finally thys tediousenes is sone +ouercome, if things be taught them not to much at +once, but by lytle and litle, and at sundrie times. +Howebeit we ought not to distrust to much chyldrens +strength, if perhaps they muste take some paines. +A chyld is not myghty in strength of bodye, but he is +stronge to continue, and in abilitie strong inough. He +is not myghty as a bull, but he is strong as an emet. +[Sidenote: Note the sentence.] In some thinges a flye +passeth an elephant. Euerye thyng is mighty in that, +to the whyche nature hathe made hym. Do we not se +tender chyldren rũne merueylouse swyftlye all the daye +long, and feele no werinesse. What is the cause? +Because playe is fitte for that age, and they imagine +it a playe and no labour. And in euerye thynge the +gretest part of payne is imaginacion, whych somtyme +maketh vs feele harme, when there is no harme at all. +Therefore seynge that the prouidence of nature hath +taken awaye imaginacion of laboure from chyldren, And +howe muche they lacke in strengthe, so muche they be +holpen in thys part, that is, that they feele not +labour, It shal be the masters parte, as we sayde +before, to put away the same by as many wayes as he +can, and of purpose to make a playe of it. ¶ There be +also certen kindes of sportes meete for chyldren, +wherwyth theyr earnest studye must somwhat be eased +after they be come to that, they muste lerne those +higher thynges whyche can not be perceiued wythoute +diligence and laboure: as are the handling of Themes, +to turne latine into Greeke, or greeke into latine, or +to learne cosmographie wythout booke. But moste of all +shall profite, if the chylde accustume to loue and +reuerence hys master, to loue and make muche of +learnyng, to feare rebuke, and delyght in prayse. +[Sidenote: The last obieccion touching the profit of +y^e chyld in his young yeres.] There remayneth one +doute, wonte to be obiected by those whych saye: The +profite that the chylde getteth in those thre or foure +yeres to be so lytle, that it is not worthe the +laboure, eyther to take so muche payne in teachynge, +or bestowe so much coste. And these in dede seme vnto +me, not so muche to care for to profite the chyldren, +as for the sparyng of theyr money, or the teachers +labour. But I wyl saye he is no father, whyche when +the matter is of teaching his child, taketh so greate +care for expenses. Also it is a folyshe pitie, to +thintent the master shuld saue his labour, to make his +sonne lose certen yeres. I graunt it to be true indede +y^t Fabius sayth, y^t more good is done in .i. yere +after, then in these .iii. or .iiii. why shuld we set +light by this litle y^t is won in a thyng far more +precious. Let vs graunt that it is but a very lytle, +yet were it better the chylde to do it, then eyther +nothyng at al, or lerne somewhat that after muste be +vnlerned. Wyth what businesse shall that age be better +occupied as sone as he beginneth to speake, whiche in +no wyse can be vnoccupied? Also how lytle soeuer it be +that the former age doth bringe, yet shal the chylde +lerne greater thynges, euen in the same yeres, when +smaller shuld haue ben lerned, if he had not lerned +them before. Thys sayth Fabius, euery yere furthered +and increased profiteth to a great summe and as much +tyme as is taken before in the infancie, is gotten to +the elder age. It nedeth not to rehearse that in those +first yeres certen thinges be easely lerned, which be +more hard to be lerned whẽ we be elder. For it is very +easely lerned, that is lerned in time conueniente. Let +vs graunt that they be small and litle thynges, so we +confesse them to be necessarye. Yet to me in deede it +semeth not so litle a furtheraunce to lerning to haue +gotten though not a perfit knowledge, yet at the least +waye a taste of bothe the tongues, besydes so many +vocables and names of thinges, and finally to haue +begun to be able to reade and write prõptly. It +greueth vs not in thinges much more vile, to gette all +the vauntage we can, be it neuer so lytle. A diligente +marchaunt setteth not light bi winning of a farthing, +thinkyng thus in hys mynde: it is in dede of it selfe +but a litle, but it groweth to a summe, and a litle +often put to a lytle, wyll quyckelye make a great +heape. The Smithes ryse before daye, to wyn as it were +parte of the day. Husband men vpon the holy daye do +some thynges at home, to make an ende of more worke +the other dayes. And do we regarde as nothyng the +losse of .iiii. yeres in oure chyldren, when there is +nothyng more costly then tyme, nor no possession +better thẽ lerning? It is neuer lerned tymely inoughe +that neuer is ended. For we muste euer learne as longe +as we lyue. ¶ And in other thyngs the lucre that is +loste by slackenes, maye be recouered by diligence. +Time whẽ it is once flowen awaye (and it flyeth +awaye very quickely) may be called againe by no +inchauntmentes. For the poets do trifle whyche tell of +a fountayne, wherby olde men do as it were waxe yong +agayne: and the phisicions deceiue you, whych promise +a gay floryshyng youth to old men thorowe a certeyn +folishe fyft essence I wote not what. Here therfore we +ought to be verye sparyng, because the losse of tyme +may by no meanes be recouered. Beside this the fyrst +part of our lyfe is coũted to be best, and therfore +shuld be bestowed more warelye. Hesiodus aloweth not +sparynge, neyther at the hyest, nor at the lowest, +because when the tunne is full it semeth to hasty, and +to late when it is spente: and therefore byddeth vs +spare in the myddes. But of tyme we muste nowher cast +away the sparing, and if we shuld spare when the tunne +is ful for thys cause that wyne is best in the +myddest, then shulde we most of all saue our yonge +yeres, because it is the best parte of the life, if +you exercise it, but yet y^t goeth swyftest awaye. The +husbande manne if he be anye thynge diligente, wyll +not suffer anye parte of hys lande to lye vacante, +and that that is not meete to brynge forthe corne, he +setteth it eyther wyth yonge graffes, or leaueth it to +pasture, or storeth it wyth potte hearbes. And shall +we suffer the beste parte of our lyfe to passe awaye +wyth oute all fruite of lerning? Newe falowed ground +must be preuented wyth some fruitfull thynge, leste +beynge vntylled, it brynge forthe of it selfe naughty +cockle. For needes muste it brynge forthe somewhat. +Lykewyse the tender mynde of the infante, except it +bee strayghte wayes occupyed wyth fruitefull +teachynges, it wyl be ouercoued wyth vyce. An earthen +potte wyll keepe longe the sauoure of the liquore that +it is fyrste seasoned wyth, and it wyll be long or it +go out. But as for an earthen vessell beynge newe and +emptye, you maye keepe it for what liquore ye wyll. + +¶ The mynde eyther bryngeth forth good fruite, if you +caste into it good seede, or if ye regard it not, it +is fylled wyth naughtines, whych afterwardes must be +pulled vp. And not a litle hath he wonne whyche hathe +escaped the losse, neyther hathe he brought small +helpe to vertue, whiche hath excluded vyce. But what +nede many wordes? Wylt thou see howe muche it +auayleth, whether one be brought vp in learnynge or +not? Beholde how excellently lerned in the olde tyme +men were in their youth, and how in oure daies they +that be aged be hable to do nothyng in studie? +[Sidenote: Ouide.] Ouide beyng a verye yonge man wrot +hys verses of loue. What olde man is hable to do lyke? +[Sidenote: Lucane.] What maner of man Lucane was in +hys youth hys workes declare. Howe came thys? Because +that beynge but .vi. moneths old he was brought to +Rome, & strayght waie deliuered to be taught of two +the best gramarians, Palemõ, and Cornutus. [Sidenote: +Bassus.] Hys companions in studye were Salcius Bassus, +and Aulus Persius: [Sidenote: Persius.] that one +excellente in historye, that other in a Satyre. + +Doubtles hereof cam that most perfite knoweledge that +he had in all the seuen sciences, & his so marueylous +eloquence, that in verse he was both an excellente +oratoure, & also a Poet. In thys our time ther wãteth +not exemples of good bringing vp (although thei be +veri few) & y^t as wel in womẽ as mẽ. Politiã praised +y^e wit of y^e maidẽ Cassãdra. ¶ And what is more +marueylous thã Vrsinus a childe of .xii. yeres olde? +for the remẽbraunce of him, he also in a very eligãte +epistle put in eternall memorye. How fewe men shal you +nowe fynd, whiche at one time be able to endite two +epistles to so manye notaries, that the sẽtence in +euerye one do agree, and that there shoulde happen no +inconueniente speache. That chylde did it in fyue +epistles & gaue the argumentes w^tout any study, & was +not prepared afore hãd to do it. Some men when they se +these things, thinking that thei passe al mens +strength, ascribe it to witchcraft. It is done in dede +by witchcrafte, but it is an effectual enchaũting, +to be set in time to a learned, good, and vigilant +master. It is a stronge medicine to learne the best +things of learned men, and emonge the learned. + +[Sidenote: Alexander.] By such wytchcrafte Alexander +the greate, whan he was a yonge man, besides +eloquence, was perfit in al the parts of Philosophie, +and except the loue of warres, & swetenes to raygne +had quite raught away his inclinaciõ, he might haue +bene counted the chiefe among the beste Philosophers. +By the same meanes Caius Cesar beinge but a yonge man, +was so eloquent & wel sene in the mathematical +sciences. So well sene also were many Emperors: Marcus +Tullius, also Virgil, and Horace in their lusty youth +were so excellent in learninge and Eloquence, all +bycause they were strayght waye in their tender age +learned of their parentes & nourses the elegancy of +the tonges, and of the beste maisters the liberal +sciences: as Poetry, Rhetorique, Histories, the +knowledge of antiquities, Arithmetique, Geographye, +Philosophye, moral and political. And what do we I +praye you? wee kepe our children at home till they be +past fourtene or fiftene yere old, and whan they be +corrupted wyth idlenes, ryot, & delicatenes, with +muche worke at the laste we sende them to the cõmen +scholes. There to further y^e matter wel, they taste a +little grammer: after, whan they can declyne words, & +ioyne the adiectiue and the substãtiue togither, they +haue learned al the grammer, and thã be set to that +troubled Logike, wher they must forget againe if they +haue learned to speake anie thynge well. But more +vnhappye was the tyme whan I was a child whiche al to +vexed the youth with modes of signifiinge, and other +folyshe questions, & teching nothinge els then to +speake folishelye. Verely those masters bicause they +wold not be thought to teach folish thinges, darckened +grammer wyth difficulties of Logike and Metaphisike: +euen for this verelye, that afterwardes they shold +returne backwardelye to learne grammer, whã they were +olde, which we see happeneth nowe to some diuines that +be wyser, that after so manye hye degrees and all +their titles, wherby they maye be ignoraunte in +nothing, they be faine to come againe to those bookes, +which are wonte to be reade vnto children. I blame thẽ +not, for it is better to lerne late then neuer, that +thing which is necessary to be knowen. + +Good Lorde what a world was that, whan wyth greate +boastynge Iohn Garlandes verses wer read to yonge men, +and that with longe and painefull commentaries? whã a +greate parte of tyme was consumed in folyshe verses, +in saying thẽ to other, repetynge them, and hearynge +theim agayne? whan Florista and Florius were learned +without booke? for as for Alexander, I thynke him +worthye to be receiued amonge the meaner sorte. +Moreouer howe muche tyme was loste in Sophistrye, and +in the superfluous mases of Logyke? And bicause I will +not be to longe, howe troublesomelye were all sciences +taughte? howe paynefully? whiles euerye reader to +auaunce him selfe, wolde euen straighte waye in the +begynninge stuffe in the hardest thynges of all, and +sometyme verye folyshe thyngs to. For a thyng is not +therfore goodly bycause it is harde, as to stand a far +of, and to caste a mustarde seede thorowe a nedles eye +& misse not, it is hard in dede, but yet it is a verye +trifle: and to vndo a payre of tariers, it is much +worke, but yet a vayne and idle subilltye. + +Adde here vnto, that oftentymes these thynges be +taught of vnlearned men, and that is worse, of lewd +learned men, somtyme also of sluggardes and +vnthriftes, which more regarde takynge of money thã +the profite of their scholers. Whã the commune +bryngynge vp is suche, yet do wee maruayle that fewe +be perfitly learned before they be old. [Sidenote: +Nota.] The beste parte of oure lyfe is loste wyth +idlenes, with vices, wherewith whan we be infected, +we giue a litle parte of our tyme to studies, and a +greate parte to feastes and plaies. And to an yll +matter is taken as euil a craftes manne, either +teachynge that is folyshe, or that whiche must be +vnlearned againe. And after this we make our excuse +that the age is weake, the wyt not yet apte to learne, +the profite to be verye small, and manye other +thinges, whan in dede the fault is to be ascribed to +euill brynginge vp. I wil not trouble you any lẽger, +onelie wil I speake to your wisdome whyche is in other +thynges verye sharpe and quycke of syght. [Sidenote: +A goodli brief rehearsall of the thinges before +spokẽ.] Consider howe deare a possession youre sonne +is, howe diuerse a thynge it is and a matter of muche +worke to come by learnynge, and how noble also the +same is, what a redines is in all childrens wyttes to +learne, what agilitie is in the mynd of mã howe easily +those thynges be learned whyche be beste and agreable +to nature, inespeciallye if they be taught of learned +and gentle maisters by the waye of playe: further how +fast those thynges abide with vs, wherew^t we season +fyrste of all the emptye and rude myndes, whiche selfe +thynges an elder age perceyueth boeth more hardelye, +and soner forgetteth: Beside thys how dear and the +losse neuer recouered, tyme is, howe much it auayleth +to begin in seasõ, and to learne euery thyng whan it +shold be, how much continuaunce is able to do, & howe +greately the heape that Hesiodus speaketh of, doeth +increase by puttinge to little and litle, how swiftly +the time flieth away, how youth wyll alwayes be +occupied, & howe vnapte olde age is to be taught: If +thou consyder these thynges thou wilt neuer suffer +that thi litle child shoulde passe away (I wil not +say) seuen yere, but not so much as thre dayes, in the +whiche he maye + be eyther prepared or in- + structed to learnynge + though the profit + be neuer so + litle. + + +FINIS. + + + + + ¶ Impryn- + ted at London by Iohn Day, + dwellinge ouer Aldersgate, beneth + saint Martyns. And are to be sold + at his shop by the litle conduit + in Chepesyde at the sygne + of the Resurrec- + tion. + + Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum + solum. Per septennium. + + * * * * * + * * * * + * * * * * + +_Paragraphs_ + +Some paragraph breaks in this e-text are conjectural. The printed book +had the following kinds of breaks: + + --conventional paragraph with indented first line + --unambiguous paragraph with non-indented first line + --ambiguous paragraph: previous line ends with blank space, but the + space is not large enough to contain the first syllable of the + following line + --sentence break corresponds to line break: this happens randomly in + any printed book, and only becomes ambiguous when the book also has + non-indented paragraphs + +In this e-text, the second type of paragraph is marked with a pilcrow ¶. +The third type has a pilcrow ¶ but no paragraph break. The fourth type +is not marked. + + +_Errors and Inconsistencies_ (Noted by Transcriber) + +Unless otherwise noted, spelling and punctuation are unchanged. + +Spelling: + + The pattern of initial “v”, non-initial “u” is followed consistently. + The spelling “they” is more common than “thei”. + The form “then” is normally used for both “then” and “than”; + “than” is rare. + The most common spelling is “wyll”, but “wyl”, “wil” and “will” + also occur. + +Word Division: + +Line-end hyphens were completely arbitrary; words split at line break +were hyphenated about two-thirds of the time. The presence or absence +of a hyphen has not been noted. Hyphenless words at line-end were joined +or separated depending on behavior elsewhere in the text: + + Always one word (re-joined at line break): + som(e)what, without, afterward(e)s + Usually one word: often()times, what()so()euer + One or two words: an()other + Usually two words: it/him/my.. self/selues; shal()be; + straight()way + Always two words: here to + +Roman Numerals: + +Numbers were printed with leading and following .period. When the number +came at the beginning or end of a line, the “outer” period was sometimes +omitted. These have been silently supplied for consistency. + +Notes: + + what soeuer is tolde in the oracion be shewed him in a table. + [_in context, “table” looks like an error for either “tale” or + “fable”, but it means picture (Latin _tabula_)_] + the grekes says dracontes in the genitiue case + [_Latin _draco, draconis_; + Greek δρακων, δρακοντος (_drakôn, drakontos_)_] + +Errors: + + what plante wyll bee as the owener or [or or] + They lerne to loke fierslie, the learne to loue the swearde + [_text unchanged: “the” error for “they/thei”?_] + What thynke ye then is to be looked for [is to de] + a yonge man behauinge hym selfe [behaninge] + Straight waye the colt of a lusty courage [Sraight] + so be there also of sciences. + [_text has “sci-/cences” at line break_] + were not made by Hesiodus. [_final . missing_] + thought it to be of Hesiodus doing. [_final . missing_] + And hẽce we ought [hece] + things y^t be naught. [_final . missing_] + Nowe is thys theyr onlye care [_one printing has “thyer”_] + dayntines hathe perswaded vs to comune this office + [_one printing has “commit”_] + more easelye by feare, that one brought vp + [_text unchanged: “that” error for “then/than”?_] + hym to whome he committed the chyefe rule of hys colledge, surnamed + of the thynge [_text unchanged_] + theyr seruauntes, and their threatnynges, [threatnynges,,] + After suche daynties, they exercysed suche lozdelynes. + [_text unchanged: “z” may be intended for some other letter_] + When the sicknes of the body was somewhat put away [sickens] + these things be alowed of suche as haue [suche is] + But if he be of hye degre [_“if” invisible in one printing_] + I wil braule no more [wll] + fayries, witches, nightmares wood men and gyauntes + [_punctuation unchanged_] + that so in manner they myghte eate vp their letters + [_final “t” in “that” invisible_] + of laboure from chyldren, And howe muche [_punctuation unchanged_] + they feele not labour, It shal be the masters parte + [_punctuation unchanged_] + a thyng far more precious. Let vs + [_text has “preci-//Let” at page break; “ous” supplied from + catchword_] + it wyl be ouercoued wyth vyce + [_text unchanged: error for “overcouered”?_] + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Education of Children, by Desiderius Erasmus + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN *** + +***** This file should be named 28338-0.txt or 28338-0.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/8/3/3/28338/ + +Produced by Louise Hope, Greg Lindahl, Joseph Cooper and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by the Bibliothèque nationale +de France (BnF/Gallica) at http://gallica.bnf.fr) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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