with such education as they may excell in knowledge of liberall sciences for if we being vnlearned haue by industrie heaped vp sufficient store not only to serue our owne vse but further to prouide for our posterity then may they by learning aspire vnto greater promotion and builde greater matters vppon a better foundation Neither yet would I haue you conceiue hereby that I am ambicious But if I be not deceyued Al desire of promotion by vertue is godly and Lawfull where as ambition is commonly nestled in the brestes of the enuious Phylopaes I am of your opinion Phylocalus and since we haue ech of vs two Sonnes of equall age and stature I would we could be so happie as to finde some honest and carefull schoolemaister who might enstruct them togither I say honest because in the house of the vertuous there is seldome any vice permitted and carefull because the care of the teacher is of no lesse consideration then his skill thē do I wish him both honest and carefull because the coniunction of two such qualities may both cause the accomplishment of his dutie the contentations of our desires Our eldest Sonnes are neare the age of xxi. yeares our younger Sonnes not much more then one yeare behinde them So that as they haue hitherto bene thought toward enough at such common schooles as they haue frequented and therefore wil shortly be ready for the vniuersity yet would I thinke conuenient that they spent some time together with some such honest and careful Schoolemaister who might before theyr departure lay a sure foūdation to their vnderstanding Fidus. Although it becommeth not a seruaunt to come vnto his masters counsell before he be called yet for that I am no way ignoraunt of your tender cares which both of you haue alwaies had ouer your children and also for that I do now perceiue the continuaunce of the same by this your fatherly conference I presume to put my selfe forward vpon a dutifull desire to further so godly an enterprise I am a seruant and shall sometimes heare of thinges before my Maister the which I speake because I can presently enforme you of such a schoolemaister as you both do desire to finde Phylocalus And who is that gentle fellowe Fidus Fidus. Sir his name is Gnomaticus he dwelleth in Saint Antlines a man famous for his learning of woonderfull temperance and highly estéemed for the diligence and carefull payne which he taketh with his Schoolers Phylopaes Then can he not be long without entertainment since now a dayes the good wyne néedeth none Iuye garland and more parentes there are that lacke such Schoolemaisters for their children then there are to be founde such Schoolemaysters which séeke and lacke entertainment Fidus. Sir you haue reason and therefore if I were worthy to counsell you I would entertain him with spéed since he came but this other day from the Lord of Barlemontes house whose children he hath in small time made excellent Schollers and now hath dispatched them to the Uniuersitie of Doway Phylocalus Doest thou know him Fidus or canst thou tell where to finde him Fidus. Yea Sir and if it so please my Maister and you I doubt not but to bring him hyther immediatly Phylocalus Surely Phylopaes you shall doe well to send for him Phylopaes There is no man more desirous then I and since it so lyketh you I am redy to dispatch it go thy waies Fidus and tell Maister Gnomaticus that my neighbour Phylocalus and I desire to speake with him and make as much hast as thou canst Fidus. It shal be done Sir Fidus departeth Phylopaes I am not the worst furnished of a seruaunt with this good fellow for though his capacity be not great yet do I finde him trustie and towardes my children he is both louing and carefull Philocalus Then haue you a iewell of him for I haue one in whom I finde contrary conditions I am seldome out of the dores but at my returne I finde him playing with my Sonnes at some vain pastimes Phylopaes Beware of him then for such a seruant were better payed double wages in your traffique abrode then allowed barley breade in your shoppe at home since nothing is more perillous to seduce children or young men then the consorte and councell of a lewde seruannt But is not this my Fidus which returneth so quickely It is and he bringeth with him a graue personage I hope hée hath found Gnomaticus by the waye Fidus commeth in with Gnomaticus and his seruant Actus primi Scena secunda FIDVS PHYLOPAES PHYLOCALVS GNOMATICVS and ONATICVS his Seruaunt Fidus. SIr it is to be thought that Almighty God doth loue you and meaneth to helpe your holly desire in the good education of your children for it was my chaunce to meete Maister Gnomaticus by the way who was going towardes the Bowrce to harken of entertainement and it is not like that he should haue returned from thence vnplaced wherfore I would wish that you let not slippe this happie occasion They adresse their talke to the Schoolemaister Phylopaes Sir we haue ben so bolde as to send this bearer for you the cause hath procéeded of an earnest desire which this worthy man my neighbour and I haue to sée our children placed with a vertuous enstructer and hearing great fame aswell of your integritie as also of the diligence you haue vsed with the Lord of Barlemontes Children we are desirous to entreate you that you will take the like paines with ours all which shal be recompensed according to our own demaund For as there is no iewell so deare vnto man as the ofspring wherewith it pleaseth God to blesse him so is there no money so well spent as that which is giuen to a good Schoolemaister Phylocalus You shal vnderstand sir that my neighbour here and I haue foure Sonnes of equall age and stature the eldest excéedeth not twenty yeares and the youngest is about ninetéene yeares olde they haue ben already entred in grammer at such schooles as we haue héere in the City and if we be not abused by reportes they haue shewn themselues forward enough to take enstructions so that we are partely perswaded to send them vnto some vniuersity and mine opinion is as I lately declared vnto my neighbour here that we should do very wel yet to retain them a while longer vntill they may be perfectly enstructed by some godly teacher the summe of their duty first towardes God then to their Prince next to their parents and consequently aswell towardes the benefite of their countrey as also how to behaue themselues to all magistrates and officers in the same In conclusion wherof they may also learne what they are of themselues and how they may be most acceptable both to God and man and for that we haue hard very good report of your skill and also of your zeale we thought good to require that if you be not otherwise already entertained you would take some paynes to enstructe them in these
pointes and the same shal be recompensed and deserued by measure of your owne contentation as my neighbour Phylopaes hath before profered Gnomaticus Worthy Gentlemen I yéelde you moste humble thankes for your curteous profers and I render infinite thankes vnto almighty God that my name hath ben so reported vnto you truly I would be lothe to deferre any lesse then the name of a faithful and diligent teacher so farre forth as it hath pleased GOD to endue me with knowledge Touching your proffer and request I do most willingly embrace the same confessing euen simply that it was mine errand to séeke such entertainement hauing of late dispatched out of my handes the sonnes of the Lord of Barlemont towardes the Uniuersitie of Doway and if the touch of your zeale be not contrary to the fame which is spred of your estates I shall thinke my selfe wel occupied in teaching or reading to the children of such worthy men as you are Phylopaes Well then sir we will be bold to send for the youngmen to the end that no time be lost or deferred in bestowing of them Fidus go your waies to our houses and bring hether our Sonnes Fidus. Moste willingly sir I shal accomplish your commaundement Gnomati. If it please you sir my seruant shall asist him Phylocalus It will not be amisse to acquaint hym wyth them Gnomaticus Sirha go with this gentlemans seruant and helpe him to conduct their children hyther Onaticus Well Sir it shal be done Actus primi Scaena tertia PHYLOPAES PHYLOCALVS GNOMATICVS PHYLAVTVS PHYLOMVSVS PHYLOSARCVS PHYLOTIMVS FIDVS and ONATICVS Phylopaes IT shall nowe bée our partes to vnderstand what stipend may content you for your paines Gnomaticus Sir in that respecte take you no care but let me pray vnto almighty God that he giue me grace so to enstruct your children as you may hereafter take comfort in my trauayle that done I can no wayes doubt of your beneuolence sithens your inward desire doth already manyfestly appeare and furthermore I would be lothe to make bargaines in this respect as men do at the market or in other places for grasing of Oxen or féeding of Cattle especially since I haue to deale with such worthy personages as you séeme and are reported to be Phylocalus Well yet Sir we would be glad to recompence you according to your owne demaund but in token of our ready will to please you we shall desire you to take at my handes these twenty angels as an earnest or pledge of our further meaninge as I am the first that presume to open my purse in this occasion so I beseech the Father of Heauen that I may not be the last which may reioyce to sée his children prosper thou knowest O Lord I meane not hereby my neighbours detriment but alas the shadow of a mans selfe is euer nearest to him and as I desire to be the first that may heare of their well doinge so yet if they hearken not diligently vnto your enstruction but obstinately reiect your precepts then I desire you and on Gods behalfe I charge you that I may yet be the first that shall thereof be aduertised but behold where they come these two I thanke the Father of Heauen are the tokens of his mercifull blessing towardes me the Eldest is named Phylosarchus and this younger Phylotimus Phylopaes And these too sir are mine onely children and God for his mercy graunt that they may be mine onely comfort the Eldest is called Phylautus and the younger Phylomusus Phylautus Sir according to your commaundement expressed by Fidus I am come hither to know your pleasure and haue by warrant of the same cōmission brought with me my Brother Phylomusus Phylosarchus And I in like maner Sir haue brought with me my Brother Phylotimus desiring to knowe your pleasure and being ready to obey your commaundement Gnomaticus Surely these young men giue none euill hope of their towardnesse and declare by their séemely gesture and modest boldnesse to be both of good capacitie and to haue bene well enstructed hytherto in humanity The Fathers adresse their talke to their children Phylocalus The cause that we haue sent for you is to committe you vnto the gouernement of this godly man whom we haue entreated to take paynes with you and to enstruct you in some principall poyntes of necessary doctrine to the ende that after you haue ripely disgested the same you may be the more able to go boldely into some Uniuersity and I for my part do here commit you vnto him charging you in Gods name and by the authority which he hath giuen mée ouer you to hearken vnto him wyth all attentiuenosse and to obey him with all humillity Phylopaes The same charge that my neighbour Phylocalus hath here giuen to his childrē the same I do pronounce vnto you and furthermore do charge you that you become gentle and curteouse to each other humble to your betters and affable to your inferiours in all respectes Phylautus Sir I trust we shall deserue your fatherly fauour Phylosarchus And I trust to deserue the continuance of your goodnesse Phylotus Phylomusus We hope also to immitate the good in all moral examples of vertuous behauiour Phylopaes The Father of Heauen blesse you with the blessing which it pleased him to pronounce vnto Abraham Isaac and Iacob Phylocalus Amen and now let vs depart leauing here in your custody the choyce lambes of our flocke defend them then for Gods loue from the rauening and raging lustes of the flesh and vanities of the world Gnomaticus Sir by Gods power I shall do my best diligence Fidus. My louely Gentlemen GOD guide you by his grace and though I be somwhat romoued from your dayly company yet spare not to commaund my seruice if at any time it may stand you in stéede to vse it Phylotus Gramercy gentle Fidus Actus primi Scena quarta GNOMATICVS PHYLAVTVS PHYLOSARCVS PHYLOMVSVS PHYLOTIMVS and ONATICVS Gnomaticus MY dearely beloued schollers since it hath pleased your Parentes as you haue heard to put mée in trust with you for a time it shall not be amisse before I enter further in enstruction to knowe how farre you haue already procéeded in learning that there vpon I may the better determine what trade or Methode shal be most conuenient to vse in teaching of you tell me therefore what you haue redde and in what maner the same hath bene deliuered vnto you Phylautus Sir my Brother here and I haue bene taught first the rules of the grammer after that wée had read vnto vs the familiar comunications called the Colloquia of Erasmus and next to that the offices of Cicero that was our last exercise Gnomaticus It hath bene well done haue you not also ben taught to versify Phylautus Yes truly sir we haue therein bene in maner dayly enstructed Gnomaticus And you Phylosarchus how haue you passed your time Phylosarcus Sir my Brother and I haue also bene taught our grammer and to make a verse we haue
redde certaine Comedies of Terence certaine Epistles of Tully and some parte of Uirgill we were also entred into our greeke grammer Gnomaticus Surely it séemeth you haue not hytherto lost your time and the order of your enstruction hath bene such that you might presently be able to take further procéedinges in an Uniuersiry so that it should be vnto me but labour lost to stand still vpon those pointes since it seemeth that you haue bin therein perfectly grounded neuerthelesse wée will continue the exercise of the same and wée will therevnto ioyne such holesome preceptes as may become a rule and Squire wherby the rest of your lyfe and actions may be guyded For alchough Tully in his booke of dewtyes doth teach sundry vertuouse preceptes and out of Terence may also be gathered many morall enstructions amongst the rest of his wanton discourses yet the true christian must direct his steppes by the infallible rule of Gods woord from whence as from the hedde spring he is to drawe the whole course of his lyfe I would not haue you thinke hereby that I do holde in contempt the bookes which you haue redde heretofore but wée will by Gods grace take in assistance such and so many of them as may seeme consonant to the holy scriptures and so ioyning the one with the other we shal be the better able to bring our worke vnto perfectiō Sirha go you to my lodging cause in the meane tyme both bedding and dyet to be prouided for these young men that I may sée them vsed according to my charge in euery respect Onaticus Well Sir it shal be done with dilligence Gnomaticus Now let vs in the holy name of God begin and he for his mercy geue me grace to vtter and you to disgest such holesome lessons as may be for the saluatiō of your soules the comfort of your lyfe and the profitte of your Countrey You shall well vnderstand my well beloued schollers that as God is the author of all goodnesse so is it requisite that in all traditions and Morall preceptes we begin firste to consider of him to regard his maiestie and search the soueraigne poyntes of his Godhead The Heathen Philosophers although they had not the light to vnderstand perfect trueth were yet all of them astonyed at the incomprehensible maiesty and power of God some of them thought the ayre to be God some other the earth some the infinitenesse of things some one thing some another whose opinions I shall passe ouer as thinges vnméete to be much thought of but by the way the opinion of Plato is not vnworthy here to bee recited vnto you who taught plainely that god was omnipotent by whom the world was made and al thinges therein created and brought vnto such perfection as they be in Xenophon affirmed that the true God was inuisible and that therefore we ought not enquire what or what maner of thing God is Aristo the Stoicke affirmed lykewyse that God was incomprehensible To conclude Simonides being demaunded what God was required one dayes respect to answer and then being again demaunded the same question he required two dayes respet at the third apointment of his answere he came required thrée dayes and being demaunded wherefore he did so breake his apointments and require alwayes further time he aunswered that the more déepely that he did consider the matter the more infinite he found it and therefore remained alwaies astonyed what to answere and always craued further time Truly to leaue the heathen opinions and to come vnto the very touchestone I thinke it not amisse if we content our selues to thinke that God is omnipotent and yet his power vnsearchable and his goodnes vnspeakable And to be briefe I wil deliuer vnto you the summe of your dutyes in foure Chapters the first chapiter shal be of God and his ministers the second of the King and his Officers the third shall conteyne the duties that you owe vnto your Countrey and the Elders thereof and lastly you shal be put in remembraunce of your dutyes towardes your Parentes and what you ought to be of your selues In these soure chapters I trust by Gods help to enclude as much as shal be necessary for the perfect gouernment of a true Christian Phylomus Sir wée beseech you that for as much as this order of teaching is both very compendious also much different from the lectures which haue bene redde vnto vs you will therefore vouchsafe to stand somwhat the more vppon euery point to the end that aswell your meaning may be perspicuous as also that we may the better beare away the same and not onely learne it without the booke but also engraue it in our mindes Gnomaticus Your request is reasonable and it shal be by mée as readyly graunted as it hath bene by you necessarily required Your first chapter and lesson shall then be that in all your actions you haue an especiall eye and regard to almighty God and in that consideration I commend vnto your memory first God himselfe and secondarily his ministers As touching your duties vnto God him self although they be infinite yet shall we sufficiently conteine them in thrée especiall poynts to be perfourmed that is to say Feare Loue Trust And first to begin with feare it shal be necessary and aboue all thinges your bounden duty to feare God and his omnipoten power Linus that auncient Poet wryteth that with God all thinges are easie to be accomplished and nothing is vnpossible Tully in his Oration Pro Roscio amerino saith that the commodityes which wée vse the light which we enioy and the breath which we haue and drawe are giuen and bestowed vppon vs by God then if with God all thinges be possible according to Linus he is to be feared sithens the least part of his displeasure being prouoked the greatest part of his will is to him right easie to accomplish and if we haue our light our lyfe and all commodities of his gift as Cicero affirmeth then is hée to be feared least with the facillity of his omnipotency he take away as fast as he gaue or turne light into darknes life into death and cōmodities into discōmodities I might recite you many heathen authorities but it is most néedlesse since the very word of God himself is most plaine in this behalfe and yet I haue here set downe these fewe because they are not repugnant to holy Scriptures Wée finde written in the xx. chapter of Exodus that God is a Ielous God and doth visit the sinnes of the Fathers vppon the children vnto the third and fourth generation Feare him then for he is most mightie Againe who shall defend me saith the Psalmist vntill thine anger be past Feare God then since against his power no defence preuayleth Again both the heauens and the earth obay the voice of his mouth Feare him then for althinges are subiect vnto his mighty power And yet with this feare you must also ioyne loue for
hath to vs deliuered for I assure you although he hath bene therein verie compendious and sentencious yet in my iudgement euery sentence is such as requireth a rype deliberation and weightie consideration of the same Philotimus Surely Philomusus I am of your opinion and therefore let vs bestowe the time therein althoughe percase our brethren here will vse this afternoone in some other exercise Philosarchus beckneth Eccho Philomusus and Philotimus go together Eccho Sir it is vnto you that I addresse my selfe for although I be not the rediest man on liue to deale in such affayres yet such is the great good liking which I haue alwayes had in you that since I spake with you earewhile I haue not béen vnmindful of you surely I suppose that God doth fauour your desires for euen now when I departed from you and as soone as I ouertooke the gentlewoman I cast in my braines how to pleasure you and meaning to haue deuised some subtilty wherby the thing might be brought into communication the gentlewoman of her selfe proffred the occasion for shee demaunded of me what yong gentlemen those were with whom I stayed I tolde her that ye were Sonnes to two of the welthiest burghers in this citie and be you sure I left out no commendation which might aduaunce you whereat she séemed to bite on the bridle and commended you for your curtesies in that yée saluted her so gently as shee passed by but especially shee marked you by sundry thinges and gestures and coulde describe you vnto me by your apparell Short tale to make I neuer saw her shew so much lykelyhoode of affection since I first saw her as shée bewrayed presently and shall I tell you in your eare if Eccho be any better then a foole she hath a monethes minde vnto Phylosarchus wherfore play you now the wise man strike the Iron whiles it is hot she returneth this way presently and thereupon I haue aduentured to come vnto your Scoolemaster to craue you a libertie in the name of the Markegraue saying that you were his kynsemen and this haue I done to the ende that you might take occasion to salute her eftsâ—nes as she returneth and if you vse the matter wisely as I know you can you may take oportunity also to talke with her yea and to conduct her to her lodging Phylosarchus Surelie Eccho thou shewest playnlie what good will thou bearest me but what shall we do with the Markgraue Eccho Tush folow you your busines now that you haue libertie and let me alone with that matter if euer hereafter the thing come in question lay all vppon me and I will say that I mistooke both the Scoolemaster and the Skollers vnto whom I was sent Phylosarchus Well friend Eccho I know not how to deserue thy gentlenes but in token of gratefull mind holde receiue these twentie gildres vntil I haue greater abillity and be sure that if euer I liue to enherit Phylocalus then Eccho shall not be vnprouided for Eccho What meane you sir stay your purse vntill another time well if you will néedes enforce me I will neuer refuse the curtesie of a gentleman but behold where the Ladie Lamia commeth Sir me recomandez I will not be séene to talke with you for I stale from her to pleasure you priuilie Eccho departeth Actus primi Scoena sexta PHYLAVTVS PHYLOSARCHVS ECCHO LAMIA DYCK DROM and PANDARINA Phylosarchus OH my friend Phylautus behold here a péerelesse péece doth it not delight your eyes to gaze vppon such a shyning starre on myne honor she hath a swéet face by al likelihood she is much to young to haue béen hetherto comonly abused but wherfore am I abashed I wil go and salute her Fayr lady God saue you and send you that your hart most desireth Lamia Worthie gentleman I thanke you most heartely for your good wil and if God hear your prayer he shal do more than he did for me a good whyle but it is no matter when he hath taken his pleasure of punishing he will at last haue pitie on the poore Philosarchus Surely mystresse it were great pitie that such a one as you should indure any punishment without great cause and hardly can I thinke that any heart is so hard as to see you sorowfull if remedie maye be therefore obteyned Lamia Syr I coulde be content that all men were of your mynde but I finde curtesie verie colde nowe adayes and many there be which woulde rather depryue a poore gentlewoman of her right then rue vpon her piteous plyght the good king Amadis is dead long sythens whose Knightes vndertooke alwayes the defence of Dames and Damselles She whyneth Phylautus Alas what ayleth the yong gentlewoman to complayne Pandarina Syr and not without cause since she is by great wrong dispossessed of riche Signiories which belong to her by right and inheritance and complayning here vnto the magistrates she receyueth small comforte but is rather hindered by malice and detraction Philosarchus taketh her by the hand to comfort her Phylosarchus Fayre gentlewoman although I haue hitherto had no great acquaintaÌ„ce with you yet if I might craue but to knowe the cause of your griefe be you sure I woulde vse my best indeuer to redresse it and therefore I coniure you by your curtesie that you change your opinioÌ„ for all Amadis Knightes are not yet deade onely bewray your griefe and prayse thereafter as you finde She beginneth to tell a tale Lamia Syr I haue not power to reiecte your curtesie you shall vnderstand then that being c. Pandarina interrupteth her Pandarina Neyce it séemeth that you haue not your honour in such comendation as I would wish you should I pray you let vs begon homewardes Phylosarchus Why Mistres are you offended that shée should herken vnto such as séeke to reléeue her estate Pandarina Sir you are a gentleman well nurtured and you know this is no place to talke in without discredyt Phylosarchus Well Mistres if it please you we will waite vppon you vnto your lodging and there you shall sée what desire I haue to comfort this fayre Ladie Pandarina As for that sir at your pleasure I pray God sende her good friendes in her right for God knoweth she hath neede of such at this present They follow the Ladies The second Chorus BEhold behold O mortall men behold Behold and sée how soone deceipt is wrought How soone mens mindes of harmefull thinges take hold How soone the good corrupted is with nought Beholde the cares whereof our sauiour spake As Mathew telles in thirtéenth chapter playne Such wicked means malitious men can make The frutfull séede with worthles wéedes to stayne Beholde the deuill whose ministers are prest To stir an ore in euery forward boate Beholde blynd youth which holdeth pleasure best And skornes the payne which might their state promote Great is the care which grauest men endure To sée their Sonnes brought vp in Godly wise And greate the paines which teachers
which concluded that we are not borne onely for our selues but parte our contrey also doth chalenge Well goodfellowes one of you shal go to Saincte Mighells and there at a howse with a red lattyce you shall finde an old bawde called Pandarina and a yong damsell called Lamia take them both and carie them to the coupe geuing charge that they be safely kept vntill my further dyrection be known and another of you shall seek out Eccho the parasite al men know him wel enough take him and bring him to mée He departeth as the Skoolemaster cometh in Actus quarti Scaena septima GNOMATICVS NVNTIVS Gnomaticus IF none other thing were required in a faythfull ensstructor but onely that he should teach his schollers grammer or such other sciences then with lesser trauaile might wée attayne vnto perfection sythens Gammer and all the liberal Sciences are by traditions left vnto vs in such sort that without any greate difficultie the doubt thereof may be resolued but the Schoole Master which careth for none other thing but onely to make his schollers lerned may in some respect be compared to the horsecourser which one lie careth to féede his horse fat and neuer delighteth to ryde him manage him or make him handsome and when such palfryes come to iorneyng they are comonly so prouander proude that they praunce at the fyrst exceedingly but being put to a long iourney or seruice they melt their owne greace and are not able to endure trauayle Euen so the mindes of yong men being onely trained in knowledge of artes and neuer perswaded in points of moral reformation become often times so prowde so headie that they are caried rather away with a vaine imagination of their owne excellency then setled in the resolutions which might promoote them vnto dignitie and wandring so in a vayne glorious oppinion of their owne wit they do as it were foūder and cast them selues in their own halter Such haue sūdrie philosophers bin in time past who haue so far gone on pilgrimage in their owne peeuish conceits that they haue not shamed by a vaine shew of learning to defend such propositions as seeme most rediculous estranged from reason Anaxagoras defended that snow was black and yet was accompted a philosopher of greate grauitie iudgement Pherecydes prognosticated that an earthquake was at hand because he saw the water drawen out of a fountayne and yet was he the Master of Pythagoras accompsed a profound phylosopher Protagoras also affirmed that mē might well affirme all that to bee true which vnto them seemed true And infinite others might bee rehersed whose opinionate iudgementes did eclipse the rest of their comendable capacitie wherupon also hath sprong the damnable opiniō of Atheysts For the mind of man is so heauenlie a thing and of such care excellēcie that it alwaies worketh and can not be idle And if with the quicknes of conceyt it be tempred by a modest moderation to haue regard vnto vertue and moralitie then proueth it both goodly godly wheras if it run on hedlong only led by natural cōsiderations of causes it may proue admirable for some passing quallitie but it seldome is séene commendable or allowed for perfection The consideration wherof hath oftē moued me rather to enstruct youth by a prescribed order out of gods own word thē to nuzzle thē ouer déepely in philosophicall opinions And yet is the mind of young men so prone and prompt to vanitie delight that all proueth not as I would haue it For example behold my late schollers who forgetting their duetie and neclecting my precepts are fallen into the snares which I least of al mistrusted But surely to confesse a trueth I iudge that it rather procéeded by the entisements of others then by their own default Oh how perillous is lewde company vnto youngmen Well I haue deuised yet a meane wherby both the Parasites here may bee punished and the youngmen may also be rebuked at Doway In such sort that their sodain seperation may preuent all meanes to escape it and yet that one being ignorant of that others punishment shall neuer grudge or snuffe at the same And Phylopaes with his neighbour Phylocalus promised me eare while to put my deuise in execution I long to heare what may be done therin for still I feare me least the crafty Parasite should get knowledge thereof and so both escape himself and further enfect some other with newe deuises But who is this that commeth héere in such haste Nuntius Good lord what a world is this Iustice quoth he mary this is Iustyce in deed of the new fashion Gnomaticus And what Iustice good fellow I pray thée Nuntius Naye none at all Sir but rather open wronge an honest old gentlewoman with her kinswoman are commaunded to the coupe onely because they suffered an honest youngman and Sonne to a welthy Burgher to suppe with them yesternight and a good fellowe which is well knowen here in the City and hath dwelt here these seuen yeares past is also cast in prison bicause he serued them at supper I haue seldome heard of such rigor vsed especially since they proffer good suretyes to bée alwayes forth comming vntill their behauiour be tryed Gnomaticus Well good fellow speake reuerently of the Magistrates peraduenture there was some further matter therein then thou art aware of but when was it done Nuntius Euen now sir I doe but come from thence Gnomaticus This geare hath bene pollitiquely vsed and I will go sée how it is come to passe for these are euen those lewd companions which seduced my schollers Good fellow gramercy for thy tydinges exit Nuntius Why Do they lyke him so well I holde a grote the parties are not halfe so well pleased therewyth but I wil go further vntil I may declare them vnto some pitiful minde which moued with compassion may speak vnto the Markgraue in their behalfe Finis Actus Quarti The fourth Chorus THe toiling man which tilles his ground with greatest paine Hath not alway such crops theron as yéeld him greatest gain Nor he the fairest house which laies thereon most cost Since many chips of chance may fall to proue such labours lost In vaine men build their fortes with stone with lyme and sand Unlesse the same be founded first with Gods owne mighty hand Though Paule himself did plant whose trauelles did not cease And then Apollo watred eake yet God did giue encrease The grace of God it is whereon good gyftes must growe And lacke of God his grace it is which makes them lye full lowe How often haue bene séene both watch and ward well kept And yet into the strongest holdes hath treason lightly lept The héediest hen that is the puttocke oft beguiles Such wolues do walke in wethers felles the Lambes mistrust no wiles The for can preach somtimes but then beware the géese For seldome failes a théeuish hand but that it takes a fléese The deuill hath many men to gather in
any thing thither I will repayre to your house Phylopaes I pray thée do for peraduenture I wil wryte by thée Nuntius exit O God neighbour how vnhappie were wée to send your lewd seruaunt Ambidexter with our Sonnes My Sonne writeth vnto me that his brother Phylautus your Sonne Phylosarchus are seldome from the Bordelles or Tauerns and that Ambidexter is their companion and meaneth to tary there with them and to retourn no more Phylocalus My Sonne wryteth so in effect but hée séemeth to doubt least they prepare themselues to abandon the Uniuersity and to go gadding about the world a little for he writeth that they stay on hope that Eccho certaine other of his companions will shortly be with them othermyse they had bene gone long sithens Of himselfe I haue good newes for he wryteth vnto me that the Palsegraue hath written vnto the chauncellour of the uniuersity for a secretary and that he standeth in clection Phylopaes And my Sonne Phylomusus is entered into the ministrie and hath preached in the Uniuersity and meaneth shortly to go vnto Geneua such comfort we haue yet vnto our calamity But as euery mischief is most easely cured and redressed in the beginning so if you will followe my counsell we will immediatly dispatch Fidus unto them who shall both aprehend Ambidexter and cause him to be punnished and shall also staye our two wandring Somes and bring them home vnto vs Phylocalus I like your councell well and for the loue of God let it be put in execution immediatly for in such cases nothing is so requisite as expedition Phylopaes Holde Fidus take these twenty crownes and get thee away with all spéede possible take post horses from place to place and if they should chaunce to be gone from Doway before thou come yet followe them and neuer cease vntill thou haue founde them and bring them home vnto vs Phylocalus Fidus spare for no cost and holde thée there are twenty crownes more if néede require Fidus Well Sir you shall sée that no diligence shall want in me to recouer them Will it please you to commaund me any other seruice Phylopaes No but God send thée good successe Fidus departeth In the meane time neighbour let vs go see what is done for the staying of Eccho that we may yet preuent all mischeefe as much as in vs lyeth Phylocalus I lyke you well your witte is very good vppon a sodaine but beholde where maister Gnomaticus commeth by him we shall partly vnderstand what is done Actus quinti Scaena tertia GNOMATICVS PHYLOPAES PHYLOCALVS Gnomaticus GEntlemen I haue sought you round about the Town this geare is in maner dispatched Eccho is apprehended with his traine and all Phylopaes Wel that is some comfort yet to our heauy hartes Gnomaticus Why haue you any cause of heauinesse Tell me I pray you Sir what meane you to stand thus amased Phylocalus My neighbour and I haue receyued newes which are both sorowful and comfortable Our two elder Sonnes by the lewde assistance of my seruaunt whom I sent with them do bestowe their time very wantonly in Doway and do determine as séemeth to be gone from thence very shortly Gnomaticus To be gon whether in Gods name Phylocalus Nay that hee knoweth to seeke aduenfures abrode in the world by all lykelyhoode and they stay but for the comming of Eccho and his companyons Gnomaticus Wel as for their coming thanked be god it is preuented wel eneugh but I pray you Sir tell me how know you this to be certeynly so Phylocalus Why we haue receiued letters from our other two Sonnes holde you here is mine you may read it He deliuereth him the letter How now neighbour what muse you your wittes were good erewhile vpon the sodayne plucke vp your spirits you shall see by Gods grace Fidus will bring vs good newes Phylopaes Oh neighbour I am not able to expresse the sorowes which my heart conceiueth alas the goods of the world although they be gotten with great trauaile and kept with great care yet the losse of them doth neuer torment a wise man since the same deuice or brayne that coulde contriue the gathering of them is able againe to renew the like but the misgouernmēt of a mans children or to sée them cast away by lacke of grace or for lacke of vigilant foresight that onely is vnto the wysest mynde an vnmedicinable wounde Oh that my harte is not able to beare nor to abide the furious assaults of this misfortune He sowneth Phylocalus What man stand vp and take a mans harte vnto you Gnomaticus What Sir for the loue of God do not take the matter thus heauily by his grace you shall haue no such cause your neighbour here hath cause of comfort for I perceiue that his Sonne hath so well spent his time and so well profited at his booke that he standeth in election to bee Secretarie vnto Palsegraue Phylocalus Yea and his Sonne Phylomusus is also become a famous preacher meaneth shortly to go vnto Geneua Gnomaticus Wel then ech of you hath some cause of cōfort yet and by the grace of God you shall see that the rest will fal out better then you looke for but if it should not you must yet arme your selfe with pacience and giue god thankes in all thinges since he can send tribulations and vexations when pleaseth him and can also send comfort when seemeth mete to his deuine maiestie but what haue you done for the preuenting hereof Philocalus Mary we haue dispatched my neighbours seruant Fidus to stay both them and Ambidexter that the one may be punished in example of all others and that the other may also be brydled from their hedstrong race which they meane to run Gnomaticus Ambidexter Why what hath he doone Phylocalus Do you not marke the letter it séemeth that his onelie leudenes hath ministred matter vnto their misbehauiour for he is their lodes mate companiō in all places and hath setled himselfe with them meaning neuer more to turne vnto me Gnomaticus Surely Phylocalus you were not well aduised to sēd such a fellow with your Sonnes I pray god he haue deliuered my letters faythfullie for I dyd yet neuer receaue answere of them By whome receaued you these letters Phylocalus By a carrier which trauayleth wéekely to Doway Gnomaticus And had hee no letters for me Phylocalus Surely I cannot tell for I was so glad when I founde in his role letters to mee and my neighbour that I sought no furder for any other but you shall soone finde hym out if you aske for the Carryer of Doway Gnomaticus Well by your leaue then I will goe séeke hym for I long sore to haue answere of my letters Philocalus You shall do well and in meane tyme my neighbour and I will go vnto his house for I perceiue he is not well Actus quinti Scaena quarta SEVERVS the MARGRAVE with his officers and ECCHO Seuerus COme on sirha what acquaintance haue you with