vndoe the children Assurance of safety in correction when it is done aright Anger necessary in Schoolemaisters so it bee tempered aright Meanes to represse furious and raging anger Places of Scripture to bee euer in our mindes for the repressing and moderating our anger Danger of rash anger when it exceeds Occasions of anger left to the calling of the Schoolemaisters to humble and exercise them Three lessons for preuenting anger The danger of hauing the rod or ferule euer in the hand of the Maister or Vsher. The surest way to haue nothing ordinarily but grauitie and authoritie The time of inflicting common punishments Such as in whom is no hope of reformation to bee sent from Schoole in time CHAP. XXX OF School-times intermissions and recreations School-time to begin at sixe The Vsher to be euer present at sixe of the clock though onely to ouersee all How to make children to striue vvho shall bee first at Schoole without correction Daily intermissions at nine and three of the clock for a quarter of an hower or more To sing part of a Psalme before breaking vp at night and each to begin in order and to giue the tune Intermissions at nine of the clocke and three not offensiue when they are once knowne Benefits of intermissions None to stirre forth of tâ—eir places at Schoole-times but vpon vrgent occasions The time of the intermissions may be gayned dayly and sundry inconueniences preuented Weekely recreations Before breaking vp to play to make Verses ex tempore or to cap Verses The best manner of capping Verses The greatest commendation in these Manner of their recreations The recreations of the studious to be regarded Ouermuch play to be carefully auoided CHAP. XXXI INconueniences growing by diuersity of teaching and of Grammars How this helped CHAP. XXXII Euils by ordinary absence of Schollars CHAP. XXXIII DIscouragements of Schoolemaisters by vnthankefulnesse of parents Remedies against such discouragements CHAP. XXXIIII WHat Children to be set and kept to learning What Schollars to be sent to the Vniuersities None to bee sent to the Vniuersities before fifteene yeares of age at least The best courses to be practiced CHAP. XXXV A Briefe rehearsall of the chiefe points and special helps mentioned through the whole booke The principall heads of those things vvhich vvould bee euer kept in memory by the Maister to bee continually put in practice Mt. Askames steppes to good learning with a briefe direction of Melanchtons FINIS STudious Reader I thought meete to giue thee notice that my Translation of Sententiae Pueriles and of Cato are now vnder the Presse and the former of them within a day or two ready to come forth Expect the other shortly after Postscript PAge 53. line 3. reade by that p. 78. l. 35. for declension read Gender or declining p. 87. l. 16. for euer reade aâ—way p. 115. l. 9. put in so far as I know p. 116. after the 11. line put in so mothers for most part p. 191 l. â—7 put out â—ound p. 202. l. 25 for of Grammatica read at Grammatica p. 2â—0 l. 32 put out secondly p. 251. l. 20. for most read many p. 274. l. 22. put out kinde 297. l. 35. for rest read rise Faults escaped by the Printer IN PAge 20. line 3 the Alphabet should haue beene distinguished by threes thus A b c. d e f. g h i. and so for the rest Page Line False True 20 25 thus this 30 24 long longest 30 36 a booke bookes 31 22 m. i t. m c.t. 31 30 without or without 46 1 Third A third 56 9 of or 59 29 manuifoelicis manuifoelici 63 3 parsed poased 63 27 parsing poasing 72 23 more most 73 1 goe truely goe surely 79 3 speedily specially 102 12 Que Que 18 Virtutem virtutum 36 weapon weapons 114 9 must will 137 2 à scio ascio 144 3. 11 vincit vincet 179 31 fittest fitâ—â—est 182 17 curiously cursorily 192 1 in manner in good manner 221 37 so great great 231 16 Nomencâ—aton Nomenclator 234 35 Thâ—ogius Theognis 235 22 his this 236 19 be also also 241 13 who which 278 24 oderint oderunt Page 200. in the margent against line 18 for yongest read highest In the true Watch and Rule of life made farre more perfect and plaine in this 5. EditioÌ„ Tubal-cain Mr Askame 1. Booke page 1 The Schoolemasters place ordinarily wearisome thankelesse They who haue felt the euils of labouring without fruit in their calling wil neither spare labor nor cost to help the same If for to gain a little politick experience or to see fashions many will adueÌ„ture both by sea and land into enemies countries to the hazarding ofttimes both of body and soule how much more ought we to trauel at home amongst our friends to gain lasting comfort in our labours Many honest and painefull School-masters weary of their places liue in continuall discontent thorow lacke of knowledge of a good courâ—e of teaching Some few God much blesseth in this calling though they be very rare More true contentment may be â—ound in this calling rightly followed then in any recreation whatsoeuer The fruit of this trauel is euer the sweetest in the remembrance of it after Knowledge practiâ—e of the best courses will much augment the blessing of our labours and fill our liues with contentment Feeling of the griefe and want of others will make vs more compassionate Wee are but stuards of Gods gifts to bee accountable for euery talent What our affection and resolution should be in receiuing any speciall blessing from the Lord as namely direction how to walke more fruitfully in our calling How the way of all good learning may be more easie then euer in former ages Many most worthy helps lie vtterly hid from the greatest part only thorow neglect All the things mentioned in the contents may be effected through diligence constancy Gods blessing See the particulars in the contents set before the booke The most easie and profitable manner of proceeâ—ing in this conference The first point How soone the childe is to bee set to the schoole The time of the first entraÌ„ce in countrey schooles at 7. or 8. The childe of any ordinary towardlinesse to begin to learne about 5. yeere olde Reasons 1. Because they are then meete to conceiue of learning and to delight in it 2. For that they are apt much sooner to learn shrewdnesse those things which are hurtfull 3. To auoide much rudeness and that too much sweetness which they feel in play and idlenesse 4 This age is most easily beÌ„ded and acâ—ustomed to good things 5 Two or three yeeres may be gained by this meanes to fit theÌ„ sooner for the Vniuersitie or other imploiments which is no small benefit 6 Parents ought to labour to see their childrens good educatioÌ„ before their eyes so soone as may be Ob. It will hinder their growth A. The schoole being rightly vsed will not hinder any more theÌ„ their plaie Ob. 2. It will cause
better able to preach powerfully in two daies warning and hauing words at will then other in two moneths and all because the one sort are so full of vnderstanding and matter the other are so barren thereof Thus in all these examples euery man may see a plaine demōstration of the truth of these verses of Horace which he no doubt did write vpon his owne experience as euerie man shall find who will set himself to make triall Proue confirme what tong soeuer your schollar learns euen from the first reading of English if he can repeat you the matter or the sum of it or haue it in his head trie whether hee will not haue the words presently The plentifull experience which I haue seene of the sweete delight and fruite of this course of causing children to doe all things with vnderstanding and reason compared with the fruitlesse toiles and griefes of former times do make me not only confident for the thing but also desirous to make all other partakers of the benefit Spoud I do fully see the euidence of all that which you haue said and therfore I must needs be perswaded of it I do heartily thank God for it and will indeuor my selfe to put it in practice continually Only here is the difficulty how a schoolemaster may do this to teach his schollar so to proceed with vnderstanding and how to giue a reason of euery matter which they learne to make vse of all their learning Aboue all how hee may beginne to fraught young Schollars with all store of matter as they goe on this very much passeth my skill I should thinke my selfe most happy to obtaine this knowledge if it possibly can be done Phil. Attend to those things which I shall relate and I haue no doubt but I shall very much accomplish your desire in this for our whole conference doth tend chiefly to this end As all learning is grounded on reason so in euery Chapter I shall endeaur my selfe to manifest the reasons of euery thing and how you may teach others so farre forth as hitherto the Lord hath made them knowne vnto me And more hereafter as I shall learne more The principall meanes for their vnderstanding is by asking short questions of the matter for so they will vnderstand and any thing which they are to learne But of that more hereafter in the particular examples and chiefly Chapt. 24. Spoud If you haue done then with this let vs goe forward to your next generall obseruation and so through them all as briefly as you can Phil. My next obseruation is this that as I would haue them to doe all things with vnderstanding so to learne only such bookes and matters as whereof they may haue the best vse and that perpetually in all their learning or in their whole life For this is well knowne to euery one that things well learned in youth will bee kept most surely all the life long because in that age they are most easily imprinted and sticke the longest in fresh memory And for that cause children should spend no time vnfruitfully in such books as whereof they cannot haue both very good and continuall vse This cannot be but a great folly to mis-spend our pretious time in such studies whereof neither our selues nor others can haue benefite after or else in such as the knowledge whereof will vanish for want of practice and much more in those which will corrupt and hurt in stead of doing good And therefore all filthy places in the Poets would be wisely passed ouer or warily expounded It were well if there were an Index Expurgatorius to purge out all the filth out of these by leauing it out or changing it Third rule and that generall for all Students is this that whatsoeuer difficult words or matters of speciall obseruation they doe reade in any Author be marked out I meane all such words or things as eyther are hard to them in the learning of them or which are of some speciall excellency or vse worthy the noting or which after that they haue beene a certaine time in construction they haue not eyther learned or at least they knowe not where they haue learned them For the marking of them to doe it with little lines vnder them or aboue them or against such partes of the word wherein the difficulty lieth or by some prickes or whatsoeuer letter or marke may best helpe to cal the knowledge of the thing to remembrance yet so much as may be without marring of their books To doe this to the end that they may oft-times reade ouer these or examine and meditate of them more seriously vntill that they be as perfect in them as in any of the rest of their bookes for hauing these then haue they all This would be vniuersall in getting all kind of learning after that children do grow to any discretion to marke such things rightly you will maruel if you haue not made triall of it how much they will go through what sound knowledge they will come vnto in any kinde of study and how soone by this helpe more then they can do without it And when they haue once gotten it they may as easily keepe it as surely by oft-times running ouer those things which are so noted aboue all the rest This is the reason that you shall haue the choysest bookes of most great learned men the notablest students all marked through thus in all matters eyther obscure or of principall most necessary vse And this is one chiefe meanes whereby Schollars may haue the difficultest things in their Authours so perfectly as that whensoeuer they shall be examined of a sudden they shall be very ready to their great praise and to the iust commendation of the Schoole For the manner of noting it is best to note all schoole books with inke also all others which you would haue gotten advnguem as we vse to say or wherof we would haue daily or long practice because inke will indure neither wil such books be the worse for their noting but the better they be noted with iudgement But for all other bookes which you would haue faire againe at your pleasure note them with a pensil of black lead for that you may rub out againe when you will with the crums of new wheate bread The very little ones which reade but English may make some secret markes thus at euery hard word though but with some little dint with their naile so that they doe not marre their bookes Of this I shall speake more particularly in the manner of parsing Chapt. 9. A fourth obseruation is this That whatsoeuer books or matter Schollars doe learne after they beginne to learne without booke that they learne them so perfectly and holde them so surely by daily repetition and examination that they may haue in their mindes such an absolute knowledge of al the words and
with and of being able to cast the words into the naturall order Yet besides these and the assistance of the Master where need is they may vse also these helpes following 1 The best and easiest Commentaries of the hardest and most crabbed Schoole Authors as M. Bonde vpon Horace who hath by his paines made that difficult Poet so easie that a very childe which hath been well entred and hath read the former Schoole Authors in any good manner may go thorough it with facilitie except in very few places Of him it were to be wished for his singular dexteritie in making that difficult Poet plaine in so few words that he would take the like paines in the rest of that kinde as in Persius and Iuvenall for the great benefit of Schooles Or that som other would do it following his example Next vnto him of those which I haue seene are these Murmelius Buschius vpon Persius a double Commentarie the one shortly expressing the matter and beating out the sense meaning the other the words Lubin also vpon Persius and Iuvenal is much commended For short comments and annotations of Virgil there may be vsed Ramus vpon the Eclogues Georgicks Also the Virgils printed with H. Stephens annotations and with Melancthons 2 Where they haue no help but the bare Author that they must coÌ„strue wholly of themselues cal vpon them oft to labour to vnderstand keep in fresh memory the Argument matter drift of the place which they are to coÌ„strue which matter they may either find prefixed generally before the beginning of the treatises or chapters in the ArgumeÌ„ts or else they are to demand the vnderstanding in general of the Master or examiner what the matter of the place is or what it about Otherwise many places may trouble the greatest schollars at the first sight 3. To consider wel of all the circumstances of each place which are coÌ„prehended most of them in this plaine verse Quis cui causa locus quo tempore prima sequela That is who speaks in that place what he speaks to whom he speakes vpon what occasion he speaks or to what end where he spake at what time time it was what went before in the sentences next what followeth next after This verse I would haue euery such schollar to haue readily and alwaies to thinke of it in his construing It is a very principall rule for the vnderstanding of any Author or mattâ—r whatsoeuer 4 In all hard words or phrases let them first call to remembrance where they haue learned them or the primitiue word whereof they come or some words neere vnto them or otherwise to search them out by inquiring of the Master Vsher or som follow or of the Dictionaries which they ought to haue euer at hand And in construing their own Authors let them remember that generall precept to marke the newe words with a line vnder them as was aduised before that they may oft go ouer them or if they feare they cannot so remember them to write them in their books ouer the word or in the margents ouer against the words in a fine small hand it will not hurt their bookes or for sauing their books let euery one haue a little paper booke and therein write onely all the new and hard words as was obserued generally to bee very perfect in those each way by oft reading ouer and so they shal come on very fast hauing those as I said they haue all So that these things obserued shall accomplish your desire 1. Consider and way wel the generall matter argument 2. Marke all the hard words in their proper significations 3. Keepe in mind that verse of the circumstances of places Quis cui c. 4. Cast and dispose the words in the proper Grammaticall order 5. See that nothing bee against sense nothing against Grammar but if either the sense be absurd or construction against Grammar cast it and try it another way vntill you find it out Finally giue me leaue to adde this before wee end this matter of construing That all these kinds of construing or rather of expounding and expressing their minds may be vsed by schollars of ripenesse and with much profit 1 According to the bare words in their first signification and in the naturall order plainly 2 According to the sense to expresse the mind of the Author with vnderstanding 3 More elegantly in finenesse of words and phrase 4 Paraphrastically by exposition of words and matter more at large to make as it were a Paraphrase of it And to do this last in good Latine where they are of ability Spoud Sir you haue satisfied me at large for all this matter of coÌ„struing now I pray you let vs come to parsing and the manner of it which followeth next that I may haue your helpe therein For this hath beene no lesse wearinesse and vexation vnto me then the construing hath beene Phil. Before we come to parsing let me also tell you this one thing That besides my Schollars ordinary Lectures and repeating daily some part of that which they haue learned in the lower fourmes I finde very great good in causing them euery day in each fourme to construe a peece of their Authours where they haue not learned and that ex tempore aside or a leafe at a time as leisure will permit hearing them eyther my selfe or by some other very sufficient how they can doe it and posing onely some hard things as they goe forward noting also the harder wordes and more difficult places as was shewed Also in those bookes where of they haue Translations I cause them by course sometimes to construe or reade the same out of the Translations as at other times to reade out of the Authour into English according to the maner of the Translation Spoud This must needes bee exceeding profitable I likewise will put it in practice forthwith if God will and do heartily thanke you for imparting it vnto me But now if you haue done to the matter of parsing Phil. Let me heare of you what course you haue vsed therein and I will supply whatsoeuer I can CHAP. IX Of Parsing and the kindes thereof and how children may parse of themselues readily and surely Spoud FOr parsing I haue followed the common course which is this so farre as I haue seene or heard viz. To parse ouer all my yongest euery word and euen in the same order as the words doe stand in their Authours teaching them what part of speech euery word is how to decline them and so all the questions belonging thereunto and what each word is gouerned of the rules for euerything and the like Herein after long and much labour I haue found very little fruite through the hardnesse of it and the weakenesse of the childrens memories to carie away that which I tolde them much lesse haue I beene able to
perfection where there is aptnesse of nature concurring Spoud But repeat mee in a word which exercises you would haue daily put in practice Phil. Turning the Verses of the Lectures as was shewed chiefly by contraction in Virgil keeping strictly his phrase 2 Before each breaking vp at noones and nights to haue a Theame out of the easiest of Flâ—res Poëtarum in order to bring Verses of it at their entrance againe or as is appointed to them 3 Writing Verses of their weekly Theames CHAP. XV. The manner of examining and correcting Exercises Spoud HAuing thus gone through the principall exercises of writing I pray you let me heare your iudgment for the examining of such exercises and the best manner of performing it for I finde it a matter very tedious and troublesome Phil. Howsoeuer it be tedious yet it is such a matter as would neuer be omitted no more then the giuing of exercises nor to be slightly passed ouer so much as time and oportunity will permit For when the schollar knoweth that his exercise must be strictly examined it will make him more carefull in performing thereof and contrarily and it will be a great helpe to bring him sooner to perfection For the manner of doing it 1 The Master ought heedfully to obserue those speciall faults wherein his schollars doe most vsually slip and to acquaint euery one not onely with the generall but also with his particular to warne them of them For example I haue found my schollars to misse most in these through want of Dipthongs Incongruity in their Concords In the vse of the two chiefe rules of the Relatiue Qui quae quod Ablatiue case absolute Apposition Coniunctions to couple together like cases moodes and Tenses Nominature case after the Verbe c. The Accusatiue case before an Infinitiue Moode Also that they will oft haue a Synchesis or a disordered confusion of their wordes and sometimes they will vse hyperbaton which is a further fetching or carrying of some wordes whereby a sentence is obscured and the schollar forgets himselfe before he come to the end of his sentence and so writes false Latine Long Periods are therefore to be auoyded as much as may be 2 The Schollars are to be called vpon to reade ouer their exercises in the naturall or Grammaticall order so as they construe and then they may see presently how the wordes doe hang together both for agreement gouernement and sense and where the faults of Grammar are 3 That besides their rules they be able presently to parallele or proue each phrase and construction by the like example in Grammar or by a like phrase out of Tully or other Authours and what they know not to seeke out to the end that they may be able to iustifie euery word euen where they haue read it so much as may be 4 The higher schollars to looke to elegancie and finenesse of phrase and Composition and so to bee reading their exercises ouer and ouer stil correcting and amending them neuer thinking an exercise well enough vntill no fault can be found in Latine propriety composition matter no nor in the least tittle The schollar is herein to imitate the curious painter who is still amending and bettering his picture to drawe all into admiration that his Theames Verses Orations may be as the harpe of Orpheus to draw all the hearers or readers after them 5 To appoint aduersaries to take one anothers exercises and to see whether of them can finde the moe faults and if you will to set vnderneath how many faults either of them findes and so to giue them to the Master or to themselues first to correct then to the Master 6 Afterall the Master is carefully to reade ouer euery ones exercise so much as leasure will permit and by questions to make themselues to finde where the errour is as but asking Doe we say thus or thus and to cause them to amend it of themselues by giuing a like example And in the meane time to make some little line vnder the phrase or word or peece of the word or syllable wherein the errour is that they may amend it after in their bookes And for all correcting of translations in Latine to doe it by comparing their exercise with the Authour and so exercises of imitation to see who commeth next to the example 7 In examining exercises in the highest fourmes as in Theames Declamations Verses Orations and the like besides the faults against Grammar the diligent Master should obserue first all barbarous phrases or Poeticall phrase in Prose or contrary secondly Tautologies or oft repetitions of the same thing or words thirdly want of transitions that is of fit bonds or phrases whereby to passe elegantly from one point to another so as they might be more easily vnderstood fourthly harsh composition fiftly lacke of matter sixtly want of elegancy in Tropes and Figures and so like elegancies noted in Grammar 7 To haue a diligent eye that the schollars do forthwith correct their exercises so noted out vnto them and to this end he is oft to looke in their bookes whether they haue corrected their former exercises and to vse sharpe reprehension or correction for that carelesnes to make them to looke to that aboue all For there is nothing wherein their negligence is more intollerable nor for which the Master shal be more censured when their parents or others who be learned shall looke into their bookes and reade ouer their exercises and there to find them vncorrected 8 If at any time the Masters occasions permit not so much time yet to see that it be performed by the Vsher or some of the highest schollars and the number of faults noted Spou. But what if there should be 30. or 40. in a fourme as it may be in the greater schools especially amongst the lower fourmes how would you do to examine all their exercises in a morning but you shal hinder your selfe them froÌ„ many other things w th you must of necessity performe Ph. In such cases we must yeeld to necessity vse the best policy we can as in that exercise of translating into Latin to cause som 3. or 4. whom you most feare to pronounce their exercises or to reade or construe theÌ„ out of the translation you to looke vpon the exercises as they are pronouncing cause them to shew how they must be amended so al the rest to correct theirs according as they heare those corrected if any be found carelesse to correct so that he be surely corrected and this is the best helpe which I know in this behalfe So likewise where you giue them a Theame to make Verses ex tempore or vpon som smal meditation as those which are to be brought each morning or at one of the clocke when time will not permit to peruse the writing of
them to hate learning A They will rather loue it better Ob. 3 It is a small matter to lose a yeere or two then A The losse of a yeere or two will be found in the end Ob. 4. They will learn the faster A So in higher learning at those yeeres The inconuenience of hauing the Grammar schooles trobled with teaching A. B. C Continuall applying in a right course is aboue al means How this might be remedied by some other schoole in each towne for this purpose The redresse of it to be sought To be borne with patience where it cannot be remedied The first entring of children to be looked to carefully To teach to read well in a short time is of great profit Griefe discredit of the want of this 1. To teach children how to cal and pronounce their letters right And first the 5. vowels The Consonants Right calling the letters before the children doe know them 2. How to teach children to know the letters the soonest To cause them to finde out any letter The surer way is to learne but one letter at aâ— once 3. How to teach to spell M. Coots English Schoolemaster might bee profitable to this purpose in which booke are syllables words of all sorts To make children to take delight in spelling Some of the hardest syllables to practice children in the spelling of theÌ„ These would be written in some little table to poase them oft Note in spelling Right pronouÌ„cing makes right spelling Further direction for spelling after 4. Ioyning syllables together Vnderstanding the matter Bookes to bee first learned of children Abcie Primer Second reading of a booke Psalmes in metre Testament Schoole of Vertue Schoole of good manners 5. In what time children well applyed may easily learne to reade English Diuiding and distinguishing syllables 6. To teach little ones to pronounce their letters and to spell before they know a letter is the pleasantest way How little ones will presently pronounce their fiue vowels To put the coÌ„sonants in order before the vowelles pronouÌ„cing them To teach to spell these thus putting the consonants first Repeating th letters of thee Alphabet by roate To teach them to know their letters as before To cause them to knowe the matter by questions or oft repeating to theÌ„ Any one who can read may thus enter children for reading english 8. The inconuenience of childreÌ„ forgetting to reade English when they enter first into latine and how to auoid it Complaints of Parents for childreÌ„ forgetting English Complaint of want of care in our schooles for growth in our owne tong is in the latine Our chiefe indeauor should be for our own tongue Reasons Few Scooles which haue any regarde for our English tongue Meanes to obtaine this benefit of increasing in our English tong as in the Latin 1. Daily vse of Lillies rules construed 2. Continuall practice of English Grammaticall translations 3. Translating and writing English with some other Schoole exercises The chief fault of the children going backewards in reading English when they first learne latine is in the Parents themselues An ordinary fault that most schollars are to seek in matters of common numbers which they may bee taught in an hower or two Numbers by letters knowen easily yet oft neglected Numbers by figures Why this Dialogue is so long Faire writing a great benefit ornament to Schooles It hath beene a receiued opinion a â—ong many that a good Schollar can not be a good writer The trouble of Schoolemasters for the want of this faculty to teach Schollars to write The ordinary course in Schooles to teach to write 1. When Schollars should begin to write 2. To haue all necessaries 3. Inke and paper of what sort Writing books kept faire 4. Euery one to learne to make his owne pen. The manner of making the pen. Cleft of the penne The neb of the pen. The surest way for making the pen. How to holde the pen. To cary the pen so lightly as to glide on the paper Copies In stead of setting copies to haue copie bookes fastened to the top of their books Maner of the copie bookes Examples of copyes contayning all the letters in one line of ioyning The hardest sylables and principall numbers to be set in the end of the copy bookes The copy books to bee printed how with the benefit of them Inconuenience of following diuers hands The best written copies to be procured Inconuenience of the lacke of such bookes Faire writing to be practiced by all the schollars once euery day General rule in writing To make all like vnto the copy To keepe euen compasse How to write of euen height Each to haue his ruling pen and what onâ—â— The neb of the ruling pen and how to rule with it ☜ Euen writing to be streightly looked to by the help of a ruling pen. Ruling the bookes of the young beginners with crosse lines thus Benefit of this ruling The compasse in greatnesse or neernesse of the letters Writing straight without lines ☜ Speciall furtherances for the first enterers in writing When they cannot frame a letter To follow a letter with a dry pen. Leasurely drawing as the Painter To learne to make one letter wel first then another To helpe to write cleane fast and faire together Making florishes gliding vpon the paper To obserue ornaments of writing ☞ To make the letters most plaine ☞ Mischiefs of getting a bad hand ☜ To procure the most excellent copies from the beginning That the Master may teach his Schollars to write faire what to be don ☜ To walke amongst the schollars to see they obserue these directions To obserue all the bad letters and faults in writing Any Schollar may helpe the Master The meanest writers may bring many of their schollars to be good pen-men To auoyde the euils by wandring Scriueners Things necessarily required in commendable writing The vse of Scriueners in the Grammar Schooles what ☜ The sum of the principall and most necessary directions for writing to be euer remembred and therefore here shortly repeated that we may haue a briefe notion of them This maketh nothing against the honest Scriueners but to preuent the abuse of shifters and hurt to Schooles Schollars are to be taught to do all thing with vnderstanding and to know the matter before in generall The common course to doe all things without vnderstanding the reason of them or how to make vse of any thing The defect hereof exceeding great To doe all things by reason brings almost double learning To read without vnderstanding and knowledge how to make vse is a neglect of all learning Triall of the difference between learning with vnderstanding without 1. In schollars examined together whereof one vnderstandeth and can giue reasons of things the other not 2. In getting a lesson how to do it soonest in the best manner 3. In our owne experience construing or studying out any difficult place in any Author or tongue One chiefe cause why Virgil and
goe through their Abcie and Primer And if they reade them twise ouer that they may bee very perfect in them it will bee the better for them For the second reading of any booke dooth much incourage children because it seemeth to bee so easie then and also it doth imprint it the more Besides that they will run it ouer so fast at the second time as it will be no losse of time at all vnto them After these they may reade ouer other English bookes Amongst which the Psalms in metre would be one because children wil learne that booke with most readinesse and delight through the running of the metre as it is found by experience Then the Testament in which the discreete Master may keepe his schollar lesse or more vntil he think him meet to enter into the Accidence If any require any other little booke meet to enter children the Schoole of Vertue is one of the principall and easiest for the first enterers being full of precepts of ciuilitie and such as children will soone learne and take a delight in thorow the roundnesse of the metre as was sayde before of the singing Psalmes And after it the Schoole of good manners called the new Schoole of Vertue leading the childe as by the hand in the way of all good manners By these meanes children if they be well applied and continually kept vnto it may be taught so to read within a yeere or little more as they may be meet to enter into their Accidence by that time that they bee six yeere olde at the vttermost especially if they bee in any measure apt and much practiced in spelling the hardest syllables For diuiding or distinguishing of syllables this one obseruation is to be remembred That what consonants are vsually ioined in the beginnings of words those are not to be disioined and separate in the middest of words except in Compound words But of this wee shall speake more fitly after And thus much may suffice for the present for the speedy reading of English for heereof I haue had much certaine experience Spoud I cannot iustly dislike of any thing which you haue sayd herein it standeth all with so great reason chiefly to make children so perfect in the hardest syllables For they being perfect in these must needs attaine all the rest in a short space Except onely one thing which you vttered which indeede seemes a strange Paradox to me Namely that some wise experienced would haue children taught to call and pronounce all their letters and to spell any syllable before they know a letter on the booke Phil. This is very true which you say it may seeme a Paradox to them who haue not tryed it I my selfe was of your minde when I heard it first Yet setting my selfe to make some triall of it for the reuerence I bare to him of whom I heard it and for that he shewed me experience of it in a child not fowre yeeres olde I found it the easiest pleasantest and shortest way of all where one would begin in a priuate house with little ones playing The manner is thus 1. You must teach them as I sayde to call their fiue vowels and to pronounce them right Which they will presently learne if you do but only cause them to repeat them oft ouer after you distinctly together thus a e i o u. after the manner of fiue bels or as we say one two three fowre fiue 2 Then teach them to put the consonants in order before euery vowell and to repeate them oft ouer together as thus to begin with b and to say ba be bi bo bu So d. da de di do du f. fa fe fi fo fu Thus teach them to say all the rest as it were singing them together la le li lo lu The hardest to the last as ca ce ci co cu. and ga ge gi go gu In which the sound is a little changed in the second and third syllables When they can do all these then teach them to spell them in order thus What spels b-a If the child cannot tell teach him to say thus b-a ba so putting first b. before euery vowell to say b-a ba b-e be b-i bi b-o bo b-u bu Then aske him againe what spels b-a and he will tell you so all the rest in order By oft repeating before him he will certainly do it After this if you aske him how he spels b-a he will answere b-a ba. So in all others Next these teach them to put the vowels first as to say ab eb ib ob ub Then thus a-b ab e-b eb i-b ib o-b ob u-b ub After what spelles a-b e-b c. Thus to goe with them backward and forward crosse in and out vntill they can spell any word of two letters Then you may adioine those of three letters Afterwards all the hard syllables to tell what any of them spels til they be perfect in al or as you shall thinke meete By this meanes and by a little repeating of the letters of the Alphabet ouer before them by three or fowre letters together as they stand in order so as they may best sound in the childrens eares they will soone learne to say all the letters of the A. B. C. if you will As to repeat them thus A. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. k. l. m. n. o. p. q. r. s. t. u. w. x. y. z. To say them thus by roat will nothing hinder but further them Then they may presently be taught to know the letters vpon the booke either one by one finding first which is a in the Alphabet and after in any other place Then to finde which is b and so through all the rest as you will Then when they are cunning in their letters and spelling if you make them to vnderstand the matter which they learne by questions for a little at the first they will goe on in reading as fast as you will desire The easier and more familiar the matter is to them the faster they learne Thus may any poore man or woman enter the little ones in a towne together and make an honest poore liuing of it or get somwhat towards helping the same Also the Parents who haue any learning may enter their little ones playing with them at dinners and suppers or as they sit by the fire and finde it very pleasant delight So they may helpe to gaine their children a yeere or two in learning at the beginning and also the Grammar Schooles of this labour and hinderance Spoud You haue perswaded me very much concerning this doubt also Surely sir howsoeuer thus may seeme but a toye yet all tender parents will much reioice in it and acknowledge it an exceeding benefit to haue their children so entered and this time beeing gotâ—en in the beginning will bee found in the end as you truely sayde Yet there is another
thereof Phil. There is not the best thing but it may bee abused But for that booke as the others I shall shewe and proue vnto you the coÌ„modities of them aboue all that you would imagine Experience makes me confident Yet to returne vnto your selfe concerning the complaint of the Parents for their children going backward in reading English when they first learne latine the chiefe fault in truth is in the Parents themselues although we poore schoolemasters must be sure to beare all For if such murmuring Parents would would but cause their children euery day after dinner or supper or both to reade a Chapter of the Bible or a peece of a Chapter as leasure would permit and to doe it constantly therby to shew their loue to the Lord and his word and their desire to haue the word dwell plentifully in their houses to haue their children trained vp in it as young Timothy was then I say this complaint would soon be at an end for they should either seethen their children to increase in this or else they should discerne the fault to be in their childrens dulnesse and not in our neglect Notwithstanding sith that they are so very fewe of whome wee can hope that they haue any care of this duetie in their houses in respect of all the rest who omit it and yet all the blame must surely rest on vs it concerneth vs so much as we can to redresse it and therefore vse all good meanes to cut off all occasions of clamours and of discrediting our selues and our schooles and to contend for the greatest profiting of our children aswell in this as in any other part of learning the vse of this being as we heard most generall and perpetuall Spoud You haue directed mee very rightly how to aunswere such Parents now I shall be able to shew them where the fault is and bee calling vpon them to redresse this at home I shall also indeuor to put all this in vre and more as you make the particulars more fully known vnto me and as I shall finde by triall the fruit heereof But now that you haue thus satisfied me in all these my doubts I cannot but demand yet one other point wherein I finde another great want though not comparable to the former because there is not so much vse of it which is about the ordinary numbers or numbring For I am much troubled about this that my readers and others aboue them are much to seeke in all matters of numbers whether in figures or in letters Insomuch as wheÌ„ they heare the chapters named in the church many of them cannot turn to them much less to the verse Phil. This likewise is a very ordinary defect yet might easily be helped by common means in an howr or two I call it ordinary because you shall haue schollars almost ready to goe to the Vniuersity who yet can hardly tell you the number of pages sections chapters or other diuisions in their books to find what they should And it is as you say a great a fowle want because without the perfect knowledge of these numbers schollars cannot help themselues by the Indices or Tables of such books as they should vse for turning to any thing of a sodaine although it be a matter wherof they should haue vse all their life long And to conclude it is a great neglect because it is a thing so easie as that it may be learned in so short a time only by most vsuall meanes as by these following For numbers by letters vse but only to appose them according to the direction in the latine Grammar at Orthographia they will do them presently As if you aske what I. stands for what V. what X. what L. c. And back againe what letter stands for one so what for fiue or forten But specially if you desire to haue them very ready herein cause them to haue these written then to practice to read them ouer often vntil that they can answer any of them perfectly Warn them also to remember alwaies that any number set after a greater or after the same nuÌ„ber doth add so many mo as the value of that later nuÌ„ber is As I. set after X. thus XI doth make eleuen XV. fifteen XX. twentie But being set before they doe take away so many as they are as I. before X. thus IX nine If you wish an example more at large this may serue let each of them that should learne haue a briefe of these after this maner to shew them all the chiefe numbers I. one II. two III. three IIII. or IV. fowre V. fiue VI. six VII seauen VIII eight IX nine X. tenne XI eleuen XII twelue XIII thirteene XIIII fourteene XV. fifteene XVI XVII XVIII XIX XX. XXI XXV twenty fiue XXX thirtie XL. fortie L fifty XC ninetie C. a hundreth D. fiue hundreth M. a thousand And thus much shortly for numbring by letters For the numbers by figures this rule must also be obserued That the figures do signifie in the first place so much oâ—ly as if they were alone or one time so many In the 2. place tennes or tenne times so many In the third place hundreths or a hundreth times so many In the fourth place thousands or a thousand times so many In the fift place ten thousands In the sixt place hundreth thousands the places being reconed from the right hand to the leâ—t As for example 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. twentie 21. 22. 23. c. 30. thirtie 31. 32. 40. fortie 41. c. 50. fiftie 51. 60. sixtie 70. seauentie 80. eighty 90. ninetie 100. a hundreth 101. a hundreth one 102. 110. a hundreth and ten 120. a hundreth twenty 130 c. 200. two hundreth c. 1000. a thousand 10000. ten thousand 100000. a hundreth thousand These beeing learned backewards and forwards so that your schollar be able to know each of them to call them or name them right to find them out as the child should finde any letter which he is to learne in a word to tell what any of these numbers stand for or how to set downe any of them will performe fully so much as is needfull for your ordinarie Grammar schollar If you do require more for any you must seeke Records Arithmetique or other like Authors and set them to the Cyphering schoole Spoud This is a defect that I see is most easily supplyed by a very little paine and care in examining I haue troubled you ouerlong in this beeing in it selfe so very a trifle though the want generally be to bee blamed Now therefore let vs hasten vnto our profession for the Grammar Schoolemaster For I desire earnestly to be in our owne element as more befitting and beseeming our place Phil. I am very willing to make all the haste that we can for this I see that though wee neither vse
setting of copies and to saue that endlesse toyle let euery one haue a little copie booke fastened to the top of his writing booke with a strong thread of a spanne long or thereabout that alwaies when he writeth he may lay his copie booke close before him and that the side of the copie may almost touch the line where he writeth that his eye may be vpon the copie and vpon his letter both together And also to the end that euer when he hath done writing he may put his copie booke into his writing booke againe so that the copie may neuer bee out of the waie nor the Schollar write without it The fittest volume for their writing a booke is to haue them in quarto Moreouer the copie bookes would be made thus Not aboue two inches in bredth fowre or six copies in a booke halfe secretarie halfe Roman The copie bookes might be made thus most fitly as I take it 1 One line of small letters of each letter one except in those which haue letters of diuers kinds and therin both kinds to be set downe as i. j. s. 8. u v. Vnder the line of small letters would be set a line of great letters after the same manner and vnder them both a line or two of ioyning hand containing all the letters in them Examples of both sorts for the present vntill better can bee found may be these I meane copies both of Secretary and Roman containing all the letters in them For Secretary thus Exercise thy selfe much in Gods booke with zealous and feruent prayers and requests For Roman thus Aequore cur gelido zephyrus fert xenia kymbis Respect not the verse but the vse Vnder all these may be fitly set in very little room those characters or letters out of which all the rest of the letters may be framed as in the small letters in Secretarie m. i. t. v. z. s. In the great letters 〈◊〉 So vnder the Roman copies after the same manner In the end of the copie bookes in a page or two might be set down all the hard syllables mentioned before That by oft writing them ouer they might be helped to spel to write true Orthographie And after those the numbers mentioned to be able to write or totel any of them vpō the book without it Then what schollar so euer were not able to tell any of them after a little poasing were well worthy to be corrected If such copie books were finely printed being grauen by som cunning workman those of the most perfect and plaine forms of letters that could possibly be procured in a strong and very white paper one book or two of them would serue a schollar neere all his time that hee should neuer need to change his hand The often change following of diuerse hands doth asmuch hinder writing as often change of schoolemasters doth hinder learning Therfore the best is to be chosen at the first and euer to be stucke vnto without alteration if it may be In the meane time vntill such copies can be had some would be procured of the master to be written by the best Scriuener who can be gotten after the manner aforesayde for each schollar to haue one to fasten to his booke and to vse as before Otherwise when for lacke heereof the Master or Vsher or some other Schollar is compelled euery day to write each schollar a new copy it is both an endlesse toile and also an extreame losse of time besides the inconuenience mentioned of change of hands and that few Masters or Vshers are fit pen men to write such copies as were necessary Lastly because thorough want of such copies schollars do write ordinarily without direction or pattern in all their exercises whereby they either grow to very bad hands or do profit in writing little or not at all This exercise of writing faire would be practiced by all the Schollars thorow the Schoole at least once everie day for an howres space or neere and that about one of the clocke for then commonly their hands are warmest and nimblest Now those that write exercises may take the opportunitie of that time to write them so faire as they can In al writing this general rule would be obserued streightly to cause them to striue to make euerie letter as like to the copie letter in all proportion as the one hand is to the other And that they neuer thinke a letter good vntill no difference can bee found betweene it and the copie letter that it cannot be discerned whether is the better Great care would bee had withall to make euery writer to keepe euen compasse in the height greatnesse and breadth of his letters that no one letter stand either too high or too lowe be ouer long or ouer short nor anie way too bigge or too little too wide or too narrow To the end that they may write of euen height cause them to rule their bookes with a ruling pen and then that they make the body of each letter to touch their rules on both sides I meane both at the tops and bottomes of the letters but not to go one hair bredth higher or lower Thus by practice the schollar will in time attaine to write very faire of himselfe without any ruling pen. That euery one may rule their bookes thus cause them to haue each his ruling pen made of a quill somwhat like vnto a pen but onely that it is to be made with a nocke in the neb or point of it like the nocke of an arrow the nebs of the nocke standing iust of the bredth of their copie letters asunder that they may rule their rules meete of the same compasse with their copies The points of the nebs of the ruling pennes must not be made ouer sharpe nor pressed downe ouer hard in ruling because they wil then race the paper and make it that it will not beare inke They are moreouer to rule but a few lines at once because the lines being drawen but lightly will soone go out and not be seene before that the learners come to write in them Also this care must be had in ruling to cary the ruling pen so euen and straight forward that both the lines which are drawen by it may be seene together or els to drawe the lines so oft ouer with the same vntil that both the lines may be well seene This would be obserued carefully vntill that time that they can begin to write euen streight of themselues for the euen compasse doth especially grace a hand and the faire shew of it will cause children to take a delight in writing faire Euery schollar who writeth Latine should haue two of these ruling pens one for Secretarie and an other for Roman or else to haue one made of iron or brass the one end for the one the other end for the other Moreouer the bookes of all the new
beginners or enterers whilst they write letters would be ruled wel with crosse lines with the ruling pens on this manner It is found to direct them very much Thus their bookes shall be kept faire The compasse or the space within the crosse lines serues to keep guide the body of each letter to make it of a iust proportion The straight lines direct and guide the childe to make euery stroke straight forward or vp and downe and also how to frame the head and taile of each letter Thus much for the compasse of the letters chiefly in the tops and bottoms of the letters Now that the letters may not be ouer bigge or ouer little set too neere one another or far off this may bee one good direction Cause your schollar to drawe his lines on which hee wil write his copies of the very same length with the length of the line of his copie and then if he write iust so much in his line as is in the copie it is very like that he makes his letters of a good proportion not too bigge nor too little and the compasse euen not one ouer neere or far off from an other But if hee write more in a shorter space then is in like space in the copie he either makes his letters too little or sets them too neere one another letters or words or both And so on the other side if he write lesse in a line then is in his copie in the same space and length then hee makes his letters too bigge or too wide asunder The letters would bee ioined in euery word yet so as no one be set ouer neere another but iust as the copie obseruing blacks and whites as the Scriuener tearmeth them And each word in a sentence would be set about the bredth of an a or an o from one another For writing straight without lines after that they haue practiced this a good while to write with double lines ruled with the ruling pen and after with single lines this may helpe to guide them wel to cause them to hold their elbow so close to their side and so steadily as they can conueniently for the elbow so stayd will guide the hand as a rule especially in writing fast Afterwards looking at the end of the line as we vse to trie the straightnes of an arrowe they shal see easily where it is crooked Practice wil bring facility These also may bee speciall furtherances for the first enterers When the young schollar cannot frame his hand to fashion any letter besides the guiding of his hand and also the shewing where to begin each letter and how to draw it some do vse to drawe before them the proportion of their letters with a peece of chawke vpon a board or table or with a peece of blacke lead vpon a paper and then let the childe trie how he himselfe can draw the like vpon it and after this to let him to do it with his pen following the letter of his booke Or thus Let him take a drie pen that cannot blot his booke and therewith cause him to follow that letter in his copie which he cannot make drawing vpon the copie letter very lightly a little turning the side of the pen where the letter is smal but leaning harder vpon it where it is ful and there also turning the broad part of the pen. Onely warne him to be carefull that hee doe not hurt the letter in the copy by his hard leaning vpon his pen or by the ouermuch sharpness of it Thus let him follow his copie letter drawing his pen so oft vpon it vntill he think his hand will goe like vnto it Then direct him to trie with another pen with inke whether he can make one like to that of his copie If he cannot let him goe to it with his drie pen again vntill that he can fashion one like vnto it This also is a speciall obseruation That the more leasurely the childe draweth at the beginning as the Painter doth and the more lightly the sooner a great deale he shall learne to frame his hand to write faire This likewise some good Scriueners obserue to suffer the child to learne to make but one kind of letter at once vntill they can make that in some good sort then another as first a then b. But especially to beginne with those letters out of which all the rest may be framed to make them perfectly as m c t v z. For so all the rest will bee the easier To helpe to write cleane fast and faire together call oft on your schollars to exercise their hands in making of f strokes that is dashes of f and s thus 〈◊〉 and the stroake of the great C and B thus 〈◊〉 Also some vse to cause the learners to practice their hands to run vpon the paper either with inke or without vntill they be very nimble and cunning to glide vpon the paper and namely to make certaine rude florishes Call on them in all exercises to bee carefull to obserue the graces of letters as the keeping of great letters accents points as comma colon period parenthesis and whatsoeuer may serue for the adorning of writing and euermore to take a delight in writing faire which delight is in each art the one halfe of the skill but to flie all long tailes of letters and to make all their letters so plaine as they can the plainer the better Beware that you suffer no one to learne a bad hand or to make any bad letter so neere as you are able to preuent it For it will be found much harder to teach such to forget their bad letters and hands then to teach other which neuer learned to write the good So that if you teach such a better hand after that they haue learned and been long inured to the worse although they seeme to haue learned to write well yet vnlesse they be holden continually to practice their good hand each day a little they will fall vnto their bad hand againe so great force hath any euill custome This therefore must be our wisedome to procure from the beginning the most excellent copies for our schollars whatsoeuer they cost and to keepe them constantly to them they will soone quite the cost both to Master and Schollar To the end that any Master may bee the better able to teach thus let him eyther trie to attaine this faculty of writing faire which much commends a Master or at least let him labour to be well acquainted with these directions or the like and also let him cause his Schollars to obserue them constantly or so many of them as neede shall require And to this end let him vse to walke amongst his Schollars as they write all together and see that they do practice these things duely but chiefly that euery one haue his copie booke layed close
through it within booke let them begin to learne it without booke Or else if they can reade well before you may let them learne to reade thus as they get without booke and so doe both vnder one But then some howre or two would bee spent daily in the afternoon in reading or som day of the week separate therto els they will somewhat forget to read because they reade but so little on a day which must be carefully preuēted Therfore it will not bee amisse to reade it ouer speedily once or twise before When they learne without book let them vse this Caueat especially That they take but little at a time so as they may be able to get it quickly and well and so go on to a new lesson for this will harten them exceedingly to take paines in reioicing how many lessons they haue learned and how soone they haue learned each lesson Wheras giuing them ouermuch it will put them out of heart so that they will either doe nothing at all or with no life 2 Before they goe in hand with a lesson doe what you can to make them to vnderstand the summe of the lesson first and the meaning of it thus 1. Reade them ouer their lesson 2. Then shewe them the plaine meaning of euerie thing so easily shortly and familiarly as possibly you can and as you thinke that they can conceiue After propound all vnto them in short questions and ask the questions directly in order as they lie in the book answering them first your selfe Then if you will you may aske them the same questions and let them answere them as you did before still looking vpon their bookes when they aunswere To require them to aunswere so will much incourage them because they shal find themselues able to doe it The moe the questions are the shorter and plainer arising naturally out of the words of the book the sooner a great deale will your children vnderstand them And therefore any long question is to be diuided into as many short ones as you may according to the parts of the question Hereby the dullest capacities will come to conceiue the hardest questions in time and proceed with more facility so that the masters doe enter them thus from the beginning stil causing them to vnderstand as they learne Here the masters must not be ashamed nor weary to do as the nurse with the child as it were stammering and playing with them to seeke by all meanes to breede in the little ones a loue of their masters with delight in their bookes and a ioy that they can vnderstand and also to the end to nourish in them that emulation mentioned to striue who shall doe best Neither is the wise master to stand with the children about amending the Accedence if he thinke anie thing faulty or defectiue but only to make them to vnderstand the rules as they are set downe in the booke for this they wil keep To make this plain by example To begin at In Speech be c. First read them over the words Then tell them for the meaning after this manner or the like as you please The meaning is this That in Speech which men vtter there is nothing but words to cal or know things by and setting or ioyning of words together Like as it is in our English tongue so in the latine so in other tongues And of these words which make this speech are not manie parts or kindes but onely eight parts of speech For whatsoeuer can be spoken belongeth to one of these eight parts They are either Nownes or Pronowns or Verbs or one of the rest More shortly thus There is not any word in any language whatsoeuer but it is either a Nown or a Pronown Verbe c. Also of these eight parts the fowre first onely are such as may be declined That is such as each of them may bee turned or framed diuerse waies and haue diuers endings as Magister magistri magistro Amo amas amat The other fowre last are vndeclined that is such as cannot bee so turned and haue but onely one ending as Hodie cras c. Then ask them questions according to the same following the words of the book in this manner of the like as you thinke good Q. How many parts of speech haue you Or how many parts are there in Speech A. Eight Q. Of these how many are declined how many vndeclined So which are declined which vndeclined Afterwards to aske the same questions backe againe the last first As which parts of speech are vndeclined Or how many are vndeclined So in the next Q. What is a Nowne A. A Nowne is the name of a thing Q. Of what thing A. Of such a thing as may bee seene selt heard or vnderstood Q. Giue me some examples of some such things A. A hand a house goodnesse Q. What is the name of a hand in Latine Or what is latine for a hand what is latine for a house and so forth Then aske the questions as it were backward thus Q. What part of speech is that which is the name of a thing which may be seene felt heard or vnderstood A. A Nowne c. Thus to goe forward in euery rule 1. Reading it ouer to the children 2. Shewing the plaine meaning in as fewe words as you can 3. Propounding euery peece of it in a short question following the words of the booke and answering it your selfe out of the words of the booke 4. Asking the same questions of them and trying how themselues can aunswere them still looking vpon their bookes Then let them goe in hand with getting it amongst themselues vntill they can say and answer the questions without booke readily the highest of the fourmes poasing the rest vntil they can say By this means it wil seem so easie to them that they will go to it most cheerfully and get it much sooner then you would imagine both the vnderstanding and the words for the vnderstanding of the matter will presently bring the words as we sayd As they go forward striue to make them most perfect in these things specially 1 In knowing a Nowne and how to discerne the Substantiue from the Adiectiue After in the signes of the Cases Then in declining the Articles Hic haec hoc euerie Article by it selfe as Nom hic Gen. huius Dat huic Accus hunc Ablat hoc c. So in the Feminines Nom. haec Accus hanc Abl. hac c. By beeing perfect in these Articles thus they shall both bee able to decline any Nowne much sooner and to know the right Gender for making Latine Also let them learne to decline both Latine and English together I meane Latine before English and English before Latine both in the Articles and other examples of Nownes Pronownes and Verbes As in the Articles thus Hic this Masculine haec this Feminine hoc this Neuter Gen.
things so well as may be there must be also first daily repetitions and examinations because of the weaknesse of childrens memories that so by long custome all may be imprinted in them Heerein cause your first enterers to repeate ouer euery day all that they haue learned as they proceede to learne more to diuide it into partes to goe ouer all so oft as time will permit For them who haue learned all their Accedence I holde it best according to the manner of most Schooles to diuide it into foure equall partes except the examples of the Verbes and to cause them to say a part euery of the fowre first dayes of the weeke to say ouer the vvhole each weeke once for the Verbes how they specially would be parsed daily I spake before In hearing parts aske them first the chiefe question or questions of each rule in order then make them euery one say his rule or rules and in all rules of construction to answere you in what words the force of the example lyeth both gouernour and gouerned saying the gouernour first Where helpe is wanting to doe it only in the hardest and most necessary rules and questions or where we know them most defectiue Or else only to repeate the rules and examples in such sort as was shewed without further examination Though where there is helpe and time enough it is far the surest to cause them to repeate the whole part and to examine each peece of it daily though they say the lesse at a time Secondly the spending of one moneth or two after they haue first learned ouer their Accedence to make them perfect thus euery way will be time as well bestowed as they can bestowe any to preuent both the griefe and anger of the Master after and also the feare and punishment of the Schollar Thirdly euerie daie some time would bee separate to the examining Nownes and Verbes chiefely the Verbes vntill they could not be set in declining coniugating giuing any termination case or person This continuall practice of parsing would bee constantly kept as neede shall require vntill by long vse children growe to perfection and surenesse Because the Accedence thus gotten perfectly and after in like maner the rules of Nownes and Verbes in Propria qua maribus Heteroclits and in As in praesenti the difficulty of learning is past so that verie children with a little practice will goe forvvard vvith much cheerefulnesse in construing parsing making and proouing Latine by the helps following Thus haue I set you downe so plainely as I can how the Accedence may be gotten most speedily and profitably to make all learning a play Trie and you will acknowledge Gods blessing herein Spoud I acknowledge your kindnesse I can make no doubt of the courses because besides your experience I see so euident reason in euery part Phil. Put them in vre and so you shall haue more full assurance and daily be helping to find out better or to confirme the pricipall of these CHAP. VII How to make Schollars perfect in the Grammar Spoud I Intend to put them in practice forthwith but in the meane time as you haue thus louingly gone with mee to direct me how to make the Accedence so plaine and easie to my little ones so I intreat you to point me out the way how they may proceed in the Grammar with like happy successe As for mine owne selfe I haue onely vsed to cause my schollars to learne it without booke and a little to construe it and after to make it as perfect as I can by oft saying Parts Finally in parsing their lectures to giue the rules This hath been all that I haue done Phil. I knowe that which you mention to bee the most that is done ordinarily but to say without booke and construe a little are smally auaileable vnlesse your schollar be able to shew the meaning and vse of his rules Yea it is very requisite that here also they should bee able to giue the seuerall examples and in what words the force of each example lyeth and so to apply the examples to the rules to the end that they may doe the like by them in parsing or making Latine And moreouer in Nownes and Verbes to bee able not onely to decline them and to giue English to the Latine words but the Latine words also to the English Grammar being made perfect in this manner will make all other their learning more easie and delightsome and be as a Dictionary in their heads for many chiefe words neither will there any losse of time in it especially this beeing done as they learne it and still gotten more perfectly by such continuall repetitions and examinations I haue had experience in both To the end that they may thus get the Grammar with most fruite and ease 1 Let them learne euery rule I meane those which are commonly read in Schooles and that perfectly as they goe forward together with the titles set before the rules and the summes of the rules which are set in the margents The manner of it I finde to be most direct thus for all the younger sort of enterers Where you haue time enough in giuing them rules do as in the Accedence 1. Reade them ouer their rule leasurely and distinctly 2. Construe it and then shew them the plaine meaning of it by applying the examples as teaching them to decline the words or the like As I shall shewe after Or else for most ease and speedinesse in construing and for lacke of leasure cause euery one of your Schollars to haue a booke of the construing of Lillies rules and each to reade ouer his rule so oft vpon that booke vntill he can construe without it or else after a time to trie how hee can beate it out of himselfe and be helped by that book where hee sticketh By the helpe of these bookes I finde that they will learne to construe their rules much sooner then they can without I take it by almost one halfe of the time and thereby gaine so much time to bee imployed in other studies because they shall haue it euer before their eie without any asking or searching wheras otherwise either their Master or some other must tell them euery word which they cannot tell or else they must turne to it in their Dictionaries vntill they can construe and that so oft as they forget which what a toyle and hinderance it is to the Master and feare to the Schollar euery one knoweth From all which they may bee freed hereby and when they haue forgot they may soonerecouer themselues againe Finally they shall hereby increase daily in reading English and be furthered to write true Orthography in English as they grow in Latine And so the Masters shall also be freed from feare of that mischiefe of these little ones forgetting to read English when they first learne latine
and from the clamours and accusations of their Parents in this behalfe spoken of before But here it were to be wished that those books of construing Lillies rules were translated euer Grammatically the manner of which translation I shall shew after with the benefits of them And also that not onely the Substantiue and Adiectiue Preposition and his case were euer construed and set together wheresoeuer they are to be taken together but withal that euery word were Englished in the first proper natural and distinct signification In which things they oft faile as in the Verbes chiefely though of all other things that be more necessary for Schollars to know the first and naturall signification for the other then will soone be learned by reason and vse or else som of the other most vsual significations might be put in in other letters or with notes to know them Thus the childe might goe surely forwarde and haue a certaine direction for the right and proper vse of euery word to bee more sure to him then any Dictionarie all his life long either for construing or making Latine Whereas beeing set downe in generall significations not distinct they shall euer goe doubtfully abuse the words as when traho promo haurio are set downe euery one of them to draw without further distinction The benefit would be much more if it were thus translated for then they might learne thereby not only to construe truely to vnderstand and goe truly but also to make and speake the same Latine I meane to answer easily to all the rules with the other benefits of Grammaticall translations When they can construe in some good sort and vnderstand as was sayde then let them get without booke perfectly In getting without book when they can read it perfectly they may bee much helped thus in all things which they learne in verse to reade them ouer in a kinde of singing voyce and after the manner of the running of the verse oft tuning over one verse vntil they can say that then another and so forward which they will do presently if the Master do but reade them so before them Also to say these rules at parts sometimes after the same manner of scanning or running as a verse shall make them both more easily kept and bee a good helpe for right pronuntiation of quantities and to prepare them the more easily to make a verse for authorities and the like When they can say perfectly without book then if you please you may cause all those who are any thing apt and pregnant to learne to construe also without booke which they will do very quickly with a little reading ouer and ouer vpon the construing booke and almost as soone as they will construe vpon the booke By this meanes they will bee able presently to giue not onely the English to the Latine but also the Latine to the English of any word in the rule to be perfect thereby and to keep all more firmly Or where leasure is wanting among the elder sort which are well entred in the rules they may first learne without booke then to construe both vpon the book and without Or to construe first It is not very materiall but as themselues doe finde that they can get it most easily at the Masters discretion Although for all the first enterers and younger sort I finde it the surest vvaie vvhere the Maisters leasure will serue to cause them first to vnderstand the rule and the meaning of it by a short opening or expressing the sum of it and then by questions in English as I directed before All of the learners looking vpon their bookes as hee readeth vnto them that they may see the questions and answeres in their books eyther wholly or the most part therof And when they can aunswere in English looking vpon their books or do vnderstand the rule then to learne to construe it of themselues and to get it without booke After ar the saying of their rules when they haue sayde without booke and construed to labour especially to cause them to be able to aunswere without book each part of the rule and that both in English and Latine together after they are a little entered that with the meaning and English you may beate the Latine into their heads also to helpe to prepare them to speake and perse in latine Let the manner of the appoasing be here as in the Accedence viz. by short questions propounded vnto them arising directly out of the words of the booke either out of the summe and title of the rule set before it or set in the margent euer against it or out of the very words of the rule and withall the examples of the rule and how to apply them to the seuerall rules I will set you downe an example or two more at large that you or any may doe the like the more easily To begin at Propria quae maribus first you haue the Title before Regulae generales propriorum Out of which you may shewe them thus That according to the order of their Accedence as the first part of speech is a Nowne so here are rules first of Nownes And as their Accedence hath first the Substantiue then the Adiectiue so here begin rules first of the Substantiues after of the Adiectiues Againe as the Substantiue is either Proper or Cōmon so here the rules of Proper Nowns are first set downe wherby to know the Genders of them and after of the Common Nowns called Appellatiues You may also point them in their book where each of these begin they will presently conceiue of them being first perfect in their Accedence Then that the rules of Proper names are of Masculines or Feminines Or all Proper Nownes are either of the Masculine or of the Feminine Gender vnlesse they be excepted Also all Proper Nownes which goe vnder the names of Males or Hees as wee call them are the Masculine Gender Then teach them according to the margent that of those there are fiue kindes which goe vnder the names of Males or Hees As names of Gods men floods or riuers moneths windes So all proper Nowns or names of Females or Shee s are the Feminine Gender And of those are likewise fiue kinds That is names of Goddesses Women Cities Regions or countreys Islands c. Then appoase after the same manner keeping strictly the words of the booke as was sayd onely putting in here or there a word or two to make the question which by oft repeating they will easily vnderstand As thus out of the words set before the rule Or in the like manner Q. Where begin your generall rules of Proper Nownes Vbi incipiunt regulae generales propriorum A. Propria quae maribus Q. How many generall rules are there of proper Nowns Quot sunt regulae generales propriorum A. Two Duae Q. What is your
againe for the Rhetoricall placing of the words according to the order of the Author by the helpe of a fewe rules and by comparing with the Author that a childe may haue a confident boldnesse to stand against the most learned to iustifie that which hee hath done Spoud This stands with all reason that if the way of vnmaking or resoluing be so plaine thorough this rule the waie of making vp againe must needes bee as plaine and readie for there is the same waie from Cambridge to London which was from London to Cambridge Phil. You say as it is Hence you shall finde by experience that as children will soon learne to construe and parse their Authors thereby so they will as soone learne to make them into latine againe yea they will come by daily practice to reade the Latine almost as fast out of the English translation as out of the Author it selfe and proue that it must bee so and in short time to doe the same in things which they haue not learned especially where they shall haue occasion to vse the same phrase to doe it readily whether they shall write or speake Particular benefits of the vse of Grammaticall translations and of the Rule Spoud IT is apparant by that which you haue sayd that you take the benefit to bee very great which may come by such translations rightly vsed Phil. I do indeed and that for all these things following which seem most strange and hard to be done by children 1 Teaching to resolue Latine Grammatically which is the foundation of the rest 2 In construing to direct to do it artificially by rule and also in propriety of words and in true sense 3 For parsing to do it of themselues as reading a lecture without any question asked vnlesse some which they omit which maner of parsing gaineth half the time which is spent therin commonly when otherwise each question is asked and stood vpon 4 For making latine to be able to make the very same latine of their Authors vpon sure grounds therby to be incouraged to go on boldly certainly with cheerfulnes and confidence when little children shall see that they are able to make the same latine which their Authors do as was said haue also the Author to iustify that which they haue don 5 For prouing latine specially for the Syntaxe when each principall word going before directs thâ—se which follow except in some few 6 For composing artificially by continuall comparing this Grammaticall order to the order of the Author and marking why the Author placed otherwise and by being helped by a few rules which I will shew after 7 To helpe the younger schollars to vnderstand their lectures so farre as need is of the benefit of which vnderstanding we haue spoken before 8 Also to take their lectures for most part of themselues as was sayd to get and bring their lectures more surely and sooner then by the masters teaching alone as a little experience will shewe 9 To construe and parse their lectures out of the English as out of the Latine which is a continuall making latine as we heard and so to read their lectures first in the naturall order then as they are in their Authors 10 To bee able to correct their Authors of themselues if they be false printed 11 To keepe all which they haue learned in their Authors so perfectly as to be able in good sort to construe or parse at any time in any place out of the bare translation onely by reading them oft ouer out of the translation 12 To saue all the labour of learning most Authours without booke as all Authors in prose which labour in many schooles is one of the greatest tortures to the poore schollars and cause of impatience and too much seueritie to the Masters though with very little good for most part to be able as it were by playing only reading their Authors out of the English ouer ouer at meet times to haue them much better for all true vse and each good purpose then by all saying without booke to trouble the memorie onely with getting rules of Grammars and the like and such other of most necessary vse as the Poets which also are exceedingly furthered hereby 13 To helpe to proceed as well in our English tonge as in the latine for reading and writing true orthographie to attaine variety and copie of English words to expresse their mindes easily and vtter any matter belonging to their Authors And so in time to come to proprietie choise and puritie aswell in our English as in the Latine 14 To learne the propriety of the Latine tongue as they goe forward to bee able to iustifie each phrase and in time to remember words and phrases for almost whatsoeuer they haue learned and where Also by reading Tully and other purer Authors constantly out of such translations first Grammatically then Rhetorically to attaine to make a more easie entrance to that purity of the Latine tongue wherof sundry great learned men haue giuen precepts then by precepts alone and much more by ioining precepts and this practice together 15 By the translations of the Poets as of Ouid and Virgil to haue a most plain way into the first entrance into versifying to turne the prose of the Poets into the Poets owne verse with delight certainty and speed without any bodging and so by continuall practice to grow in this facilitie for getting the phrase and veine of the Poet. 16 To be as was noted not only insteed of Masters or Vshers to giue each lower lecture perfectly for all the substance but also to be after insteed of their owne presence or of Dictionaries in euery one of those fourmes continually to direct them vntill euery one of the fourm can construe parse make the same latine and proue it Heereby both to free the children from that feare which they will haue ordinarily to go to their Masters for euery word and also to free the Masters from that trouble and hindrance to tell them euery word so oft as they forget and the vexation and fretting to see the childrens dulnesse and forgetfulnesse For the helpe of the Master or Vsher in the meane time what it ought to bee wee shall see after in the vse of these 17 Hereby schollars hauing been well entered and exercised in their lower Authors shall be able to proceede to their higher Authors ex tempore and goe on with ease by the assistance of the Master where they need and by the helpe of Commentaries that they may be thus inabled to construe any Author and bee fitted for the studies of the Vniuersitie at their first entrance thither 18 These will be also a helpe to many weaker Schoolemasters for right and certaine construction without so oft seeking Dictionaries for English and proprietie of words and so for parsing and all
to see that they goe right and where the construer sticketh or goeth amisse to call him backe to the rule and wish the rest to helpe to finde it out by the same rule And when al the fourme are at a stand and none of them can beat it out then onely he who hath the booke to do it as the cunning Hunts-man to helpe a little at the default to point and to direct them where to take it and thus so many to construe ouer or so oft vntill all of them can construe In the mean time your selfe or Vsher in the middest both to haue an eye to them that they take this course and also to helpe yet further where neede is And after the taking of the Lecture to note out vnto them al the difficult or new wordes in their Lecture to examine and direct them for the parsing of them and also to cause each of the fourme to marke out those wordes to take speciall paines in them to make them perfect aboue all the rest because they haue learned the rest before and haue but so many new wordes to get in that Lecture 4 According to the order as they construe cause them to parse as we shewed eyther looking vpon the Authour or vpon the Translation alone But I finde it farre the surer and better in al who are able both to construe and parse out of the Translation because thereby they are learning continually both to make and proue their Latine and so doe imprint both the matter and Latine more firmely in their memory So also all of ability to construe and parse onely out of the Translation when they come to say and out of it to giue the reason of euery thing This they will doe most readily with a little practice 5 To the end that they may may keepe all their Authors perfectly which they haue learned which is thought of many almost impossible and doth indeed so much incourage young Schollars and grace the Schooles when they can doe it let them but vse this practice Euery day after that they haue said their Lectures cause each fourme which vse these translations to goe immediately to construing ouer all which they haue learned each day a peece euery one a side of a leafe or the like in order vntill they haue gone through all construing it only out of the translation to spend an houre or more therein as time will permit one or two who sit next vnto the construer to looke on the Translation with him to helpe where hee sticketh the rest to looke on their Authours Appoint withall some of the Seniors of the fourme to examine shortly the harde wordes of each page as they goe I meane those wordes which they marked when they learned them And when they become perfect in construing out of the English cause them for more speedy dispatch but onely to reade their Authours into Latine forth of the Translation first in the Grammaticall order after as they are in the Author They will thus soone runne ouer all which they haue learned without the least losse of time for this will be found the best bestowed time to keepe perfectly that which they haue gotten And what they can so construe or reade out of the English into Latine they can also doe it out of the Latine into English ordinarily Then as they waxe perfect in that which they haue learned and grow a little to vnderstanding they may practice of themselues by the same meanes to reade ouer the rest of their Authour which they learned not or some easie Authour which they haue not read as first Corderius or the like by the helpe of the same translations first to construe ex tempore amongst themselues after to reade out of the Translations according to the same manner as they did in that which they haue learned wherein they will do more then you will easily beleeue vntill you see experience After this as they come to higher fourmes and more iudgement they may be appointed likewise to reade ex tempore some other Authour whereof they haue the Translation to direct them and that both out of the Authour into English first after the Grammaticall manner and then in a good English stile afterwards out of the English into Latine both wayes both in Grammaticall order and after in Composition according to the Authour And within a time that they haue beene thus exercised they will be able to doe this almost as easily and readily as that which they haue learned I finde Tullies sentences and Tully de natura Deorum with Terentius Christianus to be singular books to this purpose for the best vses By this meanes it must come to passe by daily practice that they shall attaine to the phrase stile Composition of any Authour which they vse to reade oft ouer to make it their owne euen of any peece of Tully himselfe as was said much sooner then can be imagined vntill triall be made though this must needes require meet time For what thing of any worth can be obtained but by time industry continuall practice much lesse such copy choyse propriety and elegancy as Tully doth affoord Obiections against the vse of Translations in Schooles answered Spoud AS you haue shewed me the benefites which may come by Grammaticall Translations and also how to vse them that Schollars may attaine the same so giue me leaue to propound what doubts I may suspect concerning the same for the present and moe hereafter as I shall make triall of them Phil. Very willingly for I doe desire to finde out all the inconueniences that can be imagined which may comeby by them but for mine owne part I can finde none if they be vsed according to the former direction and yet I haue done what I could to finde out whatsoeuer euils might be to follow of them Obiect whatsoeuer you can I thinke I am able plainly to answere it and to satisfie you fully in euery point Spoud I will therefore deale plainly with you in what I can conceiue for the present Obiect 1. Translations in Schooles haue not bin found to bring any such benefite but rather much hurt and therfore the best and wisest Schoole-masters haue not beene wont to suffer any of them amongst their Schollars Phil. I will first answere you for the benefites That it is true indeede that these vses and benefites cannot bee made of any other Translation of any one of our Schoole Authours The reasons are euident first because none of the Translators haue followed nor so much as propounded to themselues to follow this Grammaticall rule in Translating which you see is the meane foundation of all true construing parsing making and trying Latine and of all these benefites to keepe Schollars to goe surely Secondly none of them which I know haue laboured to expresse the propriety and force of the Latine in the first and
the questions are plaine in it except why it must bee the Datiue case which is because it is gouerned of es the principall gouernour going before by the rule of the Datiue case after sum Also sum with his compounds except possum c. and for that one word may gouerne diuers cases or it may be gouerned of Discipulus the Substantiue by the rule of the later of two Substantiues turned into a Datiue wherein the English rules are defectiue The rule in Latine is Est etiam vbi in Datiuum vertitur c. Atque is next in construing and therefore in parsing It is a Coniunction Copulatiue set downe in the booke It is also a Compound Coniunction compounded of at and que It is put here to couple these members of the sentence together viz. Cupis doceri with that going before Cupis is next It is like Legis Thou readest Which being knowne the childe can tell you what Coniugation Moode Tense Number Person the word Cupis is and why it must be so and not cupiunt nor any other worde because atque couples like Moodes and Tenses and it is Thou couetest Other questions which fall out in declining the childe can tell as why it is Cupiui by the exception of the rule Fit pio pi And why Cupitum by the rule of the ending of the Preterperfect tense in vi Viâ—it tum Doceri is parsed next because it is construed next it is in my booke saith the childe and it signifieth to be taught Thus hee can answere all the questions why it must bee doceri not docere also why it must come next because an Infinitiue moode doeth commonly follow another moode Ades is next in order and is in all things like es in sum compounded of ad and sum and it must be so because it is Come thou not adest not adsunt Huc is next in construing because Aduerbes are vsually ioyned to the Verbs to declare their signification It is an Aduerbe of place signifying hither or to this place Concipe is like Lege Reade thou This being knowne the part of Speech Moode Tense Number Person and most questions of it are knowne except two or three of the compounding it with a Preposition and of changing of the letters a into i. Which are to be learned after by the rule in their booke Dicta is next because the Substantiue which is more principall and to which the Adiectiue agreeth must goe before the Adiectiue in parsing though in our English Adiectiues goe before It is like Regna The Accusatiue case Neuter Gender Plurall Number following the Verbe Concipe by Verbes Transitiues And the Neuter Gender by my rule of all wordes like Regnum Omne quod exit in um And Neutrum nomen in e. It must also end in a in the Accusatiue case Plurall number because all Neuters do end so in three like cases It is deriued of the Supine dictu by putting to m. Haec is a Pronoune demonstratiue agreeing with dicta by the rule of the Relatiue and it must bee so by that rule Animo followeth next the Substantiue to be set before the Adiectiue it is like Magistro in all The Ablatiue case because it signifieth in the minde and not into the minde because in without this signe to serues to the Ablatiue case and is a signe thereof It is also by the rule Sometime this Preposition In is not expressed but vnderstanded Tuo A Pronoune possessiue like bono or meo but that it wants the Vocatiue case It is set downe in my booke and doth agree in al things with animo by the rule of The Adiectiue whether it be Noune Pronoune or Participle agreeth with his Subst c. And so on for the rest In this first kinde of parsing you may at the first entrance aske them the English of each word and cause them to giue you the Latine and so to parse looking on their Latine bookes to incourage them iust in the manner as is set downe After a little time cause them to doe it looking onely vpon the English Translation Then which is the principall and wherein you will take much delight cause them amongst themselues to construe and parse out of the translation vntill they can say or out of their Authours whether they can sooner but when they come to say cause them to say each sentence first in English then to construe and parse them and all with their bookes vnder their armes what they cannot repeat so they will doe it if you aske them questions of it You shall finde by experience that with a little practice all who are apt will do this as soone readily perfectly as looking vpon their books if so that they but vnderstand the matter wel before and so they will make all their owne most surely Thus I would haue them to do in Sententiae Confabulatiunculae and Cato if you will After in the middle fourmes as in Eâ—ops Fables Ouid de Tristibus or Ouids Metamorphosis c because eyther the matter is not so familiar and easie to remember or the Lecture longer I would haue them to parse thus looking vpon their translation but then to parse wholly in Latine and I can assure you by some good experience that through Gods blessing you will admire their profiting Spoud Surely Sir this way of parsing is most direct and plaine and the benefits must needes bee exceeding great but giue me leaue yet to aske one thing of you concerning this parsing amongst the younger I haue heard of some who would teach their enterers to know by the very words what part of Speech each word is How may that be done Phil. This may very well be done euen according to this ensample aboue when euery thing is examined at large As for example Cause your Schollar to doe this 1 To marke out all those wordes which they haue learned being set downe in their Accedences as Pronounes Aduerbes Coniunctions Interiections that they knowe all those Then haue they nothing to trouble them with but they may know that all the rest are eyther Nounes Verbes or Participles or else Gerunds or Supines belonging to the Verbes or some other Aduerbs 2 For those partes of Speech when your Schollar can construe perfectly they may bee knowne by their Latine and English together whether they be Nounes Verbs Participles or such Aduerbes chiefly when they are very cunning in their parts of Speech in their Accedence and questions thereof 1 The Noune Substantiues that they are names of things to which you may put to a or the as was said as A boy A Schollar but cannot put to the word Thing in any good sense And morefully when the Latine is put to the English as puer A boy like Magister discipulus a schollar like Magister The Noune Adiectiues contrarily though they signifie a thing yet they cannot stand by
tell any or haue any newe word which they haue not learned to make that plaine vnto them and to cause euerie one of the fourm as was directed in the third generall obseruation to make a line vnder that word or vnder that part of the word that letter or syllable wherein the difficulty lieth for a little helpe will bring the whole to remembrance Or to note them with some marke or letter ouer the head of the word As in the enterers to note the Declension with a d ouer the head and a figure signifying which Declension The Coniugation with a c and a figure Heteroclites with an h lame Verbes with an l. For example to take that which was parsed before Example of marking hard words amongst the first enterers Qui mihi discipulus 2. d. puer 2. d. es cupis 3. c. atque doceri Huc ades haec animo concipe dicta tuo Here discipulus and puer are noted for the second Declension cupis the third Coniugation ades for the Composition of ad and sum concipe for changing a into i. Or you may marke Declensions and Coniugations by setting downe but onely the first letters of the examples which they are like as discipulus mag puer mag cupis leg c. The former is the shorter after they are acquainted with it and can make their figures And euer what rules they are not well acquainted with turne them or cause them to turne to the places in their Grammar and to shew them to you As they proceede to higher fourmes and are more perfect marke onely those which haue most difficulty as Notations Deriuations figuratiue Constructions Tropes Figures and the like and what they feare they cannot remember by a marke cause them to write those in the Margent in a fine hand or in some little booke In the lower fourmes you marking one booke your selfe all the rest may marke theirs after it vntill they can doe it of themselues The ends of this marking are as I said that they may take most paines in these for the rest they can doe easily and almost of themselues And also that when they construe and repeat ouer their Authors they may oft pose ouer those hard wordes And thus they shall keepe their Authours which they haue learned to the credite of the Schoole with the profiting and incouragement of the schollars that they shall goe farre safer forward then by any other meanes Spou. But this marking may indanger them to make them Truants to trust their books more then their memories Phil. I answere no not at all but to performe a necessary supply vnto the children For childrens memories are weake and they are soone discouraged by the difficultie of learning and by the hastinesse of their Masters And therefore they had neede of all helpes at the beginning It is also the oft repeating ouer of any thing which imprints it in their memory for euer Of the contrary trie amongst children of the sharpest wits best memories if they haue not some such helps whether they will not be long in learning to parse a Lecture when they can parse it very perfectly proue them within a month after whether they will not haue forgotten at least most of the hardest chiefe matters Then think what a vexation it is to the honest minded Mast that would be alwaies ready to giue an accoūt of the profiting of his schollar withal whē he must teach him euery thing anew which he hath forgotten neyther his leisure will any way serue hee hauing many fourmes and being to goe forward daily with his Schollars in some new construction besides many other like discommodities Spoud But there is another kinde of apposing which I remember in the note and which you mentioned how to teach children to make right vse of their Authours euen of euery sentence which I conceiue not of Phil. Yes truely and that which I account the very principall and as it were the very picking out of the kernell and the life of euery Lecture to get both the matter and also the Latine wordes and phrases that they make them their owne to vse as neede or occasion requireth Spoud That must needs be of excellent vse for though it be commendable to construe to parse perfectly yet it is nothing in regard of this if they shall not know how to make their vse and benefite eyther of matter or phrase Phil. This is onely by apposing them as I shewed you the manner in the Propria quae maribus to make them to vnderstand and that first in English then in Latine and to cause them to answere both wayes both wordes and sentences as time will permit For example Take a sentence or two in the beginning of that little booke called Sententiae pueriles which is well worthy to be read first vnto children because it hath beene gathered with much care aduice to enter younger schollars for Latine and matter euery way meete for them but of it and others what I finde best to be read I shall shew you my experience in another place Out of it you may examine thus for making vse as in the these first sentences of it Amicis opitulare Alienis abstine Arcanum cela Affabilis esto c. 1 If you will you may aske them by a question of the contrary Must you not helpe your friends The childe answereth Yes Then bid him giue you a sentence to proue it hee answereth Amicis opitulare Or aske by a distribution thus Whether must you helpe or forsake your friends The childe answereth I must helpe them Then bid him to giue you a sentence he answereth Amicis opitulare Or thus by Comparison Whether ought you to helpe your friends or others first or friends or enemies c. When the childe hath answered euer bid him to giue his sentence So on in the rest The more plainly you can propound your question that the childe may vnderstand it and may answere in the very wordes of his Lecture the better it is so to examine the wordes seuerally How say you Helpe he answereth Opitulare Friends Amicis But of this more after After the childe hath beene a while thus practiced then vse to examine both in English and Latin together I mean propounding the questions first in English then in Latine and so let him answere that the matter and English may bring the Latine with them which they will certainly doe The manner I shewed in examining in the Latine rules I will set downe one other example in the sentences of three wordes Amor vincit omnia Out of this sentence I examine thus Q. What is that that will ouercome all things A. Loue. Then bid him giue the sentence A. Amor vincit omnia Or thus Is there any thing that can ouercome all things A. Yes Loue. Or thus more particularly to put delight and vnderstanding into them
neer as you can Also you are to vtter each word leasurely and treatably pronouncing euery part of it so as euery one may write both as fast as you speake and also faire and true together And to the end to helpe for writing true Orthographie besides the former knowledge of spelling as they are writing cause euerie one in order to spell his 2. or 3. words together speaking vp that all his fellowes may heare may goe on in writing as fast as he spels and you speake Those who can write faster to take paines to write fairer your selfe also to walke amongst them in the meane time to see that euery one of them write true faire and to shew them their faults by pointing them to their copies and vsing like directions mentioned in the helps of writing of which I spake before After when they haue thus set down the English cause euery one in the like order to make his word or two in latin after the maner which was shewed before for making latine the very words of the Author in the natural or Grāmatical order cause them al to write the same words as he speaks vnless any of them be able to make it before of themselues who may correct as they heare their fellowes to make it Cause also euery one to spel the words which he hath made in Latine like as they did in English so as all may heare go surely in writing true Orthography in Latine likewise And when they haue done a sentence or so much as you thinke good for a time then cause them to the end to commit it the better to memorie to trie which of them can repeate the soonest without booke that which they haue made First saying the English sentence then giuing it in Latine or construing it without booke which all of them who are apt will doe presently or with a very little meditation Or which is shortest of all appoint them folding their bookes to looke only on the English and read or construe it into Latine Or on the Latine to reade or construe it into English Thus as time will permit By this meanes you shall haue a certaine direction in all things both for your selfe and your schollar to goe truely and surely both for propriety Latine phrase and whatsoeue◠you can desire By this exercise also your schollar shall get both Writing English and Latine all vnder one And therefore an howre may bee well imployed daily in this exercise And to imprint this yet better you may cause them the next morning at shewing their exercise made that night to repeate together with it that againe which they thus made the day before if time permit Either some one to repeate all or moe euery one a peece or as time will permit but all to be able to do it as they are called forth Through this also they shall from the first entrance get audacity and vtterance with good matter which will bring the Latine with it Spoud But how shall they doe for composing or right placing of their words which you know is a principal matter in writing pure Latine Phil. I would haue them first for a time exercised in this plaine naturall order for this is that which Grammar teacheth and then to compose or place finely which belongeth to Rhetorick after As first to write well in prose before they beginne in verse so in prose to goe vpright and strongly before they learne to go finely and as M. Askam speaketh first to goe before they learne to dance But for entring them into composition thus you may do 1 When they haue made it in the naturall order onely reade vnto them how Tully or the Authour whom their sentence is taken of it doth place it and some reason of his varying and cause them to repeat both wayes first as they haue written after in composition 2 After that they haue beene practiced a while in the former plaine manner you may make them to doe thus Cause their bookes to be ruled in three columnes in the first to write the English in the second the Latine verbatim in the third to write in composition to try who can come the neerest vnto the Authour Spoud Although I take it that I do conceiue your meaning in all and do see an euident reason of euerything yet because examples do most liuely demonstrate any matter I pray you set me downe one example hereof and shew me what Authour you thinke most fit to gather the sentences forth of Phil. In stead of your Authour I thinke and finde Tullies sentences the fittest and of those sentences to make choise of such in euery Chapter as are most easie and familiar to the capacity of the children This booke I doe acount of all other to bee the principall the Latine of Tully being the purest and best by the generall applause of all the Learned and because that booke is as a most pleasant posie composed of all the sweete smelling flowers picked of purpose out of all his workes that one booke together with the bookes which the children haue or doe learne shall also helpe to furnish them with some sentences contayning some of the choysest matter and wordes belonging to all morall matters whatsoeuer whether to vnderstand write or speake thereof that they shall bee able to goe forward with much ease and delight first in it and then in the other sentences adioyned to it or what exercise you shall thinke fitte For an example take these little sentences which heere follow as they are set downe in the first Chapter of Tullies sentences De Deo eiusque natura dictating the words to them plainly as the children may most readily make them in Latine In their little paper bookes they may write the English on the first side with the hard Latine wordes in the Margent the Latine on the other ouer against it in two columns the first plaine after the Grammar order the later placed after the order of the Authour your selfe may make the wordes or phrases plaine to them as they are set in the margent An Example of Dictating in English and setting downe both English and Latine and the Latine both plainly and elegantly Dictating according to the naturall order Ordo Grammaticus Ordo Ciceronianus No man hath been euer great without verb some diuine inspiration Nemo fuit vnquam magnus sine afflatu aliqu◠Diuino Nemo magnus sine aliquo afflatu diuino vnquam fuit 2. de Natura Deor. There is nothing which God cannot effect and truely without any labour Est nihil quod Deus non possit efficere quidem sine labore vllo Nihil est quod Deus efficere non possit quidem sine labore vllo 3. de Nat. Deor. GOD cannot be ignorāt of what minde euery one is Deus non potest ignorare qua mēte quisque sit Ignorare Deus non potest qua
quisque mente sit 2. de Diuinatione In these examples all is very plaine except that in the first sentence we say so translate in our English tongue some diuine inspiration according as it is more elegantly in Latine the Adiectiues vsually before the Substantiues and not inspiration some diuine which would bee very harsh and so likewise after without any labour although in the Grammaticall order in the Latine the Substantiue is to be set before the Adiectiue as the childe is to beginne to make the Substantiue in Latine before the Adiectiue and to make the Adiectiues to agree vnto or to bee framed according to the Substantiues as we haue shewed in the rules obserued in the Grammaticall translations If you thinke this course ouer tedious to write both waies in Latine then let them turne it only into the naturall order thus verbatim by pen afterwards in the repeating that which they haue made ask of them how Tully would place each word and to giue you reasons thereof and then to reade the sentence in the booke vnto them so by the book and some rules to direct them how to proceede For further practice in translating amongst all the higher after they grow in some good sort to write true Latine verbatim according to the former kinde of translating let them still write down the English as you dictate it or out of a translation and trie who can come neerest vnto Tully of themselues composing at the first and then after examine their exercises bringing them to the Authour For preuenting of stealing or any helpe by the Latine booke if you doubt thereof you may both cause them to write in your presence and also make choise of such places which they know not where to find If you catch any one writing after another and so deceyuing both himselfe and you correct him surely who suffereth him to steale For going on faster dispatching more in translating beside their writing so you may only aske them the words or phrases in English how they can vtter them in Latine and then let them giue them in Latine euery one his piece first naturally after placing each sentence Thus to goe through daily a side or a leaf at a time or as leasure wil serue Besides these this may be a most profitable course as they proceed to cause them to translate of themselues Esops Fables or Tullies sentences or the like into plaine naturall English so as was shewed and to cause them the next day for their exercise to bring the same thus in English to be able without book first to make a report of it striuing in the Fables who shall tell his tale in best words manner then to reade it into the Latin of the Author out of the English and be able to proue it and where they haue read the hard words And after all these to trie if your leasure will serue how they can report the same in Latine eyther in the words of the Authour or otherwise as they can of themselues which all who are pregnant and will take paines will be able to doe very readily by this you shall finde a great increase Lastly this is yet the most speedy and profitable way of all as my experience doth assure me to cause them to reade ex tempore some easie Author daily out of the translation into the Latine of the Author or out of the Author into English first plainly then artificially And to this purpose I haue translated as I shewed Corderius Dialogues whose latin you know to be most easie familar and pure and also Terentius Christianus with Tullies sentences to helpe hereunto For further translating or turning any Author or piece of Author or other matter into Latine if it be difficult direct your Schollars to resolue the speech into the naturall order of the words so neere as they can Secondly if there be any phrase which they cannot expresse to resolue expresse it by some other easier words phrase of speech with which they are better acquainted to do it by Periphrasis that is moe words if need be Besides for such English words which they know not to giue Latin vnto let them vse the help of some Dictionary as Holyoke or Barret Holyoke is best wherein the proper words and more pure are first placed In all such translating either English or Latine this is carefully to bee obserued euer to consider well the scope and drift of the Author the circumstances of the place and to labour to expresse liuely not only the matter but also the force of each phrase so neere as the propriety of the tongue will permit But for all this matter of translating that practice of reading the English out of the Authors and the Authors backe againe out of the translations shall fully teach it so far as it concerneth the schollar for propriety getting of the tongues For translating any Latine Author into English only to expresse the sense and meaning of it the sense drift of the Latine Author is principally to be obserued and not the phrase nor propriety of the tongue to bee so much sought to bee expressed or stucken vnto The like may be said for the Latine But this kind of translating into Latine is only for such schollars as are wel grounded thorough long exercise practice in the former kind of Grāmatical translation and in Tullies or their Authors phrase Spoud I hope I vnderstand you right and doe like very wel of all so far as I conceiue Only let me intreate you as in the former to rehearse the principall heads briefly concerning this matter Phil. This is the sum of all for this entrance in making and writing Latine 1. Readiness in their rules chiefly in examples of Nownes and Verbes 2. Making their owne lectures into Latine daily 3. Continuall reading or repeating lectures and all their Authors which they haue learned out of the Grammaticall translations into the Latine of the Authors 4. Translating into Tullies Latine out of a perfect Grāmaticall translation or as the English is so dictated vnto them reading or repeating the same out of the English into Latine And lastly out of the natural order into the order of Tully 5. Translating into English Grammatically of themselues and reading forth of the English into the Latine of the Author or writing it downe By these means constantly practiced they wil soone be able to make write or vtter any ordinary morall matter in pure and good phrase especially if the matter be deliuered vnto them in the naturall order of the words Make triall and I doubt not but you will not onely confirme it but still find out more for the common good CHAP. XI Of the Artificiall order of composing or placing the words in prose according to Tully and the purest Latinists Spoud BVt
this curious obseruation of the endings neede not bee regarded aboue sixe syllables from the end and those to stand on feete of two syllables Trochees principally 5 That we doe not continue the same feete in the ends but dispose them diuersly not all long syllables nor all short vnlesse more seldome but commonly tempering long short syllables together as Trochees and Iambicks sometimes Spondees and Perrichees yet so as wee be not curious 6 That sentence is accounted most sweet and excellent which endeth in two Troches viz. the first syllable long the last short as in this sentence Deindè patris dictum sapiens temeritas filâ—â— coÌ„mprÅbaÌ„â—it This endeth in an Iambicke and two Trochees Tully vsed this most often So as in that one Oration pro Pompeio it is obserued to be an hundreth and fowrteene times 7. Yet the variety ought to be such that this art of placing or setting the number of syllables may not bee obserued of euerie one and so bee made enuious nor the curiositie ridiculous but to be laboured so as it may most delight and drawe on others 8. That the sounds of the very words and letters are the principall things to bee respected herein For the elegant composition is that which is made by a sweet sound of letters and words 9. Therfore words of the best sound are to be obserued and amongst them most elegant Aduerbes and bonds of Coniunctions to bee noted diligentlie Words sounding well are these 1. Verbals as Dominatrix gubernatrix 2. Compounds as pernoscere excruciari 3. Superlatiues as Conspectus iucundissimus Ad dicendum paratissinus 4. Words of mo syllables as Moderatio animi Tempestas anni 10 Words which are insolent hard and out of vse are to be as warily auoided as rockes of Mariners 11 That in all sentences the words haue an easie and distinct sound that is neither harsh nor gaping but that they fall and conclude aptly and sweetly fitting best the vtterance of the pronouncer and as may most like the eare of the hearer These are the summe of those rules as I remember Although the excellency heereof is rather to bee attained by vse and practice then by any certaine precepts Spoud Sir these put in practice may be very sufficient for whatsoeuer can be required in this behalfe as it seemeth vnto me Phil. These things concerne onely the placing and setting or measuring of sentences which is one little part of Rhetorick and there the rest is to be fully sought how to adorne all sentences with tropes and figures The practice of these is to be vsed in their seuerall exercises Thus haue I gone thorough all these at large for making the Accedence and Grammar perfect for construing parsing and making Latine applying my selfe to the capacity of the â—udest learner in so many words because these things well performed all other learning wil be most pleasant as â—as said before Spoud But one other thing by the waie I cannot omit to demaund that I did obserue by your speech that you would haue your very enterers to make some exercise euery night of themselues Phil. I would indeede haue no Euening passed without some little exercise in Latine by all from the very lowest who begin to write Latine I meane something to be shewed the next daie about 9 of the clocke Spoud But what exercise woulde you appoint to such little ones that coulde bee easie enough and meet for their capacitie Phil. I woulde appoint them to beginne euen at In Speech bee these eight parts c. and so giue them 2. or 3. lines of it for euery one to turn into Latin And for the examining what they haue done where they are many time will not permit to examine what euery one hath done to cause some one or two whom you suspect to be most negligent first to pronounce the English without booke then to construe it into Latine without book or to repeat the Latin as they haue made it but to construe it without booke is far the surest or to reade construe it out of the English And according to these as they pronounce and are shewed their faults for all the rest to correct theirs If any be found not to correct so or to haue omitted his exercise to haue his due correction Though I haue tried many wayes and exercises for these little ones to doe priuately by themselues yet I finde none comparable to this for this they will doe with much facilitie and contention after a little that they are entred being helped somewhat by their Latine rules which they haue learned Thus they may alwayes haue a fit exercise and know aforehand what they are to doe This also will further much towards their parsing in Latin and better imprinting their rules CHAP. XII How to make Epistles imitating Tully short pithie sweete Latine and familiar and to indite Letters to our friends in English accordingly Spoud I Am very glad I asked you this question I rest fully satisfied in it as also in al this matter of making and composing Latine for the euidence of the meanes and doe thanke you heartily for directing me so particularly Now let vs come I pray you to the other seuerall exercises of Schollars which are to bee practiced in Schooles continually for the morefull attayning of the knowledge of the Latine tongue And first for the making of Epistles in such sort as was mentioned before that is imitating Tully short pithy full of variety of good matter sweet Latin and familiar and for inditing of like Letters in English I haue found this exercise of making Epistles no lesse difficult then the former toyle of making Latine For although I haue taken great paines yet after long practice I haue hardly beene able to bring them to a shew of that which you speake of I meane so to imitate and resemble Tully but that they will frame them of long sentences matters vnfit for an Epistle flash and to little purpose but very childish and more like vnto a Theame or an Oration then to an Epistle Thus I see it to be also amongst the chiefe of the Schollars of sundry of those who are much accounted of and wherin the schollars seeme to doe the best As for inditing Letters in English I haue not exercised my schollars in them at all neyther haue I knowne them to be vsed in Schooles although they cannot but bee exceeding necessary for schollars being of perpetuall vse in all our whole life and of very great commendation when they are so performed Therefore I still craue your helping hand to direct me how to bring my schollars to the attayning that faculty Phil. Let me first heare what way you haue taken in these like as you shewed me in the former kinds and then I shall relate vnto you how this may bee done so shortly as I can Spoud I haue done this I haue
read them some of Tullies Epistles and also some part of Macropedius or Hegendorphinus de conscribendis Epistolis I haue directed them that they are to follow the rules set downe in the seuerall kindes of Epistles there mentioned and made the examples plaine vnto them Moreouer I haue vsed oft to put them in minde of this that an Epistle is nothing but a Letter sent to a friend to certifie him of some matter or to signifie our mind plainly and fully vnto him And therefore looke how wee would write in English so to doe in Latin These and the like are the helpes which I haue vsed and I take them to bee the most that are done in ordinary Schooles Phil. I like well of your reading of Tullies Epistles which indeed is the very foundation of all but for Macropedius and Hegendorphinus although their paines were great yet I cannot see but that they will rather require an auncient learned Master to vnderstand and make vse of them then a younger schollar who is to be taught how to speake Also for telling a childe that he must inuent variety of matter of his owne head to write to his friend this is a taske ouer hard to ordinary wits For what can a childe haue in his vnderstanding to be able to conceiue or write of which hee hath not read or someway knowne before according to that Maxime Nihil est in intellectu quod non prius fuerat in sensu Therefore omitting these wherein I my selfe haue also found a great deale of toyle with small fruit I will set you downe plainely the very direct way so neere as yet I haue beene able to learne and whereby I am out of doubt that that same faculty may be easily gotten of writing such Epistles fully expressing Tully as was said and of inditing Letters like vnto them which are our vsuall Epistles as the Latine were of the Romanes The way may be this 1 When your young schollars haue gone through Sententiae pueriles Confab Cato or the like and can begin to make Latine in some such good sort as was shewed let them then reade Tullies Epistles gathered by Sturmius as being of the choysest of his Epistles and most fitte for children This one booke rightly vsed may sufficiently furnish for making Epistles so farre as shall be needfull for the Grammar Schooles It would be read by them twice in the weeke at least vntill they had gone through a good part thereof vnlesse they be able to reade it of themselues ex tempore or by the helpe of the translation 2 As they reade euery Epistle or before they are to imitate any one make them as perfect in it as you can and as time will permit not onely in construing parsing reading out of the Grammaticall translation into the Latine but also to be able to giue euery phrase both Latine to English and English to Latine Also cause them to make you a report what the summe of the Epistle is and this if you will both in English and Latine also as was said of the Fables 3 Cause them for their exercise to make another Epistle in imitation of Tullies Epistle vsing al the phrases and matter of that Epistle onely applying and turning it to some friend as if they had the very same occasion then presently and also changing numbers tenses persons places times yet so as thereby to make all the matter and phrases each way most familiar to them and fully their owne And first let them doe this in a good English stile as was said I meane in making an English Letter first setting it after the manner as they did their English Translation of that page of their booke towards the left hand or on the first columne the Latine on the other ouer against it sentence for sentence Herein they are only to differ from the Translations that they 〈◊〉 doe not in these Letters sticke so much to wordes to answere word for word both English and Latine as to write purely and sweetly as well in English as in Latine and to expresse their mindes most fully in both and in most familiar manner 4 The next day to make another Epistle as being sent from their friend to whom they writ in answere to that which they writ the former day and in that to answere euery sentence from point to point in as short manner as the former Epistle was stil reteyning the same phrases as much as they can I will take for example the first Epistle of Sturmius The more easie it is for the children the better it is M. C. Terentiae salutem plurimam dicit SIvales benè est ego valeo Nos quotidie tabâ—llarios vestros expectamus qui si venerint fortasse erimus certiores quid nobis facâ—endum sit faciemusque te statim certiorem valetudinem tuam cura diligenter Vale. Calendis Septembris The summe of the Letter is That Tully writes to his wife Terentia signifying vnto her that hee was in health that he waited for the Letter-carriers daily how by them he should know what to doe and that he would then certifie her of al things And so concludeth wishing her to looke well to her health The Letter bare date the Calends of September An English Letter in imitation of Tully IF you be in health it is well I am in health I haue long looked for your Messengers When they shall come I shal be more certaine what I am to do and then I will forthwith certifie you of all things See that you looke very carefully to your health The Answere I Reioyce greatly of your health I am sory that you haue looked for the Carriers so long They wil be with you very shortly then indeede you shal be more certain what to do Wee shall forthwith looke to heare of all your matters I will in the mean time looke to my health as you aduise Farewell An Epistle in imitation of Tully EPISTOLA SIvales benè est ego quâ—deÌ„ valeo diu tabellarios vestros expectaui CuÌ„venerint certior ero quid mihi facieÌ„duÌ„ sit Tum auteÌ„ te omnibus de rebus certioreÌ„ faciam Tuam diligentissimè valetudinem fac vt cures Responsio TE valere maximè lator Doleo quòd tabellarios tam diu expectasti Statim vobiscum erunt tum re vera certior eris quid tibi agendum sit Nos deindè vestra omnia audire sperabimus Meam interim vt suade curabo valetudinem Vale. Antonius Schorus in the end of his booke de ratione discendae linguae latinae hath sundry examples I will set downe one Epistle imitated two wayes the first keeping almost the wordes and forme of Tullies Epistle the other imitating onely the forme but changing the wordes Tullies Epistle is this Aulo Trebonio qui in tua prouincia magna negotiaet ampla expedita habet multos annos vtor
these euils could be auoided As I said of Macropedius for Epistles so I may here that this way of entring your schollars is hard enough to many a Schoolemaster thus to follow euery part of the Theame and those places of Apthonius to inuent matter and reasons to proue and illustrate euery thing and to do it in a good stile That which is said of Epistles that children must be acquainted by reading with matter phrase fit for Epistles before they can euer bee fit to make such Epistles is much more true concerning both theames and verses inasmuch as the matter of them is harder being of such things as they haue neuer read of nor been any way acquainted with or at least very little Besides to follow the Logicke places in Apthonius in a Philosophical discourse doth require both some insight in Logick and reading in such Authors as haue written of such morall matters And therfore herein many a Master deserues rather to be beaten then the schollar for driuing the childe by cruelty to doe that which he himself can see no reason how the poor child should be able to do it It must of necessitie either driue the schollar to vse all deuises to leaue the schoole or else cause him to liue in a continual horror hatred of learning and to account the schoole not Ludus literarius but carnificina or pistrînum literarium Spoud I acknowledge it too true which you haue said I pray you therfore shew me your best aduise experience how to free my selfe my children from these euils that I may both so enter them in these also draw them on after as not to discourage them in this maner nor bee driuen to vse the like sharpnesse any more Phil. Herein I my self am desirous to be a learner as in all the rest Although too much experience hath cōpelled me to seek out all meanes to redress this notwithstanding also that I haue euer been afraid of vsing cruelty in my schoole And the rather haue I bin careful to seek out the easiest and plainest way that I might allure draw on my schollars in this exercise as in all other to proceed as in a scholasticall play with vnderstanding loue and delight So much as I haue attained I shall willingly impart vnto you 1. We are to consider what is the end purpose of their making Theams and then to bethink our selues which way they may the soonest attaine vnto the same The principal end of making Theams I take to be this to furnish schollars with al store of the choisest matter that they may therby learne to vnderstand speake or write of any ordinary Theame Morall or Politicall such as vsually fall into discourse amongst men in practice of life and especially cōcerning vertues vices So as to work in themselues a greater loue of the vertue and hatred of the vice and to be able with soundnesse of reason to draw others to their opinion The best means to effect this most soone and surely are these so far as yet I know 1. To see that by perfect learning oft repeating they be very readie in their first Authors which they learned of such morall matters as their Sententiae Cato Esopsfables For some one or mo of these haue the grounds of almost euery Theam which is meet to be propounded to schollars to write on So that by these they shal be furnished with the iudgements of may Wisemen what is truth what is false in most matters with som words to expresse their minds and also some reasons as with the sentences or testimonies of the wisest Similitudes or Apologues in Aesop and some graue reasons out of Cato which they may cal to mind All these may be done by the courses set downe before and as soon as the bare learning of the cōstruing parsing alone 2. Add to these the oft reading ouer of Tullies sentences out of the Gram. translations the sentences of the other Authors adioined with the same As also the reading them forth of Latine into a good English stile Thus yoush I find by experience that after that children are perfect in their first schoole Authors they wil also read this book of themselues by the help of the translatiō alone to go ouer ouer it euery day thus reading a peece of it amongst thēselues with little or no hindring any of their school exercises 3. To the end that they may haue presidents and patterns for Theams like as they had for their Epistles and for making Latin some book is to be chosen which is written to this purpose and such a one as is most easie both for the sweetest Latine and choisest matter These presidents are of two sorts some are to furnish them still with more variety of the best matter others for the whole forme and frame of the Theame Of the first sort for singular matter notably compact together Reusners Symbola doth seeme to me most familiar and plaine wherein the Poesies or sentences of the seuerall Emperors both Italian Greek and Germane are handled As these Artem quaeuis terra alit Apex Magistratus authoritas Bonus dux bonus comes Bonis nocet qui parcet malis Cedendum multitudini Festma lentè and the like This book I take to be a very worthie booke to traine vp young Gentlemen and all others whom we would haue to become wise men good Common-wealths men It is full of most singular precepts and instructions concerning dueties and vertues and for framing and ordering the whole course of our life and managing all our affaires with wisedome safetie and commendations So as any one may receiue many wise directions for all occasions of life and withall much sweete delight in it And for this matter of Theames it is fraughted full of the graue testimonies and sentences of many of the auncientest wisest and most experienced all fitly applyed without any matter to corrupt or offend and in a most familiar easie and pleasing stile The manner of the vse of it for the first enterers into Theames where they haue bookes and the Teacher would specially apply them to Theames and that they haue time enough may be this To take the Poesies or Theams of it in order or if any of them seeme ouer hard for childrens capacities in regard of the matter of them to make choyse of the most easie and familiar first to reade vnto them euery night a peece of a Theame of it as a side of a leafe or more or lesse according to the abilities of their Schollars In reading first to make the Theame or generall matter of it very plaine vnto them They are commonly expounded for the sum of them vnder the Poesie in verse or with som short glosse or both Afterwards to shew your Schollars the chiefe reasons and sentences as you do reade and in what words
matter in a very little roome Spoud Surely sir though it is as you say but an ornament yet it is such a one as doth highly grace those who haue attained it in any such measure as you speak of and two such verses are worth two thousand of such flash and bodge stuffe as are ordinarily in some schooles But this I haue found also to be full of difficutie both in the entring the progresse and also in the end that my schollars haue had more feare in this then in all the former and my selfe also driuen to more seuerity which I haue been inforced vnto or else I should haue done no good at al with the greatest part And yet when I haue done my vttermost I haue not had any to come to such peâ—fection as you mention to write so pithily or purely yea let me tell you this that I haue knowensom Masters who haue thought themselues very profound Poets who would vpon an occasion of a Funerall haue written you a sheete or two of verses as it were of a sydden yet amongst all those you should hardly haue found one such a Verse as you speake of vnlesse it were stolne and most of them such as iudicious Poet would be ready to laugh at or loath to reade Therefore I intreat you to guide me how I may redresse this euill and preuent these inconueniences Phil. Though I be no Poet yet I finde this course to be found most easie and plaine to direct my schollars 1. To looke that they bee able in manner to write true Latine and a good phrase in prose before they begin to meddle with making a verse 2. That they haue read some poetry first as at least these books or the like or some part of them viz. Ouid de Tristibus or de Ponto some peace of his Metamorphosis or of Virgil and be well acquainted with their Poeticall phrases 3. I find this a most easie pleasant way to enter them that for all the first bookes of Poetry which they learne in the beginning they vse to reade them daily out of the Grammaticall translations first resoluing euery verse into the Grammaticall order like as it is in the translation after into the Poeticall turning it into verse as the words are in the Poet according as I shewed the manner before in the benefit and vse of the translations For the making of a verse is nothing but the turning of words forth of the Grammaticall order into the Rhetoricall in some kinde of metre which wee call verses And withall that in reading thus out of the translations they vse to giue the Poeticall phrases to our English phrases set in the margents and also the Epithetes For this practice of reading their Poetry out of the translations into verse a little trial will soon shew you that very children wil do it as fast almost as into prose and by the vse of it continually turning prose into verse they will be in a good way towards the making a verse before they haue learned any rules therof 4. Then when you would haue them to go in hand with making a verse that they be made very cunning in the rules of versifying so as to be able to giue you readily each rule and the meaning therof 5. That they bee expert in scanning a verse and in prouing euery quantity according to their rules and so vse to practice in their lectures daily 6. To keepe them that they shall neuer bodge in their entrance neither for phrase nor otherwise but to enter with ease certainty and delight this you shall finde to be a most speedy way Take Flores Poetarum and in euery Common place make choise of Ouids verses or if you find any other which be pleasant and easie and making sure that your schollars know not the verses a forehand vse to dictate vnto them as you did in prose Cause also so many as you would haue to learne together to set down the English as you dictate Secondly to giue you and to write downe all the words in Latine verbatim or Grammatically Thirdly hauing iust the same words let them trie which of them can soonest turne them into the order of a verse which they will presently doe being trained vp in the vse of the translations which is the same in effect And then lastly read theÌ„ ouer the verse of Ouid that they may see that themselues haue made the very same or wherin they missed this shall much incourage and assure them After that they haue practiced this for a little time if for speediness for sauing paper because they may soon run ouer much you do vse but only to read the English Grammatically and appoint som one of them to deliuer it in Latine then all to trie which of them can soonest turne those words into a verse or how many waies they can turne them into a verse you shall see them come on a pace and an earnest â—â—rift to be wrought amongst them This also may bee done most easily by the vse of Grammaticall translations of all the choyce verses in Flores Poetarum practicing as in Tully other to read them ex teÌ„pore out of the English first into prose after into verse They wil be as familiar easie as to read prose and to do it with as much delight and contention or more euery daâ—e practicing a little by course For this is nothing as I sayd but the Poeticall composition In the practice of this likewise vse to note euery new hard word and quaÌ„tity as also Epithetes according to the generall rule before and the manner in each lecture and oft to examine those 7. Cause them to turn the verses of their lecture into other verses either to the same purpose which is easiest for youÌ„g beginners or turned to some other purpose to expresse some other matter yet euer to keep the very phrase of the Poet there or in other places only transposing the words or phrase or changing some words or phrase or the numbers or persons or applying them to matters which are familiar as they did in imitating Epistles This may be practiced each to bring first a verse or two thus changed either being giuen at eleuen to be brought at one or at euening to be brought in the morning or both 8. As they proceed to cause them to contract their lectures drawing seauen or eight verses into fowre or fiue or fewer yet still labouring to expresse the whole matter of their Author in their owne verse and euery circumstance with all significant Metaphors and other tropes and phrases so much as they can Thus they may proceed if you wil from the lowest kind of verse in the Eclogues to somthing a loftier in the Georgicks and so to the stateliest kinds in the Aeneids wherein they may be tasked to go thorough some booke of
euery one yet to cause euery one to pronounce the Verses which he hath made and as they pronounce to shew them their faults and then cause them to correct them after Thus haue I shewed you my iudgement also for examining of exercises CHAP. XVI How to answere any needefull question of Grammar or Rhetoricke Spoud WEll good Sir you see how bolde I am to require your iudgment in euery mater wherin I find difficulty now to return to the brief again of those things which you affirmed might be done for learning This I remember was another point which cannot but greatly commend a schollar to bee able to answere any difficult question of Grammar euen beside those which are in the rules which are commonly learned and also how to oppose or dispute schollar-like in Latine of any good Grammar question as both what may be obiected against Lillies rules and how to defend them I pray you let mee heare of you how this may be done and what is the most speedy way which you know hereunto Phil. The plainest shortest and surest way I finde to be this 1 See that they be very ready in all the vsuall and ordinary questions of Grammar by daily examining at Parts 2 For most of the rest fit for young schollars I haue gathered them for the vse of mine owne schollars and set them together after the end of the Accedence Questions yet so as I haue sorted and referred euery Question to the right place whither it appertaines as to the Noune Pronoune Participle and so the seuerall heads thereof When as young schollars waxe perfect in all the former which are in the Accedence then a little paines in teaching them these making them plain vnto them and examining them some halfe side at time in stead of the time spent before in examining the former will very soone make them as ready in these also 3 After these you may if you please goe through the questions of Grammatica and make them plaine examining them in Latin and so through all the necessary questions which are scattered here and there through the whole Grammar directing them to marke out the questions or the speciall wordes wherein the questions are and how to be propounded that they themselues may oppose one another or one to oppose all as neede is But this as you shall thinke necessary and so as it do not hinder better studies 4 You may runne through the questions in M. Stockwoods disputations of Grammar as they are commonly noted in the Margents but onely propounding the question in few words both English and Latine as need requires and teaching them to answere in a word or two By going through these they may be able to answere all or most of those which are set together in the end of his disputations wherein he hath with marueilous paines and diligent obseruation collected a very great part of the difficulties of all Classicall Authours and in the last Edition noted the words in the Margents in which the difficulty in each sentence is What other are wanting in these may be answered by them being of like nature 5 To giue a further light and that nothing may bee wanting for my children I haue adioyned vnto the later end of all the Accedence questions which I spake of certain generall figures vnto some of which many of the difficulties of all auncient Authours both those in Stockewood and others may be referred or else vnto those figures set downe in the Grammar and Rhetoricke For answering the questions of Rhetoricke you may if you please make them perfect in Talaeus Rhetorick which I take to be most vsed in the best Schooles onely to giue each definition and distribution and some one example or two at most in each Chapter and those of the shortest sentences out of the Poets so that they can giue the word or words wherein the force of the rule is And so to proportion all other questions accordingly To this end the wordes wherein the force of the examples consist would bee marked as in the Grammar and that not onely in some one or two examples in euery Chapter which they are to haue perfect without booke but also in euery example through the booke to be able to apply any Claudius Minos Commentary may bee a good helpe to make Talaeus Rhetoricke most plaine both for precepts and examples If your Schollar after he hath read these doe but vse to bee carefull to keepe a short Catalogue in his minde of the names of the Tropes and also Figures and those both of Grammar and Rhetoricke hee shall with practice of examination and obseruation be able to tell any of them but repeating the heads in his minde Or in stead of Talaeus you may vse Master Butlars Rhetoricke of Magdalens in Oxford printed in Oxford which I mentioned before being a notable abbridgement of Talaeus making it most plaine and farre more easie to be learned of Schollars and also supplying very many things wanting in Talaeus Both it and the Commentary together are almost as small as Talaeus alone and not a much greater price though the worth be double It is a booke which as I take it is yet very little knowne in Schooles thought it haue beene forth sundry yeares set forth for the vse of Schooles and the vse and benefit will be found to be farre aboue all that euer hath beene written of the same Finally for answering the questions of Tullies Offices M. Brasbridge his questions therof are as short and perspicuous as any of the former Spoud Sir I haue not in truth so much as euer heard of eyther of those bookes as neyther of any almost of those singular helps which you mentioned for Poetry by which apt Schollars cannot choose but become excellent Poets Phil. Thereby may appeare what a generall want here is amongst vs when God hath giuen so many worthy helpes whereby we and our Schollars may attaine so readily the excellency of all learning meet for vs and make all our courses so full of al pleasant and alluring contentment and yet we shall neglect to enquire after them CHAP. XVII Of Grammaticall oppositions how to dispute schollarlike of any Grammar question in good Latine Spoud IT seemeth to be very euident that by these means they may be able to answere any necessarie question meete for them but for those schollar-like oppositions in Grammar questions I heare you to say nothing although it cannot but be a maruellous profitable exercise Phil. It is indeed a profitable exercise and I finde that it may be very easily attained thus 1. About that time when they begin to reade Virgill or before as they are able when they begin to make Theams two of them may be appointed insteed of their Theam or Verses to be made for that mornings exercise to dispute euery day by course The manner of it thus
nature of it so much as you can chiefly where persons or other things are â—ained to speake As for example In the Confabulatiunculae pueriles Cause them to vtter euery dialogue liuely as if they themselues were the persons which did speake in that dialogue so in euery other speech to imagine themselues to haue occasion to vtter the very same things 3. What they cannot vtter well in Latine cause them first to do it naturally and liuely in English and shew them your selfe the absurdnesse of their pronuntiation by pronouncing foolishly or childishly as they do and then pronounce it rightly and naturally before them likewise that they may perceiue the difference to be ashamed of the one and take a delight in the other So cause them to do it after you vntill that they can do it in good sort tuning their voices sweetly When they can doe it in English then cause them to doe it iust in the same manner in Latine and thus they will vndoubtedly come vnto it very easily 4 Also cause sundry of them to pronounce thus the very same sentence disgracing the speech of those who pronounce absurdly by imitation of it and gracing as much the speech of those who doe it most naturally and pleasantly propounding such as patternes and markes to all their fellows for al to emulate and imitate them as I haue aduised generally 5 Cause them to doe the like in Corderius Esops Fables or Terence as they did in Confabulatiunculae For Esops Fables we haue shewed before the manner for making a report of each Fable first in English after in Latine and the benefite thereof So after when they shall come to Virgils Eclogues cause them yet still more liuely in saying without booke to expresse the affections and persons of sheepeheards or whose speech soeuer else which they are to imitate Of which sort are the Prosopopeyes of Iupiter Apollo and others in Ouids Metamorphosis Iuno Neptune Aeolus Aeneas Venus Dido c. Virgils Aeneids So in all Poetry for the pronuntiation it is to be vttered as prose obseruing distinctions and the nature of the matter not to bee tuned foolishly or childishly after the manner of scanning a Verse as the vse of some is Onely to tune it so in scanning or getting it without booke vnlesse you would haue them to pronounce some speciall booke for getting authorities for quantities or others onely to that same purpose 6 To helpe hereunto yet more and that they may doe euery thing according to the very nature acquaint them to pronounce some speciall examples set downe in Talaeus Rhetoricke as pathetically as they can as examples of Ironies Exclamations Reuocations Prosopopeyes and those which are in his rules of pronouncing Let them also be taught carefully in what word the Emphasis lyeth and therefore which is to be eleuated in the pronuntiation As namely those wordes in which the chiefe Trope or Figure is Thus let them take speciall pains to pronounce Theams or Declamations striuing who shall doe best and in all their oppositions to dispute as if ex animo in good earnest with all contention and vehemencie Finally the practice of pronouncing emphatically of some of Tullies Orations which are most flowing in these Figures of sentences especially in Exclamations Prosopopeis Apostrophees and the like as some against Catiline must needes much acquaint them with great variety of pronuntiation to be fitted for all sorts For more exquisite knowledge and practice hereof I leaue it to the Vniuersities which are to perfect all those faculties which are but begun in the Grammar Schooles and do referre you for precepts to the second booke of Talaeus Rhetoricke de pronunciatione or rather of Master Butlars Rhetoricke as I said before CHAP. XIX Of speaking Latine purely and readily Spoud I Pray you Sir go on to the last point in this which you haue said for the maner of pronuntiation I haue heard nothing which I can iustly except against it doth all sound so pleasing and likely in mine eare When I haue more tryall I shall be able to say more In the meane time let me craue the like for the manner of learning to speake Latine If you can shew me so plaine a way of it as this seemeth to be surely you shall make mee much more to reioyce For of this I may complaine yet more then of most of the rest that though I haue laboured and striuen by Ferula and all meanes of seuerity yet I haue not beene able to make my Schollars to vtter their mindes in any tollerable manner of ordinary things but in very barbarous phrase nor so much as to put it in practice amongst themselues much lesse to vtter their minds in Latine easily purely and freely as it were to be wished and as you haue shewed the necessity and commendation thereof Phil. I my selfe haue had long experience of the truth and griefe of this complaint likewise though I also haue done what I could continually and yet of late time I grow to this certaine assurance that Schollars may be brought to talke of any ordinary matter which can be required of them both in good Latine and also most readily and easily Herein hath beene a great part of my errour and hinderance that I euer thought as most doe that children were not to be exercised to speake Latin for feare of Barbarisme vntill they came into the highest fourmes as at least vntill they were in the third fourth or fift fourmes and hereuppon I could neuer attaine to that which I desired But now I finde euidently that this must be begun from the very first entrance into construction their first books being principally appointed and read to them to this end to enter and traine them vp in speaking of Latine of ordinary matters As Confabulatiunculae Pueriles Corderius and other like Colloquiums And therefore they should then begin to practice to vse those phrases which there they learne Also for the Grammar I see no reason but it might haue beene all as well set downe in the English like as the Accedence is and learned in one halfe of the time with much more delight but onely or chiefly to traine vp schollars to deliuer all their Grammar rules and matters concerning Grammar in Latin Spoud It standeth with very great reason that it should be as you say that in the learning of those bookes the right foundation of speaking Latine familiarly should be layed and the practice begunne and that indeede there is a generall mistaking about this but I desire you to set downe the whole course and proceeding in it how to bring it to perfection and then I shall bee much better able to iudge Phil. For the manner of effecting it I find it to be most easie thus 1 You must remember that which I said concerning the manner of the examining both of their Grammar rules and
make them Custodes if they cannot answere a question which they aske But I haue obserued so much inconuenience in it as I cannot tell what to say in this case for oft-times he who is the Custos will hardly attend his own worke for harkening to heare others to speake English Also there falleth our amongst them oft-times so much wâ—angling about the questions or defending themselues that they did not speake English or were not idle that all the whole fourme is troubled So likewise when the Custodes are called for before breaking vp at dinner and at night there will be so much contention amongst them as is a disquieting and trouble to the Master Moreouer this I haue obserued that euer if there be any one simple in a fourme or harder of learning then the rest they will make him a right Asinus causing such to be the Custodes continually or for the most part if they cannot answere and to this end will be alwayes watching them wherby many such are not only notably abused but very much discouraged for being schollars when they see themselues so baited at by all some others are made ouer malipart thereby Besides all these I doe not see any great fitnesse that one schollar should smite another with the Ferula because much malicing one another with grudges and quarrels do arise thereupon So that the discommodities that follow the Custodes seem to me to be many moe then the benefits can be chiefly in losse of time and hindering more in other learning then can be gotten in that Spoud I my selfe haue had experience of most of these inconueniences but what way will you take then to cause your schollars to speake Latine continually Phil. This is the best way that yet I can finde to auoid the former inconueniences First to appoint the two Seniors in each fourm of whom we shall speake after as to look to all other matters in the fourme so to this more specially that none speake English nor barbarous Latin if they be found partiall or negligent then to preferre others into their places besides the other censures to be inflicted vpon them which I shall mention to you when we shall come to speake of punishments so to haue their due rewards being found carefull Secondly the Masters owne eye eare in the Schoole to be continuall Custodes so much as may be both for Monitors and others Thirdly if they do vse to parse in Latin therefore must needs exercise themselues in that against that time that their Master doth come to hearethem secondly if they be kept in their places and strictly looked vnto for performing all exercises I doe not see but they may be made to speake Latin in the schoole at schooletimes neyther that they shall haue any great occasions of the contrary Fourthly for speaking Latin in all other places it must only be by Monitours appointed weekly as we shall haue occasion to speak more after and some seuerely corrected who are found most carelesse herein Spoud But if any one alone who hath some vnderstanding of Latine would learne to speake of familiar matters to be able to talke with others what course doe you thinke the speediest Phil. Euen the same which I would vse to help a whole Schoole which if I should take a course for a wager amongst others I would vse specially to cause them daily to spend some quarter or halfe an howre each in his order reading Corderius first out of Latine into English after out of English into Latine euery one a little peece where one failes another to helpe and the booke or Master where all faile and also the Master to cause them to vary each hard phrase and chiefly all which are of most common vse so many waies as they can trying who can doe best himselfe to adde moe where they faile After Corderius gone ouer to do the like in other easie Authors as Terence or Terentius Christianus and the like So I would haue the priuate learner to practice daily the same reading Corderius first out of Latine into English by help of the translation after trying how he can read it out of English into Latine and euer where he fails to vse the help of the Latine book lying by him The continual exercise in this if they labor to be perfect in the examples of Nowns Verbs and somwhat in knowing the Rules of the Accedence as was shewed shal most speedily effect this desire For thus may any one soon learne to vtter all that booke And in it is the substance of most things falling out in ordinary speech After this hee may do the like in other easie books by the same helpe of translations And lastly practicing to translate other books of dialogues as Erasmus Colloquium or the like and afterwards reading them forth of English into Latine againe any one may come on very fast Spoud This stands vpon the former grounds These seuerall points which you haue gone thorough seeme to me very sufficient and to neede no addition for training vp schollars to attain to so good perfection in the Latin tong Phil. These are but an entrance meet for the Grammar schooles but to attaine to the perfection of the Latine tongue for propriety choise elegancy puritie will require much and long reading and exercise in the Vniuersities For further direction thereunto I refer you to Gocleninius his obseruations of the Latine tongue whom I take to be worthy the diligent reading of all schollars who are of iudgement and who doe desire to come to the puritie and ripenesse of the Latine CHAP. XX. How to attaine most speedily vnto the knowledge of the Greeke tongue Spoud NOw that we haue gone thorough all the principall points of learning which belong to the knowledge of the Latine tongue so much as can be required in schooles as far forth as I can conceiue or remember for the present let me I intreat you require your like helpe for the Greek for I desire now to be directed in euery matter which may concerne our calling and facultie I doe perceiue by our former speeches that you likewise haue trauelled and found much experience and assurance herein Phil. Although I am onely a learner in the Greeke as in the Latine and my hope is chiefly for the time to come yet this I haue found by experience that the Latine once obtained the Greeke may bee gotten with farre lesse labour and euerything as certainly And this also in a little time so much as it shall bee requisite for the Grammar schooles Spoud Surely sir if but that one thing that I saw in the note may be attained concerning the tongues the Greek and Hebrew I doe not see what can be more required for the Grammarschooles That is That schollars may be able as they proceed to reade the Greeke of the New Testament and the Hebrew
acquainted with this First for that this booke together with the Hebrew of the Old Testament were written by the Lord himselfe not onely the matter but also euen the very words of them Secondly for that eternall life is onely in these bookes being truely vnderstood and beleeued So that wee may rightly tearme these the Bible or Book of books because all other bookes are but as seruants vnto these and all other are nothing without these for any true good but only to condemnation by leauing men more without excuse Yea euery one who can haue opportunitie should labour to see with his owne eyes for the fulnesse of his assurance rather then to rest on others And much more because there are so many and such malicious slâ—unders against all our translations as that those shamelesse calumniations haue beene a principall meanes to turne many thousand soules after Sathan and Antichrist by causing them to reiect the sacred Scriptures vtterly to their endless perdition and haue beene enough to shake the faith of Gods Elect. Vnder this very pretence of false translations and obscuritie of the Scriptures hath Antichrist principally holden vp his kingdome keeping all in palpable ignorance to be drawen to dumb Idols to murther Princes to lying and all abhominations which himselfe listeth And therefore in these respects it were to bee wished that all schollars who haue any leasure and may come to these studies of Greeke and Hebrew especially they who purpose in time to become teachers of others would doe their indeauours to be as perfect in these two bookes and to haue them as familiarly as euer the auncient Iewes had the Hebrew This cunning in the Text should make them to speake as the words of God indeed with facility authority and power Those also who haue but a little time to bestow in the Greeke would bestow it here for the former reasons and because they may haue good occasion helpe to increase in this continually by the daily vse which they haue of the scriptures wheras they hauing but a smattring insom other Greek Authors and contenting themselues therewith doe come in a short time vtterly to forget all and so all that labour which was taken therin is altogether lost If any doe preferre some other Greek Author for the sweetnesse and purity of the Greek and so will spend their little time â—o that Luke is inferior to none therein by the iudgement of the learned If they look to the excellencie of all wisdom what light is there to the light of the Sunne Also for them who haue a desire to trauel further amongst all the famous Greeke writers for the surpassing humane wisedome to bee found therein this booke once perfectly knowen will make the passage thorough all of them both very direct and plain and also full of all delight and contentment to read al other Authors without any danger In the Greeke Testament to begin at the Gospell of Iohn as being most easie and next vnto that to go through the Gospell of Luke if you please In which two Euangelists most of the history of the Gospell is contained that by them the Euangelists may be soone run thorough And also the Acts Then all the Epistles may be read with speed Spoud I cannot but allowe and like of all these things and principally of reading the Greeke Testament in the first place making it the entrance and another foundation to all the Greek studies But if that could be brought to passe that schollars as they proceeded herein might growe as perfect in the Greeke Testament as it is sayde of the learned Iewes that they were in the bookes of the Olde Testament what a blessing might it bee to the Church of God and what a happinesse to all posterity Phil. Surely I am fully perswaded of it that very much may be done in it and after also in the Hebrew of the Old to come neere vnto them except that that was their natiue language This perswasion I ground partly from that little experience which I haue had in mine owne triall yet sufficient to confirme me by proportion More specially by that which is well knowen in a worthy schoole in London to which I acknowledge my selfe much beholden for that which I haue seene in this behalfe and some other where som of the schollars haue bin able in very good sort to câ—strue and resolue the Greek Testam out of the Latine into Greek wheresoeuer you would set them and to go verie neer to tell you where they had read any speciall word or phrase in it to turn to them And lastly for the euident reasons therof and the agreement of it with som former courses in the Latine wherof I haue a full assurance Spoud I pray you shew me the meanes how Phil. The means are these most easie plain for euery one to teach who hath any Greek and for others to learne 1. That they haue so much knowledge in the Grammar as I shewed chiefly in Nowns and Verbes 2 Besides the Greeke Testament I would haue euery one to haue his English Testament or Latine or both and euer in their entrance before they learne a lesson to haue read it ouer in the translation and to bee able eyther to say it without booke or make a report of it in English or Latine but better to say it without booke euen in the English which with a little reading ouer especially before bedde time those who are of good memories will get quickely This same done with vnderstanding will exceedingly bring the Greeke with it besides that thus they shall haue much opportunity and furtherance to get the English text almost by heart as we tearme it 3. In reading a Lecture to them euer tell them what example each Noune and Verbe is like vnto and for Pronounes Aduerbes and the like if they bee not perfect in Grammar tell them in a word or point them where they are in the Grammar iust after the manner as in the Latine 4 Shew them carefully al the hard words those which they haue not learned and for those which you thinke they cannot remember otherwise or wherin there is need of speciall labour cause euery one to write them in a little paper book made for that purpose with sundry columnes in each page to write at least the Greek word Latin or English in in each Chap. the Verse against them to the end to take most paines in those to run oft ouer them and so euer to see after where they haue had those wordes before And thereby also to account how many new wordes they haue in euery Lecture for all the rest learned before in any place or which are very easie are not to be accounted for any new wordes Thus shall you prouoke and encourage them to more paines when they haue not ouer fiue or sixe new words in a douzen or twenty
Verses and in time happely not two in a Chapter So that they will haue the most of the hard words in a short time and be able easily to proceed of themselues without any reading throgh these other helps following 5 When they learne to construe let them doe it by the helpe of the translation obseruing wherein the translation seemes to differ from the wordes of the Greeke and marking the reason thereof and after to trie of themselues how they can construe looking onely vpon the translation beating the Greeke out of it as formerly they did the Latin Those who are of any aptnesse will doe it presently And thus by practice euery day going a piece and oft reading ouer and ouer they will grow very much to your great joy Spoud But giue me leaue to aske of you two or three doubts 1 Why you would haue them to write down their hard wordes in a booke will not making some markes at the wordes serue as in their Latine Authours according to the generall obseruation Phil. This was obserued before as I remember to mark their hard wordes eyther in their bookes or setting them downe in a paper But here I thinke it to be better thus to write downe the principall First because schollars now will be carefull to keepe their Greeke Testaments faire from blotting or scrauling although a booke were well bestowed to make them perfect in it though it were neuer so marked Secondly beâ—â—use when they are fit to reade Greeke they haue commonly good discretion to keepe their notes and to make vse of them going oft ouer them Spoud But might there not be some other meanes for the getting of the hard wordes aforehand for this must needes be some labour and aske care and diligence thus to write them down Phil. Yes verily if it be looked to in time all these may be so prepared aforehand that most of this labour now may be spared and onely speciall difficulties to be obserued The maner of it is thus That wheras there is nothing in getting any tongue but to get wordes and Grammar for framing and setting those wordes together and afterwards practice I hold it to be farre the speediest course to haue the schollars to haue learned the Greeke Radices or Primitiue words before that they goe to construction or at least to be well acquainted with them This course some famous Grecians haue taken wee may doe it most easily and without any losse of time or very little if any as I haue made triall First hauing gathered the Greeke Radices out of Scapula after the manner of that abbridgement called voces primogeniae I haue heretofore caused such as I haue thought fit to write it out and to bring me a side or so much as I thought good euery morning at my entrance into the Schoole or presently after and so haue vsed to examine those wordes amongst them all once or twice ouer and where they haue learned the principall Latine wordes Of late I haue seene the Greeke Nomenclaton vsed not without fruit though it be vnperfectly gathered The manner of getting the wordes may bee most easie thus Hauing these in this manner with the English adioyned if you would make triall herein when you haue examined a side reade them ouer as much more against the next day reading first the English word then the Latine and Greeke last shewing them some helpe how to remember by comparing the Greeke with the Latine or English and so the English will bring the Latine to remembrance and both of them the Greeke And in examining them to aske them the English word and to cause them to giue both Latine and Greeke together both backeward and forward againe As posing thus How say you I loue He answereth Amo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amo I loue so they will be perfect each way Thus within the space of a twelue moneth they may goe through the whole spending not much aboue a quarter of an houre in a day or half an houre at most of schoole time Those who are diligent may get them in good sort onely as I haue oft admonished making some little pricks or markes at the hardest to runne oft ouer them and when they haue once gone ouer them you may cause them to bring you a leafe at a time or more as those who are apt will doe readily By this meanes besides that they shall learne very many Latine wordes chiefly most of the Primitiues to further them greatly in the Latine and to counteruaile all the time and labour bestowed in them they may also when they come to construction eyther haue euery Radix in their head or turne to it with a wette finger and make it perfect in an instant and thereby haue such a light to all other wordes comming of these as presently by them to conceiue of and remember any word And thus by them and their readinesse in the Grammar to goe on in reading by the helpes mentioned faster then you would imagine For hauing these Radices perfect they will conceiue presently by a little obseruing of what roote euery word commeth and ghesse neere at the significations of them Spoud But how shall I teach my fourmes which haue not learned the Greeke Grammar to reade these Radices Phil. Nothing more easily for I finde by experience that they will learne that presently by knowing but the value and power of the Greeke letters I meane what euery letter signifieth or soundeth in the Latine and so calling them by their names as A. b. g. d. or giuing them their sounds Although if you will the names of the Greeke characters are soone learned but that former course with continuall reading ouer to them before hand so much as you would haue them to learne at once will sufficiently effect it vntill they learne the Grammar In learning these Radices call vpon them oft to marke carefully the accents of each word with the spirits for that will further them exceedingly to accent right when they come to write in Greeke by knowing but the accent of the Primitiue word and a few other rules Right pronouncing of them will make both their accents and spirits remembred By some experience of the fruite of this booke for the speedy getting of the Greeke I haue endeauoured to make it more perfect by placing so neere as I can First the most proper significations in the first place and onely one worde in each signification lest the volume should proue ouer-great though if the volume would beare it variety vnder euery one being rightly placed were the better to vse as neede required and therby also to help to furnish with copie of Synonimaes Secondly by setting downe also the English in one proper word or iust as the Latine onely to expresse it and without variety except in some speciall things which haue diuers names in our owne tongue not commonly knowne Thirdly setting
the meane time what abbridgement would you vse for getting these Radices of the Hebrew Phil. The Epitome of Pagnine I take to be most common but Buxtorphius his abbridgement going vnder the name of Polanus must needes be the best in all likelihood as hauing had the helpe of that and all other and gathered by great iudgement I haue seene a draught of another much shorter then them both collected by comparing Pagnine Auenar and others shewing also for most part how the Hebrew deriuatiues which are more obscure are deriued from the Radices giuing at least a probable reason for them and also in sundry shewing the agreement and manner of the deriuation of the tongues one from another and the affinity of many of them to helpe the memory with the speedy and sure getting of all Spoud It were great pitie but that that should be perfected for the benefite of it must needes be very great But might there not be such a deuise of contriuing all the Hebrew roots into continued speeches and so learning them by studying them out of verball translations as you shewed for the Greeke Phil. Yes vndoubtedly it might easily be accomplished by some exquisite and painefull Hebrician to make this labour yet much more compendious Although I doe not doubt but any indifferent memory might in the space of a twelue moneth or lesse get all the Hebrew Radices very perfectly by the former meanes of Buxtorphius or Pagnines abbridgement alone spending but euery day one houre therein And when they were once gotten they were easily kept by oft repetition running ouer the hardest being marked out and by daily practice in reading some Chapters though much more easily by hauing the heads reduced to such classes and the oft running ouer them I haue heard moreouer of all the Radices with their Primitiue significations alone drawne into a very little space which being well performed must needes be a notable furtherance Spoud What is your third helpe Phil. The perfect verball translations written out of Arias Montanus by conferring with Iunius and our owne Bible specially our new translation and setting the diuers readings in the margents with a letter to signifie whose the translations are and also euery hard Radix noted in the margent as now sundry of them are with references to them by letters or figures as I shewed for the Greeke these being vsed as the English translations for getting the Latin and as the Latine or English for the Greeke will be found aboue all that we would imagine And that after this manner First as I said for the others by reading ouer the translations to vnderstand the matter Secondly learning to construe the Hebrew into the Latine exactly and backe againe out of the translation into Hebrew looking onely on the translation to meditate and beate out the Hebrew This helpes vnderstanding apprehension memory and all as I said to haue the text most absolutely Lastly beginning with the easiest first as in the other tongues as eyther some part of the History as namely Genesis the bookes of Samuell or else the Psalmes and therin specially the hundred and nineteene Psalme as most plaine of all other or rather to beginne with the Praxis vpon the Psalmes the first the fiue and twentieth and the threescore and eight set downe in the end of Martinius Grammar printed by Raphalengius Anno 1607. which will both acquaint the learner with the vnderstanding of Martinius and set him in a most direct and ready way by the other helpes For the certainty of this besides that the reason is the very same with the Latine and like as I said for the Greeke also I haue moreouer knowne this experience in a childe vnder fifteene yeares of age who besides all kinde of studies and exercises both in Latin and Greeke as those mentioned before and his daily progresse in them had within the space of lesse then a yeare gotten sundry of the principall and most necessary rules of Grammar Also a great part of the Radices in Buxtorphius though hee spent not therein aboue two houres in a day And besides all this hee had learned about foureteene or fifteene Psalmes wherein he was so readie as that hee was able not onely to construe or reade the Hebrew into the Latine but also out of the bare translation to reade the Hebrew backe againe to shew euery Radix and to giue a reason in good sort for each word why it was so Of this hath beene tryall by learned and sufficient witnesses The which experience with the daily trials of reading the Latine so exactly and readily out of the English and getting it as it were without booke by that practice doefully assure me that by this daily exercise the very originals of the Hebrew may be made as easie and familiar as the Latine is yea in time with continuall practice to be able to say very much of it without booke as I shewed before for the Greeke And what Student especially of Diuinity can euer bestow some part of his time in a more pleasant easie and happy studie when there will be no more but reading ouer and ouer with meditation and still to be reading the words and wisedome of the Highest in whose presence he hopes to dwell and to heare the same sweete voyce in the Temple in heauen eternally Spoud By these means it seemeth to me that any tongue may be gotten speedily Phil. Yea verily I do so perswade my selfe For seeing as I said that there is no more in any tongue but wordes and ioyning of those words together therfore the words being first gotten chiefly by being contriued into continued speeches those so learnd out of such verbal translations secondly some few rules of them being knowne thirdly continuall vse of such translations would make any tongue to be vnderstood and learned very soone so farre as I can conceiue Spoud How soeuer this be which seemeth indeede most probable yet I take it there can be no doubt of this but that in euery country of the world the Latin Greek Hebrew may be attained by the same meanes which three are enough yea the two last alone sufficient to know God and Iesus Christ to eternall life and that so by the knowledge of the Originals men may haue a certaine knowledge of the eternall worde of the Lord. Phil. I can see no reason at all to the contrary but that these our Latine Classicall Authours being translated Grammatically into other tongues by some who are learned amongst them the Latine may as well bee learned thereby by them out of their translations in their own tongues by such helps of rules as haue bin mentioned or the like as out of translations in our English tongue Secondly the Latine tongue being once gotten the getting of the Greek and Hebrew are the very same vnto them which they are to vs. Or otherwise the Greeke and Hebrew but
to get other of their fellowes to teach them some short lessons after As thus Without God we can do nothing All good gifts are from God or the like short sentences not to ouer-load them at the first To this end that the Monitours see 1. That all be most attentiue to the Preacher 2. That all those who can write any thing or do but begin to write â—oining hand doe euery one write some such notes or at least to get them written some 5. or 6. or moe as they can as I sayde to bee able to repeate them without booke as their other little fellowes But herein there must be great care by the Monitours that they trouble not their fellowes nor the congregation in asking notes or stirring out of their places to seek of one another or any other disorder but to aske them after they are come forth of the Church and get them written then 3. For those who haue been longer practiced herein to set downe 1. The Text or a part of it 2. To marke as neere as they can and set downe euery doctrine and what proofes they can the reasons and the vses of them 4. In the highest fourmes cause them to set downe all the Sermons As Text diuision exposition or meaning doctrines and how the seuerall doctrines were gathered all the proofes reasons vses applications I meane all the substance and effect of the Sermons for learning is not so much seene in setting downe the words as the substance And also for further directing them and better helping their vnderstanding and memories for the repetition thereof cause them to leaue spaces betweene euery part and where neede is to diuide them with lines So also to distinguish the seuerall parts by letters or figures and setting the sum of euery thing in the margent ouer against each matter in a word or two As Text Diuision Summe First Obseruation or 1. Doctrine Proofes Reasons 1. 2. 3. Vses 1. 2. 3. So the 2. Obseruation or doctrine proofes reasons c. so thoroughout Or what method soeuer the Preacher doth vse to follow the parts after the same maner so well as they can Direct them to leaue good margents for these purposes and so soone as euer the Preacher quotes any scripture as hee nameth it to set it in the Margent against the place lest it slip out of memorie And presently after the sermon is done to run ouer all againe correcting it and setting downe the sum of euerie chief head faire and distinctly in the margent ouer against the place if his leasure will suffer By this helpe they will be able to vnderstand and make a repetition of the sermon with a verie little meditation yea to doe it with admiration for children After all these you may if you think good cause them the next morning to translate it into a good Latine stile insteed of their exercise the next day I meane so many of them as write Latine or some little peece of it according to their ability Or rather because of the lacke of time to examine what euery one hath written to see how they are able out of the English to read that which they haue written into Latine ex tempore each of them reading his peece in order and helping others to giue better phrase and more variety for euery difficult word and so to runne thorough the whole This I finde that they will beginne to do after that they haue beene exercised in making Latine a twelue moneth or two if they haue beene rightly entred and well exercised in Sententiae pueriles especially in the diuine sentences in the end thereof and in Corderius with other bookes and exercises noted before chiefly by the practice of reading out of the translations Spoud But when would you examine these Phil. For the reading into Latine I would haue it done the next day at 9. of the clock for their exercise or at their entrance after dinner that so they might haue some meete time to meditate of it before and for examining of it in English to do it at night before their breaking vp amongst them all shortly or before dinner Herein also some one of the higher fourmes might bee appointed in order to make a repetitioÌ„ of the wholeserm on without book according as I shewed the manner of setting it down rehearsing the seueral parts so distinctly briefly as the rest attending may the better conceiue of the whole and not exceed the space of a quarter of an howre After the repetition of it if leasure serue the Master may aske amongst the highest som few questions of whatsoeuer points might seeme difficult in the sermon for by questions as I haue said they wil com to vnderstand any thing Next to appose amongst the lowest where he thinkes good what notes they took of the Sermons and cause them to pronounce them and in appoasing to cause them to vnderstand by applying all things to them in a word or two Thus to go thorough as time shall permit Spoud This strict examining will be a good means to make them attentiue Phil. It will indeed so as you shal see them to increase in knowledge and vnderstanding aboue your expectation And besides it wil keep them from playing talking sleeping and all other disorders in the Church To this end therfore poase diligently all those whoÌ„ you obserue or suspect most negligent as I haue aduised then you shall haue them to attend heedfully Spoud But how will you cause them to be able so to repeate the Sermon Mee thinkes that should bee very difficult Phil. The schollars will doe it very readily where the Preachers keep any good order when they haue so noted euerything as I directed before and set downe the sum in the margent For then first meditating the text to haue it perfect secondly meditating the margents to get the sum of all into their heads and the manner how it stands thirdly obseruing how many doctrines were gathered and how what proofs how many reasons vses of euery doctrine they will soone both conceiue it and be able to deliuer it with much facilitie after a little practice But herein the principall helpes are vnderstanding by getting the summes and margents obseruing the order and constant practice Vnderstanding will bring words practice perfection If those who are weaker or more timorous haue their notes lying open before them to cast their eye vpon them here or there where they sticke it shall much embolden them and fit them after to make vse of short notes of any thing I meane of the briefe summe of that which they shall deliuer Spoud These are surely very good exercises for the Saturday for catechizing and the daies after the sermons for repeating of the sermons but would you haue no exercises of religion at all in the other daies
will so come on both wayes both in reading the Latine into English and English into Latine as your selfe will maruell at and their parents will reioyce in and acknowledge themselues bound vnto you for to see their little ones to be able to reade the Testament into Latine Besides that it will be also a notable preparatiue to learne the Greeke Testament when they are so well acquainted with the English and Latine before Spoud But what Latine translation would you vse Phil. Such as my Schollars haue Erasmus or Beza but chiefly Beza as the more pure phrase and more fully expressing the sense and drift of the Holy Ghost Therein your selfe or your schollars marking the peculiar Latine phrases when they reade first forth of the Latine into the English they will be able of themselues when they reade them the second time forth of the English into Latine to giue the same phrases againe and to imprint them for euer Spoud But what time should I haue then for the History of the Bible that little booke which you mentioned wherof must needes be very singular vse would you haue me to omit it Phil. No in no case one quarter of an houre spent in examining it before prayers in the forenoone a side or a leafe at a time as I said may serue for that and another quarter or not much more before prayers at the breaking vp at euening for this and so neyther to lose time nor to omit any thing necessary for their happy growth herein In this reading of the Chapters so you shall finde that they will get as much Latine and goe on as fast as in any other exercise whatsoever and also will doe it with ease when they haue beene first well trayned vp in the Grammaticall translations and that each knoweth his night to looke to it aforehand Spoud But at this kinde of reading the Chapter the lesser sort which vnderstand no Latine will get no good Phil. Yes very much If after that the Chapter is read you vse but to examine some two or three as time will permit asking them what they remember of that which was read or how much they can repeat without booke of it you shall see that in a short time they will so marke or so looke to it afore hand as they will almost any of them repeate you a verse or two a peece If you vse to appose ordinarily for example some one whom you know can repeat a great deale it will much prouoke the rest to marke and take paines and especially if as in other things you vse to appose aduersaries whether can repeate the more And thus much for that how they may get Religion and Latine together CHAP. XXIII How to vnderstand and remember any morall matter Spoud YEt one other point remaineth which is of great vse and very fit to bee asked here how children may be made to vnderstand and conceiue of any ordinary matter meete for them as the points of the Sermons the History of the Bible for euen most of these things may seeme to be aboue childrens capacities and I see vnderstanding to be the life and substance of all Phil. This point hath been taught throughout in part but this I say vnto you againe and you shall finde it most true that for any one who would conceiue of any long sentence and remember it let him diuide it into as many short questions as he can and answere them though closely in his minde it shall giue a great light So do with your schollars in any thing which you would haue them to vnderstand diuide the long question or sentence into many short ones by the short they will vnderstand and conceiue of the long I shewed the maner in examining young schollars at In speech and in Sententiae pueriles For other helpes as for marking the summe and drift of euery thing and also for obseruing what goeth before what followeth after the propriety of words those circumstances of examining and vnderstanding casting the words into the naturall order and the like I referre you to the Chapter of construing ex tempore where these things are handled at large Spoud Yet for my further direction giue me one ensample in a sentence in the storie of the Bible because wee were speaking of that last and how to teach children to vnderstand that I take it there is the like reason in the Latin and in all things Phil. There is indeede the same reason I will giue you an instance in a sentence or two in the first Chapter in Genesis and the rather because this is vsed by many to cause children to reade a Chapter of the Bible and then to aske some questions out of that For example 1 In the beginning God created the heauen and the earth 2 And the earth was without forme and voyde and darkenesse was vpon the face of the deepe and the spirit of God moued vpon the waters 3 Then God said Let there be light and there was light c. I would propound my questions thus sundry wayes out of the wordes and that they may answere directly in the very wordes Q. What did God in the beginning A. He created heauen and earth Q. When did God create heauen and earth A. In the beginning Q. Were not heauen and earth alwayes A. No God created them Q. What a one was the earth A. The earth was without forme or fashion Q. Had it any thing in it A. No it was voyde or waste Q. Was there nothing vpon it A. Yes darkenesse was vpon the deepe Q. Was there nothing else mouing A. Yes the spirit of God moued on the waters Q. What said God then A. Let there be light Q. Was there light as he commaunded A. Yes there was light Q. Was there no light before A. No God commaunding created it there was nothing but darkenesse before darkeness was vpon the deep These questions and answeres arise directly out of the words are the same in effect with those in the little booke called The Historie Spoud These verely giue a great light and are marueilous easie and do cause that a childe may conceiue and carie away most of them whereas reading them ouer hee marked little in them But yet here are some things darke and ouer-hard for children to vnderstand as what is meant by created by the deepe and the mouing of the spirit vpon the waters c. Phil. It is true but yet by this meanes a childe shal haue a great light and helpe for vnderstanding conceit and memory in most And for those things which remaine obscure the learner is to marke them out and inquire them of others or of the notes short Commentaries vpon them and so by the other helpes mentioned and especially considering the drift of the Holy Ghost and comparing with more plaine places where like phrases are vsed But here it shal be the safest in posing to aske those things which
three or halfe an houre after then to haue another quarter of an houre or more as at nine for drinking and necessities so to continue till halfe an houre after fiue thereby in that halfe houre to counteruaile the time at three then to end so as was shewed with reading a peece of a Chapter and with singing two staues of a Psalme lastly with prayer to be vsed by the Master For the Psalmes euery schollar should begin to giue the Psalme and the tune in order and to reade euery verse before them or euery one to haue his booke if it can bee and reade it as they doe sing it where any one can not begin the tune his next fellow beneath is to helpe him and take his place By this they will all learne to giue the tunes sweetely which is a thing very commendable and also it will helpe both reading voyce and audacity in the youngeâ— Spoud But these intermissions at nine and three may be offensiue they who know not the maner of them may reproch the schoole thinking that they do nothing but play Phil. We are so much as may be in all things to auoyde offence but when by long custome the order is once made knowne it will be no more offensiue then it is at Westminster or then it is at noone and night so that it be done in a decent order The benefits of such intermissions will be found very great and to preuent many inconueniences 1 By this meanes neyther Masters nor Schollars shall bee ouer-toyled but haue fit times of refreshing For there is none no not almost of the least but being vsed to it a while they will sitte very well in their places for two houres together or two houres and a halfe without any wearinesse or necessity obseruing duely those times 2 By this meanes also the Schollars may bee kept euer in their places and hard to their labours without that running out to the Campo as the tearme it at schoole times and the manifolde disorders thereof as watching and striuing for the clubbe and loytering then in the fields some hindred that they cannot go forth at all But hereby all may haue their free liberty in due time and none can abuse their liberty in that sort nor haue their minds drawne away nor stirre abroad all the day at schoole times except vpon some vrgent necessity to be signified to the Master or Vsher and so leaue to be gotten priuately to returne presently againe And also in those cases to lose their places for that day vnlesse the case be approued very necessary and sure to the end to cut off occasions from such as will pretend necessities If any one be catched abusing his Master or his liberty without necessity onely vpon desire of idlenesse or play he is to be corrected sharpely for ensample By this meanes you shall bring them to that order and obedience in a short time as they will not thinke of stirring all the day but at their times appointed or vpon very vrgent and almost extraordinary necessity 3 Besides these benefits this will also gaine so much time euery day as is lost in those intermissions because there is no day but they will all looke for so much time or more to the Campo especially the shrewdest boyes who vse to waite for the club and watch their times these will be sure to haue much more then that Besides all the time which they lose in wayting for that idle fit and that they will if they can be away at Lectures and shewing exercises and likewise they will exceedingly trouble the Master in asking three or foure sometimes together what businesse soeuer he be about Spoud I haue been well acquainted with these disorders of the Campo and vexed with them many a time I shall be most glad if I may thus reforme them and finde these benefites in stead thereof But what say you for their recreaâ—ions Let me also heaâ—e your iudgement in them for I see that you would haue in like manner a speciall regard to be kept thereof Phil. I would indeed haue their recreations as well looked vnto as their learning as you may perceiue plainely by their intermissions at nine and at three Besides those and all other their intermissions it is very requisite also that they should haue weekely one part of an after-noone for recreation as a reward of their diligence obedience and profiting and that to be appointed at the Masters discretion eyther the Thursday after the vsuall custom or according to the best opportunity of the place That also to be procured by some Verses made by the Victors as was shewed and then onely when there hath bin already no play-day in the week before nor holy day in all the weeke Before their breaking vp also it shall not bee amisse to giue them a Theamto make som verses of ex tempore in the highest fourmes after they haue beene for a time exercised therein or if time permit sometime to cap verses In capping verses the way to prouoke them the most and to haue most variety of good verses is to appoint some one or two of the best to challenge their fellowes to come one after another and euer as any one but sticketh or misseth in a syllable the other to tell him and another to come in his place or els to trie aduersaries or fourmes together This exercise will much helpe capacitie and audacitie memorie right pronuntiation to furnish with store of authorities for Poetrie and the like so as that they may bee very cunning in their Poets by it Therefore it may also be vsed in regard of the benefits at some other fit times besides insteed of some other examination Hee that brings the most sweete verses out of Ouid and Virgil or Cato amongst the yongest and so out of other most approued Poets is to haue euer the greatest commendations Absurde verses such as most are of those called Carmina Prouerbialia are to be hissed forth Namely those which are tearmed versus Leonini As that first verse Si canis ex hilla religatur mordet in illa And so all other of the same mould Though euen amongst those of that booke there are some tolerable verses if good choise be made This exercise may well goe before play for it is nothing but a pleasant schoole recreation will exceedingly whet on the schollars to an ingenuous contention All recreations and sports of schollars would be meet for Gentleman Clownish sports or perilous or yet playing for money are no way to be admitted The recreations of the studious are as well to be looked vnto as the study of the rest That none take hurt by his study either for minde or bodie or any waie else Yet here of the other side very great care is to be had in the moderating of their recreation For schooles generally doe not take more
thankes and the rewards of our labours from God where the world is vnthankfull But for the help of this my aduise is that first we labour to be faithfull in our places in the best courses and kindes chiefly to make our schollars good GraÌ„marians and then we may be bold to cause them who are of abilitie to paie accordingly in some sort for the instruction of their children They will better esteem the worth of learning and of the seruice we performe to them in those in whom they are to liue after their time and also to the Church Common-wealth And if God doe blesse vs that our schollars profit indeede we shall in time haue schollars enow such as will be willing to pay well how basely soeuer learning be esteemed of Moreouer to preuent all such shifting and detraction it is wisdom euer to cal for our due at the Quarters end and to see that our cariage gouernment be such in our place as that we may stand in the face of any such vnthankful detractour Also that Gods blessing on our labours may euer answere for vs which following but these directions we may certainly expect Finally that in our places we labour to serue the Lord faithfully and then wee may bee sure to receiue the full reward of all our labour from him let men as I said be neuer so vnthankfull CHAP. XXXIIII What Children are to be kept to learning Spoud SIr if I should not take heart and courage to set to my calling afresh I were much to be blamed hauing all my doubts thus answered and being thus heartened in euery part But yet that I may both returne vnto it cheerefully and also goe forward and continue happily to the end I pray you let me haue your iudgement in these two points 1. What children you would haue set to learning and incouraged to goe on in the same 2. Which you would haue sent to the Vniuersity how qualified Phil. To both these I shall aunswere you vvhat I hold To the first I would haue those who after good time of triall shall be found the fittest amongst a mans children to be applied vnto learning as being the meetest to be offered to God in a more speciall maner to the publick seruice of his church or their Countries And so those onely of them to be incouraged to goe on in the same whom you find most ingenuous and especially whom you perceiue to loue learning the best which also do witnesse the same by their painfulnesse and delight in their books The rest to be fitted so far as may be conueniently for trades or some other calling or to be remoued speedily 2. To the second I answere That such onely should be sent to the Vniuersities who proue most ingenuous and towardly and who in a loue of learning will begin to take paines of themselues hauing attained in some sort the former parts of learning being good Grammarians at least able to vnderstand write and speake Latine in good sort 2. Such as haue good discretion how to gouerne themselues there and to moderate their expenses which is seldome times before 15. yeeres of age which is also the youngest age admitted by the statutes of the Vniuersity as I take it Some of chiefe note for learning and gouernment and of long experience in the Vniuersitie as namely some worthy heads of Colledges would haue none sent nor admitted into the Vniuersitie before they be full fifteen yeers olde at least for these reasons specially amongst others 1. Because before that time they will commonly require more bodily helpe then can be there afforded 2. The Vniuersitie statute forbiddeth to admit any vnder this age 3. Because that daily experience doth teach how inconuenient it is in diuers respects Finally all generally of whom I can heare in the Vniuersitie doe assent hereunto Many would haue them 17. or 18. yeere olde before because then commonly they haue discretion to sticke to their studies and to gouerne themselues Spoud I doe much approue their iudgement I would haue them good schollars before they goe to the Vniuersitie and namely sound Grammarians that the Tutors need not to be troubled with teaching them to make or to construe Latine but that they may goe forward in Logick or other studies meet for the Vniuersitie For such a schollar as is able to vnderstand well what hee reades or what is read vnto him there I meane in regard of the Latine shall doe more good in a yeere then a weak schollar shall do in two or three chiefly if hee haue discretion to gouerne himselfe and abide close to his booke For when as the schollar is faine to turne his Dictionary for euery word or hearing a Lecture read doth come away as he went vnlesse he be placed vnder a most painefull Tutor how is it possible that he should profite any thing in respect of him who goeth a good schollar thither How many euils doe come vpon the sending of schollars so rawly thither both Vniuersity and Countrey doe fully know and â—ue Now you haue so louingly and fully answered me in euery doubt and so largely laide open your minde vnto me as indeede I cannot desire any more of you Onely let me tell you this that the points are so many as I feare that I shall neuer be able to put them in practice Phil. You may make triall of all or the most likely of them and constantly practice those which you finde most profitable the shorter that you can be in euery thing the better shall you do so that all be done with vnderstanding as I said before Spoud I trust you will giue me a copie of them for otherwise I shall neuer be able to remember them besides that they will require to be oft read ouer and ouer vntill I shall grow perfect in them I doe not doubt but you haue set them downe Phil. I haue though as yet very imperfectly for lacke of meete leasure Such as I haue I shall impart seeing your earnest desire to doe good and more as God shall adde more helpe and experience by your selfe and by others CHAP. XXXV A briefe rehearsall of the chiefe points and helpes mentioned in this booke Spoud HOw much shall you make me more indebted by that fauour aboue all your other kindnesse hitherto Yet in the meane time before we depart to the end to helpe my weake memory and to cause me to goe on more cherefully let me request onely these two things of you further 1 To repeat the principall heads of those things which should be as it were in the Masters remembrance alwayes to be continually put in practice 2 To set me downe a short Catalogue of the bookes and helpes which you haue mentioned belonging hereunto for the better accomplishing of all these seuerall parts of learning Phil. For those principall heads though most of them were named in the obseruations
set downe for the practicing children in spelling of them to helpe by them to spell any other speedily and for writing true Orthography Of ioyning syllables together Bookes to be first learned of children In what time children well applyed may learne to reade English Diuiding and distinguishing syllables The pleasantest way to teach the little ones to pronounce their letters and to spell before they know a letter and how to doe it Any one who can reade may thus enter children if they wil follow the directions and so a poore body may make an honest liuing of it and free the Grammar schooles Complaints for children for getting to reade English when they first enter into Latine and how to auoyde them The iust complaint of want of care in our schooles for proceeding in our owne tongue as in the Latine or Greeke wheras our chiefe care should be for our owne language and reasons for it How schollars may increase continually as fast in our own tongue as in the Latine The chiefe fault of children going backe in English when they begin to learne Latine is in the Parents An ordinary fault that schollars are to seeke in matters of common numbers and how to redresse it CHAP. IIII. OF writing How the Master may direct his schollars to write faire though himselfe be no good pen-man Herein these particulars Faire writing a great benefit and ornament to schooles The opinion is fond that a good schollar cannot be a good writer The trouble of Schoolemasters for want of this skill to teach their schollars how to write When the schollars should begin to write To haue all necessaries thereunto and books kept faire Each to learne to make his owne pen and how Holding the pen and carrying it lightly In stead of setting copies to haue little copie-bookes fastened to the tops of their bookes and those of the best which can be procured Manner of their copie-bookes and copies Inconuenience of following diuers hands Euils of the want of such copie-bookes Faire writing to be practiced by all the schollars once euery day General rule in writing to make all like the copie How to keepe euen compasse in writing not ouer-high not too low Benefit of ruling-pens for each and what ones The bookes of the young beginners to bee ruled with crosse lines The compasse in greatnes and neerenes of the letters Ioyning the letters in writing Writing straight without lines Speciall furtherances for the first enterers when they cannot frame any letter Leisurely drawing the letters as the Painter a chief help To obserue ornaments of writing To make all the letters most plaine Mischiefes of getting a bad hand first What the Master is to doe to the end that he may learne to teach his schollars to write faire To walke amongst the schollars to see that they obserue their directions and to marke all faults in writing This skill is to be gotten to auoyde the euils by wandring Scriueners The vse of Scriueners in Grammar Schooles what The summe of the principal directions for writing to be euer in memory CHAP. V. CErtaine general obseruations to be knowen of Schoolmasters and practiced carefully chiefly in all Grammar learning 1. That schollars bee taught to doe all things with vnderstanding and to haue a generall knowledge of the matter before To do all things by reason with vnderstanding brings almost double learning besides ease and delight Reading without vnderstanding is a neglect of learning Triall of difference betweene learning with vnderstanding and without Verses of Horace to this end worthy to bee written in letters of golde to be imprinted in the memories of all How some writers haue so far gone beyond others in eloquence thorough their ripenesse and vnderstanding How to teach all to be done by vnderstanding 2. To learne onely such things as whereof they may haue good and perpetuall vse 3. To note all hard words or matters worthie obseruation and the manner of marking them 4. To learne all things so perfectly as the former may be insteed of a Schoolemaster to the later 5. That the whole schoole be diuided into so few forms as may be with reasons for the same 6 To haue a great care that none be discouraged but all to be prouoked by emulation and desire of praise A sentence of Tully to this purpose worthie to be euer before the Masters eye Strift for victories the most commendable plaie and a chiefe meanes to make the schoole Ludus Literarâ—us 7. Each to haue his aduersary and they to be so matched and placed as all may be done by equall strift 8. To vse euer to examine the most negligent 9. Continuall care of pronouncing 10. To haue some exercise of memory daily for making excellent memories 11. To haue the best patternes of all sorts that can bee gotten 12. The Masters to incourage themselues and their schollars continually 12. Constancie in good orders with continuall demonstration of loue to doe all for the greatest good of the schollars CHAP. VI. HOw to make children perfect in the Accedence Herein these particulars The vsuall manner of learning to reade the Accedence The ordinary manner of getting the Accedence without booke The best meanes for learning to reade the Accedence Generall rule in learning without booke or getting whatsoeuer seemeth hard To take but a little at a time To cause them first to vnderstand their lectures and how Admonition to Masters desirous to do good To be as the Nurses with little children Example how to make children to vnderstand by shewing the meaning and by asking questions In what points of the Accedence the chiefe labour would be bestowed to make young schollars very perfect viz. in all kinde of declining How to be most speedily perfect in the Verbs which are a mean foundation and wherin the greatest difficulty lieth No paines can be too great in Nownes and Verbs vntill they be exceeding perfect Two generall obseruations in the English rules what parts of the English rules to be made most perfect in Helpe for examination of the Accedence viz. The questions of the Accedence called the Poasing of the English parts Other needfull questions adioined to the end of the same CHAP. VII HOw to make schollars perfect in the Grammar What is done ordinarily in schooles in teaching Grammar What things are requisite in learning Grammar How to get the Grammar with most ease and fruite Benefit of Lillies rules construed Learning the rules without booke Construing the rules without booke How to do where leasure is wanting How to examine so as to make your schollar to answer any question of his Grammar with an example thereof To appose only in English where children are too weak to answere in Latine Examining in the Latine Nownes and Verbes Examining the Syntaxis and helpes thereunto Repeating titles and margents or the beginning of the rules in a continued speech to keep the rules perfectly Helpe for hearing part in straights of time Helps for further vnderstanding the
others writ so eloqueÌ„tly because they were so ripe in vnderstanding and had such store of matter Trie They who find experience will be desirous to make others partakers It seemeth great difficulty for masters to teach their schollars to do all things with vnderstanding The second generall obseruation To learne only such things as whereof they may haue good and perpetuall vse Filthy places in Poets omitted 3. To note all hard words or matters worthy obseruation Manner of marking This general in getting all learning The bookes of the best students thus noted To note books of dailyvse with inke Others with blacke leade thrust into a quill How to rub it forâ—h againe 4. To learne all so perfectly as the former may be in stead of a Schoolmaster to the later Not to neede to teach the same things twise or thrise ouer To tell where they haue learned euery hard word 5. That the whole Schoole be diuided into so few fourmes as may be Reasons 1. It is for most part the same labour to teach twenty in a fourme as to teach two 2. The fewer fourmes the more labour may be bestowed in examining euery title Examination a quickner of learning Euery one of a fourme shall some way prouoke the others by this means And euery one may helpe others Those who but reade to be put together so many as can be 6 To haue a great care that none be discouraged But all to be prouoked by emulation and desire of praise Commendation the Whet-stone of the wit A sentence of Tully worthy to be euer before the Masters eye Cic. 5. de finib This strift for Masteries is the most commendable play and a chiefe meanes to make the Schoole Ludus literarius 7. All to haue their aduersaries and so to be matched and placed that all may be done by strift 8. To vse euer to appose the most negligent 9. Continuall care of pronunciation 10. To haue some exercise of the memory daily Reason of it for making excellent memories 11. To haue the best patternes of all sorts 12 The Masters continually to incourage themselues and their Schollars 13. Constancy in good orders with a continuall demonstration of loue to the Schollars to do all for their good The vsuall maÌ„ner of learning to reade the Accedence The ordinarie manner of getting the Accedence without booke The wants in this course The best means for learning to read the Accedence Euer one to be reading all the rest marking helping ☞ Learning the Accedence without book to take but a little at once This rule must be generall of all learning that seemeth hard of things to be gotten perfectly but here specially ☞ To make them first to vnderstand their lectures how ☜ To let them answer the questions vpoÌ„ their bookes Admonition to masters desirous to doe good to be as the Nurses with little children ExaÌ„ple how to make the child to vnderstand by shewing the meaning How by asking Questions ☞ In what points of the Accedence the chief labour would be bestowed with the children to make them perfect in them Articles Declining English before Latine Latine before Engâ—lsh ☜ Benefit of this declining Genders ☞ Seuerall terminations of the Declensions Declining the examples in each Declension ☞ Declining all the examples of all the Declensions together Giuing thâ— bare terminations the shortest way The like iâ— bonus Declining of Substantiues and Adiectiues together Chiefe examples in the Pronownes of most common vse Persons of the Pronownes How to come most speedily to be perfect in the verbes which are a meane foundation and wherin the greatest difficulty lyeth These may be added if we wilâ— to make them more ready The manner of apposing here Knowledge of the terminations Comparing them together for memory sake though they come not one of another For vnderstanding this Table ☞ The shortest way of all to repeat and keepe these No paines can be too great for perfect getting Nounes and Verbes Yet children not to stay ouerlong in these Participles Aduerbs Coniunctions Prepositions Interiections A want in the Aduerbs to be supplied Rules of deriuing Aduerbs necessary and of the Latine in the Accedence Englished English rules Benefit of them well gotten Generall obseruations in the English rules 1. To construe the examples 2. To tell in what wordes the force of the examples doth lie See this more plainly in examining the Syntax in Latine To make them most perfect in the rules of the principal Verb. Concordes Relatiue Qui. Gouernments Manner of examining in them Other helpes to make Scholars ready in the Accedence â— Daily repetitions and examinations ☞ Manner of hearing parts 2. The spending of a moneth or two to make the Accedence perfect after it is learned ouer 3. Some time separate daily to examine Nownes and Verbs Constancy in poasing till vse bring surenesse What is done ordinarily in Schooles in teaching Grammar What things are requisite to be done in learning Grammar To get the Grammar with most ease and fruite To learne euery ordinary rule perfectly With titles and summes Manner for enterers 1. Reading their rules to them 2. Construing and shewing them the meaning ☜ How they may soonest learne to construe them Each Schollar to haue his coÌ„struing booke and learne to construe by that Benefit of the vse of Lillyes rules construed 1. To gain one halfe of time in coÌ„struing them And free their Masters from much trouble and the Schollar from much feare and toyle Also some recouer their selues hauing forgot Increase in reading English Masters freed from clamors Wherein the construing bookes vnder correction may be much helped made more profitable This I thinke is in hand or finished Necessary words to bee Englished in their proper significations Learning the rules without booke ☜ Helps for getting without book all things which they learne in verse So repeating the Rules in verse Construing without book Benefit of construing without booke Where leasure is wanting how to doe And in the elder ☜ The surest way for young beginners ☞ At saying of rules how to examine to cause them to answere any question Manner of appoasing ExaÌ„ple of making the rules 〈…〉 Propria quae maribus Title of it Appoâ—sing after the same manner to help the weakest teacher for whom I haue set down the moe examples ☜ This poasing in Latine if it be ouer-hard to the enterers at first may be vsed after a time in examining their parts Examining out of the margent Examining out of the words of the rule Manner of appoasing the examples of the rules ☞ Fewest words best ☞ To oppose only in English if children be too weak to answer in Latine Manner of the questions in English at Propria Foemineum Appell ArboruÌ„ Examining of the speciall rules Examining the Exceptions Posing by asking first the examples ☞ The shortest course Examining the Adiectiues How to make Schollars perfect in the Genitiue cases To appose the hardest oft-times Examining in the Heteroclites Making the
the same with the Latine Getting first the chiefe rules ☜ To be very perfect in Nownes and Verbs ☞ Terminating Nownes Coniugating terminating Verbs To giue the first person in euery Moode Tense in each voice together To bee very perfect in Pronowns Aduerbes Coniunctions Prepositions How schollars of vnderstanding iudgement may take yet a shorter course ☜ To make it plaiâ—e Grammatica Graecapro Schola Argentinensi per Theophilum Golium ☞ To begin Construction with the Greek Testament Reasons 1. For the familiarnesse of it 2. Because that booke with the Hebrew of the old Testament are the Books of books Being only written by the Lord. Hauing life in theâ— All who may are to labor to see with their owne eyes and why ☜ ☜ To striue to haue these books as familiarly as the Iewes had the Hebrew ☜ If any purpose to haue but a smattering in the Greek to haue it here and why ☜ The Testament compared to other Greek wâ—â—ters This is a notâ—ble entrance to read all other Greek Authors ☞ In the Testament to begin at the Gospell of Iohn How schollars may be made most perfect in the Greeke Testament ☞ Meanes partiâ—ularly 1 Why to haue the hard words written downe ☞ The speediest way to get the Greeke Raâ—ices first How it may be done easily without losse of time Manner of learning them Manner of examining them for speed and memory Benefit hereof Hauing Scapula in the school to run to they shall presently haue any thing ☞ How children may soone learne to reade the Greeke before they learn the Greeke Grammar In learning the Radices to obserue right pronuntiation for accents and spirits This booke laboured in for the common good Helpe for committing wordes to memory â—aueat in remembring The Greeke Radices contriued into continued speeches Strange Latine wordes Learning the Greeke out of our translations ☞ The readiest and surest way by a perfect verball translation or the verballâ—et in the Margent where it differeth from that we vse How to east the Greeke into the Grammaticall order ☞ How any who haue but a smatering may proceed of themselues in the Greeke Testament This cannot be so well done by the Interlineall or hauing the Greeke and Latine together as by hauing them separate Experience The Interlineal is continually a promptâ— to the scholâ—ar and a deceiuer of the mind insteed of a Master vnlesse it be vsed with great wisdome This euill cannot be preuented amongst schollars ☞ How men of vnderstanding may vse the Interlineall How the schollars may proceed in other Authors The benefit of such translations of some of the purest Authors performed by skilfull Grecians As the fables translated in the Strasburge Grammar Parsing in Greek ☞ Helps â—or construing and paâ—fing Praxis praeceptorum Grammatices Antesignani Berket on Stephens Catech printed by Wechelus an 1604 ☞ M Stockw Progimnasma scholasticum ex Anthologia HeÌ„â—ici Stephani ☞ The best fittest Authors â—or Poetry most easie Theognis Phociliâ—es Hesiode with Câ—poâ—ine and Mâ—lanchthon Homer with Eustathius To haue in readinesse a short briefe of all the dialects and figures a speedy help for the knowledge of the Poets A principal help for all Anomalies and difficulties in Greeke How to write purely in Greek ☜ How to write faire Versifying in Greek ☞ Theognis may be easily learned without booke by the helpe of the translation ☞ A Caueat for the time bestowed in such exercises of writing in Greekâ— Summe of all The knowledge of the Hebrew may be the soonest gotten and why 1 The Grammar to be gotten most exquisitely of them who desire to come to perfection in the Hebrew Some chiefe parts for others who onely desire the vnderstanding Grammars to be vsed Martinius with his Technologia Blebelius accounted most plaine and easie The seuerall points in Martinius you may finde in Blebelius by the table in the end of Blebelius The second principall meanes the perfect getting of the Radices Manner of committing the Radices to memorie Examples of helping memorie in the Hebrew ☜ The Hebrew the mother tongue most auncient and worthy Others deriued from it The benefit of diligence in comparing the tongues How other words may be remembred which cannot be so deriued The hardest rootes which seeme to haue no affiniâ—y To marke out also the harder deriuatiues in the Hebrew The best Epitome for getting the Radices This is not fully finished The way might be more compendious by the rootes reduced to Classes By the Dictionary alone they might be gotten in a short time The third help perfect verball translations and continuall practice of them The manner of vsing these repeated Experience of this for assurance A Student cannot be better imployed then in thus imprinting the originals in his hart if he haue leasure ☞ It seemeth that any tong may be gotten thus These tongues Latine Greeke and Hebrew may be gotten in each Nation by these means of translations in their owne â—ongues Greeke or Hebrew most easily learned by perfect translations in each tongue ☜ Of the vse of perfect verball translations for getting the originals Obseruation reâ— eated how much and what to learne in euâ—ry booke Schollars to be trained vp in Religion This most neglected in schooles The popish Schoolemasters shall rise vp against vs. ☞ How to teach them the Catechisme and when ☞ Manner of examining Catechisme Taking notes or writing sermons 2. All who can write to take notes ☜ Caueat of any noise or disorder in gathering notes 3. The higher to set downe parts of the sermon more oâ—derly 4. In all the highest fourmâ— to set downe the substance exactly ☞ Manner of noting for helping vnderstanding memorie ☞ Helps for memory in the margent for vnderstanding ☞ To leaue good margents To set downe quotations as they are spoken To set downe the heads of all in the margents after Benefit of this To turne it after into Latine for the next daies exercise ☞ Or to read it into Latine ex tempore ExperieÌ„ce how soone they will do this Examining the sermons One to make a short rehearsall of the whole first To aske questions of all things difficult To cause the least all sorts to repeate their notes Benefit of this strict examining How they may be able to repeat the whole sermons without booke Principall helps for it ☞ Helpe of notes for assurance Euery night to go thorough a peece of the historie of the Bible Manner of examining the history Not to trouble them with euery question Obiection coÌ„cerning them who would not haue their children taught any religion How to deale that this may not hinder any other learning How to teach the schollars ciuilitie The Schoole of good manners or The new Schoole of vertue for ciuilitie ☜ How to teach Religion and Latine all vnder one by reading each night a peece of a Chapter Practice this constantly and carefully and trie the experience of Gods blessing in it When the History to
so will it be here But of this I shall haue more fit occasion to tell what I thinke when we shall speake of the manner of diuiding of the fourmes 8. That we vse euer to appose the worst and most negligent of each fourme aboue all the rest though euery one somthing yet them principally This wil make them more carefull cause all to come on together in some good sort 9. That from the first entrance they be taught to pronounce euery thing audibly leasurely distinctly naturally sounding out specially the last syllable that each word may be fully vnderstood But of this wee haue spoken somwhat shal speake more in the due place what a grace sweete pronunciation giues vnto all learning and how the want of it doth altogether mar or much deforme the most excellent speech 10. That they haue daily some speciall exercise of the memory by repearing somewhat without booke as a part in their rules the foure first daies in the weeke the Lectures of the weeke or some part of them on the Friday al the rules of the weeke on the Saturday besides matters of reports as Apologues or fables theames disputations and the like The reason is because the daily practice hereof is the only means to make excellent memoryes so that the memory be not ouerloaden But for this matter of saying without booke how farre it is to be vsed and what helpe may be had to preuent the ouertoyling terrifying of Schollars with it and to supply some things better otherwise I hope I shall take a fitter place to speake of it hereafter 11. That for whatsoeuer exercises they are to learne they haue the best patternes to follow which can be procured as in writing so for all kinde of learning how to do euery thing because all learning is principally gotten by a kinde of imitation and arte doth imitate the most excellent nature The patternes being singular so shall their work proue in time eyther to expresse their patterne very liuely or happely to go beyond it Of this also we shall haue occasion after to speake 12. The Masters to be alwayes vigilant as good leaders to labour to a liuely cheerfulnes to put life spirit into the children to incourage themselues in wel doing by amending whatsoeuer is amisse supplying each thing wherein they are defectiue obseruing the daily growth of their Schollars remembring stil that worthy counsel Tu ne cede malis sed contra audentiorito and also euer calling to minde whom they serue and how their reward is with the Lord. 13. Constancy in good orders exercises ought euer to be kept inuiolable with continual demonstration of loue in the Masters towards the Schollars a desire to do them the vttermost good This shall ouercome the most froward in time and vsed with the rest shal vndoubtedly bring forth the fruit of their desires Though many moe directions might be added yet we will content ourselues with these for the present as being most generall and belonging to all which follow Others we shall adde as we shall finde the fittest occasions Spoud Certainly Sir these rules doe very much affect and delight me at this hearing of them neyther can I easily discerne which of them is most to bee preferred If you had giuen mee so many crownes you could not haue gratified mee more I purpose to put them in practice presently that I may finde that sweete and pleasant fruite of them which I fully conceiue may bee attained by them Phil. If you take so much delight in the hearing of them I trust you shall doe much more in the proofe and therefore hauing finished these we will now at length come vnto the Accedence CHAP. VI. How to make children perfect in the ACCEDENCE Spoud FOR the Accidence then I pray you acquaint mee what you haue learned how children may get it most speedily and how they may be made so very perfect in it as to answere so readily to any question thereof as you did affirme that they may and to make the right vse of it Phil. You must euer first let me heare of you what course you haue taken and what you thinke to bee ordinarie in Schooles and then I will supply whatsoeuer I haue learned for that all shall be the better conceiued Spoud For reading ouer their Accedence this is all that I haue vsed To let them reade it ouer euery one by himselfe by lessons as in reading other English and so to heare them one by one as they can say In the harder lessons to reade it ouer before them Thus I make them to reade ouer their Accedence once or twise within the book before they doe get it without booke Secondly for getting it without booke I cause them to doe likewise and to say as oft as they can To keepe that which they haue learned by weekely repetitions and by saying parts And for the meaning to teach it after by practise Now I pray you shew me your iudgement and vouchsafe me your help Phil. My iudgement is according to my experience that though this be the ordinary course yet it may be done with farre greater ease in lesse time and with much more profit to effect your desire yea to teach ten or twelue as soon and readily as you shall teach one Also to make them more full of vnderstanding that they shall be able to make right vse of their rules to enter into construction and goe forward readily together in construing parsing making Latine Whereas otherwise they must be taught the vnderstanding and vse of it after which shall be another labour and bee as if they had not learned it at all before Now thâ— meanes how all this may be effected are these 1 For reading the Accedence So soone as they enter into the Accedence put so many of them into a fourm as you can well to enter together as was shewed before And therein first reade them ouer their lesson telling them the meaning shortly to make them a little to vnderstand it and so they will learne it much sooner Then let them one helpe another as they will doe learning together and euery one will draw on another one of them euer reading ouer the lesson that all the rest may heare and the rest telling where he misseth and so neuer idle till all can read it When they come to say cause euerie one of the fourm to read his peece in order in like manner the rest to help where he sticks By this meanes there will not bee much more labour with twelue then with one alone Experience also wil shew that they will all goe forwarde more fast and surely then any other way And although that they goe faster forward and not so very perfectly as they thus read it first yet they will soone reade most readily when they come to get without booke When they haue once gone