and placed them in their beings and which gouernest all thy creatures according to thy good plesure Looke mercifully I beseech thee on mee that am the work of thine own hands And as it hath pleased thee of thy great louing kindnes to keepe saue and defend me from the manifold dangers of this night past for the which I yeeld vnto thine excellent Maiestie all due humble and heartie thankes so let it bee thy good pleasure to keepe and defend me this daye and euermore from all euils both of soule and bodie Be thou my protector my guide and my soueraigne Lord and Gouernor Graunt O Lord that as the night of darknes is now past and the cleare day-light doth appeare so I maie by thy gracious assistaunce learne to cast off all darknes of wickednes error and ignorance and haue my soule and vnderstanding more and more lightned with true faith wisedome godlie knowledge Let thy holie spirite bee my instructer and chiefe teacher which is able to lead me into all truth Make mee deere father apt to conceiue and diligent to practise whatsoeuer good and vertuous documents shall be taught me by my parents schoolmasters or wise elders Keepe stubbornnes and disobedience farre from me but make me delighted in that which is good that I maie with all patience and dutifulnes be readie to encline my heart to all wise and godlie precepts And forasmuch as both naturall dutie bindeth me to be mindfull of the weale and prosperitie of the Prince and Magistrates vnder whose protection I liue in safetie as also for my parents and frends whome thou hast giuen to be the authors of my life nourishment and maintenance and for that also Christian charitie bindeth me to be carefull of the good of all Christians in generall yea and to praie that still moe maie dailie be added to the Church I therfore for them all euen as for my selfe doo beseech thee to extend forth thine aboundant mercies to euerie one in his place that they maie liue die to thy glorie their owne saluation concluding with that holie and perfect praier which thine onelie sonne Christ Iesus hath taught vs saying Our Father c. A praier to be said of children at euening before they goe to bed O Lord God our most gracious heauenly Father I most humbly thanke thee for thine vnspeakable mercies bountie shewed me at al times hitherto and namely for keping me this daie past in thy fatherly protection defending me from all euills and bestowing on me cōforts necessarie both for my soule bodie O Lord now that the darke night is come which is a signe of horrour death and woe and that I am to lye sleepe on my bed which is an image of the graue wherein my bodie after thys life is like to rest let thy holye spirite so guard protect direct and comfort me that neither terrours of conscience assaults of Sathan suggestions to sin fleshly concupiscence idle sloathfulnes nor fearfull dreames may trouble me but that sleeping waking my soule minde and spirit may wholly be meditating on thy precepts and maye still awaite to attend to doo thy will that I may learne to die vnto sinne and liue vnto righteousnes my rising in the morning may put me in hope of the rising to euerlasting life Grant this to mee and to all thy Church for Christes sake In whose name c. Euerie creature of God is made holie vnto vs by his word and praier 1. Ti. 4.5 A Praier before meate WE humbly beséech thée O heauenlie Father to forgiue vs all our sinnes and to blesse vs and these thy good giftes which we receiue from thée through Iesus Christ VVhen thou hast eaten art full thou shalt blesse the Lord thy God A praier or a grace after meate O Lord we beséech thée to make vs thankfull for these and all other thy benefites bestowed vppon vs miserable sinners but specially for thy holy word and our redemption by Iesus Christ Amen Tvvo other praiers for morning and euening made by a zealous and learned minister of Gods word Morning praier VVatche and pray least yee enter into temptation Mat. 26.41 O Most mightie God our heauenly merciful father we most wretched sinners humbly confesse vnto thy Maiestie that all good things we haue do come from thy onely mercy that we are most vnworthy of them yet altogether vnable heartily to pray for the continuance thereof yet seeing thy deare sonne Iesus Christ hath commaunded vs in his name to pray and that with assurance to speede and to be heard we beseech thee for his sake to prepare our hearts by thy holy spirite to put out of our mindes all wordly things and vaine fansies and to stirre vs vp earnestly to consider what great neede we haue of thy continuall help both in our soules and bodies O Lorde we haue through our manifolde sinnes deserued thy wrath and eternall damnation of body and soule yet by the vertue of the great sufferings of Iesus Christ and the shedding of his precious bloud forgiue wash away al our offences we are vnworthy of thy fauour either in this life or in the life to come yet through his holinesse receiue vs vnto mercy and make vs heires of thy blessed kingdome and so increase in our hearts euery day vnfained repentance for our former wickednesse in that we haue neither worshipped thy Maiestie nor liued towards others according to thy worde Strengthen our faith O Lord in Iesus Christ for the forgiuenes of our sinnes and for thy tender mercy sake powre into our hearts the grace of thy holy spirite which may stir vp in vs a more hartie loue vnto thee and thy blessed word that by it we may learne to worship thee aright to liue faithfully and truly towards all men in our callings striuing continually against all sinne chiefly in our selues and then also in others so that whensoeuer it shall please thee to call any of vs out of this short and sinfull life we may willingly deliuer vp our soules into thy blessed kingdome and may come with ioy as louing children to thee our heauenly and mercifull father O Lord make vs thankefull for all thy corrections giuing vs grace by them to feare thee more carefully and to sorrow for our sinnes more hartily Make vs also thankefull for all thy benefits namely for the sweete sleepe and quiet rest whereby thou hast this night refreshed vs we beseech thee now in like maner O gracious God for Christes sake to receiue vs this day into thy blessed keeping preserue vs from all perils and dangers from sinne from the wicked cares of this life and the vaine desires of the flesh shining into our hearts by the grace of thy holy spirit and the true knowledge of Iesus Christ the true light of the world that we may guide all our thoughts words and deeds according to the same and walke painefully and truely in our callings to the
THE Schoole of good manners OR A new Schoole of Vertue Teaching children youth how they ought to behaue themselues in all companies times and places Translated out of French By W. F. LONDON Printed by I. Danter for William Ihones and are to be sold at the signe of the Gun neere Holburne Conduit 1595. TO THE VERTVous and tovvardlie young Gentleman Master Edvvard Harington Sonne and heire to the Worshipfull Master Iames Harington of Ridlington in Rutland Esquier NOT without iust cause in my iudgement did that renoumed lawgiuer of the Lacedemonians amonge other things ordeine that all parents should not only frequent the publike banquets themselues but should alwayes bring with them their children thither that there they might the better learne to obserue what fashions manners and vsage were best beseeming and holden most praise worthy where the reuerent account of the presence of their betters might be as a bridle to hold them within the boundes of modestie and the beholding of the glorious rewards of such as deserued wel the open contempt reproches and shame with the sharpe punishment of dissolute and euill disposed children might terrifie them from vice and anymate them to labour greedylie to be holden vertuous If the like assemblies were now houlden among Christians where children with mirth might learne good manners and togither with the refreshing of their bodies might learne with quicke wise sayings to exercise their wits aswell as their mēbers with actiue feats I thinke it would prooue to youth a way very profitable For Example I hold to be the most forcible schoole-mistres that can be touching manners Now hauing of late happened vpon a litle book in French concerning childrens manners I hauing more laisure than I well liked thought good to expell my languishing ydlenes by translating and in places needfull correcting this treatise which I haue intituled an A. B. C. or the first schole of good manners Much more sufficiently I confesse this argument deserueth to be handled but all good vertuous manners be as most louing sisters who so is daily conuersant with some of them cannot long be vnacquainted with the residue And that childe that will lay fast hold on Diligent obseruation and be ruled thereby as by his Paedagogue he shall attaine in good tyme to the knowledge and vse of al good manners This treatise good master Edward I haue dedicated to you not as though you needed any such instructions for I am assured that you know and daily practise mo and better than here are prescribed But for that I esteeme you alreadie a patterne of vertuous good manners in the view of many other I haue thought good to make you a patrone of this little schole wher the rude ignorant may if they will lerne some forme of fashions by reading practising that here is proposed Now the Lord the Author fountaine of all goodnes vouchsafe so to powre his graces vpon you that you may profit and prosper in al your vertuous indeuors and so apply your self in husbanding this spring tyme of your Adolescencie as when you are growen to a perfect man you may gloriously reape the happie haruest of your labours to your owne good and the comfort of all your freends Your vvell-vviller VVilliam Fiston ¶ A Schoole of good manners for Children and youth THe feare of the Lorde is the beginning of wisedome saide Salomon the wise most truelie wherfore he iudged those to bee alreadie in a great forwardnes to knowledge and right vnderstanding that séeke diligently to learne how they may walke rightly in the feare of god For that feare doth not terrifie but teach it with holdeth not from weale but forewarneth howe to flie from euill yea it is a nurse that nurtureth but therewith giueth most holsome nourishment Let Children therefore first and principallie learne to walke in this feare and let them know that the first poynt of good manners is to shewe most dutifulnes vnto him who is most of Maiestie honour and worthinesse and to whome for benifits receiued they are most bound Consider then O Childe that in regard of honour and maiestie all Nobles Princes and greatest Emperours are but inferiour vnderlings in comparison of God Almightie holding their states but during his pleasure yea in respect of his excellencie they are but as the shadowe of a man is in respect of the man himselfe and all the pompe and glorie that thou canst sée in this world is but as a thing of naught in comparison of Gods perfect true honor and eternal glorie in heauen whereof thou shalt be partaker in the life to come if walking in his feare thou indeuourest to doe well If thou also consider how infinitelie thou art bound vnto God Almightie for benefits receiued thou shalt haue iust cause to desire that thy whole life might bee nothing els but a continuall praysing and glorifiyng of Gods name For what good thing hast thou or euer hadst thou which thou hast not fréely receiued of his bounteous liberalitie Nay what good thing could be wished whereof he hath not most gratiously made thée partaker Hée hath not onlie made thée a liuing creature whereas thou hadst no béeing but hath made thée a reasonable and euerliuing soule euen a Semblance or Image of his owne excellent Maiestie a partaker of reason diuine knowledge in heauenly things with the Angels Hee hath also ordained thée if thou walke in his feare to bée an heire of his euerlasting kingdome and a fellow heire with his owne Son Christ Iesus where shall bee ioy without ceasing true glorie neuer failing plenty without wanting and all happines without harme for euermore God hath also sent his Son Iesus Christ to redéeme thée by his merits and suffrings hee hath accepted him as a Sacrifice for thy sins and for all those that shall be saued whereas otherwise thou wast accursed and like to haue bin damned for euer This did hée of méere mercie and loue wherefore thou art most bound to feare and loue him God hath also giuen thée the comfortable vse enioying of his holy spirite if by earnest and faithfull praier thou craue the same That spirit regenerateth thée and yéeldeth thée alwaies present comfortes against all feares safetie against dangers strength against assaults warranteth thee harmlesse against all thy wauering doubts and is to thée a sure Bulwarke of defence against all the sleightes of Sathan the malice of enemies and whatsoeuer might hurt or trouble thée Séeke diligently then for the aid of this holy spirit by daylie fearing and obeying God If thou wouldst weigh thy dutie toward God by consideration of the outward benefits that thou receiuest of him in this life I saie it againe what hast thou or euer hadst thou but thou receiuest the same of Gods frée benefit He conioyned thy Parents together in wedlocke afterward gaue them both will and power to beget and conceiue thée that done he powred into thée a liuing and reasonable
glory of thy blessed name the good example of all others and the great assurance of our owne saluation through thy deare sonne Iesus Christ our onely Sauiour in whose name we pray for these and all other graces as he hath taught vs saying Our Father c. Euening praier The Lord is nigh vnto all them which call vpon him euen vnto all such as call vpon him faithfully Psal 145.18 WE most humbly beseech thee O gratious God and heauenly father euen for thy deare sonne Iesus Christes sake to pardon forgiue vs all our sinnes in thought worde and deed committed against thy holy lawes and commandements to turne away from vs gratiously all those plagues which we most iustly haue deserued for them both in this life in the life to come working in our hearts euery day by thy holy spirite more true and vnfained sorow for them with greater care euer hereafter to know thy blessed will reuealed in thy worde and to order all our opinions and doings according to the same and so much the rather O Lord because of thy manifold blessings wherby thou dost daily moue vs herevnto for the which O heauenly father make vs more heartily thankefull specially for our creation at the first after thy owne holinesse and righteousnesse for our redemption by Iesus Christ when we were vtterly lost for that knowledge of our Sauiour which by the preaching of thy blessed Gospell through thy holy spirite thou hast wrought in our hearts for true repentance for faith hope loue for watchfulnesse in our doings and all other gifts of thy grace perteining to our saluation all which graces O Lord are very weake in vs because of the great wickednes of our harts striuing against thy holy spirite so as in thy wrath thou mightest iustly forsake vs vtterly yet O Lorde let it be thy gratious pleasure to increase them in our harts euery day euen so long as we liue in this world as of thy goodnes thou hast begun that therby the assurance of our saluation may be more certainely sealed vp vnto our owne consciences that so we may also learne to be more truely thankfull vnto thy maiestie for the benefits of this life namly that thou hast hitherto euer since we were borne giuen vs those things that were needfull for our bodies as health foode apparrell and such like that thou hast kept vs from many dangers comforted vs in all our troubles and strengthned vs in all our weaknes and giuen vs grace this day to labour faithfully and truely in our callings hauing brought vs safely past all the dangers thereof vnto this present houre O Lord forgiue vs the sinnes of this day and of our whole life and specially our great vnthankfulnes for these thy manifold blessings and in Iesus Christ thy deare sonne continue them towards vs euer hereafter both in soules and bodies specially this night receiue vs into thy blessed keeping preserue vs from all dangers from sin from all vngodly dreames and fansies granting vnto vs comfortable rest so as we may be the better strēgthened to serue thee faithfully in our calling and giuing vs grace alwaies both sleeping and waking to be ready when thou shalt call vs out of this miserable world Last of all because thou hast commanded vs to pray for others also we beseech thee good Lord be mercifull to all natiōs specially to those churches where thy gospell is truly preached continue thy mercy towards this realme preserue our Queene blesse her counsaile and all in authority with necessary graces increase the number of faithfull preachers strengthen the godly lighten the ignorant conuert the wicked be mercifull to all schooles and places of learning to all our friends and kinsefolkes and others afflicted in body or in soule graunting to euery one of them as to our selues those necessary graces which thou knowest to be needfull for euery one of vs in our seuerall estates and callings to the glory of thy name and the better assurance of our saluation through Christ Iesus in whose name we aske of thy maiestie as he hath taught vs. Our Father which c. FINIS