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
harm themselves or Schoole-fellowes or to give offence or make disturbance to any neighbour 3. When Schoole-time calleth let them all go orderly to their own places and there apply themselves diligently to their books without noyse or running about 4. When the Master cometh into the Schoole let them all stand up and make obeysance so likewise when any stâ—anger cometh in and after notice taken who are absent let one that is most able read a chapter and the rest attend and give some little account of what they heard read Then let him that read say a short prayer fitted for the Schoole and afterwards let every one settle to his present taske 5. The whole Schoole may not unfitly be divided into four formes whereof the first and lowest should be of those that learn to know their letters whose lessons may be in the Primar The second of those that learn to spell whose lessons may be in the Single-Psalter The third of these that learn to read whose lessons may be in the Bible The fourth of those that are exercised in reading writeing and casting accounts whose lessons may be in such profitable English-Books as the Parents can best provide and the Master think fittest to be taught 6. Let their lessons be the same to each boy in every form and let the Master proportion them to the meanest capacities thus those that are abler may profit themselves by helping their weaker fellowes and those that are weaker be encouraged to see that they can keep company with the stronger And let the two highest in every forme give notice to the Master when they come to say of those that were most negligent in geting the lesson 7. When they come to say let them all stand orderly in one or 2 rowes whilst one sayeth his lesson be sure that all the rest look upon their books and give liberty to him that 's next to correct him that is saying if he mistake and in case he can say better let him take his place and keep it till the same boy or another win it from him The striveing for places especially amongst little ones will whet them all on to more diligence then any encouragement that can be given them and the Master should be very sparing to whip any one for his book except he be sullenly negligent and then also I would chuse rather to shame him out of his untowardnesse by commending some of his fellowes and asking him why he cannot do as well as they then by falling upon him with rating words or injurious blowes A great care also must be had that those children that are slow witted and of a tender spirit be not any way discouraged though they cannot make so good performance of their task as the rest of their fellowes 8 On Mundayes Wednesdayes and Fridayes they may say two lessons in a forenoon and two in an afternoon and on Tuesdayes and Thursdayes in the forenoons they may also say two lessons but on Tuesdayes and Thursdayes in the afternoons and on Saturday mornings I would have the time spent in examineing and directing how to spell and read a right and hearing them say the Graces Prayers and Psalms and especially the Lords Prayer the Creed and the Ten Commandements which are for that purpose set down in the New-Primar very perfectly by heart And those that can these well may proceed to get other Catechisms but be sure they be such as agree with the Principles of Christian Religion 9. Their lessons being all said they should be dismissed about eleven a clock and then care must be taken that they go every one orderly out of the Schoole and passe quietly home without any stay by the way And to prevent that too too common clamour and crouding out of the Schoole door let them rise out of their places one by one with their hat and book in their hand and make their honours to their Master as they passe before his face one following another at a distance out of the Schoole It were fittest and safest that the least went out the foremost that the bigger boyes following may give notice of any misdemeanour upon the way 10 Their return to Schoole in the after-noon should be by one of the clock and those that come before that hour should be permitted to play within their bounds till the clock strike one and then let them all take their places in due order and say their lessons as they did in the fore-noon After lessons ended let one read a chapter and say a Prayer and so let them again go orderly and quietly home about five a clock in the summer and four in the winter season 11. If necessity require any one to go out in the School time let him not interrupt the Master by asking him leave but let him leave his book with his next fellow above him for fear he should else spoile it or loose it and in case he tarry too long forth let notice be given to the Monitor 12. Those children in the upper form may be monitors every one a day in his turn and let them every evening after all lessons said give a bill to the Master of their names that are absent and theirs that have committed any disorder and let him be very moderate in correcting and be sure to make a difference betwixt those faults that are vitiously enormous and those that are but childish transgressons Where admonitions readily take place it is a needlesse trouble to use a rod and as for a ferula I wish it were utterly banished out of all Schooles If one before I conclude should ask me how many children I think may be well and profitably taught according to the method already proposed in a Petty-School I return him answer that I conceive fourty boyes will be enough throughly to employ one man to hear every one so often as is required and so many he may hear and benefit of himself without making use of any of his Scholars to teach the rest which however it may be permitted and is practised in some Schooles yet it occasioneth too much noyse and disorder and is no whit so acceptable to Parents or pleasing to the children be the work never so well done And therefore I advise that in a place where a great concours of children may be had there be more Masters then one employed according to the spatiousnesse of the room and the number of boyes to be taught so that every fourty Scholars may have one to teach them and in case there be boyes enough to be taught I would appoint one single Master to attend one single forme and have as many Masters as there are forms and then the work of teaching little ones to the height of their best improvement may be throwly done esecially if there were a writeing-master employed at certain houres in the Schoole and an experienced Teacher encouraged as a supervisor or inspector to see that the whole Schoole be well and
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
its order and how every thing hangs together and then write the Common place heads in a Paper-book as I have mentioned before touching Grammar unto which they may referre whatever they like in the late English Rhetorick Mr. Farnabies Index Rhetoricus Susenbrotus Mr. Hornes Compendium Rhetorices or the like till they be better able to peruse other Authours that more fully treat of the Art as Vossius's Partitiones Oratoriae Orator extemporaneus Tesmari exercitationes Rhetoricae Nic. Caussinus Paiot de elequentiâ and many others with which a School-Library should be very well furnished for the Scholars to make use on accordingly as they increase in ability of learning These Elementa Rhetorices in their first going over should be explained by the Master and construed by the Scholars and every example compared with its Definition And the Scholars should now be diligent of themselves to observe every Trop and Figure that occurre in their present Authours and when they say to render it with its full definition and if any be more eminent and worthy observation then others to write it down in their Common-place-book and by this means they will come to the perfect understanding of them in a quarter of a yeares time and with more ease commit it all to memory by constant parts saying a whole Chapter together at once which afterwards they may keep by constant Repetitions as they do their Grammar 4. When they have passed their Rhetorick you may let them bestow those hours which they spent about it in getting the Greek Grammar for morning parts And because in learning this Language as well as the Latine we are to proceed by one Rule which is most common and certain I preferre Camdens Greek Grammar before any that I have yet seen though perhaps it be not so facill or so compleat as some latelier printed especially those that are set out by my worthy friends Mr. Busbie of Westminster and Mr. Dugard of Merchant Taylors Schoole in the first going over of which I would have them to repeat onely the Greek letters and their divisions the Accents and eight Parts of Speech the Articles Declensions and Conjugations the Adverbs Conjunctions and Prepositions by several parts as they are best able to get them and to write down so much as they say at once in a fair Paper-book very exactly observing and marking every Accent and note of distinction And this will quickly enable them to write or read Greek very truly especially if they minde the abbreviated characters which are now lately printed at the end of most of these Grammars This work will take up about a quarter of a years time In the next half year they may get over the whole Grammar in that order as it is printed And in the interim thereof they may make use of their Greek Testament every morning after prayers in like manner as they formerly used their Latine one They may begin with the Gospel of S. John which at the first you may help them to construe and parse verbatim but after a while when they have gathered strength to do somewhat of themselves you may let them make use of Pasors Lexicon which they will better do by help of the Themes which I caused to be printed in the Margent of the Greek Testament which will lead them to Pasor to see the Analysis of any word in the Testament Mr. Dugard hath lately compleated his Lexicon Graeci Testamenti Alphabeticum unâ cum explicatione Grammaticâ vocum singularum in usum Tironum nec non concordantia singulis vocibus apposita in usum Theologiae canditatorum which were it once committed to the presse as it now lyeth ready in his hand would be a most excellent help to young Scholars to proceed in the Greek Testament of themselves in an understanding and Grammatical way And I hope it will not be long ere he publish it for common use When they have gone over the Declensions and Conjugations and are able to write Greek in a very fair and legible character let them write out the Paradigmes of every Declension and Conjugation and divide the moveable part of the words from the Terminatious as you may see it done in Mr. Dugards Rudimenta Grammaticae Graecae After they are thus acquainted with every particular example they may write out all the Declensions one by another and the three voyces of the Verbs throughout all moods and tenses in all Conjugations that so they may more readily compare them one by another and see what Tenses are alike or which are wanting in every voyce If these things were drawn into Tables to be hanged up in the Schoole they would help the weaker boyes And to supply them with store of Nouns Verbs you may let them repeat as many nouns as they can wel get at once out of Mr. Gregories Nomenclatura and afterwards as many Sentences as they can wel say at once out of Seidelius or the latter end of Clavis Graecae linguae by the repeating construing and parsing whereof they will learn all the Primitive words of the Greek Tongue and be able to decline them And thus they will be very well fitted to fall upon any approved Greek Authour when they come into the next Form But if you would have them learne to speak Greeke let them make use of Posselius's Dialogues or Mr. Shirleyes Introductorium in English Latine and Greek I commonly appointed Tuesdayes and Thursdayes afternoones for this employment before or af-after my Scholars had performed their other Tasks 5. Terence of all the School-Authours that we read doth deservedly challenge the first place not onely because Tully himself hath seemed to derive his eloquence from him and many noble Romans are reported to have assisted him in making his Comedies but also because that Book is the very quintessence of familiar Latine and very apt to expresse the most of our Anglicismes withall The matter of it is full of morality and the several Actors therein most lively seem to personate the behaviour and properties of sundry of the like sort of people even in this age of ours I would have the Scholars therefore of this form to read him so thorowly as to make him wholly their own To help them in so doing I have rendred a good part of it into English answerable to the Latine line by line in the adverse page and I intend God willing ere long to compleat the whole according to what I have formerly undertaken and promised This Authour I would have the Scholars to read constantly every Monday Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday for fore-noon Lessons taking about half a page at once till they begin to relish him and then they will easily take more and delight to be exercised in him in this manner 1. Let them write out every Lesson very fair and exactly as they see it printed before them both in English and Latine And this will be a means to perfect them in Orthography and to imprint
cause that an English Chapter he read every morning at the beginning and every night at the giving over Teaching And in this every boy throughout the Schoole should take his turn that it may be known how perfect he is in reading English readily and distinctly Let him that is to read take his place at a desk in the middle of the Schoole and be sure he speak aloud and let every one reverently attend to what is read the lower boyes looking upon their English and the higher upon their Latine Bibles Those also that are able to make use of the Septuagint in Greek may doe well to procure them to look upon especially seeing they are now to be had at a far cheaper rate then formerly bring but lately printed When the Chapter is ended you may demand of one in each Form what he observed and let any one that is disposed take the liberty to ask his opposite a question or two concerning some passage in it Mr. Pagets History of the Bible will assist them herein so they look upon it before the Chapter be read you your self may do well sometimes to tell them what things are most remarkable in that present Chapter The Scholars of the upper Formes may do well to carry Memoriale Biblicum constantly in their pocket by which they may be put in minde at all times what passages they may finde in any Chapter 2. After the Chapter is ended they may sing the first threescore and second the hundred or hundreth and thirteenth Psalm in Latine out of a little book formerly printed at Oxford which one of the head Scholars should distinctly read unto them 3. When the Psalm is done the same Scholar should repeat those admonitions at the end of Nowels Catechisme and then the whole Schoole should rehearse those Hymnes which are there the higher side of the Schoole saying one verse and the lower the next alternatum conjunctis vocibus and at last conclude with one of those prayers for a blessing upon your endeavours These Prayers and Psalmes would be all writ together both in English and Latine in a little book which would be necessary to be kept in the Schoole for continuall and daily use Some course would be taken that the Master may have notice what Scholars omit the reading of a Chapter at home every night after supper but for this pious exercise I hope every Christian Parent will be ready to call upon and encourage their own Children or others that are under their charge as Tablers Now that the good Schoolmaster may more fully discharge his duty towards God and his Church who have both entrusted him with the education of their children to nurture and bring them up in the fear of the Lord it were expedient if a course could be taken that he might meet them all at the Schoole every Lords day in the morning about an hour afore Church-time where he may take the opportunity to instruct them in Catecheticall doctrines according to what he may read in many excellent Books that are as Expositions of the Lords prayer the Creed and the ten Commandements and not wilde it in a tedious unmethodized discourse concerning things unnecessary to be taken notice of and unmeet for children to be pusled with And after a Psalme sung and a Prayer said he may see them go all before him orderly by two and two to the Church where it is requisite that they should have a convenient place appointed to sit in together by themselves and all within the Masters view This would be an especiall means to prevent that unreverent behaviour in the Church which is too usuall amongst Scholars when they are glad to wander into by-corners to sit down to rest or rather chat in or are ever and anon molested with quarrelsome lads or unmannerly fellowes that are apt to disquiet them and thrust them out of their places I have heretofore observed how the ninth Canon of our Church religiously enjoynes every Schoole-master to see his Scholars quietly and soberly behave themselves in the Church and examine them at times convenient after their return what they have borne away of any Sermon which he cannot well doe except he have them all confined to one place where himself may sit near them After Church-time ended in the afternoon the Master may doe well to see all his Scholars go before him in like order to the Schoole where he should examine them what they have heard or writ at the Sermon Now in repeating Sermons this course may be taken 1. Let every one of the lower Scholars repeat the Teâ—t or a Proof or some little pious Sentence which was then delivered And these he should get either by his own attention at the Church or by the help of his fellowes afterwards For there should be no stirre made in the Church upon pretence of getting notes there 2. Those in the four middle most Forms should mind to write the Text Doctrines Reasons Uses Motives and Directions with the Quotations of Scripture places as they are best able 3. These in the highest Form should strive to write as much and in as good order as possibly may be your self now and then hinting to them some direction what method they should observe in writing Sermons and that may disgest what they have written into that order wherein they heard it deliver'd let them have a little time of respit amongst themselves to compare their notes one with another and to supply their defects and amend what they have mistaken Then 4. You may first cause one of your higher Scholars to read distinctly what he hath written and afterwards two or three of other Forms whom you please to pick out and last of all let every one of the lowest Form tell you what he hath observed of the Sermon These things being orderly done you may enlarge a little upon what point you think most necessary for them to remember and practise and conclude this holy dayes exercise with singing of a Psalm and devout prayers and charging your Scholars to spend the rest of the time in reading the Scriptures and such religious books as tend to their farther profiting in Christian piety you may comfortably dismisse them to their several homes and expect Gods blessing upon your endevours for the week following CHAP. VIII Of the Monitors Bill and of rewards and punishments in a Grammar-Schoole THat no disorder or vice committed either at Schoole Church or elsewhere may passe un-noted by the Master he may cause his Scholars in the two upper Forms to play the Monitors in their weekly turns from Friday to Friday They may make one Bill to serve for all the week proportionable to the number of Scholars of every Form after this manner Nov. 1659 Â F. S. S. M T. W. TH. 1. G. C. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â J. O. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â T. P. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 2.