certeine tediousnes muste bee deuoured as of cannyng wythout booke sayinge the lesson agayn and wyth wrytinge it for scant maye a man fynde anye that hathe so apte a wytie to bee taught so tractable and that so wil folowe whyche wyll accustume it selfe to these thynges wythout prickyng forward Chrisippus apoynted thre yeres to the nouâ—ses not that in the meane space there shuld be no teachynge of manners and speach but that the infame shulde be prepared by fayr meanes to lern vertue and letters ether of the nurses or of the parentes whose maners wythout peradueÌ„ture do help very much to the good fashionyâ—ge of chyldren And because the fyrste teachyng of chyldren is to speake playnly and wythout faute in this afore tyme the nourses and the parentes helpe not a lytle Thys begynnyng not only very muche profiteth to eloqueÌ„ce but also to iudgement and to the knowledge of all disciplines for the ignoraunce of tonges eyther hath marred all the sciences or greatly hurt theÌ„ eueÌ„ diuinitie it selfe also phisicke law The eloquence of the Gracchians was muche merueyled at in tyme paste but for the most they myghte thanke theyr mother Cornelia for it as Tullie iudgeth It apeareth sayth he that the chyldren wer not so much brought vp in the mothers lappe as in the mothers coÌ„municacion So theyr fyrste scholyng was to them the mothers lap Lelia also expressed in her goodly talke the eloquence of her father Caius And what marueile While she was yet yonge she was dyed wyth her fathers communicacion euen when she was borne in his armes The same happened to the two sisters Mucia and Licinia neeces vnto Caius Specially is praysed the elegance of Licinia in speakyng whiche was the daughter of Lucius Crassus one Scâ—pios wyfe as I weene What nedes many words All the house and all the kynred euen to the nepheus and their cosyns dyd often expresse elegance of their fore fathers in artificiall and cunnyng speakyng The daughter of Quintus Hortencius so expressed her fathers eloquence that ther was longe ago an oracion of hers to se that she made before the officers called Triumuiri not only as Fabius sayth to the prayse of womankynd To speake without faâ—â— no litle helpe â—rynge also the nourses tutors and playe felowes For as touching the tonges so great is the readines of that age to learne them that wythin a few monethes a chylde of Germany maye learne Frenche and that whyle he dothe other thinges also neyther dothe that thynge come euer better to passe then in rude and verye yonge yeres And if this come to passe in a barbarous and vnruled tonge whych wryteth otherwyse then it speaketh and the whych hathe hys schriches and wordes scarse of a man howe muche more easely wyl it be done in the Greeke or Latine tonge Kyng Mithridates is read to haue perfitly knowen .xxii. tonges so that he could plead the lawe to euery nacion in their owne tonges wythoute anye interpreter The mistocles within a yeres space lerned perfitely the Persians tong because he wolde the better coÌ„men wyth the kyng If suÌ„what old age can do that what is to be hoped for of a chylde And all this businesse standeth specially in two thynges memorye and imitacion We haue shewed before alredy that there is a certein naturall greate desyre in chyldren to folowe other and very wyse men wryte that memorie in chyldren is verye sure in holdinge faste and if we distrust their authoritie experience it selfe wyll proue it vnto vs. Those thynges that we haue seene beyng chyldren they so abide in our mindes as though we had sene them yesterdaie Thinges that we read to day wheÌ„ we be old wythin two daies after if we read theÌ„ agayn they seme newe vnto vs. Furthermore howe fewe haue we seene whych haue had good successe in lernynge the tonges when they were olde And if some haue wel spedde them in knoweledge yet the right sound and pronunciacion hath chaunsed either to none or to very few For rare examples be no common rules Neyther for thys muste we call chyldren to lerne the tonges after sixtene yere olde because that the elder Cato lerned latine and Greeke when he was thre score and ten yeres olde But Cato of Utica muche better lerned then the other and more eloquent when he was a chylde was continuallye wyth hys master Sarpedo And here we ought so much the more to take heede because that yonge age led rather by sense then iudgemeÌ„t wyll assone or peraduenture soner lerne leudnes things y t be naught Yea we forget soner good thinges theÌ„ naught Gentile philosophers espyed that merueyled at it and could not search out the cause whiche christeÌ„ philosophers haue shewed vnto vs which telleth y t this redines to mischiefe is setteled in vs of Adam the first father of maÌ„kind Thys thynge as it can not be false so is it very true that the greateste parte of this euyll coÌ„meth of leude and naughty bryngyng vp inespeciallye of tender youthe whyche is plyeable to euerye thynge We fynd in writyng that great Alexander lerned certeine fautes of hys master Leonides whyche he could not leaue when he was well groweÌ„ vâ— and a great Emperour Therfore as long as amonge the latines floryshed that olde vertuousnes of good maners chyldren were not committed to an hyrelynge to be taught but were taughte of the parentes them selues their kinsfolke as of their vncles both by father and mother of the graundfathers as Plutarch sayth For they thought it especially perteyned to the honour of their kynred if they had very manye excellentlye well seene in liberall knowledge where as now adayes all nobilitie almost staÌ„deth in painâ—ed grauen armes dauncing huntynge and dicynge Spurius Carbilius of a bond man made free whose patrone Carbilius brought in the fyrste example of diuorce is reported to be the fyrste that taught an opeÌ„ graÌ„mer schole Before thys tyme it was counted a verye vertuous office if euery maÌ„ taughte hys kynsefolke in vertue and lernyng Nowe is thys theyr onlye care to seeke for their chyld a wyfe wyth a good dowrye That done they thynke they haue done all that belongeth to a father But as the world is alwayes redy to be worse and worse day nâ—â—nes hathe perswaded vs to commâ—e this office to a tuter that is one of our householde and a gentleman is put to be taught of a seruaunte In whyche thynge in deede if we wolde take heede whom we chose the ieopardy were so muche the lesse because the teacher liued not only in y e fathers syght but also wer vnder hys power if he dyd amysse They that wer very wyse either bought lerned seruauntes or prouided they myghte be lerned that they myghte be teachers to their children But howe muche wyser were it if the parents wolde get lernyng for thys entent that they them selues myght teach theyr owne chyldren Uerelye by thys meanes the profite wolde be double as the coÌ„moditie is double
mouinges by whyche thynges the phisicions in many bookes and inespeciall Galene hath taught that the chyldren get good healthe of theyr bodye neyther do they differ thys diligeÌ„ce vnto the seuenth or tenth yere but eueÌ„ assone as the chylde commeth oute of the mothers wombe they take greate charge of thys And they do well for the infancie not regarded oftentymes causeth men to haue a syckely and sore disseased olde age if they happen to come to it Yea moreouer or euer the chyld be born yet dothe the mother take greate heede Thei eate not of euery meat when they be greate wyth chylde they take heede that they moue not theyr bodie to hurte them and if there happen any thyng to fall vpon their face by and by they take it away wyth theyr hand and laye it vpon the priuie part of theyr body It hath ben proued by many experimentes that by this remedie the deformitie whych wold haue bene on that part of y e body that is sene hathe lyen hyd in the secrete place No maÌ„ calleth this to hasty a care whych is vsed for the worser parte of man Why then is that parte of man wherby we be properly called menne neglected so many yeres Shuld he not do all agaynste gods forbod which wold trim his cap lettyng his head be vnkempt and all scabbed Yet much more vnreasonable is it that we shuld bestow iuste labours vpon the mortall bodye and to haue no regarde of the immortal soule Further if a maÌ„ haue at home an horse colte or a whelpe of a good kynd wyl he not straight waye begynne to fashion hym to do sumwhat and wyll do that so muche the more gladlye the readyer the yonge age is to folow the teachers mynde Wee wyl teache a popiniaye while time is to speke as a manne dothe knowynge well that the elder he waxeth the lesse apte he wyll be to be taughte yea the common prouerbe geuyng warnynge of thys thynge That an old popiniaye careth not for the rod. And what a thynge is it to be diligente in a byrde and â—â—owe in teachynge thy sonne What do the wytty husbandmen Do they not teach euen straight way the plaÌ„tes whyle they be yet tender to put awaye theyr wylde nature by graffynge and wyll net tarye tyll they be waxen bygge and myghtye And they do not onlye take heede that the litle tree grow not croked or haue any other faute but if ther be anye they make haste to amend it whyle it wyll yet bowe and folowe the hande of the fashioner And what liuyng thynge or what plante wyll bee as the owener or or housebande manne wolde haue it to serue for excepte oure dylygence helpe nature The sooner it is donne the better wyll it come to passe Indede to manye dumme beastes nature the mother of all thynges hath geuen more helpe to do theyr natural offices but because the prouideÌ„ce of God hath of al creatures vnto men onlye geuen the strength of reason she hath left the greatest parte to educacion in so much that one hath written very wel the first poynte the middle and the thirde that is the chyefe of all mans felicitye to be good instruccion ryght bryngynge vp Whych prayse Demosthenes gaue to ryght pronunciacion and that in deede not falsely but ryghte bryngynge vp helpeth muche more to wysedome then pronunciacion to eloquence For diligente and holy bringing vp is the founteyne of al vertue As to folye and myschief the fyrst seconde and thyrde poynte is vndiligente and corrupte educacion Thys is the thynge that is chiefelye lefte vnto vs. That is the cause why vnto other beastes nature hathe geuen swyftnes flyght sharpnes of sight greatnes and strengthe of bodye scales flyshes heares hornes nayles venome wherby they may both defende their healthe and prouide for theyr liuynge and brynge vp their yonge and bryngeth forthe man onlye softe naked and vnfensed but in stede of all thys hath geuen hym a mynde hable to receiue all discipline because in this onlye are all thynges if a man wyll exercise it And euerye liuynge thynge the lesse mete it is to learnynge so muche the more it hathe of natiue prudence Bees learne not to make their celles to gatheâ— iuâ—e and to make honye The â—mets are not taughte to gather into their holes in somer wherby they shulde lyue in wynter but all these thynges be done by instruccion of nature But man neyther can eate nor go nor speake except he be taught Then if the tree brynge forthe eyther no fruite or vnsauerye wythout the diligence of grafâ—ing if the dogge be vnmete to hunte the horse vnapte to iuste the oxe to the plowe except oure diligence bee putte to howe wylde and vnprofitable a creature wolde man become except diligeÌ„tlye and in dewe tyme he shulde be fashioned by good bryngynge vp I wyll not here rehearse vnto you the example of Lycurgus knowen of euerye man whyche bryngynge oute two whelpes one of a gentle kynde but euyll taughte that ran to the meaâ—e that other of sluggyshe syres but diligently brought vp that leaâ—te the meate and leapt vpon the beast Nature is an effectuall thynge but educacion more effectuall ouercommeth it Menne take heede that they maye haue a good dog to hunte to haue a good horse to iournei with and here thei thynke no diligence to be to hastie but to haue a sonne that shulde be both worship and profite to the parentes vpon whome they myghte â—aye a good part of the charges of their houshold whose loue mighte noryshe and beare vp their vnweldy age and y t shuld shew hym self a trustye and healpynge sonne in a lawe a good husbande to his wife a valiaunte and profitable citizen to the common wealthe I saye to haue suche eue eyther they take no care or else they care to late For whoÌ„ do they plant for whoÌ„ do they plowe for whoÌ„ do they buylde for whoÌ„ do thei hunt for riches both by land by sea not for theyr chyldreÌ„ But what profite or worshyp is in these thinges if he y t shal be heire of theÌ„ can not vse theÌ„ With vnmesurable studye be possessions gotten but of the possessor we take no kepe Who prepareth an harpe for the vnskylfull of musycke Who garnysheth a librarie for hym that can skyl of no bookes And are so great ryches gotten for hym whyche can not tell howe to vse them If thou gettest these thynges to hym that is well broughte vp thou geueste hym instrumentes of vertue but if thou get them for a rude and rusticall wytte what other thynge doest thou then minister a matter of wantonnesse and mischiefe What canne bee thoughte more folyshe then thys kynde of fathers They prouide that the bodie of the sonne maye be wythout faute and shulde bee made apte to do all manner thynges comelye but the mynde by whose moderacion all honeste wyrkes do stand that they care not for It nedeth me not here to rehearse that riches
the foole As nature therefore is in no mannes owne hande so wee haue taught wherin by some meanes we maâ—e helpe nature But good orderynge and exercise is altogether of our own witte and diligence How much the waye to teach doth helpe thys specially declareth that we se daylye burdens to be lyft vp by engiâ—s and arte whiche otherwyse coulde bee moued by no strength And how greatly exercise auaileth that notable saying of the old wise man inespeciallye proueth that he ascribeth all thynges to diligence and study But labour say they is not meete for a tender age what readines to lerne can be in children whych yet scarse knowe that they are men I wyll answere to bothe these thinges in few wordes How agreeth it that that age shulde bee counted vnmeete for learnynge whych is nowe apte to learne good maners But as there be rudimentes of vertue so be there also of scicences Philosophy hath his infancie hys youthe and rype age An horsecolt which forthwyth sheweth his gentle kynd is not straight way forced wyth the bytte to cary on hys backe an armed manne but wyth easy exercises he learneth the fashion of warre The calfe that is appoynted to the plowghe is not strayght wayes laden wyth werye yockes nor prycked wyth sharpe godes but as Uirgyl hath elegantlye taught Fyrst they knyt aboute his necke circles made of tender twygges and after when his free necke hathe bene accustumed to do seruice they make rounde hoopes mete when they be wrytheÌ„ ioyne a payre of meete ons together and so cause the yonge heyfeâ—s to gooe forwardes and often tymes they make them to draw an empty cart and sleightly go awaye but afterwards they set on a great heauy aâ—elâ—ree of beeche and make them to draw a great plough beame of yroÌ„ Plowmen can skyll howe to handell oxen in youthe and attemper their exercises afâ—er their strength muche more diligently ought this to be done in bringing vp our children Furthermore the prouideÌ„ce of nature hath geuen vnto liâ—le ons a certen mere habilitie An infant is not yet meeâ—e to whome thou shuldest reade y e offices of Cicero or the Ethickes of Aristotle or the moral bokes of Seneca or Plutarche or the epistels of Paule I confesse but yet if he do any thyng vncomly at the table he is monyshed and when he is monyshed he fashioneth hym selfe to do as he is taught He is brought into the temple he lerneth to bowe his kne to holde hys handes manerly to put of hys cap and to fashion all the behaueour of hys bodie to worshyp God he is coÌ„maunded to holde hys peace when misteries be in doyng and to turne hys eyes to the alter These rudimentes of modestye and vertue the childe lerneth before he can speake which because they sticke fast vntil he be elder they profit somwhat to true religioÌ„ Ther is no differeÌ„ce to a chyld when he is first borne betwene his pareÌ„tes straungers A non after â—e learneth to knowe his mother after his father He learneth by litle litle to reuereÌ„ce theÌ„ he learneth to obey them to loue theÌ„ He vnlerneth to be angrye to be aueÌ„ged when he is biddeÌ„ kysse theÌ„ that he is aÌ„gry withal he doth it vnlerneth to bable out of measure He lerneth to rise vp geue reuerence to an old maÌ„ to put of his cap at y e image of the crucifix Thei that thinke y t these lytle rudimeÌ„tes help nothing to vertue in my mind be greatly deceiued A certeÌ„ yonge man wheÌ„ he was rebuked of Plato because he had plaied at dice coÌ„plained y t he was so bitterly chiddeÌ„ â–ª for so litle harme TheÌ„ quod Plato although it be but smal hurt to play at dice yet is it great hurt to vse it As it is therefore a greate euyll to accustume thy selfe to euyl so to vse thy selfe to small good thynges is a greate good And that tender age is so muche the more apte to learne these thyngs because of it selfe it is plyaunt vnto all fashions because it is not yet occupyed wyth vyce and is glad to folowe if you shewe it to do any thinge And as coÌ„monlye it accustumeth it selfe to vyce or euer it vnderstand what vyce is so wyth lyke easynes maye it be accustumed to vertue And it is beste to vse best thinges euen at the fyrst That fashion wyll endure longe to the which you make the empty and tender mynde Horace wrote that if you thruste oute nature wyth a forke yet wyll it styll come againe He wrot it and that very truly but he wrote it of an olde tre Therfore the wise husband man wil straight waye fashion the plante after that maner whyche he wyll haue tarye for euer when it is a tree It wyll soone turne in to nature that you powre in fyrste of all Claye if it be to moyste wyl not kepe the fashion that is prynted in it the waxe may be so softe that nothynge can bee made of it But scarse is there any age so tender that is not able to receyue learnyng No age sayth Seneca is to late to learne whether that be true or no I wot not surely elderly age is very harde to learne some thyngs This is doutles that no age is so yonge but it is apte to be taught inespecially those thynges vnto the whych nature hathe made vs for as I sayd for thys purpose she hath geuen a certen peculier desyre of folowyng that what so euer they haue herde or seene they desyre to do the lyke and reioyse when they thynke they can do any thyng a man wolde saye they wer apes And of thys ryseth the fyrste coniecture of their wyt and aptnes to be taughte Therefore assone as the man chyld is borne anone be is apte to lerne maners After wheÌ„ he hath begon to speake he is mete to be taught letters Of what thynge regarde is fyrste to be had a readines by by is geuen to lerne it For learnyng although it haue infinite commodities yet excepte it wayte vpon vertue it bryngeth more harme then good Worthâ—lye was refused of wyse menne theire sentence which thought that children vnder seuen yere olde shulde not be set to lernyng and of thys sayinge manye beleued Hesiodus to be the author albeit Aristophanes the gramarian sayd that those morall preceptes in the whych worke it was written were not made by Hesiodus Yet nedes must he be some excelleÌ„t wryter which put forth such a booke that euen learned menne thought it to be of Hesiodus doing But in case it were Hesiodus with out doute yet no mans authoritie oughte to be of suche force vnto vs that we shulde not folowe the better if it bee shewed vs. Howebeit who soeuer wer of thys mynd they meant not thys that all thys time vntyll seuen yeres shulde bee quite voyde of teachyng but that before that tyme chyldren shulde not bee troubled wyth the laboure of studies in the whych
to passe in thre whole yeres wyth their beaâ—ynges threatyngs and brawlynges Yet do not I alowe the diligence of some to painful whych drawe out these thyngs by playinge at chesses or dyce For when the playes them selues passe the capacitie of chyldren how shal they lerne the letters by them This is not to helpe the chyldrens wyttes but to put one labour to an other As there be certen engins so full of worke and so curious that they hynder the doynge of the busines Of thys sorte commonly be all those thynges whych some haue deuised of the arte of memorye for to gette money or for a vayne boastynge rather then for profite for they do rather hurte the memorye The best crafte for memorie is thorowlye to vnderstande and then to brynge into an order last of al ofteÌ„ to râ—pete that thou woldest remember And in litleous there is a natural great desyre to haue the mastry inespecially of suche as be of lustye courage and lyuely towardnes The teacher shall abuse these inclinacions to the profite of hys study If he shall profite nothing by prayers and fayre meanes neyther by gyftes mete for chyldren nor prayses he shal make a contencion with hys equales Hys felowe shall be praysed in the preseÌ„ce of the duller Desyre to be as good shall quicken forwards whom only adhortacion coulde not do Yet it is not meete so to geue the mastrie to the victor as thoughe he shulde haue it for euer but somtime he shall shewe hope to hym that is ouercome that by takyng hede he may recouer y e shame whych thynge capteynes be wonte to dooe in batayle And sometyme we shall suffer that the chyld shuld thynke he hadde gotten the better when he is worse in deede â–ª Finally by enterchaungyng prayse and disprayse he shall noryshe in them as Hesiodus sayth a stryfe who shall do best Perchaunce one of a sadde wyt wyl be loth so to play the child among chyldren And yet the same is not greued neyther yet ashamed to spende a greate parte of the day in playing wyth litle puppies and marinesettes or to babble wyth a pie or popinâ—ay or to play the foole wyth a foole By these tryfles a verye sadde matter is broughte to passe and it is meruell that good men haue litle pleasure herein seeyng y e natural loue of our children and hope of great profit is wunt to make those thynges also pleasauÌ„te whyche of them selues be sharpe sowre and bytter I confesse that the preceptes of grammer be at the beginnynge somewhat sowre and more necessary then pleasant But the handsomnes of the teacher shal take from them also a greate parte of the payne The beste thynge and playnest muste be taughte fyrste But nowe wyth what compasses and hardenesse be chyldren troubeled whyle they learne wythout the booke the names of the letters before they knowe what manner letters they bee Whyle they be compelled in the declinynge of nownes and verbes to can by toote in howe manye cases moodes and tenses one worde is put as muse in the genetiue and datiue singuler the nominatiue and vocatiue plurel Legeris of legor and of legerim and legero What a beatyng is theÌ„ in the schole wheÌ„ chyldren be axed these thynges Some light teachers to boast their lernynge are wonte of purpose to make these thynges somewhat harder Whyche faute maketh the beginnynges almost of all sciences in doute and paynfull specially in logicke And if you shewe them a better waye they answere they were brought vp after thys fashion and wyll not suffer that anye chyldren shulde be in better case then they them selues were when they were chyldren All difficultye eyther therfore muste be auoided whyche is not necessarye or that is vsed oute of tyme. It is made softe and easy that is done wheÌ„ it shuld be But when tyme is that of necessitie an harde doute muste be learned than a cunnynge teacher of a childe shall studye as muche as he may to folowe the good and frendlye Phisicians whych whan they shall gyue a bytter medicyne do anoynt as Lucrecius saith the brimmes of their cuppes with honye that the chylde entised by pleasure of the swetenes shuld not feare the wholesome bytternes or else put suger into y e medicine it selfe or some other swete sauoryng thynge Yea they wyl not be knowen that it is a medicine for the only imaginacion sometyme maketh vs quake for feare Finally thys tediousenes is sone ouercome if things be taught them not to much at once but by lytle and litle and at sundrie times Howebeit we ought not to distrust to much chyldrens strength if perhaps they muste take some paines A chyld is not myghty in strength of bodye but he is stronge to continue and in abilitie strong inough He is not myghty as a bull but he is strong as an emet In some thinges a flye passeth an elephant Euerye thyng is mighty in that to the whyche nature hathe made hym Do we not se tender chyldren tuÌ„ne merueylouse swyftlye all the daye long and feele no werinesse What is the cause Because playe is fitte for that age and they imagine it a playe and no labour And in euerye thynge the gretest part of payne is imaginacion whych somtyme maketh vs feele harme when there is no harme at all Therefore seynge that the prouidence of nature hath taken awaye imaginacion of laboure frome chyldren And howe muche they lacke in strengthe so muche they be holpen in thys part that is that they feele not labour It shal be the masters parte as we sayde before to put away the same by as many wayes as he can and of purpose to make a playe of it There be also certen kindes of sportes meete for chyldren wherwyth theyr earnest studye must somwhat be eased after they be come to that they muste lerne those higher thynges whyche can not be perceiued wythoute diligence and laboure as are the handling of Themes to turne latine into Greeke or greeke into latine or to learne cosmographie wythout booke But moste of all shall profite if the chylde accustume to loue and reuerence hys master to loue and make muche of learnyng to feace rebuke and delyght in prayse There remayneth one doute wonte to be obiected by those whych saye The profite that the chylde gerteth in those thre or foure yeres to be so lytle that it is not worthe the laboure eyther to take so muche payne in teachynge or bestowe so much coste And these in dede seme vnto me not so muche to care for to profite the chyldren as for the sparyng of theyr money or the teachers labour But I wyl saye he is no father whyche when the matter is of teaching his child taketh so greate care for expenses Also it is a folyshe pitie to thintent the master shuld saue his labour to make his sonne lose certen yeres I graunt it to be true in dede y e Fabius sayth y t more good is
beinge but a yonge man was so eloquent wel sene in the mathematical sciences So well sene also were many Emperors Marcus Tullius â–ª also Uirgil and Horace in their lusâ—y youth were so excellent in learninge and Eloquence all bycause they were strayght waye in their tender age learned of their parentes nourses the elogancy of the tonges and of the beste maisters the liberal sciences as Poetry Rhetorique Histories the knowledge of antiquities Arithmetique Geographye Philosophye moral and political And what do we I â—raye you wee kepe out children at home till they be past fourtene or fiftene yere old and whan they be corrupted wyth idlenes ryot delicatenes with muche worke at the laste we sende them to the coÌ„men scholes There to further y e matter wel they taste a little grammer after whan they can declyne words ioyne the adiectiue and the substaÌ„tiue togither they haue learned al the grammer and thaÌ„ be set to that troubled Logike wher they must forget againe if they haue learned to speake anie thynge well But more vnhappye was the tyme whan I was a child whiche al to vexed the youth with modes of signifâ—inge and other folyshe questions teching nothinge els then to speake folishelye Uerely those masters bicause they wold not be thought to teach folish thinges darckened grammer wyth difficâ—lties of Logike and Metaphisiâ—e euen for this verelye that afterwardes they shold returne backwardelye to learne grammer whâ— they were olde whiche we see happeneth nowe to some diuines that be wyser that after so manye hye degrees and all their titles wherby they maye be ignoraunte in nothing they be faine to come againe to those bookes whiche are wonte to be reade vnto children I blame theÌ„ not for it is better to lerne late then neuer that thing which is necessary to be knowen Good Lorde what a world was that whan wyth greate boastynge Iohn Garlandes verses wer read to yonge men and that with longe and painefull commentaries whaÌ„ a greate parte of tyme was consumed in folyshe verses â–ª in saying theÌ„ to other repetynge them and hearynge theim agayne whan Florista and Florius were learned without booke for as for Alexander I thynke him worthye to be receiued amonge the meaner sorte Moreouer howe muche tyme was loste in Sophistrye and in the superfluous mases of Logyke And bicause I will not be to longe howe troublesomelye were all sciences taughte howe paynefullye whiles euerye reader to auaunce him selfe wolde euen straighte waye in the begynninge stuffe in the hardest thynges of all and sometyme verye folyshe thyngs to For a thyng is not therfore goodly bycause it is harde as to stand a far of and to caste a mustarde seede thorowe a nedles eye misse not it is hard in dede but yeâ— it is a verye trifle and to vndo a payre of tariers it is much worke but yet a vayne and idle subtiltye Adde here vnto that oftentymes these thynges be taught of vnlearned men and that is worse of lewd learned men somtyme also of sluggardes and vnthriftes which more regarde takynge of money thaÌ„ the profite of their scholers WhaÌ„ the commune bryngynge vp is suche yet do wee maruayle that fewe be perfitly learned before they be old The beste parte of oure lyfe is loste wyth idlenes with vices wherewith whan we be infected we giue a litle parte of our tyme to studies and a greate parte to feastes and plaies And to an yll matter is taken as euil a craftes manne either teachynge that is folyshe or that whiche must be vnlearned againe And after this we make our excuse that the age is weake the wyt not yet apte to learne the profite to be verye small and manye other thinges whan in dede the fault is to be ascribed to euill brynginge vp I wil not trouble you any leÌ„ger onelie wil I speake to your wisdome whyche is in other thynges verye sharpe and quycke of syght Consider howe deare a possession youre sonne is howe diuerse a thynge it is and a matter of muche worke to come by learnynge and how noble also the same is what a redines is in all childrens wyttes to learne what agilitie is in the mynd of maÌ„ howe easily those thynges be learned whyche be beste and agreable to nature inespeciallye if they be taught of learned and gentle maisteâ—s by the waye of playe further how fast those thynges abide with vs wherew t we season fyrste of all the emptye and rude myndes whiche sâ—lfe thynges an elder age pâ—rceyueth boeth more hardelye and soner forgetteth Beside thys how dear and the losse neuer recouered tyme is howe much it auayleth to begin in seasoÌ„ and to learne euery thyng whan it shold be how much continuaunce is able to do howe greately the heape that Hesiodus speaketh of doeth increase by puttinge to little and litle how swiftly the time flieth away how youth wyll alwayes â—e occupied howe vnapte olde age is to be taught If thou consyder these thynges thou wilt neuer suffer that thi litle child shoulde passe away I wil not say seuen yere but not so much as thre dayes in the whiche he maye be eyther prepared or instructed to learnynge though the profit be neuer so litle FINIS ¶ Imprynted at London by Iohn Day dwellinge ouer Aldersgate beneth saint Martyns And are to be sold at his shop by the litle conduit in Chepesyde at the sygne of the Resurâ—ection Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum Per septennium The tytle of thys worcke straunge Sheme and Trope Vse maketh strauÌ„ge thinges familier Oure language falsely accused of barbarousnes Gower Chawcer Lidgate Syr Thomas Elyot The occasion of thys treaise Rodulphus Agricola Mosellane Quintilian Cicero Erasmus A figure not to be vsed but for a cause Westimerus Augustinus And apte similitude Eloquucion Scheme Prosthesis Apheresis Epenthesis Syncope Proparalepsis Apocope Ectasis Systole Synolephe Antisthecon Prolepsis Zengma Presozeugma Mesozeugma Rypozeugma Diazeugma Silepsis Epergesis· Ryperbation Anastrophe Hysterologia Tmesis Parenthesis Eclipsis Antiptosis Acyrologia Pleonasmus Perissologia Tautologia Romiologia Amphibologia Periergia Macrologia Tapinosis Aschrologia Cacozelia AschematistoÌ„ Cacosintheton Soraismus Barbarismus Solecismus Analogia Tasis Sinthesis Metaphora Catachâ—esis Metalepsis â–ª Metonomia Synecâ—oche Pronominacio Periphrasis Aenigâ—â—a Parenna Ironia Sarcasmus Astysmus Mycterismus Antiphrasis Charicutismus Epanaphora Antistrophe Symploce Anadiplosis Epanodus Sinonimia Sinathrismus Epiphonesis Areia Deesis Euche Epiplexis Erotesis Erotema Prosapodosis Antiphora â–ª Aporia â—pophasis Epilogus Epitrope Anacinosis Dialisis Antitheton Antithesis Colon. Dialyton Isocolon RomioptotoÌ„ RomoteleÌ„to Climax Orismus Metabasis Paralepsis Asindeton Apostrophe Anangeon Anaclasis Bomphiologia Miosis Liptote Diasirmus Particio Enumeracio EnumeracioÌ„ of thynges that go before EnumeracioÌ„ of the causes EnumeracioÌ„ of effectes â–ª consequeÌ„tes Energia Charactirsmus Prosopographia Aetopeia Pathopeia dialogismus Mimisis Amplificacio Proues Two sortes of proues Signes be referred to proues vnartificial why Signes wherfore â–ª Signes be referred to tyme. Two maner of signes Proues takeÌ„ oute of circuÌ„staunces How proues of circuÌ„stauÌ„ces differ froÌ„ Aristotels places CircuÌ„staÌ„ces of person Kynred Nacion â–ª â—ynd Age. Educacion â—auiour of the boâ—â—â— Fortune Condicion The natuâ—â— of the mynd Studiâ—s Affectacion Wordes spoken deedes done before Commocion Name CircuÌ„staunces of things be these Fine orâ—â—de Place Tyme Tyme hathe two significacions Chaunce Instrument Examples Parable Indicacio Exergasia Diuision of y e confutacioÌ„ Chyldren euyl broughte vp brynge shame to their pareÌ„tes A wayward feare for hurting childreÌ„s bewtye ProuisioÌ„ for easinge chyldrens labour Emulacion is an enuye wythout malice â–ª for desire to be as good as an other to be asmuch praysed Ciuile officers and prelates shuld se that ther wer good schole masters Vespasian Plinie Pouertie hurteth good wittes A sentence to be marked A lykenynge of scholemasters and nurses together The fedyng of the bodye and mynd câ—pared together What things lyâ—le yonge chyldreÌ„ shold be fyrste taughte Chyldren desyre naturally to folow do as other do Bucolicall where y e herdmen do speke of nete and shepe That is a teacher of holye lernynge Autumne is the tyme betwyxt somer and wynter The meaning of y e poetes deâ—â—le touching the muses Charites Wherfore leâ—nyng is called humanitie How learnyng may be made swete vnto y e chyld The practise of a certen englishe man to teache hys chyld hys letters by shootyng The beste craft for memorie A good scholmaster in teachyng muste folow a phisicion in medicines Note the sentence The last obieccion touching the profit of y e câ—yld in his young yeres â—uide Lucane Bassus Persius Alexander Nota. A goodli brief rehearsall of the thinges before spokeÌ„