which the Schoole-Master may safely keep by him as a Testimony of what they can perform take care to see that their writing for the future be not much worse This Pattern or Copy I formerly received from that industrious pen-man Mr. Roger Evans who had sometimes taught me to write being a Scholar at Wakefield and afterwards yearly taught my Scholars whilest I was School-Master at Rotherham June 1. 1635. A man cannot any way enter into the canonized rule to come to Gods holy will and kingdome except he reform and become acquainted with vertuous manners in most prudent sort that may be c. Roger Evans But in London which of all places I know in England is best for the full improvement of children in their education because of the variety of objects which daily present themselves to them or may easily be seen once a year by walking to Mr. John Tradescants or the like houses or gardens where rarities are kept a Book of all which might deserve to be printed as that ingenuous Gentleman hath lately done his by the name of Musaeum Tradescantianum a Collection of Rarities could Parents at home but halfe so well look to their behaviour as the Masters do to their learning at Schoole it is ordinary for Scholars at eleven and five a clock to go to the Writing-Schooles and there to benefit themselves in writing In that City therefore having the opportunity of the neighbourhood of my singular loving friend Mr. James Hodder whose Coppy bookes of late printed do sufficiently testify his ability for the profession he hath undertaken and of whose care and pains I have had abundant triall by his profiting of my Scholars for at least twelve years together who had most of them learned of him to write a very fair hand not to speak of Arithmetick or Merchants Accounts which they gained also by his teaching at spare times In the Token-house garden in Lothbury somewhat near the Old-Exchange I so ordered the business with him that all my lower Scholars had their little Paper-books ruled wherein they writ their lessons fair and then their Translations and other Exercises in loose papers in his sight untill they were able to do every thing of themselves in a handsome manner And afterwards it is not to be expressed what pleasure they took in writing and flourishing their Exercises all the while they continued with me at the Schoole This or a better course perhaps may be taken at other Schooles where they have a Writing-Master constant and ready to attend them every day throughout the year as I have heard Mr. Farnaby made use of Mr. Taylor a famous Pen-man for the teaching his Scholars to write If at any time a Scholar doth not write his Exercises in the fairest manner that he is able his punishment may be to write them over again whilest others play I have been told of a Porter that could neither write nor read who if at any time he had seen his son write his Exercises at home in a worse hand then he thought he was able to do would teare them to pieces and thus at last enforced the young Scholar upon a very good hand of writing which rude kinde of dealing with a childe though I would have no Parents to imitate yet I would advise them sometimes to look upon their childrens writing at home and to encourage them to do it in the neatest fashion For as it will be an ornament to them in their learning and an especiall furtherance of their Studies or future employments elsewhere so it will be a great ease to the Master in the perusal of what they have written I with some others have bin sorry to see some of that reverend and learned Mr. Hookers Sermons come in manuscript to the presse and not to have been possible to be printed because they were so scriblingly written that no body could read three words together in them It is commonly objected to the best Scholars in any of the three Professions that they write the worst hands and therefore I wish that care may be taken to prevent that objection at the Schoole to a future generation Now to train up Scholars as well in Calligraphy as Orthography whilst they write their Translations in a Paper-book they should often be admonished 1. To keep a large Margent on both â—â—des to leave the space of a long letters â—ength betwixt every line and of a small â—â—tters breadth betwixt every word â—nd to regard the Proportion of every particular letter and the difference betwixt j and i and v and u and above â—â—l to beware of blotting or soyling their â—ooks 2. To make every Comma Colon Semicolon Period notes of Interrogation Parenthesis and notes of Admiration c. in their due places 3. To write all their words in an even line with the tops bellies and bottomes of the letters of an even size and when they have an occasion to divide any word to part it by its just syllables making this mark Hyphen at the end of the line And 4. In Latine to give an Adverb or other word its note of difference the like as the Grammar will further direct them But for directions in fair writing I refer him to that sheet which Mr. Hodder hath caused to be printed before his Copy-book which will sufficiently commend its Authour After they have once got an habit of these things they wil more easily observe them in future Exercises the neglect whereof will be harder to remedie afterwards which I have seen too grosse in some mens letters that have come from the Universities As for Books a care would be first had to procure those of a faire print in good paper and strongly bound then the Master may more easily see that his Scholars keep them all fafe and cleanly and free from scribling or rending by causing them at a time unexepcted to bring all their books before him and to shew their names together with a note of the price fairly writ in the middle of every one of them as well as at the beginning or end And that none may squander his own or pilfer away anothers book or have it carelesly thrown about or to seek when he should use it the Master may do well to make every Scholar once a quarter to deliver him a Catalogue of his Books with the day of the moneth and his name subscribed which he may lay by him so as at any time to call him whom he suspecteth to be negligent of his books to a private and particular account of them That the Schoole may be furnished with all kind of Subsidiary books for the general use of all the Scholars to be laid up in Repositories or Presses as so many little Libraries belonging to every Form and to be safely kept under lock and key whereof the headst boy in each Form should take the charge to deliver them out and see they be brought in every night without being abused
of the mouth But the sweet and natural pronunciation of them is gotten rather by imitation then precept and therefore the teacher must be careful to give every letter its distinct and clear sound that the childe may get it from his voice and be sure to make the child open his mouth well as he uttereth a letter lest otherwise he drown or hinder the sound of it For I have heard some foreiners to blame us English-men for neglecting this mean to a plain and audible speaking saying that the cause why we generally do not speak so fully as they proceeded from an ill habit of mumbling which children got at their first learning to read which it was their care therfore to prevent or remedy betimes and so it should be ours seeing Pronounciation is that that sets out a man and is sufficient of it self to make one an Oratour Chap. II. How a childe may be taught with delight to know all his letters in a very little time THe usual way to begin with a child when he is first brought to Schoole is to teach him to know his letters in the Horn-book where he is made to run over all the letters in the Alphabet or Christ cross-row both forwards backwards until he can tel any one of them which is pointed at and that in the English character This course we see hath been very effectual in a short time with some more ripe witted children but others of a slower apprehension as the most and best commonly are have been thus learning a whole year together and though they have been much chid and beaten too for want of heed could scarce tell six of their letters at twelve moneths end who if they had been taught in a way more agreeable to their meane apprehensions which might have wrought more readily upon the senses and affected their mindes with what they did would doubtlesse have learned as cheerfully if not as fast as the quickest I shall therefore mention sundry ways that have been taken to make a childe know his letters readily out of which the discreet Teacher may chuse what is most likely to suit with his Learner I have known some that according to Mr. Brinslâ—y's direction have taught little ones to pronounce all the letters and to spell pretty well before they knew one letter in a book and this they did by making the childe to sound the five vowels a e i o u like so many bells upon his fingers ends and to say which finger was such or such a vowel by changes 2 Then putting single consonants before the vowels leaving the hardest of them till the last and teaching him how to utter them both at once as va ve vi ve vu da de di do du 3. and again by putting the vowels before a consonant to make him say as es is os us ad ed id od ud Thus they have proceeded from syllables of two or three or more letters till a child hath been pretty nimble in the most But this is rather to be done in a private house then a publick Schoole how ever this manner of exercise now and then amongst little Scholars will make their lessons more familiar to them The greatest trouble at the first entrance of children is to teach them how to know their letters one from another when they see them in the book altogether for the greatnesse of their number and variety of shape do puzle young wits to difference them and the sence can but be intent upon one single object at once so as to take its impression and commit it to the imagination and memory Some have therefore begun but with one single letter and after they have shewed it to the childe in the Alphabet have made him to finde the same any where else in the book till he knew that perfectly and then they have proceeded to another in like manner and so gone through the rest Some have contrived a piece of ivory with twenty four flats or squares in every one of which was engraven a several letter and by playing with a childe in throwing this upon a table and shewing him the letter onely which lay uppermost have in few dayes taught him the whole Alphabet Some have got twenty four pieces of ivory cut in the shape of dice with a letter engraven upon each of them and with these they have played at vacant hours with a childe till he hath known them all distinctly They begin first with one then with two afterwards with more letters at once as the childe got knowledge of them To teach him likewise to spell they would place consonants before or after a vowel and then joyn more letters together so as to make a word and sometimes divide it into syllables to be parted or put together now this kind of letter sport may be profitably permitted among you beginers in a School in stead of ivory they may have white bits of wood or small shreads of paper or past-board or parchment with a letter writ upon each to play withall amongst themselves Some have made pictures in a little book or upon a scroll of paper wrapt upon two sticks within a box of iceing-glass and by each picture have made three sorts of that letter with which its name beginneth but those being too many at once for a childe to take notice on have proved not so useful as was intended Some likewise have had pictures and letters printed in this manner on the back side of a pack of cards to entice children that naturally love that sport to the love of learning their books Some have writ a letter in a great character upon a card or chalked it out upon a trencher and by telling a child what it was and letting him strive to make the like have imprinted it quickly in his memory and so the rest one after another One having a Son of two years and a half old that could but even go about the house and utter some few gibberish words in a broken manner observing him one day above the rest to be busied about shells and sticks and such like toys which himself had laid together in a chair and to misse any one that was taken from him he saw not how and to seek for it about the house became very desireous to make experiment what that childe might presently attain to in point of learning Thereupon he devised a little wheel with all the Capital Romane letters made upon a paper to wrap round about it and fitted it to turn in little a round box which had a hole so made in the side of it that onely one letter might be seen to peep out at once This he brought to the childe showed him onely the letter O and told him what it was The childe being overjoyed with his new gamball catcheth the box out of his Fathers hand and run's with it to his play fellow a year younger then himself and in his broken
they may also do the same in Latine by daily use and imitation of others long before they are able to apprehend a definition of what Grammar is or any thing else concerning it And the reason hereof is because the first is a work of the imagination and memory which are apt to take and keep impressions having the senses to help them but the other belongs to the understanding which for want of the strength of reason to assist it is hard to be wrought upon in a childe and till the memory and understanding go hand in hand a child learns nothing to any purpose Hence it cometh to passe that Grammar-learning as it is generally now used becometh a a work of more difficulty and discouragement both to Master and Scholar then any studie or employment they undertake and that many have striven to contrive more facill Grammars for their Scholars whereas indeed the right and constant use of any one that is compleat so as to handle the sâ—bctjectum totale of the Art doth easily reduce all others to its-selfe especially after the Language is somewhat gained These things thus premised I conceive it very necessary for all such as undertake to teach Grammar to little children to cherish and exercise those endowments which they see do shew themselves most vigorous and prompt in them be they memorie phansie c. and to proceed orderly and by degrees for so nature it self doth that they may be able to hold pace with their Teachers and to perceive how themselves mount higher and higher and at every asscent to know where they are and how to adventure boldly to go forward of themselves And forasmuch as the Accidents is generally made use of as an introduction to Latine Grammar which of it selfe is but a bare rule and a very naked thing as Mr. Mâ—lchaster hath well observed and it is one thing to speak like a Grammarian and another thing to speake like a Latinist as Quintilian hath noted it is fit that both the Accidents and the Latine tongue together should be brought within Childrens reach and made more familiar unto them then formerly And how this may be done even with those of seven years of age or under I shall now go on to discover according to what I have tryed and do every day still put in practise But this I require aforehand which Mr. Mâ—lchaster also wisht for that a childe may have his reading perfect and ready in both the English and Latine tongue and that he can write a fair hand before ever he dream of his Grammar For these will make him he shall never complain of after difficulties but cheerefully make a wonderful riddance in the rest of his learning The commonly received way to teach children the first Rudiments of Latine-Speech is to put them to read the Accidents once or twice over and then to let them get it without book by several parts not respecting at all whether they understand it or not Thus they spend two or three years for the most part in a wearisome toile to no purpose not knowing all the while what use they are to make of their book nor what the learning of such a multitude of Rules may tend to and in the interim of getting the Accidents by heart if great care be not taken they loose that ability of Reading English which they brought from the Petty-Schoole and this makes the Parents cry out against Learning Latine and complain of their Childrens not profiting at the Grammar-Schooles whence they are therefore sometimes taken and sent back again to a Mistresse of Dame to learn English better The conscientious Master all the while striveing to the uttermost of his strength and skil to preserve his credit and not knowing well how to remedie this mischief otherwise then by hastning on the Children in this common road doth over-toyl if not destroy himself and discourage if not drive away his Scholars by his too much diligence Having therefore made sure that the little Scholars can read very well and write plainly before-hand put so many of them as are well able to hold pace together into one form and begin to teach them their Accidents in an understanding manner thus 1. Give them a glymps or insight into the introduction or first part of it by dividing it into twelve parts and making them to take notice of the chief heads in every one whereof The first may be concerning the eight parts of speech of a Noun and its kindes of Numbers Cases and Genders The second of the Declensions of Nounes substantives The third of the declining of Adjectives and their comparison The fourth of a Pronoune The fifth of a Verb and its Kindes Moodes Gerunds Supines Tenses Persons and conjugations The sixth of the Conjugateing of Verbs in O. The seventh Of the Verb Sum. The eighth Of Verbs in OR The ninth Of Verbs irregular as Possâ—m c. The tenth Of a Participle The eleventh Of an Adverb The twelfth Of a Conjunction a Praeposition and an Interjection By this means they shall know the general terms of Grammar and where to turn to any Part of Speech and to what belongs to it in the Book As they get their Parts make them one to hear another read it over in their seat as they sit orderly as they say let every one read a greater or lesser share as you please to appoint and make the rest attend to him that readeth after they have said one may take the examination of the Accidents and out of it ask the questions belonging to their present Part to which the others may make answer out of the words of their Accidents which if they cannot readily do he may tell them out of his Book and if your selfe sometime examine them in the most familiar and general questions it will help them to understand and sharpen their memories very much for the getting of that by heart whereof they already know somewhat 2. When they get the Introduction memoriter let them take but a very little at once that they may get it more perfectly in a little time and this will be a means still to hearten them on to a new lesson but be sure that every lesson end at a full Period and that none may seem to be overcharged or hindred let alwayes the weakest childe appoint the task and cause the stronger to help him to perform it as he ought Forasmuch as your Scholars memories are yet very weak and slipperie it is not amisse to help them by more frequent Repetitions especially at the end of every part of speech which they should examine so often over till they can answer to any thing that is in their book concerning it Then let them proceed to the next in like manner not forgetting to recall the more general and necessary points to memory from the very beginning and this will be a meanes to make them keep all fresh in minde and to be able to tell you what
of every word which is proper for its place Right choyce of words being indeed the foundation of all eloquence On Saturdayes after they can say the Lords Prayer the Creed and the ten Commandements in English and Latine they may proceed to the Assemblies Catechisme first in English and then in Latine or the like This second form then is to be exercised 1. In repeating the Accidents for morning parts 2. In saying Propria quae maribus Quae genus As in praesenti for Fore-noon Lessons 3. In reading the larger Vocabulary for Noon parts 4. In learning Qui mihi and afterwards Cato for Afternoons Lessons on Mondayes and Wednesdayes and Pueriles Confabulatiunculae and afterwards Corderii Colloquia on Tuesdayes and Thursdayes And 5. Translating a verse out of English into Latine every evening at home which they may bring to be corrected on Fridayes after all the weeks Repetitions ended and return written as fair as possibly they can write on Satturday mornings after examinations ended And thus they may be made to know the Genders of Nouns and Preter-perfect tenses and Supines of Verbs and initiated to speak and write true Latine in the compasse of a second yeare So that to children of betwixt seven and nine years of age in regard of their remedilesse inanimadvertency I allow two whole years to practise them well in the Rudiments or Grounds of Grammar in which I would have the variation of Nouns and Verbs to be specially minded for till they be very ready in those their progress in other things will be full of uncertainties and troublesomely tedious but if those be once well got all other rules which have not perhaps been so well understood will more easily as age increaseth be better apprehended and put in use CHAP. IIII. How to make Children of the third Forme perfect in the Latine Syntaxis commonly called Verbum Personale as also to acquaint them with Prosodia and how to help them to construe and parse and to write and speak true and elegant Latine CHildren are commonly taught the Latine Syntaxis before they be put to make use of any Latine book besides it and so they but can say it readily by heart construe it and give the force of its rules out of the examples they are thought to learn it well enough But the very doing thus much is found to be a work too tedious with many and therefore some have thought good to lessen the number of the Rules others to dash out many examples as if more then one or two were needlesse so that when a Childe hath with them run over this part of the Grammar it is well if he have learnt the half of it or know at all what to do with any of it I think it not amisse therefore to shew how it may be all gotten understandingly by heart and settled in the memory by continual practise which is the life of all learning 1. Let those then of this third forme divide their Accidents and Rules of Nounes and Verbs into ten parts whereof they may repeat one every Thursday morning and make way for the getting of the Syntaxe on Mundaies Tuesdaies Wednes for morning parts 2. Let them repeat as many Rules memoriter as they are well able together with all their examples and to help their understanding therein you may do well to shew the meaning of every rule exception beforehand and to make them compare them with those in the English rules under the same head to see which are contained in the Latine which are not in the English and which are set down in the English which are left out in the Latine 3. To help them to construe well before they come to say let them make use of their Construeng books and that they may better mind what they construe you may cause them sometimes when they come to say to read the part out of Latine into English 4. In parsing let them give you the word governing and apply the word governed according to the rule and tell-you wherein the exceptions and observations differ from the General rule 5. Let them have a Paper-book in Quarto in the margent whereof they may write the first words of every rule and exception and let them have as many familiar examples some in English onely and some in Latine onely as may suffice to illustrate the rule more clearly to them and do you help them extempore to turn their English ones into Latine and their Latine ones into English and having a space left under every head let them fill it up with praegnant Examples which they meet with as they read their Latine Authors or as they Translate English Sentences into Latine I observe Melancthon and Whittington of old and Mr. Clarke Mr. Comenius and others of late to have made subsidiaries of this nuture which because they seem some what to overshoot the capacities of children who as Mr. Ascham observes are ignorant what to say properly and fitly to the matter as some Masters are also many times I have taken the paines to make a praxis of all the English and Latine Rules of Construction and Syntaxis as they lie in order and to adde two Indexes The first of English words and the Latine for them The second Of Latine words and the English for them with figures directing to the examples wherein they are to be used And for more perspicuity sake I take care that no example may touch upon any rule that is not already learned for fear of pussing young beginners in this necessary and easie way of translating with the rule in their eye which doth best direct the weakest understandings Now forasmuch as the daily reading of Latine into English is an especiall means to increase the knowledge of the Tongues and to cause more heed to be taken to the Grammar Rules as they are gotten by heart I would have those in this form to read every morning after prayers four or six verses out of the Latine Testament which they will easily do having beforehand learned to construe them word by word with the help of their English Bible In this exercise let them be all well provided and do you pick out onely one boy to construe and then ask any of the others the Analysis of a Noune or Verb here or there or some rule of construction which you think they have not so well taken notice of as to understand it fully Hereby you may also acquaint them with the rule and way of construing as it is more largely touched in the following part of this chapter N. B. Those Children that are more industriously willing to thrive may advantage themselves very much by perusal of Gerards Meditations Thomas de Kempis St. Augustins Soliloquies or his Meditations or the like pious and profiting Books which they may buy both in English and Latine and continually bear about in their pockets to read on at spare times Their forenoone lessons may be in
which are quoted in the Margent as you see Mr. Perkins hath done in the beginning of the book and cause your Scholars to write them out all fair and at large as they finde them in their Bibles it will be a profitable way of exercising them on the Lords day and a good means to improve them in the reall knowledge of Christianity Now forasmuch as I have observed that children about nine years of age and few till then begin to relish Grammar so as of themselves to seek into the meaning of Rules thereby to conceive the reason of Speech I now judge it requisite for this form to be made throughly acquainted with the whole body of it Therefore after they have gone over the plain Syntaxis two or three times by morning parts as is shewed and have got it pretty well by heart for which I judge three quarters of a year will be time sufficient you may let them divide the whole Syntax into 12 parts reckoning them according to the severall Heads of it thus The first De Concordantia Nominativi verbi Substantivi Adjectivi Relativi Antecedentis The second de Constructione Substantivorum Adjectivorum cum Genitivo The third de constructione Adjectivorum cum Dativo Accusativo Ablative The fourth de constructione Pronominum The fifth de constructione verborum cum Nominativo Genitivo The sixth de constructione verborum cum Dativo Accusativo The seventh de constructione verborum cum Ablativo The eighth de Gerundiis Supinis de Tempore Loco The ninth de constructione Impersonalium Participiorum The tenth de constructione Adverbiorum The eleventh de constructione Conjunctionum The twelfth de constructione Praepositionum Interjectionum All which twelve you may adde to the thirty parts in the Accidents and Propria quae maribus c. and let your Scholars bestow a moneths time together in repeating and examining the Accidents and thus farre of the Grammar both for Parts and Lessons till they have thorowly made it their own and that they may the better conceive how it hangeth together and what use they are to make of its severall parts you should often make them run over the Heads of it and give them an Analysis of their dependency one upon another After this they may more understandingly proceed to the Figures of words and construction the definitions whereof and their Examples they need onely get by heart and for that purpose do you note them out with a pen and in explaining of them give as many examples as may make them fully to apprehend their meaning But when they have said the Definition of one or more Figures at a part by heart you may cause them to construe all they finde concerning it and to help them in so doing they that are otherwise lesse able may make use of Mr. Stockwoods little book of Figura construed Then let them go on to Prosodia for their more easie understanding of which as they proceed in it you may tell them the meaning of it in brief thus Prosodia being the last part of Grammar teacheth the right pronunciation of words or the tuning of Syllables in words as they are pronounced and therefore it is divided into a Tone or Accent a Spirit and a Time whereof a Tone ordereth the tune of the voyce shewing in what syllables it is to be lifted up and what to be let down in what both to be lifted up and let down So that there are three Tones a Grave which is seldome or never made but in the last syllable of such words as ought to have had an Acute in the last syllable that in the contexture of words in this manner Nè si forte sopor nos occupet an Acute which is often used to difference some words from others as uná together seduló diligently remain acuted at the end of a Speech and in continuation of speech have their acute accents turned into a Grave to make them differ from una one and sedulo diligent A Circumflex which is often marked to denote a lost syllable as amârunt for amaverunt A spirit ordereth the breath in uttering syllables shewing where it is to be let out softly and where sharply as in ara an Altar and hara a swine coate The milde Spirit is not marked but the weak letter n being used as a note of aspiration only and not reckoned as a Consonant serveth to expresse the sharp Spirit There are three Rules of Accents which are changed by Difference Transposition Attraction Concision and Idiome Time sheweth the measure how long while a syllable is to be in pronouncing not at all regarding the Tone A long syllable is to be a longer while and a short a shorter while in pronouncing Of long and short syllables put together orderly feet are made and of feet verses 4. Now to know when a syllable is long or short there are Rules concerning the first the middle and last syllables so that if one minde in what part of a word the syllable stands he may easily finde the Rule of its quantity The summe of Prosodia being thus hinted to them they may get it by heart at morning Parts if they cannot construe it well by themselves they may be helped by a little book made by Barnaby Hampton called Prosodia construed But be sure that they can read you every part into English and tell you the true meaning of it Your own frequent examination will be the best way to know whether they understand it or not And to prepare them for the practice of it in making verses I would first let them use it in learning to scan and prove Hexamiter verses onely out of Cato or Mantuan or such Authours as they have read thus 1. Let them write a verse out and divide into its just feet giving a dash or stroke betwixt every one and let them tell you what feet they are and of what syllables they consist and why they stand in such or such a place as Si Deus-est ani-mus no-bis ut-carmina-dicunt Hic tibi-praecipu-è sit-pura-mente co-lendus 2. Let them set the mark of the Time or Quantity over every syllable in every foot and give you the reason according to the Rules why it is there noted long or short as SÄ« DÄ•Ås Ä“st ănÄ-mÅ«s noÌ„ bÄ« Å«t-cÄrmÄnă-dÄ« cuÌ„nt HÄ«c tÄbÄ-praeÌ„cÄipÅ-Ä“ sÄ«t-pÅ«i-mÄ“ntÄ• cÅ-leÌ„ndÅs Let them now divide Figura and Prosodia into six parts The first de Figuris Dictionis Constructionis The second de Tonis Spiritibus The third de Carm num ratioue generibus The fourth de quantitate primarum syllabarum The fifth de mediis syllabis And the sixth de ultimis syllabis which they may adde to the forty two parts afore mentioned and keep by constant repetition of one of them every day till they can say them all very well by heart and give a perfect account of any thing in them Then let them begin the Accidents and
of Armes This division I have purposely made that whether one Master alone be put to teach the whole or have one two or more Ushers to assist him he may constantly train up his Scholars by one and the same Way of teaching altering now and then onely some circumstances as his own Discretion shall better direct him and that every Scholar may from his first entrance to the Schoole proceed with cheerfulnesse in learning when he seeth plainly what he is to do from year to year and how others before him in a playing manner overskip those seeming difficulties which he imagineth in his minde And conceive it will be no small satisfaction to Parents and a mean to cease the indiscreet clamors of some against School-masters to see what method they observe in teaching and how their children profit by degrees according to their present apprehensions and growth in years And now the God of heaven earth in whose alone power it is to give increase vouchsafe to bestow such a blessing upon our planting and watering that our young plants may grow up in all godlinesse and good learning and abound in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ whom onely to know is eternal life Amen SCHOLASTICK DISCIPLINE OR The VVAY of ordering a Grammar-Schoole Directing the not experienced how he may profit every particular Scholar and avoyd Confusion amongst a multitude By C. H. LONDON Printed by J. T. for Andrew Crook at the Green Dragon in Pauls Church-yard 1659. CHAP. I. Of the Founding of a Grammar Schoole THe most of the Grammar Schools which I have yet taken notice of in England are of two sorts The first I may call mixt Schooles where a structure is made and an allowance given of ten twenty or thirty pounds per annum onely to one man to teach children freely that inhabit within the precincts of one Parish or of three or four neighbouring Hamlets adjoyning And such Schooles as these very seldom or never improve Scholars further then to teach them to read and write and learne some little they know not what it meaneth in the common Grammar partly because the Master is overburdened with too many petty Scholars and partly because many parents will not spare their children to learne if they can but finde them any employment about their domestick or rureall affairs whereby they may save a penny In some places more populous an allowance is made to a Master of about twenpounds per annum to attend Grammarians onely and ten pounds to an Usher whose work it is to teach the Petties in such Schooles as these I have knowne some boyes more pregnant witted then the rest to have proved very good Grammarians and to have profited so in the Latine and Greek Tongues as to come to good maturity in University studies by a Tutors guidance But the Masters of such Schooles for the most part either weaken their bodies by excessive toyle and so shorten their dayes or as soon as they can fit themselves for a more easie profession or obtain a more profitable place after a few years quit their Schoole and leave their Scholars to anothers charge that either hath his method to seek or else traines them up in another quite different from that which they had been used to And thus thorow the change of Masters the Scholars are either dispersed or hindered from going on with that alacrity and profit which otherwise they might The second sort of Schooles are those which are purely Grammatical being especially conversant in teaching the Art of Grammar Now some of these have yearely salaries for a Master and one Usher where the Master is employed in perfecting those Scholars which the Usher hath already grounded And many of these Schooles especially if they be situate in places where accommodation is to be had for Tabling do happily train up many Scholars which about sixteen or seventeen years of age are fit to besent to the University But in regard there is no preferment attending these Schooles the most pregnant witted children are commonly taken thence after they are well grounded and disposed on to other places where they may gain it So that of all others our collegiate Schooles or those that come nearest them have the greatest advantage of making most Scholars For these having commonly large revenues belonging to them do not onely provide sufficiently for a Master and one Usher at lest but also for a certaine number of Scholars which being for the most part of the choycest wits pickt out of other Schooles and such as depend upon hopes of advancement do industriously bestirre themselves to attain what learning they can and submit themselves orderly to such Discipline as is there exercised But forasmuch as these greater Schooles rather intend the forwarding of such children as are already grounded then busie themselves about meere Rudiments it caâ—seth many parents to disperse their little ones abroad to Tabling-Schooles where for the most part there is but one man to teach a few promiscuously hand-over-head without any setled Method and these changing and removing ever and anon as cause is offered do seldome attain any stable proficiencie in Grammar-learning Yet in some of these where an able Schoole-Master is well seated and provided with all fitting accommodations so as to entertain many Gentlemens sonnes of good quality and an able Usher to assist him in Teaching I have observed children to make double profiting in respect of other Schooles because they have the advantage to spend much of that time at their bookes which others trisle away in running up and down about home not to say that the constant eye of the Master is an especiall means to regulate them in point of behaviour Now comparing all the Schooles which we have in England with some that I read of in other countries that I may speak freely and without offence to any man submitting my self herein also to the judgement of those of my Profession I do not know one that is so compleated as perhaps many might easily be with all necessary accommodations and advantages to improve children to what they are capable of in their playing years and wherein we evidently see how many places of education beyond the Seas do quite outstrip us And therefore from what I have heretofore read in Mr. Mâ—leasters Positions concerning the training up of children in ch 40. which he writ when he had been twenty years Schoole-master at Merchant Tailors Schoole which was erected 1561. being afterwards head Master of Pauls in 1600. and what I have been informed touching Mr. Farnabies improvement of a private Grammar Schoole in Gold-Smiths Alley now called New street also Jewâ—n Street and what I my self have experienced for about fourteen years together both in that place and in Lothbury Garden I am induced to think that it is a matter very feaseable to raise many of our Grammar-Schooles to a far higher pitch of learning then is ordinarily yet attained to in England For whereas
and those Subsidiary Books provided for the lower Formes will prevent the over-toyling of themselves by their present work And that those disorders which usually befall in Scholars running forth in Schoole-time may be somewhat remedied this or the like course may be taken 1. Let it not be lawful for above one boy in twenty to go forth at once and at his going forth let every one come to the Master or that Usher to whose charge he belongs and in his hearing repeat four or six Vocabula's or phrases which he hath not said before and then lay down his book with his name writ in it in a place appointed within the Masters view that so it may be knowne at once both how many and who are out of doores and how long they tarry abroad At their coming in they should again repeat the like number of Vocabula's and Phrases as they did at their going foâ—th The Master should do well now and then to send a privie spie who may truly observe and certifie him how every scholar spendeth his time abroad and if any be found to go forth upon no occasion or to truant it without doors let him be censured or reproved according to his demerits 3. The granting of a Play-day is to be referred wholly to the discretion of the Master who must in this be as fearfull to work his Scholars hinderance and the Schooles discredit as willing by such a courtesie to gratify his deserving friends who if they be any whit reasonable will be easily satisfied with a just excuse of denial but if they be unreasonably importunate they ought to be served with as unreasonable a naysay so that Play-dayes should be rarely granted except to such as may seem to claime more then ordinary interest in the Schoole and to whom the Master is bound to shew his due respects especially before his Scholars In places of great resort and where often sollicitation is used to be made for play especially by mothers that come to visit their children which are tabled at Schoole it were good that a piece of an afternoon were designed constantly afore-hand on which in case any suit should be made the Scholars might have leave to play but if not that â—hey be held to their Books Yet if â—here have not a Play-day been granted â—or a Holy day intervened for some weeks together the Master may of himâ—elf propound to his Scholars that in case they performe all their Tasks very well and orderly so as to dispatch them by such an hour on such a day they shall play the remainder thereof then as at other times also when a Play-day is intended ore of the upper Form at least should make a Petitory Oration to the Master or them that come to crave play and another a Gratulatory speech after leave is obtained Where both Thursdayes and Saturdayes in the afternoons are halfe Holy-dayes I think Tuesdayes the fittest on which to grant play in other places Thursdayes may seem the best But this I leave to the discretion of the Master who knoweth what is most convenient for his own Schoole Now in granting a Play-day these directions may be useful 1. That there be never more then one Play-day granted in one week and that onely when there is no Holy-day in that week and when the weather also is clear and open and the ground somewhat dry 2. That no Play be granted till one a clock at the soonest when all the Scholars are met and Orations have been said 3. That all the Scholars be dismissed orderly into some close or other place appointed for such a purpose near the Schoole where they may play together and use such honest and harmlesse recreations as may moderately exercise their bodies and not at all endanger their health And because some boyes are apt to sneak home or straggle from the rest of their fellowes out of their bounds prescribed them to play in you may do well to give order to him that hath the Bill of all the names to call it over at any time amid their sport and to take notice of all such as have absented themselves to give you an account of them when they return into the Schoole which should be upon Play-daies before five of the clock that they may blesse God for his provident hand over them that day and so go home And that the Master may sometimes see into the various disposition of children which doth freely discover it selfe by their company and behaviour at play he may now and then take occasion to walk at a distance from them or if he come nearer to stand out of their sight so as he may behold them in the throng of their recreations and observe their gesture and words which if in any thing they be not as becometh them he may afterwards admonish them in private to behave or speak otherwise But an especial care must be taken and a charge accordingly often given that your Scholars do at no time play with any but their own Schoole-fellowes or other ingenuous children about home which their Parents or Friends know and whom they are willing should be admitted into their company for besides the evil which may be contracted by learning corrupt discourse and imitating them in many shrewd turns boyes that are under little or no command will be very subject to brabble and fight with Scholars and the rather because they know the Master will not allow his Scholars at all to quarel and if they can do them any maime they will attempt it that the Master may have occasion to call them to account for it So perverse is our corrupt nature especially where education hath no sway CHAP. IV. Of Admission of Scholars of Election of Forms and of Scholars orderly sitting and demeanour in their seats when they are at Schoole 1. NO children should as I have formerly said be admitted into a Grammar Schoole but such as can readily read English and write a legible hand or at least be willing to learn to write and to proceed in learning Latine And it is therefore best to try in the presence of their Parents or friends that bring them what they can do by causing them to read or write if they can before them that themselves may be Judges of their present strength or weaknesse expect proficiencie from them according as they see their capacity not hastening them on too fast and rating at them daily because perhaps in their judgements they do not learn so well as their neigbours children The best is to admit of young beginners onely once every year and then to take in all that can be gotten from the Petty-Schooles for company will encourage children to adventure upon an uncouth course of learning seeing the more the merrier and any discreet Parent will be easily perswaded to forbear his son a while when he considereth it will be more for his profiting to have company along with him as he learneth and he
A NEW DISCOVERY Of the old Art of TEACHING SCHOOLE In four small TREATISES 1. concerning A Petty-Schoole 2. concerning The Ushers Duty In a Grammar Schoole 3. concerning The Masters Method In a Grammar Schoole 4. concerning Scholastick Discipline In a Grammar Schoole Shewing how Children in their playing years may Grammatically attain to a firm groundedness in and exercise of the Latine Greek and Hebrew Tongues Written about Twenty three yeares ago for the Benefit of Rotherham School where it was first used and after 14. years trial by diligent practise in London in many particulars enlarged and now at last published for the general profit especially of young Schoole-Masters By Charles Hoole Master of Arts and Teacher of a Private Grammar School in Lothbury Garden London London Printed by J. T. for Andrew Crook at the Green Dragon in Pauls Church-yard 1660 To the Right Worshipfull his most Reverend constant truly loving Friend Robert Saunderson D. D. and Rector of Boothby-Pagnell C. H. wisheth increase of Grace and perfection of GLORY SIR NOw I have by Gods blessing obtained that which you can witnesse I have seriously laboured after a thrice seven yeares experience in this despicable but comfortable employment of teaching Schoole I think it not amisse to discover to the world what method I have hitherto used and which I resolve to continue so long as God shall enable me to undergoe this profession of a Schoole-Master which at first I undertook and have ever since persisted in by your encouragement How far this New Discovery is improved since I made it at Rotherham and afterwards writ it out at little Humbie whilest I lived more retiredly in the house of that Noble Knight Sir William Brownelwoe whom I think my self ever bound to honour for for his singular and undeserved favours to me in many particulars I refer it to you to consider For as you sometimes then perused it in Manuscript so I hope you will at your leisure look upon it now in print and not like it much worse then formerly For I may truly say that besides what I have observed by reading sundry Authours treating of this subjest or gained by frequent and familiar converse with men of known abilities both in City and Country I have profited most in this Art of teaching by my Scholars who have been my daily instructers how to suit my method to their several capacities And of all that ever I have taught either in publick Schoole or in my own or others houses in more private manner I have been beholding most to my London Scholars who as they are generally quick-spirited and forward to learn where the way is easy to them so are they soon apt to flag and be discouraged when any difficulties appeare in their way For their sakes therefore who by reason of many Schooles were sometimes occasioned to remove from one to another I was enforced to facilitate the most common way of teaching according to what you see I have here endeavoured in these small Treatises In the publishing whereof I beseech you that I may not offend in making use of your name as well as my Masters for as I was instructed by him at the School so I was by your means sent and provided for in the Vniversity and though I can never be able to requite your care and pains on my behalf yet I have long desired even whilest you are both living to testify to the world that I am not forgetful altogether of your great benefits If what I have here done be liking to your selfe I shall lesse need to care how others censure me or it Forasmuch as you have known me since my first studies and are sufficiently able to judge of a way to come by learning as having been your self well methodized in your youth and attained to that perfection in all kinde of knowledge which many do much admire but few can hope to exceed But I know to whom I write and therefore I will not adventure into an Ocean of what may be said of your demerits especially to mee wards onely I commend this little work to your acceptance as a Testimony of that unfeigned respect which I think my self ever bound to shew towards you and yours And I beseech God that hath been pleased to exercise me in School-teaching whilst you have been put upon exercises in School-Divinity and so ordered that something of what we have each done is now labouring at the presse to continue our earnest endeavours to serve him whilst we live that when we dye we may partake of that blessed reward which is reserved in heaven for all those that attend the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to whose Grace I commend you and all yours and rest Your humbly observant Kinsman CHARLES HOOLE London Dec. 24. 1659. To his most Experienced and truly Honoured Master Mr. ROBERT DOVGHTY Head Schoole-Master at Wakefield C. H. wisheth all health and happiness SIR IT is yet a question amongst Schoole-boyes and not likely to be hastily by them decided whether K. Alexander was more bound to Philip his Father that begat him or his Master Aristotle that instructed him for of both he had received unrequitable Benefits Should I therefore not acknowledge that lasting good which with many co-partners I obtained by your care and industry I should indeed be worse then ungatefull And what token of thankfulnesse can I tender more welcome to your self then this small Manual which most nearly concernes the profession of a Schoole-Master a calling which hath all kinde of good attending it to make it commendable as well as others For 1. If we look at the benefitting of Church and Common-wealth wherein can we better imploy our time and study then in traing up of children to become serviceable instruments of much good in both Nay should a man but barely respect himself he may finde it very profitable to augment his learning and not a little advantagious to the increase of his yearely Revenues 2. What more pleasing variety can there be then that of childrens dispositions and fansies what better Recreation then to read and discourse of so many sundry subjects as we meet with in ordinary Authours Besides the delight which is to be taken by our Scholars ready progresse in a constant even way will far exceed all care and toyle that can be bestowed in helping them to profit 3. Should I goe about by those millions of Arguments that concurre as Voluntiers to maintain the lawfulnesse of this calling as commanded by God continued in all ages practised by the well-learned and truly vertuous commended by all good men maintained and encouraged by most noble Princes and religiously disposed people opposed onely by the enemies of Gods truth and most disesteemed by persons that are altogether for want of breeding either debauched or ignorant I might write a larger Volume and to lesser purpose Ob. But alas we that wholly undergoe the burden of School-teaching can tell by our
Mantuanus Helvici Colloquia The Assemblies Catechism in Latine Perkins six principles Subsidiary A construing-book A Paper-book in quarto A praxis of the Grammar Rules Gerards Meditations Thomas de Kempis Sancti Augustini Soliloquia Stockwoods Figura construed Hamptons Prosodia construed 4. Authours useful for the fourth Form Classicall The Latine Testament Lilies Grammar Elementa Rhetorices Camdeni Grammatica Graecum Testamentum Nomenclatura Seidelius Posselii Dialogi Shirley's Introductorium Terentius Janua Latinae Linguae Sturmii Textoris Epistolae Ovidius de Tristius Ovidii Metamorphosis Buchanani Psalmi The Assemblies Catechisme Latine and Greek Subsidiary The Latine Grammar by C. H. The posing of the Accidents Animadversions upon Lilies Grammar Stockwoods Disputations Mr. Pooles English Accidents Hermes Anglo-Latinus Supplementa ad Grammaticam Mr. Birds Mr. Shirleys Mr. Burleys Mr. Hawkins Mr. Gregories Mr. Danes Mr. Farnabies Grammar A Paper-book in quarto An English Rhetorick Index Rhetoricus Susenbrotus Compendium Rhetorices Passoris Lexicon Rudimenta Grammaticae Graecae Busbaei Grammatica Graeca Clavis fundamentum Graecae Linguae Fabritii elegantiae Pueriles Dux Oratorius Erasmus de copia verboruÌ„ A little Dictionary English and Latine in 80. Walkers Particles Willis Anglicismes Phraseologia Puerilis Epistolographia by Mr. Clerk Erasmus de conscribendis Epistolis Buchlori Thesaurus conscribendaruÌ„ EpistolaruÌ„ Verepaeus de conscribendis Epistolis Hardwicks Mantuan Sandys Ovid. Herberts Poems Quarles's Poems Oweni Epigrammata Farnabii Epigrammata Alciati Emblemata Pools English Parnassus Clarks Dux Poeticus Wits Common-wealth Rosses English Mythologist Lord Bacon de Sapientia veterum Natales Comes Verderii imagines DeoruÌ„ Lexicon GeographicuÌ„ c. Holy-oakes Dictionary Thomas Thomasius 5. Authours useful for the fifth Form Classical Lilii Grammatica Camdeni Grammatica Elementa Rhetorices Aphthonius Livii Orationes Isocrates Theognis Justinus Caesaris Commentarii Lucius Florus Erasmi Colloquia Janua Linguarum Graeca Virgilius Aeliani Historiae variae Epictetus Farnabii Epigrammata Nowelli Catechismus Subsidiary Franklin de Orthotonia Scapula Screvelii Lexicon Vechneri Hellonexia Busbaei Cleonardi Scoti Chrysolorae Ceporini Gazae Vrbanii Caninii Gretseri Grammatica Posselii Syntaxis Demosthenis Sententiae Posselii Apothegmata Garthii Lexicon Rulandi Synonymia Morelii Dictionarium Billii locutiones Devarius de Graecis particulis Posselii calligraphia Plutarchus Valerius Maximus Plinii Historiae Medulla Historiae Phoedri Fabulae Nâ—tales Comes Adagia Selecta Erasmi Adagia Bibliotheca Scholastica Pierus Causinus Alciati Emblemata Reusneri Symbola Diodorus Siculus Tullii Sententiae Ethica Ciceroniana Gruteri Florilegium Orator extemporaneus Vossii partitiones oratoriae Textoris Officina Lycosthenes Erasmi Apophthegmata Polyanthea Sylva Synonymorum Calliepia Huisse's Winchester 's Lloyd's Farnabie's Manutii Phrases Encheiridion Oratorium Clarks Phraseologia English Adagies Willis Anglicismes Barrets Dictionary Parei calligraphia Walker's particles Cooperi Dictionarium Flores Poetarum Phrases Poeticae Aerarium Poeticum Encheiridion Poeticum Res Virgiliana Artis Poeticae compendiuÌ„ Thesaurus Poeticus Authours useful for the sixth Form Classicall Lilii Grammatica Camdeni Grammatica Elementa Rhetorices Graecum TestamentuÌ„ Buxtorfii Epitome Psalterium Hebraicum Homerus Pindarus Lycophron Xenophon Euripides Sophocles Aristophanes Ant. de Laubegeois breviarium Graecae Linguae Horatius Juvenalis Persius Lucanus Senecae Tragoediae Martialis Plautus Luciani selecti Dialogi Tullii Orationes Plinii Panegyrica Quintiliani Declamationes Birketi Catechismus Catechismus parvus Hebraicus Subsidiary Authores Grammaticae antiqui Despauterius Linacer Melancthon Valerius Alvarez Rhenius Sulpitius Vossius Tresmari exercitationes Rhetoricae Nie. Causinus Paiot de Eloquentia Turselinus Hawkins particulae Latinae Linguae Tullii Plinii Senecae Erasmi Lipsii Manutii Aschami Politiani Turneri Epistolae Goclenii Analecta Problemata Ausonius Popma Becman de Originibus Tossani Syllabus geminus Buxtorfii Lexicon Schindleri Pentaglotton Buxtorfii Thesaurus Pagnini Crinesii Torstii Lexicon Clavis Homerica Lexicon Homericum Eustathius Pontani Progymnasmata Goodwin's Antiquities Symmachi Epistolae Libanius Sophista Turneri Baudii Mureti Heinsii Puteani Rainoldi Lipsii Barclaii Salmatii ORATIONES THE Petty-Schoole SHEWING A way to teach little Children to read English with delight and profit especially according to the New Primar By C. H. LONDON Printed by J. T. for Andrew Crook at the Green Dragon in Pauls Church Yard 1659. THE Petty-Schoole CHAP. I. How a childe may be helped in the first pronounciation of his Letters MY aim being to discover the old Art of teaching Schoole and how it may be improved in every part suteable to the years and capacities of such children as are now commonly taught I shall first begin my discourse concerning a petty-Schoole here or else where I shall not busie my self or Reader about what a childe of an extraordinary towardliness and having a teacher at home may attain unto and in how short a space but onely shew how a multitude of various wits may be taught all together with abundance of profit and delight to every one which is the proper and main work of our ordinary Schooles Whereas then it is usual in Cities and greater Towns to put children to Schoole about four or five years of age and in Country villages because of further distance not till about six or seven I conceive The sooner a child is put to School the better it is both to prevent ill habits which are got by play and idleness and to enure him betimes to affect learning and well doing Not to say how the great uncertainty of parents lives should make them careful of their Childrens early education which is like to be the best part of their patrimony what ever good thing else they may leave them in this World I observe that betwixt three and four years of age a childe hath great propensity to peep into a book and then is the most seasonable time if conveniences may be had otherwise for him to begin to learn and though perhaps then he cannot speak so very distinctly yet the often pronounciation of his letters will be a means to help his speech especially if one take notice in what organ or instrument he is most defective and exercise him chiefly in those letters which belong unto it Now there are five organs or instruments of speech in the right hitting of which as the breath moveth from within through the mouth a true pronunciation of every letter is made viz. the lips the teeth the tongue the roof of the mouth and the throat According to which if one rank the twenty four letters of our English Alphabet he shall find that A E I O V proceed by degrees from the throat along betwixt the tongue and the roof of the mouth to the lips contracted and that Y is somewhat like I being pronounced with other letters but if it be named by it self it requireth some motion of the lips B F M P W and V consonant belong to the lips C S X Z to the teeth D L N T R to the tongue B H K Q to the roof
language tell 's him there was an O an O And when the other asked him where he said in a hole in a hole and shewed it him which the lesser childe then took such notice of as to know it againe ever after from all the other letters And thus by playing with the box and enquiring concerning any letter that appeared strange to him what it was the childe learnt all the letters of the Alphabet in eleven dayes being in this Character A B C and would take pleasure to shew them in any book to any of his acquaintance that came next By this instance you may see what a propensity there is in nature betimes to learning could but the Teachers apply themselves to their young Scholars tenuity and how by proceeding in a cleare facil method that all may apprehend every one may benefit more or less by degrees According to these contrivances to forward children I have published a New Primar in the first leafe whereof I have set the Roman Capitalls because that Character is now most in use those letters the most easie to be learn't and have joyned therewith the pictures or images of some things whose names begins with that letter by which a childs memory may be helped to remember how to call his letters as A for an Ape B. for a Bear c. This Hieroglyphicall devise doth so affect Children who are generally forward to communicate what they know that I have observed them to teach others that could not so readily learn to know all the letters in a few houres space by asking them what stands A. for and so concerning other letters backwards and forwards or as they best liked Thus when a childe hath got the names of his letters their several shapes withall in a playing manner he may be easily taught to distinguish them in the following leaf which containeth first the greater and then the smaller Roman Characters to be learned by five at once or more as the childe is able to remember them other Characters I would have forborn till one be well acquainted with these because so much variety at the first doth but amaze young wits and our English characters for the most part are very obscure more hard to be imprinted in the memory And thus much for the learning to know letters we shall next and according to Order in Teaching proceed to an easie way of distinct spelling Chap III. How to teach a childe to spell distinctly THe common way of teaching a childe to spell is after he know's the letters in his Alphabet to initiate him in those few syllables which consist of one vowell before a consonant as ab eb ib ob ub c. or of one vowel after a consonant as ba be bi bo bu c. in the Horn-book thence to proceed with him by little and little to the bottom of the book hereing him twice or thrice over till he can say his lesson and then putting him to a new one In which course I have known some more apt children to have profited prety well but scarce one often when they have gone thorow the book to be able to spell a word that is not in it And some have been certaine years daily exercised in saying lessons therein who after much endeavour spent have been accounted meer block-heads and rejected all together as uncapable to learn any thing whereas some Teachers that have assayed a more familiar way have professed that they have not met with any such thing as a Dunse amid a great multitude of little Schollars Indeed it is Tullies observation of old and Erasmus his assertion of latter years that it is as natural for a childe to learn as it is for a beast to go a bird to fly or a fish to swim and I verily beleeve it for the nature of man is restlessely desirous to know things and were discouragements taken out of the way and meet helps afforded young learners they would doubtless go on with a great deal more cherefulness and make more proficiency at their books then usually they do And could the Maior have the discretion to make their lessions familiar to them children would as much delight in being bâ—sied about them as in any other sport if too long continuance at them might not make them tedious Amongst those that have gone a readier way to reading I shall onely mention Mr. Roe and Mr. Robinson the latter of whom I have known to have taught little children not much above four years old to read distinctly in the Bible in six weekes time or under their books are to be had in print but every one hath not the art to use them And Mr. Cootes English-School-Master seem's rather to be fitted for one that is a Master indeed then for a Scholar Besides the way then which is usuall you may if you think good make use of that which I have set down in the new Primar to help little ones to spell readily and it is this 1. Let a childe be well acquainted with his vowells and made to pronounce them fully by themselves because they are able to make a perfect sound alone 2. Teach him to give the true valour or force of the consonants and to take notice how imperfectly they sound except a vowel be joyned with them Both these are set apart by themselves p. 2. 3. Proceed to syllables made of one consonant set before a vowel Sect 5. and let him joyne the true force of the consonant with the perfect sound of the vowel as to say ba be bi bo bu c. Yet it were good to leave ca ce ci co cu and ga ge gi go gu to the last because the valor of the consonant in the second and third sylables doth differ from that in the rest 4. Then exercise him in syllables made of one vowel set before one consonant Sect. 6. as to say ab eb ib ob ub c. till he can spell any syllable of two letters backwards or forwards as ba be bi bo bu ab eb ib ob ub ba ab be eb bi ib bo ob bu ub and so in all the rest comparing one with another 5. And if to any one of these syllables you adde a letter and teach him how to joyne it in sound with the rest you will make him more ready in spelling as if before a b you put b and teach him to say bab if after ba you put d and let him pronounce it bad he will quickly be able to joyne a letter with any of the rest as nip pin but tub c. To enure your young-Scholar to any even the hardest syllable in an easie way 1. Practise him in the ioyning of consonants that begin syllables Sect. 7. so as that he may give their joynt forces at once thus Having shewed him to sound â—l or br together make him to pronounce them and a vowel with them bla bra ble bre and so in any of
Schoole with sundry people almost in all places slighted the matter which is taught in most books now in use is not so familiar to them and therefore not so easie for Children to learn But to hold still to the sure foundation I have caused the Lords Prayer Sect. 20. the Creed Sect. 21. and the ten Commandements Sect. 23. to be printed in the Roman character that a childe having learned already to know his letters and how to spell may also be initiated to read by them which he will do the more cheerfully if he be also instructed at home to say them by heart As he read's these I would have a childe name what words he can at the first sight and what he cannot to spell them and to take notice what pauses and numbers are in his lesson And to go them often over till he can tell any tittle in them either in or without the book When he is thus well entered in the Roman character I would have him made acquainted with the rest of the characters now in use Sect. 23. which will be easily done by comparing one with another and reading over those sentences Psalms Thankesgivings and Prayers which are printed in greater and lesse characters of sundry sorts till he have them pretty well by heart Thus having all things which concerne reading English made familar to him he may attaine to a perfect habit of it 1. By reading the single Psalter 2. The Psalmes in meeter 3. The Schoole of good manners or such like easie books which may both profit and delight him All which I would wish he may read over at lest thrice to make the matter as well as the words leave an impression upon his mind If any where he stick at any word as seeming too hard let him marke it with a pin or the dint of his nayle and by looking upon it againe he will remember it When he can read any whit readily let him begin the Bible and read over the book of Genesis and other remarkable Histories in other places of Scripture which are most likely to delight him by a chapter at a time But acquaint him a little with the matter beforehand for that will intice him to read it and make him more observant of what he read's After he hath read aske him such generall Questions out of the Story as are most easie for him to answer and he will the better remember it I have known some that by hiring a child to read two or three chapters a day and to get so many verses of it by heart have made them admirable proficients and that betimes in the Scriptures which was Timothies excellency and his Grandmothers great commendation Let him now take liberty to exercise himself in any English book so the matter of it be but honest till he can perfectly read in any place of a book that is offered him and when he can do this I adjudge him fit to enter into a Grammar Schoole but not before For thus learning to read English perfectly I allow two or three years time so that at seven or eight years of age a child may begin Latine CHAP. V. Wherein children for whom the Latine tongue is thought to be unnecessary are to be employed after they can read English well IT is a fond conceit of many that have either not attained or by their own negligence have utterly lost the use of the Latine Tongue to think it altogether unnecessary for such children to learn it as are intended for Trades or to be kept as drudges at home or employed about husbandry For first there are few children but in their playing-playing-years and before they can be capable of any serious employment in the meanest calling that is may be so far grounded in the Latine as to finde that little smattering they have of it to be of singular use to them both for the understanding of the English Authors which abound now a dayes with borrowed words and the holding discourse with a sort of men that delight to flant it in Latine Secondly Besides I have heard it spoken to the great commendation of some Countries where care is had for the well education of children that every Peasant almost is able to discourse with a stranger in the Latine tongue and why may not we here in England obtain the like praise if we did but as they continue our children at the Latine Schoole till they be well acquainted with that language and thereby better fitted for any calling Thirdly And I am sorry to adde that the non-improvement of childrens time after they can read English any whit well throweth open a gap to all loose kinde of behaviour for being then as it is too commonly to be seen especially with the poorer sort taken from the Schoole and permitted to run wildeing up and down without any control they adventure to commit all manner of lewdnesse and so become a shame and dishonour to their Friends and Countrey If these or the like reasons therefore might prevail to perswade them that have a prejudice against Latine I would advise that all children might be put to the Grammar-Schoole so soon as they can read English well and suffered to continue at it till some honest calling invite them thence but if not I would wish them rather to forbear it then to become there an hinderance to others whose work it is to learn that profitable Language And that they may not squander away their time in idleness it were good if they were put to a Writing-Schoole where they might be First helped to keep their English by reading of a chapter at least once a day and second taught to write a fair hand and thirdly afterwards exercised in Arithmatique and such preparative Arts as may make them compleatly fit to undergoe any ordinary calling And being thus trained up in a way of discipline they will afterwards prove more easily plyable to their Masters commands Now forasmuch as few Grammar-Schooles of note will admit children into them till they have learn't their Accidents the teaching of that book also becometh for the most part a work for a Petty-Schoole where many that undertake to teach it being altogether ignorant of the Latine Tongue do sorrily performe that taske and spend a great deal of time about it to little or no purpose I would have that book therefore by such let alone and left to the Grammar-School as most sitting to be taught there onely because it is intended as an introduction of Grammar to guide children in a way of reading writing and speaking Latine and the Teachers of the Grammar-Art are most deeply concerned to make use of it for that end And in stead of the Accidents which they do neither understand nor profit by they may be benefitted in reading Orthodoxal Catechismes and other Books that may instruct them in the Duties of a Christian such as are The Practise of Piety The Practise of Quietnesse The whole duty of
orderly taught and disciplined What I have here writ concerning the Teaching and ordering of a Petty-Schoole was in many particulars experienced by my self with a few little boyes that I taught amongst my Grammar-Scholars in London and I know those of eminent worth and great learning that upon tryal made upon their own children at home and others at Schoole are ready to attest the ease and benefit of this method Insomuch as I was resolved to have adjoyned a Petty-Schoole to my Grammar-Schoole at the Token-house in Lothbury London and there to have proceeded in this familiar and pleasing way of Teaching had I not been unhansomly dealt with by those whom it concerned for their own profit sake to have given me lesse discouragement Neverthelesse I think it my duty to promote Learning what I can and to lay a sure foundation for such a goodly structure as learning is And though perhaps I may never be able to effect what I desire for its advancement yet it will be my comfort to have imparted somwhat to others that may help thereunto I have here begun at the very ground work intending by Gods blessing forthwith to publish The New Discovery of the Old Art of Teaching which doth properly belong to a Grammar-Schoole In the mean time I intreat those into whose hands this little work may come to look upon it with a single eye and whether they like or dislike it to think that it is not unnecessary for men of greatest parts to bestow a sheet or two at leasure time upon so mean a subject as this seem's to bee And that God which causeth immense rivers to flow from small spring-heads vouchsafe to blesse these weak beginings in tender age that good learning may proceed hence to its full perfection in riper years FINIS THE Usher's Duty OR A PLAT-FORME of Teaching LILIES Grammar By C. H. LONDON Printed by J. T. for Andrew Crook at the Green Dragon in Pauls Church Yard 1659. THE Usher's Duty OR A Plat-forme of Teaching Lilies Grammar CHAP. I. How to help Children that are imperfect in reading English when they are brought to the Grammar-Schoole and how to prepare them for more easie entrance upon Latine THE want of good Teachers of English in most places where Grammar-Schooles are erected causeth that many Children are brought thither to learn the Latine Tongue before they can read well And this chiefly to prevent their losse of time with those that can teach them no further Now such Scholars for the most part become the greatest disgrace to the Master of all the rest partly because indiscreet and illiterate parents I wil not say servants that can scarcely read English themselves become too severe judges of his work and partly because he seem's to some to undervalue himself by admiting Petties into his Schoole But for the toyl and trouble that he hath in teaching such I rather seek how to remedie it then go about in words to expresse it To help therefore that defect of reading English aright you may take this as the most useful course 1. Let them read a Chapter every morning and every noon in the New-Testament and at ten and four a clock a piece of the Accidents which will require at least a quarter of a year to be read over in case the children be very imperfect but in case they be any whit ready it may be gone over in six weeks time 2. To exercise their slender memories at their first coming to Schoole and to find them some little task over-night to which they should be inured at the first that they may not take it more hardly afterwards let them commit to memory some few staves of such Psalms in Meeter as you in your discretion shall think best to sute with their shallow apprehensions Psalm 1. 4. 12. 15. 19. 25. 34. 67. 100. 103 104 119. are excellent for this purpose That they may be more perfect in their lessons before they come to say 1. It were good if you did now and then read a piece for their imitation observing the just and full pronounciation of each syllable and making pauses as they come 2. But especially as they sit in their form see that every one after another read the Lesson twice or thrice over the highest because the most able beginning to read first and cause that every one attend diligently to what is read looking constantly upon his book and let them have liberty who can soonest to correct him that readeth any word amisse and to note it as his mistake But in this a care must be had that they make no noise nor disturbance to the rest of the Schoole 3. When they come to say let every one in that order you shall appoint beginning either with the highest or lowest or otherwise read the whole Lesson or a piece of it as the time will best permit you to hear them and when the lesson is gone often enough over you may propound a familiar and short question or two out of it thereby to make somewhat of its meaning stick in their memories and dismisse them to their places to ask one another the like But because the Accidents as it is now Printed especially that part of it which concerneth the conjugateing of verbs is too full of difficult Abbreviations for the most Children to read or some Masters that undertake it to teach I have found a great advantage and ease by making use of the examination of the Accidents before I put them to read the Accidents it self especially with some more dull-witted boyes that I could not otherwise fasten upon and the way I used it was this I caused 1. That Children should read over onely the first part of it which concerneth the Introduction of the eight parts of Speech by taking so much at a time as they could well be able to read and belonged to one or more particular heads of Grammar Thus in the first going it over I made them acquainted with the usual terms of Grammar-Art so as to be able at least to turn to a Noun Pronoune Verb c. and to what belong to them as to the Numbers Cases Persons Moods c. and to tell how many there are of each And in the second reading it over I taâ—ght them to take notice what every part of speech is and how it differs from others and what things belong to every one of them And this I did by English examples which best help to instruct their understandings in the meaning of what they read and confirm their memories to keep it Ex. gr having shewed them in their Book that a Noun is the name of a thing and that it is substantive or Adjective and hath Numbers Cases Genders Declensions and Degrees of Comparison I instance several words as a horse of men sweet honey with sweeter words and let the Children who can readiliest tell me what belong to them This is as Mr. Woodward very well expresseth it in his Light
Part of Speech any word is which you shall name either in English or Latine and what belongs to it which is one main end for which the introduction was made you may now and then exercise them in distinguishing the eight Parts of Speech by giving them a Period and after they have writ it out making them to mark every word what part of Speech it by these figures 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. 3. But as they get the introduction by heart and learn to answer to the questions raised out of it an especial care and paines must be taken ever and anon to make them very perfect in declining Nounes and formeing Verbs Let them therefore as it were by by-tasks get the examples of the Nounes and Verbs very perfectly which are set down in their Accidents Then First let them decline the Articles severally or joyntly for by these they may know the Gender Case and Number of a Noun though many learned Grammarians of late do leave them off as uselesse Harum Musarum was formerly as much as to say that Musarum is of the Feminine Gender Genitive Case and Plural Number And whereas the Rule beginneth with the Genitive Case do you supply the Nominative thus 2. Cause them with every example to joyn the Rule of the Declension and thereby to know the due Termination of every case in both Numbers saying the English sometimes before and sometimes after the Latine the Nom. case singular of the first declension endeth in a as Nominative Hac Musa a song the Genitive in ae as Hujus Musae of a song the Dative in ae as Huic Musae to a song c. 3. Let them give you the bare Terminations of every declension in each case in both numbers as to say The Terminations of the first declension throughout all cases in both Numbers are Singulariter Nom. a Gen. ae Dat. ae Accuam c. The Terminations of the Nominative case singular of the five Declensions are of the first a. of the second r us um of the third a c e i l n o r s t x. of the fourth us of the fifth es The Terminations of the Genitive case singular of the five Declensions are Of the first ae the second i the third is the fourth us the fifth ei c. And let them take especial notice of the endings of the Genitive case singular because thereby they may know of what declension a Noun is when they find it in a Vocabulary or Dictionary 4. Furnish them out of their Vocabularie or otherwise with store of examples for every several Declension till they can readily decline any regular Noune but then especially mind them of the Voca singular of those Nounes that end in us of the second Declension and of those that are of the neuter Gender of the second third or 4th declension and what cases they make all alike in both numbers 5. Exercise them in declining Nounes so often till they can tell you at once the termination of any case in either number in one or all the declensions and say on a suddain what any Noune you name to them doth make in any one case of each Number in English or Latine As if you ask them of what declension case and number this termination os is they can presently answer that os is of the second declension Accu case and plural number or if you ask them of what Declension Case and Number virtute is they can answer that virtute is of the third declension the Ablative case and singular number So in English if you should say with a pen they can tell you it is the Ablative case and singular number and therefore must be said in Latine Penna Or if in Latine you should say pennas they can tell you it is of the accusative case plural number and must be said in English pennes or the pennes 6. In declining Adjectives cause them to minde to what declension their several genders belong and after they can parse every Gender alone by it self teach them joyn it to a substantive of the same or a different declension with the English either before or after the Latine thus Singulariter Nominativo Pura charta fair paper Gen. purae chartae of fair paper c. Sing nom novus Liber a new Book Gen. novi Libri of a new Book c. Sing Nom. Dulcis conjux a sweet wife Gen Dulcis Conjugis of a sweet wife c Edentula anus a toothless old-woman Gen. edentulae anus of a toothless old-woman c. Frigida glacies cold ice Genitivo frigidae glaciei of cold ice c. Gravis Turba a troublesome rout Gen. Gravis Turbae of a troublesome rout c. Magnum Onus a great burthen Gen. magni oneris of a great burthen c. 7. Accquaint them well with the manner of forming the three degrees of comparison by shewing them how the comparative and superlative are made of the positive according to the rules and then let them decline an adjective in all the degrees together throughout all cases and Genders in both Numbers as well English as Latine thus Sing Nom. durus hard durior harder durissimus very hard dura hard durior harder durissima very hard durum hard durius harder durissimum very hard Gen. duri of hard durioris of harder durissimi of very hard c. Sing Nom. felix happy felicior more happy felicissimus most happy felix happy felicion more happy felicissima most happy felix happy felicius more happy felicissimum most happy Gen. felicis of happy felicioris of more happy felicissimi of most happy c. then teach them to joyn a Substantive with any one or all of the Degrees thus Injustus pater a harsh father iujusta mater an unjust mother injustum animal an unjust creature Indoctus puer an unlearned boy Indoctior puella a more unlearned girle Indoctissimum vulgus the most unlearned common people 8. To help them the better to perform this profitable exercise of themselves let them sometimes write a Noun which you appoint them at large and distinguish betwixt that part of it which is moveable and that which is immoveable I mean betwixt the fore-part of the word and its termination thus Sing Nom. Mens-a a Table Gen. Mens-ae to a Table Dat. Mens-ae to a Table c. to the end Thus likewise they may be exercised in writing out Substantives and Adjectives and forming the degrees of comparison with which work they will be exceedingly much delighted when once they can write and by once writing they will better discern what they do then by ten times telling over which makes me again presse hard that either a child may be able to write before he be put to the Grammar Schoole or else be put to learn to write so soon as he comes thither For besides the confused disorder it will make in a Schoole when some children are fitted to undergoe their taskes and
others are not they that can write shall be sure to profit in Grammar learning whereas they that cannot will do little but disturb the Schoole and hinder their fellowes and bring a shame upon their Master and a blame upon themselves because they do not learn faster And alas poor child how should he be made to go that wants his legges if he go upon crutches it is but lamely And how should he be taught Grammar which is the Art of right writing as well as speaking that cannot write at all I wish they that take upon them to teach boyes Grammar before they can write would but take upon them the trouble to teach one to speak well that cannot speak at all But I say no more of this subject for though what I say have seemed to some a meer Paradox yet upon triall they have found it a plain reall Truth and such as nay man in reason will assent to As for that which is generally objected that whilst children are young their hands are unsteady and therefore they should go on at their books till they grow more firm it will quickly be found a meer idle phansie when such objecters shall see lesse children then their own every day practise fair writing and make more speedy progresse at their books by so doing Now touching verbs 1. Be sure that children be well acquainted with the different kinds of them distinguished both by signification and termination as also with their Moods Tenses and Signes of them and with the characteristical letters of the four conjugations which are a long and e long and e short and i long And as they conâ—ugate a verb let them take more particular notice of its Present tense Preterperfect tense and first Supine because of these all other tenses are formed and these therefore are specified in every Dictionary 2. Let them first repeat over the verb Sum according to four Moods onely the Optative Potential and Subjunctive being the same in all verbs because it hath a proper manner of declincing and is most frequently used and will be helpful to form the Pretertenses in the Passive voyce which consist of a Participle joyned with it 3. Let them get the Active voyce veâ—y perfectly by heart and afterwards the Passive though they do it more leasurely taking but one Mood at a lesson and let them not now repeat the paradigmes as they stand confusedly together in their book but sever them one from another and go on with one at once viz. Amo by it self Doceo by it self Lego by it self and Audio by it self thorow all Moods Tenses Numbers and Persons giving the English with the Latine sometimes putting the one before and sometimes the other And be sure to make them mind all the signes in English and the terminations answering to them in Latine 4. Then teach them to form only the first person singular of every conjugation severally both with Latine before English and English before Latine as Amo I love Amabam I did love c. or I love Amo I did love Amabam c. 5. Cause them again to form onely the Present tense with the tenses that depend more immediately upon it and then the Preter tense with those that are formed of it And give them here to observe the Rule in their Accidents touching the Formation of the Tenses which is more easie to be delivered and remembred thus All tenses that end in ram rim ssem ro sse are formed of the Preter tense and all the rest of the Present tense according to the Latine verse Ram rim ssem ro sse formabit caetera Praesens 6. Make them to give you the terminations of the first person singular throughout all Moods and Tenses of each severall Conjugation as to say The terminations of the first persons singular in the first Conjugation are o abam avi averam abo c. Then let them run over the Terminations of all the Persons in both Numbers of every Mood and Tense in the severall Conjugations as to say The Terminations of the Indicative Mood Present tense of the first Conjugation are o as at amus atis ant Of the Preterimperfect-tense abam abas abat c. 7. Let them joyn the Terminations of the first person with the signes of every Tense in both voyces thus o do bam did i have ram had bo shall or will c. or am bar was us sum vel tui have been us eram vel fueram had been bor shall be c. throughout all the Conjugations And let them withall take notice how the three persons in both numbers differ both in signification and ending as I o and r thou s and ris he t and tur we mus and mur ye tis and ni they nt or ntur 8. Let them repeat the Active and the Passive voyce together and compare them one with another as they form them in all persons throughtout each Mood and Tense of every Conjugation thus Amo I love Amor I am loved Amabam I did love Amabar I was loved c. 9. Exercise them well in so many severall examples of the four Conjugations as that on a suddain they can render you any Verb out of Latine into English or out of English into Latine with its right Mood Tense Number and person you telling them the first word of it or they knowing it before-hand as if you say we have run they can answer cucurrimus or if you say I shall blot they can answer maculabo having learnt that Curro is Latine for to run and that maculo signifieth to blot To make them more fully acquainted with the variation of a verb it were good sometimes for them to write one out at full length both in English and Latine making a line betwixt the alterable part of it and the termination which remaineth alike to all thus Voc-o I call voc-as thou callest voc-at he calleth c. N. B. The Nouns and Verbs being thus perfectly gotten at the first till which be done the Preface before the Grammar counteth not the Scholar ready to go any further and saith it may be done with a quarter of a years diligence or very little more the difficulty of the Latine tongue will be quite over-past and a childe will more surely and heedfully learn them thus singly by themselves then by long practice in parsing and making Latine because then he is to attend many other things together with them for the better observation whereof these will abundantly prepare him And because all children are not so quick-witted as fully to apprehend the various alteration of the Nouns and Verbs till after long and continued practice it were good if a time were set apart once a week wherein all the Scholars especially of the three lower forms and those in the upper that are less expert as having perhaps come from a Schoole wherein they were never thus exercised may be constantly employed in this most profitable exercise And
first imitated Praeceptor legit vos vero negligitis The Master readeth and ye regard not The Pastors preach and people regard not I speak and ye hear not We have read and thou mindest not And the like may be propounded as whilest the Cat sleepeth the Mice dance When the Master is away the boyes will play Thou neglectest when I write And these the children should make out of English into Latine unto which you should still adde more till they be able by themselves to practise according to the Rule 3. After they have thus gone over the general Rules Let them together with one Rule get its exceptions and observations as they lie in order and learn how they differ from the Rule and be sure that they construe and parse every example and imitate and make another agreeable to the Rule observation or exception as is shewed before N. B. Now forasmuch as little ones are too too apt to forget any thing that hath been told them concerning the meaning of a rule and the like and some indeed are of more leasurely apprehensions then others that require a little consideration of a thing before they can conceive it rightly they may be helped by making use of the second part of the Accidents examined wherein 1. The Rules are delivered by easie and short questions and answers and all the examples are Englished and the words wherein the force of the example lyeth are applyed to the rule 2. The examples are Grammatically construed and all the first words in them set down in the margent and referred to an Index which sheweth what part of Speech they are and how to be declined or conjugated This I contrived at the first as a means to prevent Childrens gadding out of their places under a pretence of asking abler boyes to help them in construing and parsing these examples but upon tryal I found it a great ease to my self for telling the same things often over and a notable encouragement to my Scholars to go about their lessons who alwayes go merrilier about their task when they know how to resolve themselves in any thing they doubt 4. When they have got the second Part of the Accidents well by heart and understand it at least so far as to be able to give you any rule you call for you may divide it also into eight parts according to the heads set down in the book whereof the First May be concerning the first second and third Concord The second concerning the case of the relative and the Construction of Substantives The third concerning the Construction of Adjectives and of a Pronoune The fourth concerning the construction of Verbs with a Nominative and Genitive Case The fifth concerning the construction of Verbs with a Dative Accusative and Ablative Case The sixth concerning the construction of Passives Gerunds and Supines The seventh concerning time space place and impersonals The eighth concerning the Participle the Adverb the Conjunction the Praeposition and the Interjection which being added to the foregoing twelve the whole Accidents may be easily passed over at twenty Parts and kept surely in mind by repeating it once a moneth for morning Parts and examining it every Tuesday and Thursday in the afternoon As they made use of the Vocabulary together with the first part of the Accidents so may they joyn Sententiae Puerilis with the second which book I would have them to provide both in English and Latine 1. Because it renders the Book more grateful to Children who by reading their Lessons in their Mothers tongue know better what to make of them 2. Because they are apt to mistake what they have been construed especially in words that have various significations 3. Their memories being short they must be told the same word as oft as they ask it ere they come to say and when they come perhaps they cannot construe one Sentence to any purpose As they learn this book let them but take three or four lines at once which they should 1. Construe out of Latine into Egnlish and then out of English into Latine 2. Decline the Nounes and form the Verbs in it throughout and give the rules for the concordance and construction of the Words 3. Bring their lessons fair writ out both in English and Latine in a little paper book which will exceedingly further them in spelling and writing truly 4. To fix their Lessons the better in their memorie you may ask them such plain questions as they can easily answer by the words in the Sentence 5. Let them also imitate a Sentence sometimes by changing some of the words and sometimes altering their Accidents 6. Give them sometimes the English of a Sentence to make into Latine of themselves and then let them compare it with the Latine in the book and see wherein they come short of it or in what Rule they faile For though the main end of this Book which is full of plain lessons both of honesty and godliness be to instill those grave sayings into childrens minds some of which notwithstanding are too much beyond their reach and it be not perhaps so useful as some others are for the speedy gaining of Latine yet by being thus made use of it may be very much improved to both purposes Here I think it no digression to tell how I and some School-fellowes yet living and eminent in their Scholar-like professions were nusled two or three years together in learning this book of Sentences After we had gone over our Accidents several times by heart and had learned part of Propria quae maribus we were put into this Book and there made to construe and parse two or three Sentences at once out of meer Latine and if in any thing we missed we were sure to be whipt It was well if of 16. or 20. boyes two at any time could say and that they did say right was more by hap-hazard then any thing that they knew For we knew not how to apply one rule of Grammar to any word nor could we tell what part of Speech it was or what belonged to it but if the Master told us it was a Noun to be sure we said it was of the Nominative case and singular number and if a Verb we presently guessed it to be of the Indicative Mood Present tense singular number and third person because those coming so frequent we erred the lesse in them And an ignorant presumption that we could easily say made us spend our time in idle chat or worse employment and we thought it in vain for us to labour about getting a lesson because we had no help at all provided to further us in so doing Yet here and there a Sentence that I better understood then the rest and with which I was more affected took such imimpression as that I still remember it as Gallus in suo stirquilinio plurimum potest Vbi dolor ibi digitus c. This I have related by the by to manifest by mine
go thorow it and the whole Latine Grammar at twelve parts onely construing and giving an account of the by-Rules but saying all the rest by heart so that the first part may be The Introduction The second The Construction of the eight parts of Speech The third Orthographia The fourth Etymologia so farre as concerns the Species Figure Number Case and Gender of Nounes The fifth concerning the Declensions including Quae genus and the comparison of Nounes The sixth concerning a Pronoun and a Verb. The seventh concerning a Participle an Adverb a Conjunction a Praeposition and an Interjection The eighth Syntaxis so far as concerns the Concords and the Construction of Nounes The ninth concerning the construction of Verbs The tenth concerning the Construction of Participles Adverbs Conjunctions Praepositions and Interjections The eleventh concerning Figures Tones and Spirits The twelfth concerning the manner of Verses and the quantity of Syllables Now in repeating these parts I do not enjoyn that onely one boy should say all though I would have every one well prepared to do so but that one should say one piece and another another as you please to appoint either orderly throughout the Form or picking out here and there a boy at your own discretion According to this division the whole Accidents and Grammar may be run over once in a moneths space and continued in the upper Formes by repeating one part onely and constantly in a week so as it may never be forgotten at the Schoole This Form in short is to be employed about three quarters of a year 1. In reading four or six verses out of the Latine Testament every morning immediately after Prayers 2. In repeating Syntaxis on Mondayes Tuesdayes and Wednesdayes and the Accidents and Propria quae maribus c. on Thursdayes for morning parts 3. In Aesops Fables for fore-noone Lessons 4. In Janua Linguarum for After-noone Parts 5. In Mantuan for Afternoons Lessons on Mondayes and Wednesdayes and in Helvicus's Colloquies on Tuesdayes and Thursdayes 6. In the Assemblies Latine Catechisme on Saturdayes for Lessons 7. In translating every night two verses out of the Proverbs into Latine and two out of the Latine Testament into English which with other dictated Exercises are to be corrected on Fridayes after repetitions ended and shewed fair written on Saturday mornings but because their wits are now ripened for the better understanding of Grammar and it is necessary for them to be made wholly acquainted with it before they proceed to the exact reading of Authors and making Schoole-exercises I would have them spend one quarter of a yeare chiefly in getting Figura and Prosodia and making daily repetition of the whole Accidents and Common-Grammar So that this third year will be well bestowed in teaching children of betwixt nine and ten yeares of age the whole Grammar and the right use of it in a method answerable to their capacities and not much differing from the common rode of teaching CHAP. V. How to try children to the utmost whether they be well grounded in the Grammar and how to go more expeditiously to work in Teaching the Latine Tongue to those that are at years of discretion IT is an ordinary course in most of our Grammar-Schooles for the Vsher to turn over his Scholars to the higher Master after they have gone through the Grammar and with some been exercised in construing and parsing here and there a piece of the forementioned lower Authours and in turning English Sentences or dictates into Latine but oft-times it cometh to passe that partly through the Ushers want of skill or care to insist upon those things chiefly and most frequently which are the most necessary to be kept in minde and partly through childrens want of heed who are apt to huddle over all Parts and Lessons alike not observing what use they are to make of any one in particular more then other there is no sure foundation laid for the Master to build safely upon which causeth him if he be not very discreet to cast off many boyes as unfit by him to be further wrought upon or continually to fret and grieve himself to see his Scholars so often mistake themselves in any Taske or Exercise that he setteth them about And the poor children being all this while sensible of their own imperfectness in the first Grounds are daunted to see their Master so often angry with them and that they are no better able to perform their work to his better satisfaction which they would gladly do if they did but a little understand how to go about it Some also preconceiting a greater difficulty to be in learning then they have hitherto met withall and not knowing how to encounter it become utterly discouraged with the thoughts of a new change and chuse rather to sorsake the School then proceed to obtain the Crown of their by-past labours I mean the sweetness of learning which they are now to gain under the Master For after children are once well grounded by the Vsher they will go on with ease cheerfulness under the Master delighting to read pure Language and variety of matter in choyce Authours and to excercise their wits in curious phansies and it will be an extraordinary comfort to the Master to see his Scholars able to run on of themselves if he but once show them the way to perform any Task that he propoundeth to them It is necessary therefore for the Master before he take Scholars to his onely charge to see first that they understand the Rudiments or Grounds of Grammar and then the whole Grammar it self and that they can thorowly practise them but especially to help those in the understanding and exercise thereof that by reason of sickness or the like accident have bin oftner absent or that have not been so long at the School as their fellowes or who by reason of their age or stature will quickly think it a shame to be left under the Usher behinde the rest Now to try whether a childe be well grounded or not this course may be taken 1. Let him take some easie Fable in Aesop or any other piece of familiar Latine and let him construe it of himself according to the directions given in my Grounds of Grammar l. 2. c. 13. 2. Then let him write down the English alone leaving a large space betwixt every line wherein he should afterwards write the Latine words answerable to the English ex gr De sene vocante mortem Of an old man calling Death An old-man carrying a bundle of sticks upon his shoulders out of a Forest when he was weary with the long way called death the bundle being laid down on the ground Behold death cometh and asketh the cause why he had called him Thē the old mā saith that
children hath chiefly respect unto Lilies Grammar which is yet constantly made use of in most Schools in England and from which I think it not good for any Master to decline either in a private or publique course of Teaching for these reasons following 1 Because no man can be assured that either his Scholars will stick to him or that he shall continue with them till he have perfectly trained them up by another Grammar 2 Because if children be made to change their Grammars as often as they use to change their Masters especially in a place where many Schooles are they will be like those that runne from room to room in a Labyrinth who know not whether they go backward or forward nor which way to take towards the door I mean they may be long conversant in Grammar books and never understand the Art it self 3. Because I have known many and those men of excellent abilities for Grammar-learning who having endeavored to proceed by an easier way then Lilies is have been quite decried by the generality of them that hold to the Common-Grammar and have had much adoe to bear up the credit of their School though their Scholars have been found to make very good Proficiency and more then others 4. Because when a Master hath grounded a Scholar never so well if he in hopes of an exhibition or Scholarship or other preferment to be had be removed from him to one of our greater Schooles he shall be made pro formâ to get Lilies Grammar by heart and to neglect what he hath formerly learned as unnecessary and uselesse 5. Because children in their tender age are generally like leaking vessels and no sooner do they receive any instructions of Grammar but they forget them as quickly till by frequent repetitions and examinations they be revâ—ted into them and by assiduity of long practice brought to an habit which cannot be bred in them under two or three yeares time in which space they may be as well habituated and perfected by Lilies Grammar as any other according to the Plat-form of teaching it which I have already shewed and by means of those helps which I have published for the better explication of some parts of it Yet I do not deny but a far easier way may be taken to teach children First the grounds and Rudiments and afterwards the whole Systeme of Grammar then that which is generally now in use according to Lilie whom after I had observed many eminent School-masters who have published Grammars of their own to condemn of many Tautologies defects and errours and withall to endevour to retain the substance of his Grammar I essayed my self to see what might be done in that kinde with an especiall eye upon the slender capacities of children with whom I had to do And after triall made that such instruments would forward my work I was bold to publish first An easie entrance to the Latine tongue and then The Latine Grammar fitted for the use of Schooles which how I have for sundry yeares taught together with Lilies Grammar I shall now briefly declare 1. As children are going over the Accidents and that part of the Grammar which concerneth the Genders of nouns and the Preterperfect tense and Supines of verbs I make them one day to peruse that part of the Grounds of Grammar which concerneth the eight parts of Speech severally handled and another day to read that which concerneth their construction and every Saturday morning to run over their examination which being but a Task of about half an hour doth exceedingly help their understanding and memory in getting their every dayes parts and keeping them in minde especially if they be made sometimes to look upon their Synopsis's and thereby to take notice how handsomely and orderly the Rules hang together 2. Likewise as children proceed in Lilies Grammar which commonly is but very slowly because it being all in Latine is hard to be understood and being somewhat long in learning boyes are apt to forget one end of it before they can come to another I cause them to make use of the Latine Grammar which I fitted to the use of Schooles together with it This I usually divide into twelve or sixteen parts letting the Appendix alone till they understand all the rest in reading of which I cause them to spend half an hour for the most part every day and by comparing what they read with that in Lilies Grammar I make them to observe how what they learn in Lily ought rightly to be placed according to the true method of Grammar Art which they see analysed in the Synopsis They may first read it over in English only and then in Latine and English together and afterwards only in Latine And because frequent examination is a main expedient to fasten what is taught I cause them every Saturday morning to make use of Examinatio Latinae Grammaticae which is now lately printed and let one boy ask the questions out of the Book and the rest answer him orderly out of the Grammars in their hands And this I finde that a natural and clear method of teaching Grammar is the best means that can be devised to open the understanding for the receiving or to strengthen the memory for the retaining of any instructions that can be given concerning it And I judge that method to be most natural and easie which doth at once lay open the subject that it treateth of and enlighten a mean capacity to apprehend it on a suddain and which hath withall a power in it self that whether the discourse upon the matter be more contracted or enlarged it can bring all that can be said of it under a few certain and general Heads by way of Common-place which being surely kept in minde all other documents depending on them as particulars will easily be remembred Thus have I freely imparted my thoughts touching the most familiar way that I have hitherto known either by my Masters or my own practice or any thing that I have observed by reading or converse with experienced School-masters of teaching the Common Grammar and making use of these ordinary School-books in every form which are taught in most Schooles in England And because it belongs chiefly to the Vsher in most of our Grammar-Schools to teach children to understand and make use of their Grammar and by degrees to furnish them with proper words or good phrase that they may be able of themselves to write or speak true Latine or translate either way pretty elegantly before they come under the Master I call this part of my discovery The Vshers duty wherein he may plainly see how he ought to respect the end the means and the manner how to use every help or mean for the better dispatch of that which he is continually imployed about viz. the well grounding of Children in Grammar learning which may be done in three yeares with the ordinary sort of boyes even those of the meanest capacity if
Discretion in every particular be used which is beyond any directions that can be given So that under the Usher I admit of three forms The first of Enterers The second of Practitioners The third of Proficients in the knowledge of Grammar Having done therefore with grounding children whose inanimadvertency is the Teachers daily trouble and not to mention their other infirmities requireth that they be held long in one and the same work and be made ever and anone to repeat again what they formerly learned I shall next adde somewhat concerning teaching men at spare hours in private with whom by reason of their stronger capacities and more use of reason a far speedier course may be taken and greater Proficiency may be made in half a year then can be expected from children in three years space And what I shall here deliver is confirmed by that experiment which I have made with many young Gentlemen for these eleven or twelve years together last past in London who being very sensible of their own want of the Latine tongue and desirous if possibly to attain it have thought no cost nor pains too little to be employed for gaining of it and yet in few moneths they have either been so grounded as to be able to help themselves in a plain Authour in case they knew nothing before or so perfected as to grapple with the most difficult and exactest Authours in case they had formerly but a smattering of the Language and this they have obtained at leisure time and at far lesse expense then they now prize the jewel at which they hav In teaching of a man then I require none of those helps which I have provided for childrens uses though perhaps he may find benefit to himself by perusing them in private only I desire him at the first to get an easie entrance to the Latine tongue and by it I shew him as briefly orderly and plainly as I can 1. How he ought to distinguish words so as to know what part of Speech any word is 2. To tell what belongeth to every several Part of Speech 3. To get the Examples of the Declensions Conjugations very exactly so as to know what any Noun or Verb signifieth according to its Termination and to store him with words I advise him to peruse a Chapter in the Vocabulary at least once every day and to observe the Latine names of such things as are common in use and better known to him 4. Then I acquaint him with the most general Rules of Concordance and Construction and help him to understand them by sundry short examples appliable thereunto 5. Last of all I cause him to take some of the Collectanea and help him to construe parse imitate and alter them untill he be able to adventure upon some easy Authour After he be thus made well acquainted with the Grounds of Grammar I bid him to procure the Latine Grammar fitted for his use as well as for Schooles and together with it a Latine Testament or Bible and then I cause him to read over his Grammar by as much at once as he can well peruse in halfe an houre and be sure that he thorowly understand it and after every one of the foure Parts of Grammar I give him a Praxis of it by exercising whereof he may easily know how to use his Rules and where to find them When by this meanes he can tell what to do with his Grammar I turn him to the Latine Testament beginning with the first Chapter of Saint Johns Gospel because it is most easy and there I make him by giving him some few directions which he hath together with his Grounds of Grammar to learn to construe of himselfe six eight or ten verses with the help of his English Bible and to parse them exactly according to his Grammar and by going over three or four Chapters he will be able to proceed understandingly in his Latine Bible without help Which when he can do I advise him to get Corderius English and Latine where he is chiefly to take notice of the phrases how they differ in both languages and to imitate here and there a Colloquie to try what good Latine he can write or speak of himself And now I commend to his own private reading Dialogi Gallico Anglo-Latini by Dâ—gres Dictionarium octo-lingue or the Schoolmaster Printed formerly by Michael Sparks and Janua Linguarum or rather Janua Latinae linguae and the like by perusal of which together with Corderius he may be furnished with copy of words and phrases for common discourse in Latine Afterwards I help him in reading Aesop's Fables to consture and parse and imitate a Period or more in 〈◊〉 of them thereby to acquaint himself 〈◊〉 the artificial manner of placing words And when I see he dare adventure upon the Latine alone I make him read Terence over and over and to observe all the difficulties of Grammar that he meets in him and after he is once Master of his stile he will be pretty well able for any Latine Book of which I allow him to take his choice VVhether he will read Tully Pliny Seneca or Lipsius for Epistles Justin Salust Lucius Florus or Caesar for History Virgil Ovid Lucan or Horace for Poetry And when I see he can read these understandingly I judge him able to peruse any Latine Authour of himself by the help of Coopers Dictionary and good Commentators or Scholiasts These Authors which I have mentioned are most of them in English as also Livie Plinies natural History Tacitus and otheâ— excellent Books which he may peruse together with the Latine and by comparing both Languages together he may become very expert in both Yet I would advisâ— him to translate some little Books of himself First out of Latine into English and then out of English into Latine which will at once furnish him with all points oâ— Grammar and the right use and orderiâ—â— of words and in a short time bring 〈◊〉 to the like eloquence Mr. Ascham commendeth Tully de senctute and his Epistles Ad Quintum Fratrem ad Lentulum for this purpose If he would exercise himself in Oratory or Poetry I suppose his best way is to imitate the most excellent pieces of either that he findes in the best and purest Authors especially Tully and Virgil till he can do well of himself Horace and Buchanan's Psalms will sufficiently store him with variety of Verses And now if one should ask me before I conclude this Book and begin with the next whether it be not possible for men or children to learn Latine as well as English without Grammar-Rules I answer First that it is hardly possible because the Latine tongue is not so familiarly spoken as English which is gotten only by hearing and imitation 2. That it is not the better way partly because they that are well acquainted with Grammar know when they or others speak well and when they speak ill whereas they that are ignorant of
what they learn in that Authour in their mindes They should have a Quarto Paper-book for this purpose wherein nothing else should be written 2. Let them translate about four or six lines Grammatically in a loose paper that by this means they may better take notice of the way of construing 3. Let them construe the whole Lesson both Grammatically and according to the phrase and this will acquaint them with the proprieties of both Tongues 4. Let them parse it according to the Grammatical order examining every word to the utmost of what Grammar teacheth concerning it and this will make them thorowly to understand Lilie and sometimes to consult other Grammars where he comes short in a Rule 5. Let them cull out the most significant words and phrases and write them in a Pocket-book with figures referring where to finde them in their Authour and set them ever and anon be conning these by heart because these of all others will stand them in most stead for speaking Latine or writing Colloquies and Epistles In reading of this book it is not amisse for the Master to minde his Scholars of the true decorum of both things and words and how fitting they are for such persons to do or speak as are there represented and upon such occasions as they did and spake them As in Andria they may observe not onely in generall how apt young men are to be enticed old men to chide servants to deceive c. but more particularly they may see how some men are more apt to be carried away by passion then others are and how different their natures are sometimes though their age and breeding may be the same Thus they shall finde Simo and Chremes two old Citizens the one pettish and apt to overshoot himself in many things the other more cal me and circumspect and therefore better able to pacify and advise others Likewise they shall meet with two young Gentlemen Pamphilus and Charinus the one whereof being very towardly and hopefull was drawn away by ill company and thereby brought into much trouble of mind betwixt a fear to offend his Father and a care to make amends for his fault committed but the other being rash and childishly disposed is set upon what he desireth with such eagernesse that he will have it though it be impossible for him to obtain it and he be utterly ignorant of using any meanes to come by it But above all they will laugh at the knave Davus to read how he presuming upon his own cunning wit displeaseth Simâ—â— ensnareth Pamphilus and at last brings himself within the compasse of the lash And in this and other comedies they may observe many remarkable sayings and actions which will hint much to abundant matter of invention for future exercises As when they hear Davus cry Hem astutias Fie upon craft they may take an occasion to enlarge upon the matter as to say One may quickly perceive by Davus in Terence what a mischievous wit will come to that doth alwayes busie it self to circumvent and entrap others for this fellow after he had cozened his old Master and unhappily taught his Masters son to tell his father a lie and intangle himself in a double marriage and saw his knavery could not help him to escape his own danger was ready at last to hang himself and though he came off pretty well with his young Master by condemning himself and asking forgivenesse and promising to amend the matter he had utterly spoyled yet in the height of his jollity the old man catcheth him at unawares and without hearing him to speak a word for himself calleth for Dromo and makes him hoise him up and carry him away to the house of correction and there to tye him neck and heels together and whip him smartly for the roguery he had done Such Dictates as these the Master may give his Scholars sometimes to turn into pure Latine till they be able to make the like of themselves And this is indeed to make a true use of this excellent Authour according to what Erasmus directs in his golden little book de Ratione instituendi Discipulos which is worth ones perusal that is exercised in teaching youth When you meet with an Act or Scene that is full of affection and action you may cause some of your Scholars after they have learned it to act it first in private amongst themselves and afterwards in the open Schoole before their fellowes and herein you must have a main care of their pronunciation and acting every gesture to the very life This acting of a piece of a Comedy or a Colloquy sometimes will be an excellent means to prepare them to pronounce Orations with a Grace and I have found it an especiall remedy to expell that subrustick bashfulnesse and unresistable timorousnesse which some children are naturally possessed withall and which is apt in riper yeares to drown many good parts in men of singular endowments 6. Their after-noon parts on Mondays and Wednesdays may be in Janua Latinae linguae which book should be often read over because it will at once furnish them with the knowledge of words and things into the reasons of which they will now be more industriously inquisitive then furmerly because their present years do teach them to be more discursive in their understanding as growing more towards men And therefore in this book they should not onely first minde the signification and Grammatical construction of words but Secondly endeavour to gain a Copy of good and proper words for expression of one and the same thing as that they may not only tell you that domus but also aedes is Latine for a house that decor and pulchritudo are Latine for beavty as well as forma and in finding such Synonyma's as these they may be helped as well by Dictionaries as by frequent reading Thirdly They may with every part bring a piece of the Index tranâ—â—ated into English Fourthly Because â—hey must now begin to use their judgement in the right choyce of words when they finde many heaped together it were not amisse to let them enquire the Original out of Rider's Latine Dictionary or Beckman do Originibus Latinae linguae and to consider the differences that are betwixt words of the same signification which they may learn out of Ausonius Popma Laurentius Valla Cornelius Fronto Varro de linguâ Latinâ and the like books fit to be kept in the Schoole Library 7. On Tuesdaies and Thursdaies in the after-noons I would have this Form employed in some of Tullies Epistles either those collected formerly by Sturmius or those of late made use of in Westminster Schoole but Sturmius's I rather prefer as more easie to begin withall the others may be used afterwards together with Textors Epistles And 1. I would have them be exercised in double translating these Epistles so as to render many of them into good English and after a while to turn the same again into Latine and
When they have done with Nowell they may proceed to Birkets Catechisme in Greek or our common Church-Catechisme in Hebrew which was printed for the company of Stationers in four Languages A. D. 1638. Thus have I at last done with my School-Discovery in which I have proceeded so far as to make any Authour seem easie to young Scholars in their future progresse at the Universities where I would advise them that have purses especially to provide themselves of all the Latine and Greek Orators and Poets and what they cannot understand without a Commentary or Scholiast to procure those whereby they may best help themselves and to have Stephani Thesaurus Greek and Latine Suidas Hesychius Budaeus Commentaries and the like ever at hand that they may be sure to improve themselves in the Latine and Greek Tongues as well as to minde the daily study of Arts and Sciences which are delivered in them 1. And would some able Tutour take the paines to describe a Right method of study and in what Authours Students may best bestow their time for the first four years it would doubtlesse be a means to encourage them to go on to that height of perfection which we see few attain to and those not untill they he ready to drop into their graves and then they wish they could once run over again their former studies and tell how easily they could cope-gaine that little measure of knowledge which they have so industriously sought for all their life The constant employment of this sixth Form is 1. To read twelve verses out of the Greek Testament every morning before Parts 2. To repeat Latine and Greek Grammar Parts and Elementa Rhetorices every Thursday morning 3. To learn the Hebrew Tongue on Mondaies Tuesdaies and Wednesdaies for morning Parts 4. To read Hesiod Homer Pindar and Lycophron for forenoon lessons on Mondaies and Wednesdaies 5. Zenophon Sophocles Euripides and Aristophanes on Tuesdaies Thursdaies 6. Laubegeois's Breviarium Graecae linguae for afternoons Parts on Mondaies and Wednesdaies 7. Seneca's Tragedies Martial and Plautus for afternoons lessons on Mondaies and Wednesdaies 8. Lucian's select Dialogues and Pontani Progymnasmata Latinitatis on Tuesday afternoons and 9. Tullies Orations Plinies Panegryicks Quintisians Declamations on Thursday afternoons and Goodwins Antiquities at leisure times 10. Their exercises for Oratory should be to make Themes Orations and Declamations Latine Greek and Hebrew and for Poetry to make Verses upon such Themes as are appointed them every week 11. And to exercise themselves in Anagrauis Epigrams Epitaphs Epithalamia's Eclogues and Acrosticks English Latine Greek and Hebrew 12. Their Catechismes are Nowell and Birket in Greek and the Church Catechisme in Hebrew So that in six or at the most seven yeares time which children commonly squander away if they be not continued at the Schoole after they can read English and write well they may easily attain to such knowledge in the Latine Greek and Hebrew Tongues as is requisite to furnish them for future studies in the Universities or to enable them for any ingenuous profession or employment which their friends shall think fit to put them upon in other places But having somewhat to say further touching the well-ordering of a Grammar Schoole for I have here insisted chiefly concerning Teaching I shall endeavour to proceed in my next Treatise with Schoole-Discipline In the mean time you may observe that the Method which I have here discovered is for the most part contrived according to what is commonly practised in England and foreign countries and is in sundry particulars proportioned to the ordinary capacities of children under fifteen yeares of age The subject matter which is taught is the same with that which is generally used by Grammars Authours and Exercises Touching Grammars I prefer Lilies for Latine Camdens for Greek and Buxtorf's Epitome for Hebrew not excluding any other that may conduce to the compleating of Grammar Art The Authours which I prescribe to be used are partly classical which every Scholar should provide for himselfe and because these are constantly learnt in most Grammar Schooles I appoint them to be read at such times as are usually spent in Lessons The Subsidiary Books are those which are helpful to children in performing their tasks with more ease and benefit and because all the Scholars will not have like need of them and they are more then any one will desire to buy these should be laid up in the Schoole Library for every Form to make use on as they shall have occasion Some of these serve chiefly to the explication of Grammar and are applyed to it some are needful for the better understanding of classical Authours and are appropriated to them and others are very requisite for the gaining of words and phrases and an ability for speaking or writing elegantly and such times are set apart for perusing of them as are commonly truanted away in idlenesse or needlesse sport Now by the joynt using of these together I endevaour that a Scholar may have a pretty knowledge of the Language which he learneth as well as of his bare Grammar Rules which without it signifie nothing And therefore to help children more easily to gain the Latine I have translated such books as they learn whilest they get the Grammar into their own mother-tongue that by comparing and using both together they may be able after good acquaintance with the Latine to waine themselves quite from English He that desires further satisfaction concerning the Translations which I have already made may peruse that Advertisement that I caused to be printed before Cato's Distichs English and Latine And if any man shall think to tell me that I seem to trouble my Scholars with too many books at once because a few if well learned will suffice to make a Grammarian I will give him here to consider 1. That I have to deale with children who are delighted and refreshed with variety of books as well as of sports and meats 2. That a Schoolmasters aim being to teach them Languages and Oratory and Poetry as well as Grammar he must necessarily employ them in many Books which tend thereunto 3. That the classical Authours are the same with other Schooles and Subsidiaries may be provided at a common charge as I shall afterwards shew The Scholars in a Grammar Schole may be fitly divided into six formes whereof the three lowest which are commonly under an Usher may be termed 1. Rudimentaries that learne the Grounds 2. Practitioners that exercise the Rules 3. Proficients that can speak and write true Latine The three highest Formes are employed by the Master to learne the Greek and Hebrew Tongues together with the Latine and to gaine some skill in Oratory and Poetry and matters of humanity and of these I may name the lowest Tertiani the middlemost Secundani and the highest Primani because they seem to differ one from another in ability of learning as these Roman legionary souldiers did in strength and use
may be daily bettered in reading English and forwarded by learning to write before he come from the Petty-Schoole The fittest season of the year for such a general admission of little ones into the Grammar-Schoole doth seem to be about Easter partly because the higher boyes are usually then disposed of to Trades or the Universities and partly because most children are then removed from one Schoole to another as having the Summer coming on for their encounagement When you have thus admitted a company of boyes together you may let those that can read best obtain the higher places till they come to get the Rudiments of Latine without book and then you may ranke them into a Form Because 2. It is a main help to the Master and a furtherance to all the Scholars that the whole Schoole be reduced into Formes and those also as few as may be respecting the different years and capacity of each Scholar And if there were six hundred Scholars or more in a Schoole they might all sitly be ranked into six Forms by putting those of equal age and abilities together and the toyle in hearing Parts or Lessons and perusing Exercises as I will shew anon would not be much more with an hundred orderly placed and well behaved in a room to themselves apart then with three or foure single boyes in several employments Not onely because the Master or Ushers do thus at once impart themselves to all alike and may bestow more time amongst them in examining any Task but also because by this means Aemulation as a main quickner of diligence will be wrought amongst them insomuch as the weakest Scholar amongst them will be loth to lagge alway behinde the rest and there is none so stupidly blockish but by help of company will learn that which he would not obtain being alone and I have seen the very hindmost oftentimes to help all his fellowes at a dead lift The Teachers constant care should be in every Form as to direct and examine every particular boy so to help forward the weakest that in every thing he doth he may understand himself and it is not to be said with what alacrity they will all strive to out-doe one another so that sometimes he that cometh behinde all the rest will be as fit to make a leader of the Forme as those that are the foremost in it To provoke them all therefore to emulation and that none may complain or think himself injured by being left behinde use constantly once at the end of a moneth and when all your Scholars are together to maâ—e a free new choyce in every Forme after this manner 1. Let every Scholar in the Forme give his own voyce concerning which boy he thinketh to be the best proficient and ablest for the present to lead the company and having set him aside let them all passe their voyces again concerning whom they judge fittest to stand the next to him 2. Then set these two opposite one to another so as the better Scholar may take the leading of the upper side on your right hand and the other the leading of the lower side on your left hand 3. And that there may not be much inequality in the sides let the lower leader have the first call and liberty to take what boy he thinketh the strongest out of all the rest and then let the higher leader have the next call and liberty to take whom he liketh and so let them proceed to call by course till they have like ball players ranked all their fellowes to their sides and so strongly and evenly set themselves in a posture one side against another that it may be hard for any one to judge whether is the stronger By thus choosing amongst themselves they will be all so well pleased that the Master shall never be blamed for endeavouring to preferre one boy before another or keeping of any back that would seem to go faster then his fellowes at his Book And indeed I have sometimes admired to observe the impartiality and judgement of children in placing one another according to their abilities and parts waving all other by-respects by which men would be inclined to set one higher and another lower Yet if sometimes they seem to mistake in their judgement concerning a boy that is but newly come amongst them or to be too partial against any other upon some general splene which is but very rare The discreet Master may after the election correct the error by giving such a one a place to his own liking which he may keep till the next choyce except some of his inferiours have a list to dispute with him for his place and then he must put it to the hazard having a lawful time given him to provide before-hand for the contest 3. Let all the Scholars take their places in the Schoole according to their several Formes and let every one sit in his Form in that order in which he was elected It were good that the seates were so equally set on both sides the Schoole as that the higher side of each Form might keep the higher side of the School I mean that on the Masters right hand and the lower side of the Form the lower side of the Schoole which is that on the Masters left hand However let the upper side take alwayes the upper and the lower the lower seats This placing of Scholars in an opposite manner side against side is good in many respects as 1. To know on a suddain who is unruly in or absent out of his place 2. To have them ready paired at all times for Examinations Disputations or Orations or the like 3. To keep order in going in and out of their seats to say or in going home from Schoole or the like 4. To increase courage in the Scholars who are delighted to let their friends see what place they keep amongst the rest when they come to visit them As they sit in their seats be sure to keep them continually imployed by proportionating every taske to the time and their strength with respect to the capacity of the weakest for by this means the strongest boyes will have more leisure to help and see the weakest can do their work for which purpose they should be appointed sometimes to sit in the middle amongst the rest that they may more readily be consulted with heard of all These should sometimes construe and sometimes examine over their Lessons having their Grammars and Dictionaries and other Subsidiary books to help them out of which they should appoint others to find what they enquire after and this will be so far from hindering their own progresse that it will-encourage them to go faster onward when they see how readily they can lead the way and incite their fellowes to follow after them When in getting Lessons the whole Form shall be at a Non-plus let one of the leaders have recourse to the Master or Ushers or to whom they shall appoint him to go
and withall how little you delight in his skin you may at some time when he hath cause to think that he hath well deserved a whipping and when you have him ready for the rod pass him over with an admonition to beware another time and if he again be peccant in the same kinde you may give him more cause at present to remember both his faults together and for the future to avoid them This even and indifferent carriage in rewards and punishments will make these Scholars that have any ingenuity in them less willing to offend and incline the rest to behave more dutifully because they see their Master beare such a loving minde towards them all and to be sharp in punishing none but those that know they well deserved what blowes they had As for those boyes that do slight good order and are apt to stirre up others to reject them which are usually those of bigger stature that perhaps have nâ—t been acquainted with your Teaching or Government or know they shall shortly remove from under your command or those that without any cause love to truant it abroad or by other licentious demeanor bring disgrace to your Schoole or offer any affronts to your selfe I conceive your best way is at a fitting opportunity to send for their Parents or friends with 1 or 2 Judicious neighbours to be by where there are no Governours of the School to let them justly know the fault and adjudge what punishment such a boy deserveth but if the Parents be unwilling to have him corrected for his peremptory disorders choose rather to send him home with them then retain him any longer to the disturbance of the Schoole or your own unquiet This you shall finde as an especial remedy to prevent such clamorous out-cries of supposed Tyranny when every jerk that is given to a notorious unhappy boy for his insolent misbehaviour shall chance to be multiplyed in the relating like Scoggins Crowes from three to thirty Which base obloquie and mis-report what hinderance it bringeth to the flourishing of a Schoole and what unseemly disgrace to a worthy Master I need not mention But because such boyes as these sometimes are apt to take it as an argument of the Masters pusillanimity thus to send for their Parents who generally do not love to heare of their childrens faults the Master may take an occasion where he sees adamonitions will not prevaile to watch them more strictly at every turn and having found them to have committed some grosse enormity to chastise them more smartly then ordinarily yet so as to shew no rigour And if after that he perceive them wilfully to rush into the same acts of lewdnesse let him fairly turne them out of his Schoole and signify the cause to their friends at whose entreaties he should never take them again except they will engage to forfeit a sum of money to be bestowed in publick Books in case they offend in that nature again As for the lesser sort of children that are apt to reiterate the same fault too often for which they have sometimes been already corrected your surest way to reclaim them is after you have once given them warning to whip them for a fault and if that will do no good to double your strokes the second time but if a third time they come under the rod and beg heartily for pardon as commonly then they will do fearing lest their punishment should be tripled you should not let them pass except they can procure two of your more orderly boys or one that is in your favour for his constant well-doing to give their words for them and to engage to be whipt for them if ever they do the like If you see they get sureties to your likeing you may let them escape so but if they cannot you may adventure to take their own single words and the care of their sureties and fear to displease you again will so work upon them that they will seldom or never do the like afterwards Such faults as are vitiously enormous are to be duely punished with a rod according as the obliquity of the will appeareth in them more or less as for such as are committed for want of understanding they are to be remedied by due instruction but those that seem to offend through laziness and careless neglect should be abridged of desired liberty when others have leave to play The shutting of children up for a while into a dark room and depriving them of a meals meat or the like which are used in some Tabling Schools as they are not of good report so they cannot be commendably or conveniently used in our greater Schooles But these things I leave to the discretion of every prudent Master who is able to judg of every particular action by its several circumstances to take such course as he sees best availeable for the orderly management of his own Schoole especially where he is not tied to any Rules of Government CHAP. VIII Of Scholars writing their exercises fair and of keeping their books handsome And of erecting a Schoole-Library for the Masters Recreation therein at vacant houres THough the teaching of children to write a fair hand doth properly belong to writing-Masters as professors of that Art yet the care of seeing that all they write in Paper-books and loose papers by way of Exercises be neatly done doth pertain to every Schoole-Masters and therefore we shall here touch a little concerning that and also shew what heed is to be taken about keeping their Books The usual way for Scholars learning to write at the Country Grammar-Schooles is to entertain an honest and skilful Pen-man that he may constantly come and continue with them about a moneth or six weeks together every year in which time commonly every one may learn to write legibly The best season for such a mans coming is about May-day partly because the dayes are then pretty long and partly because it will be requisite for such as are then getting their Grammar Rudiments to learne to write before they come to Translations The Parents of all other children would be advised to let them take that opportunity to improve their hands forasmuch as the benefit thereof will far exceed the charge it will be a means of better order to have all employed together about a thing so necessary The Master of the Schoole should often have an eye upon them to see what they do and how they profit and that they may not slack in their other learning he may hear them a part at morn and a lesson at noon before their Copies be set or their books can be provided for them and proportion their weekly exercises accordingly And that the stock which they then get may be better increased against the next year the Pen-man should cause them to write a piece a day or two before he leave them as fair as they can with the date above it and their names subscribed underneath
it would not be amisse that every Scholar which is admitted into the Schoole should give 12. pence besides what is accustomed to be paid to the Master and every one at his removeal into a new Form should give 12. pence likwise towards the procuring of common books The Master also may do well to stir up his friends that come to visit the Schoole or especially such as prevaile with him for a Play-day to contribute somewhat towards the furtherance of childrens learning as well as to be earnestly importunate for that which may hinder it But where a Schoole is liberally endowed it would be good that a considerable stock of mony were appointed to be laid out yearly in all kinde of Schoole-books whereby the poorer sort of children may have whereon to learn and they all other Scholars wherewith to help themselves in their Lessons and Exercises And might I become a Petitioner to the forementioned Trustees for the maintenance of Students or any that are both willing able to promote the growth of good learning I should desire that towards the better compleating of a Grammar-Schoole there might be a little Library well furnished with all sorts of Grammars Phrase-books Lexicons Dictionaries Orators Poets Histories Herbals Commentators Scholiasts Antiquaries Criticks and some of the succinciest and choycest Authours for matters of Humanity Divinity Medicine and Law besides those which treat of every Art and Science whether Liberal or Mechanical that he that is employed as a professed School-Master may throughly stock himself with all kinde of learning and be able to inform his Scholars in any thing that shall be necessary for them to know For every new Master cannot at the first be provided of a good study of books for his own private use and his Scholars benefit neither indeed at any time can he procure them without great trouble and charge especially if he live at a place far distant from London I have observed it therefore as a great point of discretion as well as a matter of charity in Mr. Calfe that in founding his Grammar-Schoole at Lewinham he provided a Library for the Masters use as well as a house for him to dwell in And I took notice of that charitably disposed Gentleman and Citizen Deputy Adams that when he went about to erect a School in his native country of Shropshire if I mistake not he consulted with Mr. Langley and brought him along with him to Sion Colledge to see what books he judged most convenient to furnish a Library withall for the Schoole-Masters use and I heard since he bestowed at leâ—â— 100. l. in choice books for that purpose I onely mention these two worthy persons the former whereof is dead and the latter living in Lawrence Lane London to let others see that in this present age of ours we want not patterns of well doing if any be desirous to imitate them in their pious actions and I hope God hath already inclined the hearts of many as he hath given them store of riches to endeavour to distribute and do good in this kind even now whilest they live in their generation I will conclude this Chapter with that which I heard lately related of a cheap easy profiting and pious work of charity which one did in bestowing 40. 8. per annum towards buying English Bibles which were to be given to those children in the Parish that were best able to read in them and I do verily believe that were an annuall summe laid out in procuring a certain number of books for such as should best deserve them in every Form at a Free Schoole it would be a greater incitement to provoke children to learn then any perswasions or enforcements which are commonly yet used CHAP. IX Of Exclusion and breaking up Schoole and of Potations I Should here adde something touching those usual customes which are yet on foot in most places of Scholars excluding or shutting out the Master once a year and capitulating with him about orders to be observed or the like but forasmuch as I see they differ very much and are of late discontinued in many Schooles I will onely mention how they may be carried on where they yet remain without any contest or disturbance till at last they dye of themselves 1. Therefore there should be no Exclusion till after Saint Andews day and that the Master know of it before-hand that all things may be ordered handsomely to the credit of the Schoole 2. That at the time of Exclusion the Scholars behave themselves merrily and civilly about the Schoole without injuring one another or making use of any weapons whereby to endanger themselves or doe harm to any thing in the Schoole 3. That the Heads of each Form consult with their fellowes what things they would desire of the Master and that they bring their suites to the highest Scholar in the Schoole that he may prefer them to the Master writ fairly in Latine to receive his approbation or dislike of them in a milde way of arguing 4. That the Master doe not molest or come amongst his Scholars all the while they are drawing up their Petition about Schoole-orders nor trouble himself concerning them more then to hear that they keep good rule 5. That every Scholar prepare all his Exercises according to his Form to be ready to be hanged out before the Schoole doors or windowes or rather to be hanged over his place within the Schoole against the Masters coming 6. That the Master upon notice that all things are prepared for his coming goe quietly to the Schoole being accompanied with some of the Scholars Parents and after he have before witnesse subscribed to their Petition at the door to enter into the School in a peaceable and loving manner and receive from his Scholars and also make to them a short congratulatory Oration and so dismisse them to play By thus doing a Master shall both prevent his Scholars behaving themselves against him in such rude and tumultuous manner as hath formerly been used and give them and their Parents no occasion to grudge at him for seeming to take upon him too abruptly to break old use and custome which so long as it becometh an encouragement to their learning may the better be indulged to young Scholars whilest no evill consequences attend it It is yet a custome retained in some Schooles in the Countrey for Scholars to make a Potation or generall Feast once a yeare and that commonly before Shrovetide towards defraying the charge whereof every one bringeth so much money as his Parents think good to allow him and giveth it to the Master to be expended in a dinner orderly provided for them or in some kinde of banquetting manner which children are commonly more delighted withall and for this there needeth no further direction then to say that it concerneth the Master at such times to be cheerfull and free in entertainment of his Scholars whether at his own house or elsewhere and to see