purposes Howe muche more a reasonable creature which is created to the Image of God Surely I wishe you shoulde weigh and consider this with your selfe if other mens children perceiue and vnderstande verie many thinges Why shoulde not yours vnderstande some thinges in the wayes of vertue and godlinesse Vndoubtedly if you will not teach them but still pamper them with too much cockering and delicate nicenesse you shall answere and beare the sinnes and offences of your children And howe sharpely and seuerely the Lorde God executeth punishment for the contemptuous bringing vp of children onely Heli the high Priest with his sonnes may be for an example as i◠saide before which miserably finished their liues Hée for that hée spoiled his children with too much libertie they for because they would not hearken to nor obey the counsels and admonitions of their father though verie gentle light and easie Theophilus Did Heli then the high Priest in Israel offende the Maiestie of God being so woorthie a man with too much cockering of his children And yet I remember hee did reproue them verie often Theodidactus The voyce of God testifieth otherwise which soundeth after this manner I haue tolde him that I will iudge his house for euer because his children did curse God and followed Beliall and hée would not chasten and correct them Therefore haue I sworne vnto the house of Heli that the wickednesse of Helies house shall not be purged with sacrifice and burnt offringes for euer Theophilus Verely this voice of God ought greatly to bee feared of all Parentes For if the iniquitie of Heli so woorthie a man and of so hygh calling could not be purged for euer which notwithstanding sometymes corrected his sonnes and seemed willing to cleanse and purge their sinnes and offences with certaine sacrifices and oblations What shal bee done with them which scarcely at any time haue chastened their children neyther in worde nor deede neither doe they once beleeue that God wil execute punishment of so great wickednesse it is so farre from them that they are willing to bewayle and lament this so great a faulte with true sorow and vnfayned teares Theodidactus Wée deny not that Heli the Priest reprooued his sonnes dooing wickedly but yet hée reprooued them not earnestly and sharply but lightly and tenderly as many Parentes vse to doe now adayes the more to be lamented And therefore that good and godly father suffred payne for the iniquitie of his sonnes by which example suche negligent Parentes ought with good cause to bée moued or if this doe not moue them yet mée thinkes this saying of Paule shoulde rowse them vp and shake of all their drowsinesse which saieth Si quis suorum maximè domesticorum non agit curam fidem denegauit est deterior infideli If a man haue no care of his owne and specially those of his own houshold and familie hee hath denied the faith and is worse than an Infidel Theophilus If you haue any more such like examples by the which you might sti◠vp and moue those negligent Parents from their fluggishnesse bring them foorth I pray you Theodidactus I haue many other examples of whiche you shall heare this one because it is worthie the noting Marcus Tul. Cicero in the Oration which hée made against Verres in his first booke among many other thinges whiche hee obiected vnto him by way of reproch this is one and the chiefest that hée had so trayned vp his sonne that hée had neuer séene chast shamefast or sober feast or banquet for the space of thrée yeares togethers but was euer conuersaunt and in company with wanton Harlottes and vnchast women and with riotous Kuffians and intemperate men so that if hée had any desire to be good yet could hée not escape from them either wiser or better By meanes whereof saith hée thou hast not only wrought greate iniurie to thy sonne but also to the common wealth Susceperas enim liberos non solum tibi sed etiam patriae For thou hast begot children not only for thy selfe but also for thy countrie Which should not only bée to thy selfe a ioy and pleasure but also profitable and commodious afterwarde vnto the common wealth And thou oughtest to instruct and traine them vp in the knowledge and vnderstanding of graue and waightie matters as the quiet gouernment of people in publike assemblies of Ciuile gouernment in Cities Townes and other affaires of the common wealth that loue and neighbored might bée mainteined and not after their owne lewde lustes and wantonnesse and licentious libertie Thus muche of Cicero to Verres touching his sonne A very Christian saying of an Heathen man and meete for all men to bée set on the outwarde postes of their doores in their bed Chambers and closets or rather after the maner of the Hebrewes that all fathers and mothers should haue them on their philacteries skirtes of their vestures and to bée written in golden letters Theophilus I doe not so much maruel that such corrupters of youth were found amongst the Heathen which liued without the light of the Gospel and true knowledge of God but that this chaunceth very often amongest those men which boast themselues to bee good and perfect Christians this is much rather to bee maruelled at and by no meanes to bee suffered At this day as it is manifest to all men our children are brought vp with such libertie and boldnes that a man cannot sufficiently bewaile the same with abundance of teares heere is no shame heere is no reuerence no regard of duetie parents vtterly spoyle their children with cockering and wantonnesse and seekes to refraine them with no feare or correction Mothers take no regarde no care of their daughters but winke at their faultes suffer them to rome abrode seeke their amendment by no milde nor moderate correction neither doe they perswade them vnto sobrietie mildnesse nor modestie with their wholesome admonitions and motherly counsels Wee haue greater care and will take more paines a great deale about any thing els then about the godly education of our children I am perswaded that God is greatly offended with vs euen for this one fault that wee deale so negligently with our children and cast the raines of al libertie and loosenesse into their owne necks after this maner For as wee woulde haue them proue when they shal bee men and women so muste wee deale with them and instruct them in their greene and tender yeeres So that whereas many things fall out amongest vs christians so vntowardly and peruersly touching the disobediēce of our youth nowe adayes I iudge one chiefe cause to come growe and proceede from this that there are so few which take such paines and diligent care as they ought to doe for their godly and vertuous training vp And albeit better is to bee hoped for yet certainely this is still to bee expected and looked for from Children that they wyll growe worse
because it shal bee verie profitable for them Theodidactus But before we procéede any further I thinke it méete to diuide the argument vnto you that be here present to the ende that an order being obserued all thinges may the more easily be vnderstood Wherfore we wil diuide this argument into sixe partes and first we will speake of Matrimonie and the procreation of children Secondly of the profite and necessitie of instruction Thirdly wée shewe certaine dueties perteining to the Mothers Fourthly wée will set before you howe horrible and pernitious a thing it is when Parentes neglect their dueties Fiftly wee will declare that children are often punished for the offences of Parentes Sixtly and lastly wée will let you vnderstande of certaine vices from the which your children are to be feared Of these points seuerally by the assistance of almightie God without whō we can doe nothing with the greatest diligence and wisedome that wée may wée will speake in order and those thinges which wée cannot finish in one day wée will end them in two or thrée And there is no labour so painefull neither charges so great which for your sakes I haue not willingly purposed to bestow For amongst friends all things are common Theophilus And I also for this your good wil doe thinke my selfe greatly bound vnto you for I perceiue this your purpose shal be profitable and necessarie for mee I would there were more of our friendes present to take the benefite of your counsels together with vs. When Amusus came to me yesternight and shewed mee in what you had communicated vnto him touching this matter I was more glad so God helpe mee than if a man had powred into my lappe many millians of gold Theodidactus I would it might please God to grant vs many of your mind and towardnesse but ah las I feare me that the most men do more estéeme millians nay rather one millian of golde than the counsell and admonitions of their faithfull friends though neuer so learned and godly The world is now set on such folly vndoubtedly most like vnto the Asse that had rather to féede on the dry Barly straw then of good wheate were it neuer so swéete and pleasaunt But I will omit these thinges and returne to my purpose And for because mariage is the original and fountaine of all priuate and publike gouernment I will touch some thinges of the beginning excellencie and end thereof Mariage is properly a lawfull and godly ioyning together of one man and one woman ordeined to the seruice of God for the procreation and vertuous educatiō of children to the preseruation of his Church and common wealth Or as some other say it is the lawfull coupling together of a man his wife instituted for the cause of procreatiō of children and the auoyding of fornication Theophilus What is more true or manifest than these definitions But of whom was Matrimony instituted of God or of men Theodidactus Godly Matrimony was ordeined of God him selfe and that in the terrestriall Paradise a place full of all ioy and pleasure in the time of mans innocencie and was adorned bewtified with great miracles in Cana of Galalie where Christ him selfe vouchedsafe to be present at the mariage with his mother Marie the virgine and his Disciples and with his diuine power turned the water into excellent good and most pure Wine which was highly commended of the Maister of the feast by whose presence and miracle is plainly testified that lawful mariage pleaseth him greatly and it is certaine that God doeth blesse the mariage of those that feare him and call vpon him faithfully And Saint Paul highly commend that holie and lawfull coupling of man and wife together saying thus Mariage is honourable among all men and the bed vndefiled Wherefore I may boldly and fréely affirme that mariage is the most excellent state and condition of life instituted of God preserued and garnished with his blessing which all the godly both by preaching and example haue commended vnto vs and placed the same in the toppe of all good workes Theophilus Vnto what end hath God instituted this holie and lawful Matrimonie Theodidactus The end of lawfull Matrimonie is in thrée sortes God hath not ordeined mariage for carnall pleasure and delight this is not the finall cause But the first and chiefest end of mariage is for the auoyding of fornication and all vncleannesse that such as haue not the gift of continencie might marry and kéepe them selues vndefiled members of Christes bodie The second for the procreation of children to be brought vp in the feare nurture of the Lorde and prayse of God that they may be méete for his Church and the common wealth for Parentes ought to teach their children true religion whereof we will speake more at large hereafter Thirdly for the mutuall societie helpe and comfort that the one ought to haue of the other both in prosperitie and aduersitie Theophilus What duetie ought the godly couples to vse in mariage Theodidactus Saint Peter sayeth Yée husbandes dwell with your wyues according to knowledge in giuing honour to the woman as to the weaker vessell and that your prayers be not hindred This commaundement properly belongeth vnto the man because hée is the head and Authour of the nourishing and confirming this concorde which shal by this meanes come to passe if hée vse a milde and moderate kind of gouernmēt not a tyrannous sometime pardoning the womā because she is y ◠weaker creature not indued with like fortitude greatnesse of courage but yet it is not the wiues parte to abuse the moderation curtesie and lenitie of her husband For the wiues faire and gentle spéech and modest silence shal quiet and pacifie much chiding and brawling It is also the wiues dueties to know and consider their owne weakenesse infirmitie of nature And that I might comprehend much matter in fewe wordes the most excellent duetie of godly maried persons is to solicite and call vpon God with heartie prayers verie often that hée would vouchsafe to be present with them and that they might continually nourish concord and mutuall good wil betwéene them and with great diligence that they accustome them selues to lenitie and gentlenesse bearing one with an other and studie to take in good parte whatsoeuer shall chaunce and so shall their conuersation bée most pleasaunt and ioyfull together Forthermore if afflictions contentions or any other euils which the Deuil is wont to thrust vpon the maried persons do assaile them and séeme to be imminent straight way that both of them with their eyes lift vp into heauen doe desire Gods aide protection cease not from prayer till they finde some comfort for the Lord is readie at hand to those that call vpō him in faith without douting For Christ himself saith Where two vpon the earth do agrée together whatsoeuer they shal aske of my heauenly Father it shall be
graunted vnto them Prayer is most necessary in so great perils daungers of life neither is there any thing more séemely pleasant in the house than to sée behold an honest godly societie of the husband wife children wheÌ„ they striue in their seuerall dueties to loue cherish comfort one an other that they talke vpon God and of his benefites that they call vpon him with one voice and haue a care that the knowledge and true worship of God may be set foorth And lastly that the Parents hold not this doctrine only in wordes but also by example of life Theophilus Seing nowe you haue so excellently set forth vnto vs the Godly dueties of Matrimonie it resteth that you declare somewhat concerning the procreation of children Theodidactus You put me well in remembrance for as the procreatioÌ„ of children is the gift of God so is it the proper office of true and lawfull wedlocke which alwayes for the most part doeth waite theron as an inseperable companion which hath the blessing of God as witnesseth she scripture Gene. 1. where as Moses saith God blessed them and said increase and multiply and replenish the earth Herevpon it is that shée was holden accursed which had no séed in Israell and it was a great shame to haue no children Thus did Rachael bewayle the shame and reproch of Lyae So did Hâ—nna when shée was â—aâ—ren pray vnto the Lord and conceiued So in like maner Elizabeth the mother of Iohn Baptist moued God with continuall prayers and was heard Theophilus As the scripture pronounceth them happy whom God hath thus blessed with the increase of children So at this day the common people iudgeth them most vnhappie to whom God hath giuen many children such is the peruerse and preposterous iudgement of the vnlearned nay rather wicked men which looke what God calleth good they dare call euil and what God blesseth they dare curse Theodidactus It is the error or rather the malice of the common people from the which as from a common plague the godly ought to shun and let them rather agrée with Solomon which saith The crowne of the aged is childers children and againe The crowne of olde men is their sonnes sonnes and the glory of the sonnes is their fathers and great graund fathers And Dauid saieth Blessed are they that feare the Lord and walke in his waies For thou shalt eate the labour of thine hands O well is thée and happie shalt thou be Thy wife shalbe as the fruitfull vine vpon the walles of thine house Thy children like the Oliue braunches rounde about thy Table Lâ—e thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lorde And Isocrates being an heathen man coÌ„firmeth y e same also in these versâ—s Foelix fouet bene moratum quifilium Matre sobolis prouentu eris fâ—licior Happie is he which fostereth vp A well taught childe saieth hee Yet in thincrease of many good more happie shal hee bee ANd when Cambises compared himselfe with his father Cyrus and that his friends did sooth him that hée farre excéeded his father Cresus ouerhearing the same answereth after this maner That hée was nothing comparable to his father the which had left behinde him a sonne in the world for at that time Cambises had neuer a childe iudging that this was not the least benefite towardes the common wealth if not only a man shewe himselfe a vertuous and worthie man but if hée beget such as hée is himselfe and make them fit members for his countrie and common wealth And let this be sufficient touching the procreation of children Now let vâ— prosecute the second point that is to say of the necessitie and vtilitie of the instructing of children And first we wil approue the same by the commandement of God secondly by the example of the holy scriptures and lastly by the Ethnickes Theophilus Verie wisely and worthily spoken forsâ—eing that the procreation of children is not the common gift of God it is not without cause that wee ought to bestow al our paines diligence that youth may bee brought vp in the feare word of God But in what words hath God commaunded and inioyned vnto vs this diligent education and instruction of children Theodidactus The God of Israell beginneth after this maner Deut. 4. saying Be not forgetfull of the words which thine eyes haue séene that they slip not out of thine heart all the dayes of thy life Thou shalt teach them thy sonnes and thy sonnes sonnes saying When thou stodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb when the Lord saide vnto mée gather mée the people together and I wil make them heare â—â—â— wordes that they may learne to feare mée all the dayes that they shall line vpon the earth that they may teach their children And againe These wordes which I commaund thée this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt shewe them vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou art at home sitting in thine house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp And thou shalt binde them for a signe vpon thine hand And they shal be warninges betwéene thine eyes and thou shalt write them vpon the postes of thine house and vpon thy gates And in the 11. Chapter he saith Therfore shal ye lay vp these my words in your heart in your soule bind them for a signe vpoÌ„ your hands set them before your eyes teach them your children that they may talke of them when thou sittest in thine house And when thou walkest by the way when thou liest down wheÌ„ thou risest vp yea thou shalt write them vpon thy doore postes of thine house vpon thy gates y t your dayes the dayes of your children may be multiplied Tel your children of it let theÌ„ shew it to their children so they to certefie their posteritie therof Behold y e truth hateth not the light but wil be manifested in all things Therefore the Prophet is not coÌ„tent to teach the people of his time but doeth desire y t they might be taught vnto y e end of the world And he doeth exhort them y t one generation might teach instruct an other And now albeit that very many Parents at this day my Theophilus do lightly regard y e teaching instructing of their children yet how earnestly the instructing of them is charged commaunded here your self may easily iudge So y t when I do bewaile sometime the negligeÌ„ce of many parents I oft burst out into these wordes Alas vnto what end would the education of children haue come if there had béen no commandement nor order prescribed for the same By this we may gather none other thing then excéeding darknesse and confusion of minde that the nature of mankinde should haue vtterly béen defiled which so shamefully contemneth her children of her own self
neuer better serued than on the Sabboth dayes where such abuses are suffred Theophilus I can not tell what I shoulde say of suche wicked and vngodly Parentes but of this I am assured that they make them selues vnworthie of that honour which the fift commaundement doeth exact of children and with their pemitious and detestable examples they leade their children together with them selues the readiest way into the bottomlesse pi◠of hell Theodidactus That worthie Orator Quintiliane was wont to crye out against suche wicked corruptors after this maner Vtinam inquit liberorum mores nostrorum non ipsi perderemus infantiam statim delitijs soluit mollis educatio quam indulgentiam vocamus omnes neruos mentis corporis frangit Quid non adultus concupiscet qui in purpuris repit iam coccum intelligit iam corchilium posoit Woulde to God saieth hee that wee our selues did not corrupt the manners of our children Nice and delicate bringing vp which wee doe cal cockering doth forthwith spoile infantes which delightful and pleasant fansies it vanquisheth and ouercommeth al the forces and powers both of soule bodie What shal not hee seeke for couet and desire when hee is a man that is crept into his purple whilest hee is yet but a chylde Hee can alreadie skil of skarlet and other fine cloth and wisheth nowe to haue cloth in graine Theophilus Seeing that these negligent corrupters of youth are the causes of so great and manifolde mischiefes and that negligent instructing of youth bringeth with it such an innumerable sort of perils and daungers were it not good to set downe some act order and decree to compel such parents by force of lawe vnto those thinges which appertaine to their dueties and voeations Theodidactus Parentes are not to be compelled specially those which haue béene once baptized and taken vpon them the name of Christians those I say ought not to be compelled and forced by the rigour of any lawe but rather a fatherly affection loue and desire shoulde moue them vnto so godly and diuine a worke For who so is once throughly persuaded that hée is to be preserued saued nourished and defended through the benefite and diuine power of Almightie God How can it bée but that willingly hée direct fashion frame him selfe to instruct teach and informe his children and posteritie that they doe the like Hée that once reposeth his whole trust and confidence in God and loueth him with all his heart munde and soule Howe is it possible but that hée will shewe set foorth and declare in like maner his excéeding great benefites receiued from time to time chiefly to his children and domesticall seruants But who so neither beléeueth nor loueth God nor his worde what shall hée be able to teach vnto his family albeit hée be compelled a hundreth times by any lawe prescribed There séemeth therefore to be no reason why such a lawe shoulde be ordeined and set foorth by any Magistrate Theophilus I doe not altogether mislike or despise your opinion notwithstanding in the meane time I thinke and iudge that it is not vnprofitable if suche negligent Parentes should be admonished and the rather for because the good vertuous education of children is a thing so worthie so necessarie that if a man wil account it the verie fountaine and whole summe of mans felicitie I iudge hee should not be greatly deceiued And if I be not deceiued I thinke I haue either heard or read that there was a lawe set foorth against those corruptors of youth and that of Solon the lawe maker among the Athenians Theodidactus It is euen so in déed you haue read and remembred very well Solon that most wise lawe maker set foorth a sore sharpe and greeuous lawe to kéepe Parents in their dueties and they tooke great care of their childrē to be kept according to the prescript rule of the same So that if they had let passe or forgot any thing being mooued either with couetousnes or any other wickednes had violated and broken the good purpose and meaning of the lawe touching the education and instructing of their children There were paynes prescribed and set downe and gréeuous feare of iudgement to the which it was lawfull for any man that was willing to bring thē that woulde complaine of such a father Moreouer their lawful authoritie was taken from them which nature by the lawe of humanitie had giuen them and that the childe did owe to his father For neither was hée compelled to regard nor reuerence such a one nor to sustaine cherishe comfort or relieue him with his goods or mony no though hée were poore sicke féeble or indigent To conclude who so did not throughly perfourme the office and duetie of a good father towards his childe the lawe would not that any duetie should remaine abide in his force authoritie from the childe either of naturall loue and affection or of a thankfull and willing minde towardes such a father Theophilus It was an extreame lawe and they were greeuous paines no doubt which would haue all humanitie authoritie and loue which is due vnto Parentes to be as it were extinguished vtterly rooted out of the hearts of children These thinges doe not consent and agree to your minde and opinion Theodidactus They doe dissent disagrée from mine opinion I must néedes confesse but yet I affirme that those Parents are not to be cōstrained which haue professed them selues Christians and which haue béene truely taught and instructed in the true faith and knowledge of God and are not altogether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say estraunged from a naturall and fatherly affection such as I haue saide are not to be compelled For there is great difference betwéene a true Christian Parent and an Ethnicke Solon though hée were an excellent wise man yet did he want the true fayth and knowledge of Christ Also the Athenians for whom hée made that lawe were in lyke manner Heathen men altogether voyde of the true knowledge loue feare inuocation and fayth of the true liuing God for the Ethnickes are to be compelled one way but Christians after an other manner Theophilus But if there be founde nowe amongst the Christians some which are no lesse guiltie in this fault than the vnfaithfull Athenians in time past were it not good and verie conuenient to compel such wicked and negligent Parents Theodidactus When I sée those Parentes offende as gréeuously which notwithstanding glorie and boast them selues to be dipped and dyed in the blood of Christ as the Infidels and haue as litle care and regarde of their children And are not only equall with the Gentils but also doe farre excéede them in that faulte I might easily bée persuaded that they shoulde bée vrged and constrained vnto their dueties For albeit litle fruite from them were to be looked for yet this lawe might be an example vnto others which might be excited and stirred
Samuel Dauid Solomon Iosephat Ezechias Iosias Cyrus CoÌ„stantinus Theodosius Therfore there is an honour that doth behold respect the persons to acknowledge this also the gift of God to haue parents which do truly performe their dueties for the ordinance itself or lawes without a kéeper prescruer one to sée the same executed are verie weake and of no force as saith that GreciaÌ„ Validares lex est quuÌ„ principem habet The law is a strong forcible thing when it hath a Prince or Gouernor And because the preseruation maintenance of his own order is acceptable vnto the Lorde God the degrées ordeined of him ought also to be kept inuiolable of vs. Therfore this shalbe y â— sum that whosoeuer the Lorde hath set to rule ouer vs wée doe receiue them enterteine honor them both with obedience thaÌ„kfulnes Liberi Oh immortal God how godly and wholsome things do we now heare concerning the honouring of Parents of whom there hath been no mention made to vs at any time It is our partes and dueties therefore to pray vnto God that these so godly precepts and necessarie doctrines do neuer slip out of our minds And for that the Lord God hath now put this good thing into our mindes that we should heare you now more willingly than heretofore we beseech your humanitie curtesie that you wil vouchsafe to shewe and declare vnto vs all other things touching the honour of Parents and chiefly the loue of our elders Theodidactus Plato albeit an Ethnick teacheth saying Parentes senio confectos pro magnis thesauris habendos esse amandos Our Parents being verie aged are to be accounted for great and excellent treasures and to be beloued Cicero reciteth the cause wherefore we ought to loue them Ideo inquit parentes charissimos habere debemus quod ab his vita patrimonium libertas ciuit as tradita est Therefore saieth he ought wee to esteeme our Parents most deare for that we receiue from them life patrimonie libertie and our Citie or countrie Seneca saieth Parentes non amare impiet as est non agnoscere insania Not to loue our Parentes is great impietie not to acknowledge them is madnesse And S. Augustine saieth Caninum est Parentes non agnoscere It is the nature and propertie of Dogges not to acknowledge our Parents And if it be a dogged nature not to acknowledge them it is much more brutish to offeÌ„d them to hurt beate and offer iniurie vnto them as there be some such in the world the more to be lamented And Saint Ierome saieth Meretur caecitatis subire supplicium qui toruo vultu parentes despexerit Hee deserueth to haue his eyes put out that shal looke vpon his Parentes with frowning countenance And Aristotle saieth Qui dubitat vtrum oportet deos venerati aut parentes honorare non indigit ratione sed poena Who so doubteth whether he ought to worship the Gods or honour his Parentes hee wanteth not reason but punishment Theophilus This obedience this loue and this honour of Parents hath it alwaies bin had of such price euerie where in all ages and also amongst the Babarians wicked vngodly Gentiles Certes if you can proue that by some example or worthie testimony you shal procure and incourage exceedingly these children of Amusus vnto the honour which they owe to their Parents Theodidactus There is nothing more easie For one Aelianus declareth plainly affirmeth that there was neuer any natioÌ„ or country so vnciuil nor so brutish amoÌ„gst whoÌ„ the honor of pareÌ„ts hath not bin had in great estimatioÌ„ price but they haue shewed theÌ„selues thaÌ„kfull to Parentes as we may learne by the example of Aeneas For after that Troy was taken of the Grecians they hauing some compassion of the miserie of the captiues published a common cry throughout all Troy that euerie one of the frée Citizens shoulde carrie away with them some one thing whatsoeuer they liked best Aeneas igitur caeteris neglectis Deos paenates exportabat Wherupon Aeneas lightly regarding al other thinges tooke with him his houshold Gods The Grecians preceiuing the godlines of the man with great ioye permitted him also to take with him some one other iewell among all his possessions whatsoeuer hée would Ille patrem annis senio confectum sublatum in humeros portabat Hee with speede hoisteth vp vpon his shoulders his good olde father well striken in yeares They being woÌ„derfully astonied at this his fact left also vnto him all his possessions confessing that such as shewed such pitie both towardes God and men and so louingly reuerenced their Parentes shewed them selues the greatest and most placable friends to nature that might bée A lyke example is also recised of Valerius maximus in this wise The Pretor sitting in iudgement deliuered vnto one of the Triumuirâ— a noble woman condemned to death to be executed in the prison And when hée had sent her vnto the kéeper of the prison hée being moued with pitie and compassion towardes the woman did not foorth with execute her but permitted her daughter to haue accesse vnto her mother hauing great regard as hée thought that hée should bring nothing vnto her for her nourishment and preseruation that might prolong her life supposing that so within a litle while shée should famish pine away And when many dayes were nowe past ouer and the woman yet liuing hée musing with himselfe what should be the cause that shée was susteined so long watched her daughter now more narrowly than before at the last hée espied the daughter giuing her mother sucke of her full breasts which shée had prepared for the same purpose alwayes against her comming thither which so rare wonderfull a spectacle when hée beheld hée coulde not choose but make the Triumuir priuie thereof and hée went and shewed the Pretor and the Pretor opened the matter vnto the Consuls who graunted vnto the woman remission and pardon for her fact before committed and highly commended her for nurturing and bringing vp so naturall and louing a daughter And to the ende that children might bée the more excited and moued to the loue of their parents I will shewe you another rare example There is in the region and countrie of Scicilia the mountaine Aethna of an vnmeasurable bignesse which burning with continuall fire casteth out such fiery flambes and bloweth out such burning stones with such violence and forcible maner by means whereof the neighbours there aboutes bordering susteine no litle losse hinderance and perill It chaunced therefore in the 3510. yéere of the foundation of the worlde after the Babilonicall deliuerance that this Mountaine threw foorth such forcible and mighty fiers that the Citie Cathana was burnt and consumed to dust as witnesseth Pansania saying Et arderent aruis segetes milliacultuiugera cum dominis syluae collesque virtutes Adëo â—t quisque quod sibi charissimum
of their Parentes Theodidactus This we ought to knowe and vnderstand that after such commixion and coupling of them selues together they may not be seuered nor disioyned neither may such marriages be broken by the authoritie of their Parents for because there is now no question of any marriage to come and the authoritie of Parentes is alreadie violated and corrupted so that great iniurie shoulde be offered vnto the woman if shee should be cast off againe and forsaken And to conclude I will adde this one thing that it doeth appertaine as wel to the duetie of Parents as of Iudges for they ought to weigh and consider where and in what cases the fathers may haue a probable cause to breake the marriage and where not which causes I will leaue to be discided of the Diuines and such as haue to deale in those nuptiall affaires Beséeching Almightie God to graunt your children good successe and to bestow his blessings on them as well in this single life as also in that married estate whensoeuer it shall hereafter please him to all your comfortes and his euerlasting glorie to whom be praise for euer Amen ⧠Imprinted at London at the three Cranes in the Vintâ—â—â— by Thomas Dawfon and Gregorie Seton 1581. Amusus â—eâ—â—â—leth the state of disordered families Psal 39. The workes commended The family is committed to the wife aswell as the husband The argument diuided into siâ— partes The definition of mariage Mariage was firste instituted of God Gene. 2. Ioan. 2. Mariage doth please God The end of mariage is in â— sortes Good lessonâ— for husbandes and wiues The dueties of godly couples Mat. 18. Of the Procreation of children Gene. 3. 1. Reg. 2. Iudi. 13. Luc. 1. The peruers iudgement of the people Pro. 10. Pro. 17. Psal 128. The wise answer of Cresus Deut. 6. Eodem 11. â—â—â—l 1. Eccle. 7. God commandeth children to be nurtured Eccle. 30. Ephe. 6. Parentes are stirred vp to instruct their children with sweete promises Prou. 29. Eccle. 30. We must not deale with youth by threatnings stripes Tobi. 4. Dan. â—3 1. Mach. 2. 2. Mach. 7. â— Tim. 1. Luke 2. Eccle. 7. Of Athanasâ—â—â— Bish of Alexandria Of Origen 〈…〉 Eusebius Iohannes Aegyptius The example of Cato Children are to be instructed by the examples of the Elders The necessarie instruction of poutly The best schol Master is to bee chosen Dayly Experience proueth this true Isocrates Plate The end of instruction is this Children must be taught from their tender yeeres A good similitude Paulus Ver. Ioan Mur. â—â—enorunâ— Prouerb A similibus A causa A causa What thinges children are to be taught By 3. thinges may we know that there is a God c. Children ought to beleeue these thinges chiefly The examples of husbandmen What seede ought to bee sowne in the midst of children The causes why children ought to be instructed Preceptes of good maners Recreation must be vsed Optimaratio iustituendi De nobili officio parentum Psal 36. 37. A good fourme â—â— teaching The discription of a true father Senum Officium Diffinitio patris familias What it is to bee occupied with children Fathers should vse 3 offices at once Tobias 4. Prou. 29. Eccl. 30. An Antidote against Arrogancie A good praier Ephe 6 A good caâ—eat vnto the pareÌ„ts of our time A common fâ—ing very true Mat. 18. Mark 9. Of degenerate children A good lesson for parentes 1. Timo. 5. Hortandi sunt liberi ad eleemosynam Proue 11. Mat. 14. Prou. 11. Children must bee committed to godly schoolmaisters 4. Timo. 2207. A man must not bestowe his whole studie in one arte only Ludouicus â—â—ues Plinius An example of Phi. of Macedon kinges of the Persians The efficacie of education Pro. 22. Plato in libro 4. de republic Erasmus Isocrates Deogines Aristippus Lycurgus giueth an example of two whelpes What vse can doe in education is here shewed We must not leaue of instructing for the stupiditie of wit Matth. 9. Marci 7. Num. 22. In education three things are necessarie After what maner forward wittes should be vsed Children are to be corrected Prou. 23. Eccle. 30. Pro. 13. Pro. 10. Eccle. 4. Augustinus Bernardus Innocontiâ—â— Correction is necessary Seneca A good note Cicero Isocrates Valeri Max. de Luci. Bru. â— Reg. 12. 1. Cor. 9. Body and soula compared together Mat. 4. Luke 4. Fathers abuse their authorities Prou. 19. Ephe. 6. Ambrose Seneca The tirannie of L. M. Axio the noble Romaine passed the boundes of his duetie in correcting his sonne A meane in correcting is best Augustine giueth a reason with what intente children should bee corrected What the father shoulde think vpon whilist he is in correcting Prouer. 13. Children shuld bee corrected with the rodde That parte of the bodie which is to be beaten The end whâ—e children should bee corrected After what maner children ought to be chastened A good note Inglossa cap quinta vallis Obquae exhaeredari posset filius Deut. 22. A stubborne disobedient childe to be stoâ—â—ed to death Deut. 21. Degenerate children are to be cast of forsaken Against negligent parents Children 〈…〉 the pledges of God ArgumentuÌ„ a simile 1. Regum 2. 4. Cockering is the originall cause of negligent instruction â—ere the absurd excuse of Parents is reâ—â—â—yed 1. Regum 3. Heli suffereth the punishment of his negligent instruction Paul Cicero Verrâ— Negligent parents are iniurious to their countrie and common welth Fathers ' and mothers spoiâ— their owns children Children are the blessinge of God How the inheritance of y â— he â—uenly life being lost is recouered by the parentes Negligent parentes are sharply accused A vehement exclamation of S. â—ug against negligent parentes What and ho 〈…〉 great mischiefs doe arise by negligent instructinge What shall befall vpon vs without preachinge and teachinge Negligente parentes doe exceede in cruelty Pharao Herod or any other Tyraunte Erasmus Women of Thessalia were transformers of men â—utâ— beast Tomo â— Those that doe not teach their children be the destroyers of Christes Church Tomo 3. 14. What a Sea of euils this negligent care of children doth bring Tom. 2. 292. Erasm The exclamation of Crates S. B. doth bewayle the negligence of Parentes The admiration of Lucius Apuleus The Sabboth day abused The exclamation of Quintilianâ— Whether negligent Parents are to be compelled by any lawe If the feare and loue of God will not cause Parentes to be careful for their children much lesse will any lawe that can be deuised by men What is the chiefe of mans felicitie Solons law was verie sharpe against negligent Parents The Ethnickes are to be compelled one way but the Christians an other way Ezechiel 1â— How the children beare the sinnes of the Parents Children may not deride their Parents Gene. 9. Gene. 1â— Num. 16. Parentes and infantes together are greeuously punished Iosue 6. Iosue 7. Hester 9. Daniel 6. Regum 11. Regum 12. Deut 2â— A hight and excellent treasure to bee borne of good parents A