natures of young wittes accommodating theÌ„ selues thereunto with a feruent zeale and by the like discreation to administer order to their Disciples and to themselues voluntarie and often labor to teache them leauing to them no more tyme of idlenes then is conuenient to refreshe the minde made solenne with study for as too great continuance or force of trauell breakes the strength of the bodie and also long idlenes restraines and weakeneth it yea euen to vexe it with the least trauell that is so in too vehement and continuall studie is great peril specially to the soft and tender braine of a young childe which it makes dull euen to lothe and hate all studie and takes awaye all aptnes and power to comprehend and retaine anye doctrine so that as in al other actions so in this chiefly mediocretie and discretion is a principall vertue The grindstone giues an edge to the dull knife but if it be holden ouerlong vpon it it looseth a great parte of the stéele and is made afterwardes vnprofitable to cut The yroÌ„ put in vse entertaines his beautie and proper nature but being ouer strayned it breakes in pieces and can not serue the necessitie whereunto it should be applied euen so as the rust eates and coÌ„sumes the yron bicause it is not put in seruice and too great force eyther vseth it or breakes it so also as idlenes seduceth good wâ—â—tes and makes them apt to any contrary arte by contrary reason immoderate labour and too great feruencie in studie spoyleth the softe wittes of young children The young and couragious horse of his owne nature fierse and hoat desirous to runne if his keeper giue him the cariere but more if he féele the spurres doth easely runne him selfe out of breath and becomes in the ende vnprofitable so frequentacion of studie disposed into vehement and intemporat seasons closeth the young wit of a childe wherein there is no lesse necessitie of care to his maister then to kéepe him from long idelnes For that cause is there requisite as I sayd wise iudgement and discretion in scholemaisters of youth to prouide for all things by rate and measure belonging to their instruction as to gyue the spurres to such as are slowe hard of witte and to others more ready and quicke to studie by liuelynes of spirit to restrayne the bridle féeding their sharp forwardnesse of witte and nature and not to discourage them by feare and rude discipline by this discretion and wise rule they glad the sorrowfull and entertayne them in ioye to the ende they become not leane and lothsome and compell suche as are too earnest in studie to take the recreation of a scholler they must restrayne the common gamsters and cutte short their demaundes and desires to playe and yet in any wyse forbeare to deale rudely with children of liberall forwardnesse and apt to receyue erudition as of the contrary they must seuerely correct the stubborne by exemplarie discipline least they corrupt others And séeing we are nowe falne vppon the recreation of wittes it is not impertinent to make some present mention of Musicke as the thing that most of all and naturally delightes and reioyseth the witt wherof Plato and Aristotle in their politickes speake at large it is most sure that harmonie pleasant sound and voice compassed in measure is very proper and conuenient to appease the affections and troubles whereunto younge mindes are subiect and to chaunge all moodes of heauines and thought for which cause Dauid vsed oftentymes the harpe and voyce and S. Iames willeth men in their heauines to sing Psalmes to recomforte them and therefore very necessare that the young Scholler learne to singe and playe vpon musicall instrumentes so that it carry that intention to sing it as a recreation in his other studies of greater importance For then doth it best and most refreshe the mynd and drawe the fancie from wicked thoughtes when it is graue in it selfe and not corrupted with wanton songes wherewith the scripture is a witnesse how much Dauid releeued Saul qualified his bitter afflictions But nowe eftsoones to the institution of children touchinge Doctrine if the Maister finde any of so harde capacitie to learning that their inclination will not bee enhabled thereunto let him not abuse and leade the parentes in vnprofitable expences but after he hath geuen them a taste of the christian Catechisme and other principles of eternall saluation which may be easely comprehended through the singular goodnes of God who commes thus to communicat himself by doctrine to al that seeke to be saued let them be sent home to their parentes to applie them to the profession wherein their nature takes most pleasure This is the discretion which I require in all men professing to teach and instruct without the which as neither doctrine nor zeale ioined with loue to their disciples nor diligence industrie no nor good life it selfe much necessarie to the dutie of good maisters shall be able to aduaunce their Disciples to any perfection so where all those partes concurre and assemble in one painfull man it is not possible but hée shall bring forth a wonderfull fruite in his estate let him therefore trie out by infight discretion whether his scholler be borne to learning or whether he be bée-forced to it and so apply his knowledge according to the abilitie of the childes wit putting to him no more at a tyme then is expedient to his capacitie vesselles with straite neckes receyue by little and little the liquoure put into them and others of wyder receypte refuse not more plentifull infusion so that according to the capacitie of the vessell is measured the quantitie of liquour put into it And as also men make their burdens according to the force of their body and administer diet according to the disposition and hauior of the stomacke euen no lesse regarde must teachers haue to the qualitie of childrens wittes not charging nor confounding them with too graue or heauy lessons or doctrines wherein both the tyme should be vaine to the maister and the labor hurtfull to the scholler for that it would putte his wit in perill And euen as it is contrary to all order to commit diuersitie and too great aboundance of meates to the stomacke hauing no power to disgest them notwithstanding the varietie please the appetite euen no lesse inconuenient and hurtful to young wittes are the cloying lessons albeit they séeme to take pleasure in them But because scholemaisters are led to the knowledge and order of their dutie by many Greeke and Latine authours I leaue them to the studie and consideration of them not inferring these spéeches to minister instruction but onely in passing to aduertise them simplie that hauing so great a charge they can not be too curious in the search and execution of their estate not forgetting the worthy example of Pithagoras who taking disciples into charge proued first their natures at playe wherein a childe hides nothing of his disposition
more often reproches yea being euen as little martyrs so there is no profession wherein are lesse faultes For the Masters séeking but to comunicate their learning with their disciplrs neuer endure their vices if they speake euill they correct them if they do euill they are punished they neuer giue them libertie of idlenes though they allow times of necessary recreation In this estate is nothing but chastitie for which cause they are called Pallas and the Muses being Mayds by which occasion not without cause the Poets fained Pallas the Goddes of wisedome and mayde with hir nine mayden sisters the Muses who also as they signifie the exercise of sciences contayning in it virginitie and perpetuall honestie so they are called sisters as being all of one mutuall societie and indiuidible coniunction There is no thing but vertue and godlines in a schoole and therfore it deserues well to be called a religion if in any bookes of the pagans there be wordes vnciuill bearing to vnchast loue or expressing nombers of Goddes the schollers are aduertised by their tutors that they are spéeches of infidelles which knew not God and therfore in taking the rose they may leaue the thornes and being taught the good they are also warned from that which is euill What resteth now more to be alleadged of these detractors and scoffers of the estate of schoolemasters so noble and happie and almost the generall cause of all the benefites that are done in the worlde where they being men of vaine and light spirites are also a people vnprofitable and a burden and charge to the earth Rattes and deuowring vermin of the garnors of good men bycause they haue not passed by good schooles where with ciuilitie in spéech and life they might haue learned some Art profitable to their countrey and honorable to themselues when they die they cannot leaue any testimonie that they liued vppon the earth for that to them posteritie can prescribe no memorie of god These scoffers by contempt call schoolemasters Magisters and Dominos which turnes as a glory to them for that they haue those names common with Iesus Christ saying to his Disciples you call me Magister and Domine sum etenim so schoolemasters are Magistri by the state of their teaching and Domini for that they commaund their disciples and giue lawes to their affections and lustes where those dispisers of good men for whom according to Salomon the terrible iudgements of God are prepared are thralles and slaues to their passions yea it is to be feared that they are euen the bondmen of Sathan whom they obey and are the executors of his commaundements whereof the greatest and most pernicious is to contemne the good sort and vex with violence and wrong men of learning and vertue being an estate that most batter the kingdome of Sathan bring ruine to his tirannie But notwithstanding their scoffes and vaine impediments they are both Lords and Masters as exercising both authoritie and discipline in their iurisdiction of their small common weale aswell as the greatest Magistrate of the earth and to scoffe with those scoffers we may say they haue their scepture in hand with distribucion of high inferior Iustice for they condemne iustefie and absolue when they condemne there is no appeale yea there is such direct pollecie in their coÌ„mon weale that it suffreth neither disorder nor confusion where it is hard to these inciuill iesters to put order in their small families compounded perhaps but vppon two or thrée persons but crying some times as the blind man wheÌ„ he hath lost his staffe strike sometimes without measure or reason reaping by their disorder a gréeuous curse to themselues and families whereuppon is no great cause of merueile for that being not hable to gouerne themselues for want of discipline they haue lesse capacitie to rule others For end let them remember the sentence of Seneca that euill doth he merit to commaunde others which hath not himselfe liued long vnder the discipline of good Masters and learned to obey their commaundements So that with Salomon I may aunswere them at full that a wicked man can not but leade his toung in wickednes and who abhorres good men are detested of God. An exhortation to young children to studie Chapter xiiij MOreouer waighing with the comon benefitts comming to comonweals the sweet profitts that growe to singuler men by learning I exhorte all young men to the studie of the same their nature speciallie inclining and their abillitie consenting making coÌ„scieÌ„ce to lose one only minute of time according to the examples and counsel of Theophrastus and Plinie Whereof as the on in saying time was a most precius expense signified the no more ought men to consume vainly the least parte of time then to make prodigall expenses or wast of a most delicat meate so the other held all times lost which were not imployed in studie the same being the cause that he would not suffer his reader to repeat to him one word twise alleging that it hindred his time to passe further and learn that which yet he knew not where â—he consented with the moste part of all wise men whose opinions were that in all things ought we to be liberal sauing of our honor time in which two things being so precious we ought to be so sparing as not to be prodigall in eyther of them not to our very frinds But to come to knowledg and vertu they must first demaund them of God who is the only disposer of theÌ„ the lord sayeth Salomon giues wisdom and knowleg and discresion comes from his mouth who hath néed of wisdome let him aske it of God sayeth S. James who giues it abundauntly and reprocheth none of that he giues them but enioyneth them to humilitie for on the humble and méek he bestowes his grace secondly it is necesarie to take suche masters as we haue described good learned diligent and discret Thirdly ther must be aplied great labors and seruis trauell which abeit séem heuy and painfull at the beginning yet after the first taste be past they shall féele a most swéet iuyce or likquor in the frute of lerning for which cause Jsocrates resembled learning to a trée whose root is sower and the barke bitter but in the frutes is a most pleasant delightfull tast Plutarch wills men not to stick at the labor that brings any great or excellent benefitt for with the infinitt and glorius recompence afore God and the whole worlde of suche labor the custome of those paines makes the burthen easie which was right aptly aduised of Cato that vertu hath hir exercise in hard trauells which passe away but the frute ther of remaines eternall being a perpetuall inward delight of the mind of man Therfore muche less that labor ought to terifie or with draw young witts from studie but in the consideration of knowledg accompanied with profitt pleasure glorie and immortall name ther is great cause to
continually for after death thou shalt haue no more worke to dooe meaning whilest thou liuest doo as muche good as thou canst for after death thou hast no more time to trauaile Play is also occasion of theft companion to gluttony a baite to whoredom a mouer of quarels and murders It is written in the story of the Corinthians that plaies were causes of their ruine for this reason Chilon a philosopher being sent in embassage frō the Atheniens to Corinthe to treate of peace for there were warres betwéen those .ii. tounes finding the Corinthians vpon a Festiuall daye so generally set at playe that not one of them would vouchsafe to enquire what was the ambassador and much lesse the cause of his comming And when he sawe that aswell the counsellors and chiefest as the rest were so caryed awaye with the delites of theyr playes that hee could not haue worthy audience hée returned at the instant iudging it to great indignitie that the magistrates and Senate should ioyne them selues with the folly of the popular sort And iudging that the best meane to reduce such incenset people were to assaile them by Armes perswaded the Atheniens therunto who afterward would neuer graunt them peace Playing at tables such like sléeping games are called of Aristotle the sportes of women for that to men those sportes are proper wherin is exercise of the body Touching playes at hazard wée finde them vncomely for all men but specially indecent for the christian profession For as the plaiers are led more by fortune chaunse as they terme it thē by wisedom or ability of the mind which is contrary to the nature of sports wherin is sought recreatiō by some industry of labor or dexterity of the spirit in which the praise is alwayes geuen to the vanquisher So in that play is no glory at all and much lesse duty of praise to the player because he doth no acte to deserue it The minde loaseth his practise reason hath no place the iudgement is confounded and the body hath no exercise the same being the cause why by the iust iudgement of God that kinde of playe neuer contenteth the player for that the more hée playeth the more ryseth hée in desire being prickt foreward with hope of profit abandoned to couetousnes wherby it hapneth that the gaine rising by that playe turneth seldome to profit being rather of a nature so wicked that it drawes men into disorder makes thē poore euen to nakednes retaines them in that basenes of minde that euen in the hardest winter they sit suffer as slaues the rigour of many cold nights with their féete benōmed vnder a cold table wherof are bred gouts reumes litargies appoplexies and yet these miserable plaiers haue no féeling of their wretchednes so swéetly are they lulled in the delites of this playe by the wicked spirite the very author therof For these such like reasons there was neuer christian who estéemed not playe vnlawful wherof a womā pronounsing her selfe a prophetis for holding opinion of certaine heresies was cōuinced by an Auncient and learned Bishop who iudged her not to be such one as she made her selfe estéemed for many reasons wherof one was for that shée was séene to playe at cardes and Dice at hazarde A pastime which neuer any of our religion was séene to vse The Philosophers estéemed them vnlawfull for that they haue no similitude with vertue delude reason and delite not so much the mind as they trouble it For as to the noble spirite nothing is more pleasaunt then when he may winne glory by the show of some excellency so nothing can be more contrary to his nature then eyther by sleight or fortune to bée vanquished by his inferior ouer whom by dexterity of nature actes of vertue hée is superiour Plato likewise would not geue sufferance to those plaies amongst his Disciples to whome when they excused them selues that they did no great faulte hée said this litle vice draweth to a greater offence meaning that from litle faults not thinking theron we slide into higher abuses if the humor of the first vice bee not restrained What then shal our christian gouernors say to our ordinary gamesters but euen séeing they abuse so many sportes and practise the plaies of Infidels contrarye to christian profession to forbid some moderate others aswel by measure and limitacion of time as by rate of money to loase at play the same being a necessary bridle to the affection of plaiers who séeme not to bée maisters of them selues the winners so gréedy of gaine and the losers of perplexed hope and desire to recouer theyr losses for which cause if they seldom geue ouer when al is lost at least recouering a new supply they ronne to a new reuenge so finde no ende in their playes turning theyr time into vnlawful acts and so from quarrels iniuries othes renounsing of God yong men fal into inuentions of theft and robberye with other practises of more wickednes Some haue placed Hunting amongst the sportes and pastimes of noble wittes wherunto Zenophon séemes to allure Princes great estates as to an exercise worthy of them hée sayth there is nothing aspireth so nearelye to the fierce fight with the enemye as to pursue the wilde Beast against whom must bée vsed art industrie labor and watching and sometimes suttletie and force to withstande daunger onely it behooueth the noble man so to choose his time for this exercise that he bring no incommodity to the countrey by reason of their corne Grasse Much lesse ought he to preferre his delyte to any pastime when his office is to consult in necessary matters abstayning from all vpon the Sabboth day And as hunting to the ecclesiasticall sort is an exercise most indecent so there is no lesse cause of restraint to meane people who haue to follow any faculty or arte profitable to the common wealth and necessary to the releefe of their priuate life Daunces with their wanton songes at this day are vaine and vnchaste Musicke of an Arte liberall is conuerted to an vnvvorthy vanity vvhat Daunces shoulde be lavvfull vvhat Daunces Musicke and Songes vve ought to vse a examples of holy men vvho neuer vvould be seene in Daunces ⧠The .6 Chapter DAunces and Roundes no lesse then wanton Musicke nowe a dayes are more dissolute then in times past yea resembling the vnchaste customes of the Pagans without faith and ignoraunt of God the same béeing a manifest token of the general corruption vanity of the present age And Musicke which according to the auncients was an Arte liberall in the which men praysed God song exaltacions to the noble actes of the elders recreated mindes heauyly loden with passions and reléeued bodies wéeryed with actions of trauayle is now become an arte of al vanity and filthynesse helping to the seruice of Sathan the delite of the worlde and pleasures of the fleshe I deny not but Daunces were in vse
it selfe manifestlye and the tongue to speake publikelye what other thing is it to put on a visor and resolue the speach to whispering but to deface the deuine ordinaunce do contrary to God If it bée so seriously forbidden by the law that men should not bée disguised in other kinde then they are much more iust and necessary is this restraint not to take an habit by the whiche the face is deformed and séemes monstrous And séeing the most fayre and noble part whiche God naturally hath geuen to man or woman is the face can there be a greater vice then by counterfeit visors to disfashion it contrary to the aucthor of nature If Saint Ciprian hold painting so wicked which by so much is a great offence to nature by howe much they séeke not onely to correct nature But also God the aucthour pretending also by theyr painting some vaine glory or to entice men to wickednes What may bée sayd of the Maske which bréeding suspitioÌ„ vnder the visor bringes forth oftentimes effectes of much mischiefe Here if any man saye there is no thought of euil they may be aunswered that which is wicked of it selfe is inexcusable Touching Musicke séeing it is a science liberall it is then necessarily the gift of God working oftentimes holy effectes as the sounde of the Harpe tuned to Psalmes and deuout songes by Dauid chased away the deuyll from the spirite of Saul And so without speaking of the Musicall instruments in the olde Testament we reade in the Apocalips howe S. Iohn in an Allegory approoueth the Harmonie of the Harpe And the Lacedemonians vsed commonly in the beginning of their assaultes Musicall instrumentes to moderate their furious courages ⧠Minstrels are vnworthy of the state and felowship of Townes men as also Puppet Players and such as are called shovves and sightes VVhat Harmonie ought to be vsed Players vvere cast out of the Church tyl they had done penaunce such people corrupt good moralities by vvanton shevves and Playes they ought not to be suffred to prophane the Sabboth day in such sportes and much lesse to lose time on the dayes of trauayle All dissolute playes ought to be forbidden All comicall and Tragicall shovves of schollers in Morall doctrines and declamations in causes made to reprooue and accuse vice and extoll vertue are very profitable ⧠The .7 Chapter MYnstrels or common Players of Instrumentes being men vnprofitable to a coÌ„mon weale were neuer in olde time paste holden worthy of Priuiledge or place of Townes men but with Puppet players and Enterluders were reputed infamous because they are Ministers of vaine pleasures enchaunting mens eares with poysoned songes and with idle and effeminate pastimes corrupt noble wittes For which cause as they are called of Aristotle the suppostes of Bacchus whose dronkennesse making them the slaues of their bellyes restraines them from all ability and capacity of good doctrines So it belonges néedefully to the gouernours pollitike to drawe them into rule not suffering the youth of their Citie to be eftsoones corrupted with the soft and delicate Musicke of Lydia but rather to accustome their eares with graue Musicke sturryng to vertue or such as was in vse with the Lacedemonians and Phrygians to moderate the furie of their affections Or like to that of the Pythagorians wherewith at their going to bed they put in rest all the passions of their mindes But that sounde aboue the rest is best which was familer to Dauid singing holy and spirituall songes when he chassed away or at least restrayned the inuasions of the wicked spirite in Saul wherein in déede the holy Ghost by an inwarde vertue sturred vp by the faith and feruent prayer of Dauid did worke more then the Harmonie of the Musicall Instrument But because our common Minstrels by their Arte can not be members profitable to a common weale It were good they learned some necessary science wherein according to good example they might by compulsion be employed not so much to gaine the reléefe of their priuate life as to cut of the example of their abuses to others by a quality vnprofitable where they are bounde to an office of honest and paynefull trauayle according to Gods ordinaunce All Stage Playes and Enterluders Puppet shewes and carelesse Boyes as wée call them with all other sortes of people whose principall ende is in féedyng the worlde with sightes and fonde pastimes and Iuggling in good earnest the money out of other mennes purses into their owne hande haue béen alwayes noted of infamie euen in Rome where yet was libertie enogh to take pleasure in publike sportes In the primitiue Church they were cast out from the communion of Christians and neuer remitted vntyll they had performed publike penaunce And therfore S. Ciprian in an Epistle counselleth a Bishop not to receiue a Player or Minstrell into the pension of the Church by which the poore were noryshed tyl there was expresse act of penance with protestation to renounce a science so sclanderous Be it that by such people somtimes may be expressed matter morrall and Christian doctrine yet their good instruction is so corrupted with Iestures of scurilitie enterlaced with vncleane and Whorelike speache that it is not possible to drawe any profite out of the Doctrine of their Spirituall moralities For that as they exâ—hibite vnder laughing that which ought to bée taught receyued seriouslye so of many that goo to assist them though some are made merye in minde yet none come awaye reformed in maners being also an order indecent and intollerable to suffer holy thinges to be handled by men so prophane and defiled by interposition of dissolute wordes which is as if you should suffer fayre and precious Iewels to bée set in quagmiers or fowle soyles For my part I doubt not but it is a sinne against the first table as well for that there is contempt of that that is good as also in place to honor God his name is taken in vaine many holye wordes recited without thought to dispose them once to edify Great then is the errour of the magistrate to geue sufferance to these Players whether they bée Minstrels or Enterludours who on a scaffold Babling vaine newes to the sclander of the world put there in scoffing the vertues of honest men as at Athens Aristophenes did by Socrates whom he called a worshipper of the Clowdes because oftentimes in contemplation of God celestiall causes hée raysed vp his eyes towardes Heauen there often times are blowen abroade the Publike and secréete vices of men sometimes shrowded vnder honourable Personage with infinite other offences What impietye can bée greater then thus to prophane the Sabboth daye which being dedicated to God ought to bée employed in holye vses And what worse example in a common weale then to turne other daies of honest trauel into exercises wherin is learned nothing but abuses yea what sumptuous preparation apeareth in those playes to doo honour to Satan what vaine expenses prodigally and
wickedlye employed where woulde not bée séene the hundreth part of such prouidence if there were question to releeue the extreeme necessitye of the poore How many yong men returne from thence enflamed to whoredome howe many Maides cōming thither with chast hearts are séene to returne with corrupt wil euen ready to put it to effect if the occasiō offered what man hath béen euer so much profited by them who in his conscience returned not in worse estate then when hée went To be short how often is the Maiestie of God offended in those twoo or thrée howres that those Playes endure both by wicked wordes and blasphemye impudent Iestures doubtfull sclaunders vnchaste songes and also by corruption of the willes of the Players and the assistauntes Let no man obiect heare that by these publike Plaies many forbeare to doo euill for feare to bee publikely reprehēded for whiche cause it is sayde they were tollerated in Rome where euen the Emperours were touched though they were there in presence For it maye bée aunswered first that in such disguised Plaiers geuen ouer to all sortes of dissolucion is not found a wil to do good séeing they care for nothing lesse then vertue Secondlye that is not the meane to correct sinne for that if it be secréete it ought not to bee reuealed but reformed by suche meanes as Iesus Christ alloweth in his Gospell and if it be publike why is it not punished by the Magistrate why doth not the Bishop rebuke it publikely and excommunicate the partye if hee protest not open penaunce wherein in defaulte of the Bishoppe or if the offence bée Ciuill the officers of the Prince ought to pursue the correction being for suche purposes speciallye instituted where suche as are reprooued vpon the Stage much lesse that they are made better but of the contrarye with theyr custome and styll continuaunce in vices they ryse into perpetual grudge against the aucthors of theyr sclaunders ceassing not to followe vice for al theyr crying vpon the scaffolde no more then the Wolues leaue to rauishe the Shéepe notwithstanding the hewe and crye of the shéepheard If they haue habilitye to bée reuenged they will omitte no oportunitye wherein occasion maye bée geuen Yea sometimes they ioyne them selues to the report of the Players vaunting with shameles impudencye that they would al others to bee as they are which is truely witnessed in the examples of Nero Domitian Heliogobalus and others who by so much more increased in wickednes by how much they vnderstoode theyr vices were spoken of séeking to geue to theyr vices the estimation of great vertues they raised to great dignityes such as would follow and applaude theyr euil doinges But according to Christianity we ought not to scoffe at the vices of another but to shewe compassion praye to God for him that erreth applying correction by such meanes as wée may which if it bring forth no fruite to his amendment at the least let vs with Samuel weepe for the vices of Saul and pray to God for pardon for him Charitye sayth the Scripture couereth faultes neither reuealeth nor reioyseth in them no more then the natural amitie of the humane bodye suffreth that one member put out to publike showe an apostume which is in any part of the rest of the body if it bée already in the outward parts shée couereth it by such meanes as shée can that it appeare not ignominiouslye If Libels of diffamation bée punished with rigorous paine why should publike sclanders on scaffoldes escape the sentence where euery eare is open frée liberty of iudgement Heare I reprooue not the Plaies of scollers in actions of comedies tragedies cōmon and Christian wherein is exercise of morral doctrines much lesse of the historye of the Bible exhibited for good instructions exhortacions to vertue and by the which they are prepared to a boldnes of speache in all honorable assemblies enhabling their tongues to readye and wel disposed eloquence Such plaies are farre from merit of blame specially if they hold no comixture with the superstitions of the Gentiles nor othes by the Gods Goddesses which oftē times is performed in the name of Iupiter pertake nothing with the lasciuious iestures mirth of the Pagans More praise worthy are the Plaies of scollers if in theyr declamations they ascribe rebuke to vice geue praise to vertue contending alwaies in the cōtrouersy of learning as by disputacion compositiō I speake not heare perticularly of the Players commonly called Legerdemeners and Sticke List for that I haue comprehēded them amongst the Iuglers But if they vse the art Magick Diabolical as many do illuding the sence whilest they play aswel they as their assistaunts deserue correction as Infidels because they take pleasure in that which comes from the inuentiō and art of Satan Let them remember that S. Paul in Corinth burned the bookes of such as had written of things curious vaine and tending to actes of Pastime who if he made great flames of fire of their Magicke bookes where the Deuil is presēt to do maruailous actes what is to be ascribed to such nowe a dayes by whom they are put in vse and practised to the furtherāce of hurtful purposes And as he called the Magicien barn an enemy of iustice vessel of deceit sonne of the Deuil So by his example let our polletike Magistrates roote vp such cōmon enemies least the licour of theyr vessel being confected by Satan ronne thorowe their Citie to the poyson of theyr simple communaltie ⧠Idlenes is a vice most common bringing with it most other offences and yet no conscience made of it An ausvvere to suche as saye they haue inoughe and haue no neede to trauaile A declaration to the Magistrates and Churchmen shovving hovve aboue all others they ought to bee more vigilaunt and painefull in their vocations ⧠The .8 Chapter ONE of the most common vices from whom most other euils errors are deriued is idlenes a vice general folowing Plaies Pastimes riotes and vnprofitable ease of which as the most sort make small conscience so with some it séemes no vice at al as being so popular and plausible that many trauaile to settle theyr estate and laye vp theyr life in that ease or rather perpetuall Idlenes ascribing happines to those that can enioy it to their delite and pleasure That it is a great vice it is certaine by the text of Ezechiel who calles it iniquity the cause properly of the ruine of Sodom and Gomorre scourge of the Israelites It is iniquitye because it is against the Lawe deuine ordinaunce by the which it is sayde to man Thou shalt eate thy bread with the sweate of thy browes As who saye so muche shalt thou trauaile al the daies of thy life in the labours of thy profession or arte that thou shalt take in hand as thou shalt sweate to gaine thy liuing wherein as by this law al
immortall purtraits of the diuinitie of God and in hospitalles only the corruptible and mortal bodies of decayed men are fed and cherished In Colleges also poore children may bee susteined if the houses haue liberal dowries the same ministring great cause to the gouernours to prouide Colledges séeing also it is a common interest to all men to sée to the good instruction and education of youth what course of science so euer they take as hauing no abilitie of them selues to know what is good honest profitable nor what is conducible to the safetie of their soules and much lesse to discerne God and searche out his wil yea they shal be ignorant in their rule and gouernment of humaine reason so wicked and obscure a nature carrie they by sinnes so ignorant is their spirit so peruersed their will and affections whereby those children folowing time without discipline and institution should fall into infinit errours and dissolute manners and as vice encreaseth as the wicked wéede groweth without culture or labor and euery minde by his proper nature caried to doe euill where vertues can not bee attained without discipline and instruction so these young forward plantes if thei should not be licorred with wholesome moysture and moderated by the industrie of skilfull workmen they would bring forth fruites of corruption and troubles to their common weales and in the end ouergrow them to their generall destruction Let it be therefore a principall care in chief Rulers to erect Colledges building them in places ayrie cleane and faire obseruing the commoditie of the Sunne and wind reflecting temperatly a thing very delightful to the wit and profitable to the health of the body foreséeing that they carrie such state in showe and buildinge that aswell the beauty of the workmanship as the serenitie of the place may draw children of noble houses to passe their youth there and inuite other good wittes to establishe and follow the studie of learning The romthes standing in such amplitude and the chambers so many that they may conueniently conteyne the nūbers of schollers within the house being very hurtfull by many reasons to make separation of studentes one from another and vnder the chambers to bee made formes to the ende the Regentes and maisters remaining in the said chambers and hauing vnder them the said fourmes may better kéepe their schollers in dutie then if their fourmes were elswhere bestowed if the place be commodious it is necessary to make libraries in the sayde chambers which would bée very requisite for good Studentes for to yonge children and such as beare no vehement will to studie they would be but occasion to hinder or disorder their exercise it were good they were bestowed in a mild swéete and softe aier if the place beare commodity for the recreation and pleasure of wittes the windowes of these ought to haue aspect towardes the East and West for the South resolueth the wit and dulleth it and filles the braine with hurtfull vapour and the wind of the North as in winter when it is cold hindreth the memory and is hurtfull to the lyuer and lightes because it stirres vppe defluxion Secondly a Colledge or schole ought to bee indued with reuenue sufficient to entertaine a principall and Regentes of singular vertue and knoweledge with wages accordinge to their order and qualitie and that with such iust payment that they haue no occasion to complaine of their common weale nor of such by whō they are called to the exercise of that profession Touching the reuenues of Colledges without the which the stately buildings should séeme as cages wherin the birdes died of hunger for want of prouision goodly to beholde but not to dwell there the Church in other tymes hath prouided for her part a principall Regent for which purpose shée leauied foure or fiue hundreth Frankes of estate in the Cathedrall Churches for the finding of a man of excellent learning and vertuous life who at this day retaynes the name called Scholemaister and the Bishops and common weales supplied the reste as thei saw necessitie require wherein for the default of some of our predecessours discontinuinge this good and holy institution I wish our Ecclesiastical prelates of this time to restore and recontinue so auncient and necessarie constitution would where neede is either erect newe Colledges and encrease their reuenew or at least repaire such as are towardes ruine and of their grosse reuenues superfluous for the countenance of a churchman compart some porcion to the fauour of learning honour of God seruice of their countrey and their owne perpetuall memorie and as those holy and graue prelates of the former tymes saw there were no better meanes to preuent heresies and correct vices then by laying a ground of good instruction in the first yeares of youth so if their successours had succéeded them aswel in example and imitation as in their huge and wealthie liuinges they had stopped the course to many sectes and opinions which only are the cause at this day that Christendome standeth deuided in religion and the kinges thereof drawen into actes of mutuall conspiracie In some places common weales and cities onely haue had the honor to builde endue Colleges with a reuenue of a thousand or xii C. Frankes at the least for the which they haue bene and are amongest all other cities most celebrated Others not hauing like abilitie in wealth but no lesse forward in affection to learning séeking not to be slow or negligent in that which they sawe raysed their common weale to benefite and them selues into immortall honor procured brotherheads to be annexed leuied generall and particular gatheringes to erecte and endue their Colledges and solicited Bishops to transferre the ayde of certaine benefices makinge by that industrie their colledges both faire and riche wherein in some places as the prince to helpe the want of some townes vnable but well disposed to plant such foundacion of a common weale hath wisely appointed the Cathedrall and Collegiall churches to bestow Cannon prebendes to the reliefe of Colledges specially in their capitall Townes where ought to bee the residence of learned men to teach the whole Diocesse So in many townes specially in Fraunce where they haue so ready meane and either will not or dare not applie it to vse what great offence doe they to their Countrey and pitiefull wrong to their vniuersall youth for where their cities are poore and haue chapters and riche churches to supplie their prouision with the reuenue of prebendes whilest they are voyde yet they leaue the care and prouidence of their prince without execution and are negligent in the instruction of their poore frayle youth for the which they stande not onely condemned afore God but also subiecte to reproche in all posteritie yea euen of the youth them selues to their perpetual dishonor young wittes being by their negligence abandoned to vices ignorance and all sortes of dissolution where if they had ben trained in a colledge they
himselfe looking out of a grated window for not being séene and causing to be layd in the place instrumentes or tooles of craftes men bookes knyues swordes and such like things to obserue whereunto they were most addicted he iudged by this in what arte he was to instruct them if by long studie and his paines they changed not according to the desire of their parentes that connaturall inclination he aduised their friends to dispose them to such arte as their nature inclined them as to the warres to marchaundise or otherwayes saying which I doe well appoue that there is but one thinge to be chaunged a corrupt nature and wicked inclination for touching the naturall vocation it is necessarie séeing it is of God to follow it without contradiction onles we would séeme to resiste God because that as euery member of the naturall bodye hath his proper office so God hath giuen to euery man as to the member of his politike and mysticall body a certain instruction or rather inspiration to followe some peculiar estate or arte aboue others which S. Paule calles vocation wherin we must walke the better to expresse our obedience to God. ¶ Instructions to know by the way of contrary oppositions by the comparisons of the other Chapters the miseries which happen to the world by reason of leude schole Masters Chapter v. LEt vs now handle more at large the incommodities and euils hapning by the fault of Maisters ignoraunt negligent fayling in their charge for hitherto we haue touched them but briefely And for aduertisement to fathers and parents to prouide wise Masters for the institution of their children Let vs also looke into the miseries that happen for not hauing good doctrine in their youth Wherein not swaruing from the comparisons aforesayed in fauour of good Masters but by Antithesis or contrary opposition applying them to expresse our purpose further we say that where ignorant or negligent Dyers in place to giue good and faire die do either raise an euil cooller or ill applie that which is good and burne the cloth in not ministring fier according to time and measure What remedie to correct this desperate losse the cooller can not easely be chaunged and the cloth is either lost or at the least so defaced that he wil be no more brought to the price and value hoped for euen so when Masters vndertaking to imprint sprituall impressiōs in childrē haue taught them that which is euill and in place to leade their youth in good instructions infect them with naughtie principles either teaching that which is wicked or interpreting the good by corrupt and false exposition as not vnderstanding the pretended sence of the author or els as vain and barbarous bring it to their owne purpose how is it possible to supplant in young sprits this wicked impressiō which they haue so curiously receiued the table canuase or parchment receiuing any paynting or workemanship of drawing whatsoeuer can not so well be razed that the staine do not appeare to the disliking of the beholder and much lesse can there be bestowed vppon it any other better counterfet or painting which wil not steane corrupt or be defaced by the fier it is not possible to washe so well a pot which hath alwayes holden oyle but he will kéepe some smacke of his first liccour and putting wyne into it it is in perill to change his tast and be corrupted Euen so is it lost labour to men to breake their braines to roote out of the wittes of Children false opinions instilled into them from their youth by teachers of error and much lesse to clense or purge their fancie defiled with vnchast lessons and stayned with dissolute and filthy spéeches yea with actes and examples vile sclaūderous The Scripture teacheth by the figure of the shéepe of Jacob and Laban that they shoulde conceiue Lambes of cooller like to the roddes which Iacob shewed them in the fountaine where they dronke that euen so simple braynes receiuing any impression by Bookes or lectures preferred to them in the first heate of their conceiuing age do not onely reteine and by time expresse in action their first conception but also are hardly drawne from it most specially if it be euil either by perswasion or contrary instruction We read not that any Disciple of the Epicurien sect euer became stoicke notwithstanding all the Philosophers reproued that sect and by infinit reasons proued their opinion most damnable That was the cause why God sayed to the Jewes in Ieremie if the Ethiopian can change his skinne you may also do well séeing you haue learned in the scholes of false Prophets to do euill as if he had sayd you haue bene so much corrupted from your youth by false doctrine of wicked Masters that you can not now dispose your selues to do wel and receiue the holly doctrines which I giue you by my Prophets But now to the other infirmities if the potters be not skilful in their Art wise and carefull to prepare and worke their first matter to fashion proper mowlles and to applie the fier with rate and season shall they raise any pot or vessell to commoditie if it be euill made were he not better to breake it then to aske a new time to repaire it If the Goldsmith faile in his first workmanship notwithstanding he haue gold ready to make some excellent Iewell hee must of necessitie breake all otherwayes he is not to preferre it to the publike iudgemēt of honest men In the same sort if Masters faile by ignorance imprudence negligence or example to prepare and make perfect the sacred vesselles of the holy Ghost the better to receiue his deuine graces gifts yea tomake such faire precious Iuels as they may be presented afore God How can this error or rather infinit fault be reformed afterwardes Salamon according to the truth of the Hebrew is of opinion that that which is depraued cannot without great difficultie be corrupted meaning not without the speciall grace of GOD Let parents beware to giue to their children schole Masters vaine barbarous and dissolute seing without wise instruction and demonstration of good life there is more perill to their children then if they put them into houses of leprosie and vncleanes wyth good reason Philip of Macedonia did not onely reioyce that he had a sonne but thought him happely borne in the time of Aristotle in hope of the doctrine and vertue which he might get vnder the discipline of so wise and skilfull a Master If the laborers faile to till their grounds in season and replenish them with good séeds let them looke to make no plentifull haruest but if they suffer the vermine of the field and ayre to deuower the corne in the blade they shall reape little or no fruite at all If they suffer them to ouergrowe with thornes thistels and wicked wéedes notwithstanding their labour to wéede and purge them yet they leaue to the field that which the field
teacheth and naturall iudgement that we ought to bee instructed euen from our youth For as the mind as Aristotle saieth is as a table wherevpon nothing is written nor painted and so of our owne nature we can doe nothing but thinke euill speake and doe euill so reason is none other thing in vs then a little sparke of light yet so darkned in our obscure nature that it cā no more guide vs to marche in the darknes of this worlde then a little snoffe of a candell showing darkly in a lanterne dymmed with durt or other filthines is able to giue vs light to passe in suretie through darke and daungerous places it may be aptly resembled to a flashe of lightening in the night which when it showeth vppon the earth gyues a certayne glymse of light but very short leauing afterward the traueling man in greater darknesse not knowing which way to take euen so when our reason hath aduertised vs of that which is good being presently occupied with the affections and dark passions in vs striues not valiauntly to repulse and dissolue them by her naturall light being of her selfe of too great infirmities but yéeldes to them as soone as shée is surprised leauing vs in greater perplexities of oure obscure mynd then we felt afore Whereupon as wée may cōclude that reason without doctrine is as a spark quickly quenched hauing no more power in a man to do well then a body hath meane to trauell without a minde So to the end we stomble not vppon error and vice it is necessary we haue a perpetuall cleare burning lighte of mynde which is doctrine and holy erudition For the same difference that we finde betwéene light and darknes doth Salomon set betwéene the wiseman and the foole or the ignorant Chryste calles the ignorant blind who if they vndertake to leade others fall altogither in the ditch wherein is signified the extremitie of errors whereunto do runne headlong all such as haue not true science It is sayd in the law that for the infirmitie of this reason and naturall deprauation men ought not to do what séemed good to their iudgement and mind but must raise their regarde to that which God commaundeth specially in matters concerning Religion for in things naturall and ciuill there was more libertie Then seeing children are corrupte as Quintilianus saith before they can goe being norisshed in delites rather then vnderstand them and loue the vices which they learne in the pallaices of their parents afore they haue ability to iudge of them such is their infection euen from their first education and norture thei stand need of rate and measure and to be corrected euen from their cradle We sayed before that doctrine chaungeth the mind and makes it fructifie for which cause the scripture compares it to the good séede which as with good tylthe bringes foorth good fruite so without it the best groundes would rather yéelde thistles and thornes then graine of profit as happeneth in often experience by the best kinde of corne which diligently sowne but in common grounde tournes oftentymes into poppel and light graine either by the fault of the ground the tyme or the laborer So there is great néede that with the doctrine and good institution of youth there be suffered no corruption of manners We sée the grounde without tilling and séede bringes forth of it selfe naturally and without art ill hearbes wéedes much more would our nature produce vices and néedeth no instructor to doe euill where vertues come by force of instruction and labor aswell of the maisters as disciples For hauing in our selues but certain seminaries or as litle matches which we must kindle by force of blowing applying matter to entertayne the fire if we will make any So we must suffer this nature of ours to be qualified and fashioned by doctrine and labor as we sée fyer striken out of the flinte by the instrument of stéele ¶ Continuance of the said comparisons Chapter vij THE Philosophers estéemed a man without learning as a slaue that doth all his actions by force where the learned hath a liberall agilitie to all vertuous doings they compared the man without Science to a beast accompting him not worthy to be called a man reasonable of whom one of the greatest glories is to vse reason which he can not do if he haue not Science For which cause Solō the Law reader of Athens iudged not the naturall father worthy of honour and obedience of his child if he instructed not his youth in learning and exercised his tender yeares in vertuous conuersation which opinion albeit is condemned of the Scripture which enioynes to children straite charge of dutie loue reuerence and seruice to their parents Yet so great faultes of Fathers and Mothers by the iust iudgement of God deserue no dutie at all in their children hauing onely receiued of them generation fleshly noriture without goo◠struction for which end God specially blessed them with children And often doth it happen that such children without discipline dishonour their houses destroy great families and by displeasure procure death to their parents to hasten their succession yea they are troublous sedicious and ruines of good cōmon weales And when they come to the scaffolde the last pause to the gibbot they dissemble not but crie with mayne voyce that if their Fathers had made them familiar with correction and discipline they had ben farre from those miseries Truth and dicipline sayth Salomon bee two thinges that giue correction to a young man and the child that is left to his will bringes his Mother to shame and confusion meaning that a yoūg man without instruction can giue no delite nor honour to his parents and to his friendes he cannot but bring rebuke and infamie So that if hée be not reformed by good doctrine and induced to good by the spirite of God with a true faith and charitie he can not by his owne nature but dreame vppon all euill no more thē the thornie brier can of himselfe shake of his prickes or the wild trée bring forth swéete fruit if he be not oftsones gryffed And therfore it can not be iustified to say that it were better to leaue a child to liue at his owne nature wherein as S. Paule sayth is found nothing but deprauation No let him tast of good doctrine which wil be to him as a regeneration and reformation of nature And because it may be asked in what age is best to put children to learning it may be aunswered euen so soone as in the childe is expressed a minde capable of doctrine as to some at fiue yeres to some rather and toothers later beginning with them easely or as it were by pleasure without threates the rod feare or constraint For as science of it selfe is liberall so it requires in such as séeke it libertie and fréedome of wit But if there be cause or place of correction let it be for euill doing and wicked
speaking as when negligent children drawing to too much play and losse of time do mutuall iniuries with corruption of maners Where God is offended as in malice and wicked spéech and worke correction must not be dissembled euen from their infancie in which age aboue all other thinges they must be instructed to pray to God and by little little accustomed to feare and serue him as much as the state of their age wil beare Saint-Ierome holdeth it wel done that the childe be taught euen from his infancy to beare the yoke of the lord with whom Salomon agréeth saying Remember thy selfe O young man of thy creator in thy youth learne euen from thy youngest age to feare honour loue and serue thy God And Dauid is of opinion that there is nothing wherein a young man correcteth better his life then in considering and kéeping the commaundements of god Touching common doctrine it must be ministred gently familiarly easely and if it be possible without the rod according to the surname of scholes being called a play or exercise of learning where young wittes must be induced as to a pleasant play giuing to the young scholler some smal thing of pleasure to encourage him after the trauell of his lesson And for his better societie in studie it is good to ioyne him to a companion as a spurre to his Booke Proponing to him that merites some price commending the victor and blaming him that is ouercome yea sometimes driuing him to teares and yet afterwards recomfort him applying to the slow witte for aduauntage some what more labour of the Master to the end he dispaire not in study being alwaies ouercome This emulation in studie must be continued euen in great schollers for one of the greatest spurres to studie is mutuall enuie among companions as glory to winne and reproch to be surmounted if there be any young children malicious melancholly spitefull or negligent let the commaundement of Salomon be applied Restraine sayth he no discipline from a young childe for if thou strike him with a rod be shall not die of it beate him with a rod and thou shalt deliuer his soule from hell if malice be gathered in the heart of a child the rod of discipline will roote it out of him who spareth the rod to a young man hurteth him and sheweth no loue to the health of his soule but he that kéeps him familiar with the rod declareth his affection to him Therefore Masters that flatter their negligent leude children entertaining them in their vices for feare to loose the profite they get by them or to drawe a more number of schollers commit treble offence First against themselues being guiltie before God of all such offences together with other those faultes which their schollers shall euer commit Secondly they further the damnation of their disciples who such as they are nourished suffred such will they remaine sayth Salomon Lastly they do great wrong to their parents and common weales for that by the euils of those children the parents shall haue perpetuall sorrowe and the common weale continually vexed And in the end such Masters by the iust course of Gods iudgement shal be hated of their schollers and the gaine they shall get shall neuer rise to constant profite but perish before their eyes ¶ Masters ought to instruct their Disciples whome they receiue into commons touching the body with the same labour wherwith they institute their mindes prayses of Science Chapter viij WE must not forget here that euen as masters ought to feede the spirites of childrē with good learning forme them in ciuell mannors and kéepe them from corruption by euill example doctrine standing as condemned afore God deseruing so many eternall iudgmentes as their disciples by their negligence shall cōmit offences So they are bounde to no lesse care to norishe and to entertaine in health the tender bodies of their young scholers wher in it is chieflie necessary they vnderstande their perticuler natures together with the qualitie and operation of meates and so as phisitions prescribe their regiment touching the quantitie and qualitie of their féeding I mean that according to the naturs composicion of their children they muste varie in sorts measurs of meat and drinke geuing to some more and to others lesse As to great lampes where are great matches there muste be more infusion of oyle then to the little ones other waies where is great match and littell oyle and not often dropped in the fyer wil easely consume and put all to ashes Euen so young children whose nature bears a more ardent heat are more drye then others muste eate oftenner then such as are colde and moyst as are the flegmatike sort Let therfore masters entring in to the charge of children consider carfullye of their order of diet And as they ought to take héede not to traine them in intemperat or delicat féeding which makes them glottons and wanton and drawes both body and minde in to infirmities and corruptcion So let them no lesse beware to norishe them hardly and with meates of euill taste for great sobrietie in young children wekneth their bodyes in consumpcion of the roote humor through the naturall heat which is ardent in them by which default they fall in the end into a restraint of breth or tisycke and by the nature of euill meats they come to ill disgestion the worst of al lamentable and incurable disseases by these two extremities vnwise masters procure to their disciples expedicion of death and so are no other then the murderers of them wherin such aboue all other are most guiltie who taking children in to comons or pension for couetousnes doe eyther feede thē sparingly or by sluttishnes prepare them corrupt and vnholsom dyet wherin they merite sentence of cōdemnacion as traytors and suttel murderers of that simple youth abusing wickedly the truste of their parents who through their defaults are the proper deliuerers of their owne children to perill of death wine also being the instrument that leads them in to many sinns can not but shorten their life it burneth by his naturall heat the tender substāce of young men euen as the flame of fier consumes the oyle and so deuoureth the drye matter and wood alredy set on fier Then seing the young child is no other thing then fier to giue him wine is as to cast oyle in to a furnace to ēcrease the heat and burne all for which cause Plato in his comon weale restrained wine from youth till after xviij yeres and from those yeres till the beginning of olde age he suffered none to drinke wine but qualified with water and yet in great sobrietie Besides all these wine prouokes to whordom and engendreth coller adust which in the end by immoderat vse turneth into malencolie and so in the flower of their time makes them diseased with diuerse kindes of colde and incurable sicknes by which occasion the auncients in great reason called wine
specially they haue practised their knowledge by some experience which giues them a skill to fight with more wisedom and greater courage This is in effect that I had to saye in exhortacion to young wittes to followe the studie of learning and withal to aunswere such as hold that learning profites not artisans marchantes no nor Gentlemen if specially they follow armes but makes them fearful to followe the hazard and fortune of warre an opiniō sufficiently proued false aswell by reason as by certaine experience of many worldes The ende of the v. Booke The vi Booke ¶ Of the office of euery estate and first of the dutie of the husbond to his wife Chapter j. WE haue nowe to handle the duetie of euery estate with the particulare conuersacion of all sortes of people excepte Magistrates gouernors Phisicions Apoticaries Surgeons principals regentes and Schoole maisters and office of schollers to their maisters of all which we haue debated before and therefore the better to prepare and order our discourse we will beginne with the thrée first societies beginnings of naturall pollicies and naturall foundacions of all common weales that is of the mā and woman in mariage of Fathers and mothers and of children of maisters and seruauntes and of Maistresses and their handmaydes and so pursue successiuely the other qualities and condicions of diuerse personnes Touching the Husband he ought to acknowledge him selfe to be created of God and that with action of thanks man to his image and likenes to the ende to represent him heare in all perfection of vnderstanding of iudgement and of reason And albeit he hath erred I meane in Adam and is falne by sinne from that similitude Image of perfection yet he hath alwayes reteyned by Gods goodnes more then the womā some excellencie of nature touching the minde force and abilitie of body by both which reliefes of his firste creation nature when he vseth them in seasons and exercises hée hath atchieued many right highe and memorable actes So that by how much he hath that aduantage aboue the woman in those naturall vertues by so much more is hée bound to expresse and show them in the gouernement of his wife and housholde And therefore it is méete hée kéepe in societie with his quicke and sharp vnderstanding a déepe iudgement and a reason exempt and frée from all vaine and wicked affections which he shall then performe to his honor and prayse of his kynd and preheminence of nature when he shall most decke and set out his minde with knowledge specially of GOD which is as a light to the minde in all her speculations and humane actions and when hee shal bee garnished with faith and reskued by the ayde of Gods grace presented and communicated to the humble good liuers And so a man taking this course with common and diligent exercise in vertue may marrie in a competent reasonable age which is in some sooner and in others more late according to the importance of their nature and strength At the furthest let him not excéede xxxvi yeres a tyme for marriage prescribed by Hesiode and Aristotle I thinke they spake chiefly of Philosophers and such to whom by the perpetuall exercise of their youth was no oportunitie or leasure to marie nor sooner then at xx yeares if there be no iust causes of anticipation as not to restraine the vigor and naturall faculties of strength and growing which continues cōmonly vntill xxviii yeares by which the life is shortened and children engendred in the weake age of their father are subiect to debility in corporal stature partaking more of dwarffes then of substantial and perfecte men The same is also a lawfull cause to staie maides from hastie marriage specially afore they beare sufficient and iust stature and their naturall forces resolued other wayes they stand in perill of the inconueniences with their husbandes whiche afterwardes can not be remedied I know the positiue lawes aduaunce the time of mariage giuing libertie to the man at xiiii and the mayd at xii yeares not that those lawes approue that prerogatiue or anticipate marriage by commaūdment but onely by permission to prouide for and bridle those intemperat lustes which easely can not bée limited in young men left to idle libertie and without the authoritie of parentes by which occasion without this meane their hoat youth would carrie them into adulteries incestes and rapes with other filthie delites of the fleshe wherein they would wallow as little pigges in puddles This councell I giue by the opinion and consent of naturall philosophie according to the which wise men are wont to gouerne their bodies and kéepe their youth from corruption And in the Scripture we read the yong mē grown to perfect stature as Jsaac and Iacob had xl yeares afore they married a time wherein they were able to enter wedlocke by holy and wyse iudgement not to accomplishe onely the pleasures of the flesh vnworthie for such as know God but of purpose chiefly to raise procreation according to the institutiō of marriage whom they had then discretion to instruct in the knowledge and feare of God wherunto they are enioyned by scripture leauing the other cause whiche is the remedie of infirmitie for suche as vexed with hoat luste stood in daunger to slyde into the corrupte effectes of the fleshe The youth of Jsrael were neuer admitted to mariage till they bare age to be enrolled in the bookes of mustters for the warrs the better to be able to defende their wyfe and children against enemies wherin the fact can not but beare against all reason to committ a wife to a husband in whom is neyther force to defend hir nor discretion to direct hir both which are most necessary in mariage and much lesse being pore him selfe hath no mean by art or abylitie of industrye to prouide for his wife and howshold great suer is the folly in ani man to aspire to mariage afore he haue attained to the vertues requisit to the honorable direction of that estat and by discretion can employe his wealth gotten to vses and be able by law and force if need be to defend him and his against all violent oppressors But much more intolerable is that rashnes that leads men to marie being not yet prepared to entertain and prouide for the necessities of it by this the séede of pouertie is sowen in all parts of a kingdome wherof the haruest is more plētifull then of other things their children haue their succoure in begging their wiues yet young are constrayned with dishonour to wander to the great perill of their chastitie In the mean while till nature establish compotent years let this forward youth be tamed by trauells and continuall labors let them be enured with sermons and doctrine by the which they may restraine their passions but specially on festiuall days a time when idlenes ioyned with libertie invites youth both to do and think euill yea if ther be