tyll deathe For the more the chylde denyed the thynge that he dyd not so muche the more dyd they beate hym Put also to thys the tormentour hym selfe almoste more to be feared then the veriâ— punyshemente hys eyes lyke a serâ—ente hys narowe and wrythen mouth hys sharpe voyce lyke a spirite hys face wanne and pale hys head roulâ—ng about threatninges and rebukes sâ—che as they lusted in theyr anger a manne wolde haue thought it a furie out of hel What folowed anone after this punishement the chyld fel sicke with great ieopardye both of mynde and lyfe Then this tormentour began fyrst to complayne he wrote to hys father to take awaye hys sonne as sone as could be and that he had bestowed as much phisicke vpon him as he coulde but in vayne vpon the chylde that was paste remedye When the sickens of the body was somewhat put away by medicines yet was the minde so astonied that we feared leste he wold neuer come agayne to the olde strength of hys mynd Neither was thys y e cruelty of one daye as longe as the childe dwelte wyth hym there passed no daye but he was cruelly beateÌ„ once or twise I know y u suspectest o reader that it was an haynouse faute wherunto so cruell remedie was vsed I wyl shew you in few words Ther was fouÌ„d both of hys y t was beaten and of two others theire bookes blotted wyth ynke their garmentes cutte and their hose arayed wyth mannes donge He that played thys playe was a chylde borne to all myschiefe whiche by other vngracious deedes afterwardes made men beleue the ether to be true that were done before And he was nephewe by the systers syde to this mad docter eueÌ„ then playing a part before to â—hese thyngs whych souldiers are wont to do in bataile or robbynge At an hostes house of his he pulled oute the faucet and let the wyne runne vpoÌ„ the ground and as one to shew a pleasure he sayde that he felt the sauour of the wyne wyth an other of hys felowes he daylye played at the sworde not in sporte but in earnest that euen then you myght wel perceyue he wolde be a thyefe or a murtherer or whych is very lyke to them that he wolde be an hyred souldier Although the teacher fauored hym yet fearynge leste they shulde one kyll an other he sente awaye his cosen For he had for that other a good rewarde and he was of this sorte of gospellers to whom nothing is more swete then monei His godfather was made surely to beleue that the child was w t a good and diligent master when in deede he dwelte wyth a boucher was continually in company and made drudge with a man that was halfe mad and continually sicke Thus fauoringe more his kynseman then hym by whom he had so much profite the suspicion was layde vpon the harmeles to whom they ascribed so muche malice that he wolde teare and defile his owne garmentes to auoide suspicion if any suche thyng had bene done But the child commyng both of good father and mother dyd neuer shewe any toâ—eÌ„ of such a naughtie disposicion and at thys daye there is nothyng farther from all malice then are hys maners whyche nowe free frome all feare telleth all the matter in order as it was donne To suche tutors do honest citizens committe their chyldren whome they moste loue and suche do complayne that they be not wel rewarded for their paynes And this tormentour wolde not once knoweledge he had done amisse but had rather playe the starke mad man then confesse his faute and yet agaynst such is not taken an action of euyll handlyng neither hath the rigoure of the lawe anye power agaynste suche huge crueltie There is no anger worse to be pleased theÌ„ theirs that be lyke to haue the fallynge sycknes Howe many things be crepte in into the lyfe of christen men not meete neither for the Phrigians nor y e Scithians of y e which I wyl shew one much like this matter The yong gentlemaÌ„ is send in to y e vniuersitie to lerne the liberall sciences But w t how vngentle despightes is he begun in them Fyrst they rub his chyn as though they wolde shaue his bearde hereunto thei vse pisse or if ther be any fouler thyng This liquour is dashed into his mouth he may not spit it out Wyth paynfull bobbes they make as though thei drewe hornes from him soÌ„time be is coÌ„pelled to drinke a great deale of vinegre or salte or whatsoeuer it listeth y e wyld coÌ„pany of yong meÌ„ to geue him for wheÌ„ they begin the play thei make him swere y t he shal obey al that they coÌ„maund him At last they hoyse him vp dashe his backe against a post as ofteÌ„ as they list After these so rustical despightes suÌ„time â—oloweth an ague or a paine of y e backe y t neuer caÌ„ be remedied Certes this foolishe play endeth in a droÌ„ken baÌ„ket w t such beginninges enter they into y e studies of liberal sciences But it were mete that after this sorte thei shuld begin a boucher a tormeÌ„tour a baud or a boÌ„de slaue or a botemaÌ„ not a child appointed to y e holy studies of lerning It is a meruel that yongmeÌ„ geuen to liberal studies be mad after this fashioÌ„ but it is more meruel y t these things be alowed of suche is haue the rule of youth To so foule cruâ—l folyshenes is preteÌ„sed the name of custume as though the custume of an euil thing wer any thing else theÌ„ an old errour whiche ought so much the more diligeÌ„tly to be pulled vp bicause it is crept among many So coÌ„tinueth amoÌ„g the diuines y â— maner of a vesper for they note an euyl thynge w t a like name more mete for scoffers theÌ„ diuâ—nes But thei y t professe liberal sciâ—ces shuld haue also liberal sports But I come againe to chyldren to whome nothyng is more vnprofitable then to be vsed to stripes whiche enormiâ—tie cauâ—eâ—â— that the geÌ„tle nature is intractable and the â—â—ler driuen to desperacion and coÌ„tinuaunce of theÌ„ maketh that both the bodye is hardened to stripes the mynd to wordes Nay we may not oftentymes chyde theÌ„ to sharplye A medicine naughâ—elye vsed maâ—eth the sickenes worse helpeth it not and if 〈◊〉 be layde to continuallye by litle and litle it ceaseth to be a medicine and dothe nothinge else then dothe stinkynge and vnwholesome meate But here some man wyll saye vnto vs the godlye sayinges of the Hebrues He that spareth the rod hateth hys chylde and he that loueth hys sonne beareth hym muche Agayne Bowe downe the necke of thy chylde in youth and 〈◊〉 hys sydes whyle he is an infante very yonge Suche chastisemente peraduenture was mete in tyme paste for the Iewes Nowe must the sayinge be expounded more ciuilâ—ly And if a man wil be hard to vs wyth letters and sillables what is more cruell then to bend the necke of a
beinge but a yonge man was so eloquent wel sene in the mathematical sciences So well sene also were many Emperors Marcus Tullius â–ª also Uirgil and Horace in their lusâ—y youth were so excellent in learninge and Eloquence all bycause they were strayght waye in their tender age learned of their parentes nourses the elogancy of the tonges and of the beste maisters the liberal sciences as Poetry Rhetorique Histories the knowledge of antiquities Arithmetique Geographye Philosophye moral and political And what do we I â—raye you wee kepe out children at home till they be past fourtene or fiftene yere old and whan they be corrupted wyth idlenes ryot delicatenes with muche worke at the laste we sende them to the coÌ„men scholes There to further y e matter wel they taste a little grammer after whan they can declyne words ioyne the adiectiue and the substaÌ„tiue togither they haue learned al the grammer and thaÌ„ be set to that troubled Logike wher they must forget againe if they haue learned to speake anie thynge well But more vnhappye was the tyme whan I was a child whiche al to vexed the youth with modes of signifâ—inge and other folyshe questions teching nothinge els then to speake folishelye Uerely those masters bicause they wold not be thought to teach folish thinges darckened grammer wyth difficâ—lties of Logike and Metaphisiâ—e euen for this verelye that afterwardes they shold returne backwardelye to learne grammer whâ— they were olde whiche we see happeneth nowe to some diuines that be wyser that after so manye hye degrees and all their titles wherby they maye be ignoraunte in nothing they be faine to come againe to those bookes whiche are wonte to be reade vnto children I blame theÌ„ not for it is better to lerne late then neuer that thing which is necessary to be knowen Good Lorde what a world was that whan wyth greate boastynge Iohn Garlandes verses wer read to yonge men and that with longe and painefull commentaries whaÌ„ a greate parte of tyme was consumed in folyshe verses â–ª in saying theÌ„ to other repetynge them and hearynge theim agayne whan Florista and Florius were learned without booke for as for Alexander I thynke him worthye to be receiued amonge the meaner sorte Moreouer howe muche tyme was loste in Sophistrye and in the superfluous mases of Logyke And bicause I will not be to longe howe troublesomelye were all sciences taughte howe paynefullye whiles euerye reader to auaunce him selfe wolde euen straighte waye in the begynninge stuffe in the hardest thynges of all and sometyme verye folyshe thyngs to For a thyng is not therfore goodly bycause it is harde as to stand a far of and to caste a mustarde seede thorowe a nedles eye misse not it is hard in dede but yeâ— it is a verye trifle and to vndo a payre of tariers it is much worke but yet a vayne and idle subtiltye Adde here vnto that oftentymes these thynges be taught of vnlearned men and that is worse of lewd learned men somtyme also of sluggardes and vnthriftes which more regarde takynge of money thaÌ„ the profite of their scholers WhaÌ„ the commune bryngynge vp is suche yet do wee maruayle that fewe be perfitly learned before they be old The beste parte of oure lyfe is loste wyth idlenes with vices wherewith whan we be infected we giue a litle parte of our tyme to studies and a greate parte to feastes and plaies And to an yll matter is taken as euil a craftes manne either teachynge that is folyshe or that whiche must be vnlearned againe And after this we make our excuse that the age is weake the wyt not yet apte to learne the profite to be verye small and manye other thinges whan in dede the fault is to be ascribed to euill brynginge vp I wil not trouble you any leÌ„ger onelie wil I speake to your wisdome whyche is in other thynges verye sharpe and quycke of syght Consider howe deare a possession youre sonne is howe diuerse a thynge it is and a matter of muche worke to come by learnynge and how noble also the same is what a redines is in all childrens wyttes to learne what agilitie is in the mynd of maÌ„ howe easily those thynges be learned whyche be beste and agreable to nature inespeciallye if they be taught of learned and gentle maisteâ—s by the waye of playe further how fast those thynges abide with vs wherew t we season fyrste of all the emptye and rude myndes whiche sâ—lfe thynges an elder age pâ—rceyueth boeth more hardelye and soner forgetteth Beside thys how dear and the losse neuer recouered tyme is howe much it auayleth to begin in seasoÌ„ and to learne euery thyng whan it shold be how much continuaunce is able to do howe greately the heape that Hesiodus speaketh of doeth increase by puttinge to little and litle how swiftly the time flieth away how youth wyll alwayes â—e occupied howe vnapte olde age is to be taught If thou consyder these thynges thou wilt neuer suffer that thi litle child shoulde passe away I wil not say seuen yere but not so much as thre dayes in the whiche he maye be eyther prepared or instructed to learnynge though the profit be neuer so litle FINIS ¶ Imprynted at London by Iohn Day dwellinge ouer Aldersgate beneth saint Martyns And are to be sold at his shop by the litle conduit in Chepesyde at the sygne of the Resurâ—ection Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum Per septennium The tytle of thys worcke straunge Sheme and Trope Vse maketh strauÌ„ge thinges familier Oure language falsely accused of barbarousnes Gower Chawcer Lidgate Syr Thomas Elyot The occasion of thys treaise Rodulphus Agricola Mosellane Quintilian Cicero Erasmus A figure not to be vsed but for a cause Westimerus Augustinus And apte similitude Eloquucion Scheme Prosthesis Apheresis Epenthesis Syncope Proparalepsis Apocope Ectasis Systole Synolephe Antisthecon Prolepsis Zengma Presozeugma Mesozeugma Rypozeugma Diazeugma Silepsis Epergesis· Ryperbation Anastrophe Hysterologia Tmesis Parenthesis Eclipsis Antiptosis Acyrologia Pleonasmus Perissologia Tautologia Romiologia Amphibologia Periergia Macrologia Tapinosis Aschrologia Cacozelia AschematistoÌ„ Cacosintheton Soraismus Barbarismus Solecismus Analogia Tasis Sinthesis Metaphora Catachâ—esis Metalepsis â–ª Metonomia Synecâ—oche Pronominacio Periphrasis Aenigâ—â—a Parenna Ironia Sarcasmus Astysmus Mycterismus Antiphrasis Charicutismus Epanaphora Antistrophe Symploce Anadiplosis Epanodus Sinonimia Sinathrismus Epiphonesis Areia Deesis Euche Epiplexis Erotesis Erotema Prosapodosis Antiphora â–ª Aporia â—pophasis Epilogus Epitrope Anacinosis Dialisis Antitheton Antithesis Colon. Dialyton Isocolon RomioptotoÌ„ RomoteleÌ„to Climax Orismus Metabasis Paralepsis Asindeton Apostrophe Anangeon Anaclasis Bomphiologia Miosis Liptote Diasirmus Particio Enumeracio EnumeracioÌ„ of thynges that go before EnumeracioÌ„ of the causes EnumeracioÌ„ of effectes â–ª consequeÌ„tes Energia Charactirsmus Prosopographia Aetopeia Pathopeia dialogismus Mimisis Amplificacio Proues Two sortes of proues Signes be referred to proues vnartificial why Signes wherfore â–ª Signes be referred to tyme. Two maner of signes Proues takeÌ„ oute of circuÌ„staunces How proues of circuÌ„stauÌ„ces differ froÌ„ Aristotels places CircuÌ„staÌ„ces of person Kynred Nacion â–ª â—ynd Age. Educacion â—auiour of the boâ—â—â— Fortune Condicion The natuâ—â— of the mynd Studiâ—s Affectacion Wordes spoken deedes done before Commocion Name CircuÌ„staunces of things be these Fine orâ—â—de Place Tyme Tyme hathe two significacions Chaunce Instrument Examples Parable Indicacio Exergasia Diuision of y e confutacioÌ„ Chyldren euyl broughte vp brynge shame to their pareÌ„tes A wayward feare for hurting childreÌ„s bewtye ProuisioÌ„ for easinge chyldrens labour Emulacion is an enuye wythout malice â–ª for desire to be as good as an other to be asmuch praysed Ciuile officers and prelates shuld se that ther wer good schole masters Vespasian Plinie Pouertie hurteth good wittes A sentence to be marked A lykenynge of scholemasters and nurses together The fedyng of the bodye and mynd câ—pared together What things lyâ—le yonge chyldreÌ„ shold be fyrste taughte Chyldren desyre naturally to folow do as other do Bucolicall where y e herdmen do speke of nete and shepe That is a teacher of holye lernynge Autumne is the tyme betwyxt somer and wynter The meaning of y e poetes deâ—â—le touching the muses Charites Wherfore leâ—nyng is called humanitie How learnyng may be made swete vnto y e chyld The practise of a certen englishe man to teache hys chyld hys letters by shootyng The beste craft for memorie A good scholmaster in teachyng muste folow a phisicion in medicines Note the sentence The last obieccion touching the profit of y e câ—yld in his young yeres â—uide Lucane Bassus Persius Alexander Nota. A goodli brief rehearsall of the thinges before spokeÌ„
by be instructed in the beste learnyng neyther is he a manne nor the sonne of a man Were it not an abhominable sight that the mynde of a man shulde be in a beastes body As we haue read that â—iâ—â—es when she had enchauÌ„ted men wyth her wytchcraft dyd turne them into Lions beares and swyne so that yet ther shuld be stil in them the mynde of a man which thyng Apuleus wrote to haue happened to hym selfe and Austin also hathe beleued that men haue bene turned into wolues Who could abyde to be called the father of such a monster But it is a more merueylous monster that a beastes mynde shulde be in a mans bodye and yet do very many please themselues in suche chyldren and bothe the fathers seme and the common people thynke suche to be verye wise It is sayde that beares caste oute a lumpe of fleshe wythout anye fashion whych wyth longe lyckyng they forme and brynge into a fashyon but there is no beares yonge one so euyll fauored as a manne is borne of a rude mynde Except wyth much studye y u forme and fashion this thou shalt be a father of a monster and not of a man If thy sonne be borne wyth a copped head or crocke shuldred or splay footed or wyth syxe fingers in one hande howe lothe woldest thou be for it how arte thou ashamed to be called the father not of a man but of a monster and art thou not ashamed of so moustruous a mynde Howe discoraged be the fathers in theyr hertes if their wyfe brynge forthe a naturall an infante of a brute mynde For they thynke they haue begotteÌ„ not a man but a monster and excepte feare of the lawe dyd let them they wolde kyll that that is borne Thou blameste nature whych hath denied the minde of a man to thy chylde thou causest by thyne own negligence that thy sonne shulde be wythoute the mynde of a man But thou wylte saye Better it is to be of a brutishe rather theÌ„ of an vngracious mind Naye better it is to be a swyne theÌ„ an vnlearned and euyll man Nature when she geueth the a sonne she geueth nothyng else theÌ„ a rude lumpe of fleshe It is thy parte to fashioÌ„ after y e best maner that matter that will obey folow in euery poynt If thou wylt slacke to do it thou hast a beaste if thou take hede thou hast as I myght saye a God Srayght waye assone as thy infaÌ„te is borne it is apte to be taughte those thynges whych properlie belonge to a man Therfore after the sayinge of Uyrgyll bestowe diligente labour vpon hym euen from hys tender age Handle the waxe strayght way whyle it is very soft fashion thys claie while it is moist season thys earthen vessel wyth verye good liquour while it is newe dye your wolle whyle it commeth whyte frome the fuller and is not defiled wyth any spottes Antisthenes dyd verye merilye shewe the same whyche when he had taken a certen mans soÌ„ne to be taught and was axed of hys father what thinges he had neede of a newe booke quod he a newe pensyle and a new table Uerelye the philosopher requyred a rude and emptye mynde Thou canst not haue a rude lumpe but and if thou fashyon it not lyke a manne of it selfe it wyll waxe naught into monstruous formes of wylde â—eastes Seynge thou doest owe this seruyce to God nature although there were no hope that thou shuldest haue any profite therby count in thy mynd how greate comforte how greate profite howe much worshyp the children that be well brought vp brynge to theyr fathers Agayne into what shames and greate sorowes they cast their parentes that bee euyll broughte vp There is no nede to bryng here vnto the examples out of olde chronicles do no more but remember in thy mind the housholdes of thine owne citye howe many examples shalt y u haue in eueri place I know thou doest often hear such wordes O happye man that I were if my chyldren were buryed O fortunate mother if I hadde neuer broughte forth chylde It is a wayghâ—y matter to brynge vp chyldren well I graunt but no man is borne to him selfe no man borne to be idle Thou woldest nedes be a father y u muste be a good father y u haste gotten theÌ„ to the coÌ„mon wealth not to thy self only or to speake more lyke a christen man y u hast begotteÌ„ theÌ„ to god not to thy selfe Paul wryteth that so in dede women be saued if they bryng forth childreÌ„ so brynge theÌ„ vp that they continue in y e study of vertue God wil straitly charge the pareÌ„ts w t the childreÌ„s fautes Therfore excepte y t euen forthwith thou bryng vp honestly y t that is borne fyrst y u dost thy selfe wronge which thorow thy negligence gettest y t to thy selfe then the which no enemye could wyshe to an other ether more greuous or paynful Dionisius did effeminat w t delyghtes of the court Dions yong son y t was run awaye from him he knew y t this shuld be more carefull to y e father then if he had kylled hym w t a swerde A litel whyle after when the yong manne was forced of his father that was come to him to returne agayne to his old vertue he brake his necke out of a garret In dede a certeyne wise hebricioÌ„ wrot very wisely A wise child maketh the father glad a folish son is sorow to y e mother But a wyse chyld not only is pleasure to hys father but also worship and succoure and finallye hys fathers lyfe Contrarye a folyshe and leude chylde not only bringeth heauynesse to hys parentes but also shame and pouertye and olde before the tyme and at laste causeth death to them of whom he had the begynnyng of lyfe What nede me to rehearse vp daily are in our eies the examples of citizens whome the euyll maners of theyr chyldreÌ„ haue brought to beggarye whome eyther the sonne beyng hanged or theyr daughter an whoore of the stewes haue tormented wyth intollerable shame and vylany I know greate men whych of manye chyldren haue scante one lefte alyue One consumed wyth the abhominable leprie called by diminucion y e french pockes beareth his death aboute wyth hym a nother hathe burste by drynkynge for the beste game an other goyng a whorehuntynge in the nyghte with a visar was pitifullye kylled What was the cause Bycause theyr parentes thynkynge it inough to haue begotten them and enryched them toke no heede of theire bryngynge vp They shall dye by the lawe whych laye awaye theyr children and cast them into some wood to be deuoured of wylde beastes But there is no kynde of puttynge them awaye more cruell then to geue vp that to beastlye affeccions whych nature hath geuen to be fashioned by very good waies If ther wer ani witch could wyth euyl craftes and wold go about to turne thy sonne into a swyne or a wolfe woldest
thou not thynke that ther were no punyshemente to sore for her myscheuouse deede But that whych thou abhorrest in her thou of purpose doest it thy selfe How huge a beaste is lechery how rauenous and insaciable is â—yot howe wylde a beast is dronken shyp how hurtfull a thing is anger how horrible is ambicion To these beastes dothe he set ouer hys sonne whosoeuer from his tender youthe doth not accustume hym to loue that that is honeste to abhorre synne yea rather not onlye he casteth hym to wyld beastes whych the most cruel casters away are wonte to do but also whych is more greuouse he norisheth this greate and perilous beaste euen to hys owne destruccion It is a kind of men most to be abhorred which hurteth the body of infantes wyth bewitchyng and what shal we say of those parentes whiche thorowe their negligence and euyll educacion be witch the mynd They are called murtherers that kyll their children beynge newe borne and yet kyll but the body â—owe great wyckednes is it to kyll the mynde For what other thynge is the deathe of the soule then foly and wickednes And he doth also no lesse wrong to his contrey to whom asmuch as lyeth in hym he geueth a pestilente citizeÌ„ He is naught to godwards of whom he hath receyued a chylde for thys purpose to brynge hym vp to vertue Hereby you may se how greate and manifolde mischiefes they committe whych regarde not the bryngynge vp of tender age But as I touched a lytle before they synne more greuouslie then do these whych not onely do not fashion them to honestye but also season the tender and soft vessel of the infante to myschiefe and wyckednesse and teacheth hym vyce before he knowe what vice is How shuld he be a modeste man and dyspyser of pride that creepeth in purple He can not yet sound his fyrste letters and yet he nowe knoweth what crimosine and purple sylke meaneth he knoweth what a mullet is and oâ— her dayntie fyshes and disdainfullye wyth a proude looke casteth away coÌ„mon dyshes How can he be shamefast wheÌ„ he is growen vp which being a litel infaÌ„t was begon to be fashioned to lecherye How shall he waxe liberal wheÌ„ he is old which being so litel hath lerned to meruell at money gold If ther be ani kynd of garment lately fouÌ„d out as daili y e taâ—lers craft as in time paste dyd Africa bringeth forth some new moÌ„ster y t we put vpon our infaÌ„t He is taught to stand in his own coÌ„ceite if it be takeÌ„ a way he angerly axeth for it again Howe shall he beyng olde hate druÌ„kennes whych when he is an infaÌ„t is taught to loue wine They teach them by lytle and lytle suche filthy wordes whych are scant to be suffered as sayth Quintilian of the delicious Alexandrians And if the child speake any suche after them they kysse hym for hys laboure I warant you they knew their yong growynge nothynge out of kynde when theyr owne lyfe is nothynge else then an example of naughtynes Beynge an infant he learneth the vnchaste flatterynge wordes of nurses and as we saye he is fashioned wyth the hand to wanton touchynge He seeth hys father well whetteled wyth drynke and heareth hym bablynge oute that that shulde be kepte in He sytteth at greate and not very honest feastes he heareth the house ful of iesters harpes mynstrels and daunsers To these maners the chyld is so accustumed that custume goeth into nature Theâ— be naâ—ions that fashion their chyldren to fiersenesse of warre whyle they be yet redde froÌ„ the mother They lerne to loke fierslie the learne to loue the swearde and to geue a strype From such beginninges thei are deliuered to the master and do we merueyle if wee fynde them vnapte to lerne vertue whych haue dronke in vyces euen wyth the mylke But I hear some men defendynge theyr folye thus and sate that by thys pleasure whiche is taken of the wantoÌ„nes of infantes the tediousnes of nouâ—syng is recoÌ„peÌ„sed What is this Shuld it be to the verye father more pleasaunt if the chylde folowe an euyll deede or expresse a leude worde theÌ„ if wyth his lytle stutryng tonge he spake a good sentence or folowe any deede that is wel done Nature specially hathe geuen to the fyrste age an easines to folowe and do after but yet thys folowyng is some what more proue to naughtynesse then to goodnes Is vyce more plesaunte to a good man then vertue specially in hys chyldren If anye fylthe fall vpon the yonge chyldes skyn thou puttest it away and dost thou infect the mynd wyth so foule spottes Nothynge stycketh faster then that that is learned in yonge myndes I pray you what motherlye hertes haue those women whiche dandle in their lap their chyldren tyl they be almost seuen yeres old and in maner make theÌ„ fooles If they be so much disposed to play why do they not rather get apes and litle puppets to play wythall O saye they they be but chyldren They be in deede but it caÌ„ scant be told how muche those fyrste beginninges of our yong age do helpe vs to guide all our lyfe after howe hard vntractable a wanton and dissolute bryngyng vp maketh the chylde to the teacher callynge the same gentlenes when in deede it is a marring Might not an accion of euyl handlyng children meruelous iustli be laid against such mothers for it is plainely a kynde of witchcraft of murther They be punyshed by the lawe y â— bewitche their childreÌ„ or hurt their weake bodies with poisons what do thei deserue which corrupt y e chiefe parte of the infaÌ„t w t most vngracious venome It is a lighter matter to kyl the body then the mind If a child shulde be brought vp amoÌ„g the gogle eied stutters or haltyng the body wold be hurt w t infeccioÌ„ but in dede fautes of the mind crâ—pe vpon vs more priuely also more quickely settel deper The â—postle Paul worthily gaue this honor vnto the verse of MenaÌ„der y â— he wold recite it in his epistels Euyl comunicacioÌ„ corrupteth good maners but this is neuer truer theÌ„ in infantes Aristotle wheÌ„ he was axed of a certen maÌ„ by what meanes he myghte bringe to pas to haue a goodly horse If he be brought vp quod he â–ª among horses of good kynde And y t if neyther loue nor reason can teach vs howe greate care we ought to take for y e first yeres of our children at y e least waies let vs take example of brute beastes For it oughte not to greue vs to learne of theÌ„ a thynge y t shall be so profitable of whome maÌ„kinde now long ago hath lerned so many fruitful things seuce a beast called Hippopotamus hath shewed y e cutting of veines a bird of egipt called Ibis hath shewed y e vse of a clister which y e phisicioÌ„s gretly alow The hearbe called dictamum whiche is good to drawe out arrowes we haue knowne
haue taken hurte monyshe vs thys came euyll to passe hereafter take heede but or euer ye take the matter in hande it cryeth If thou do thys thou shalt get vnto the euyll name and myschiefe Let vs knytte therfore this threfolde corde that both good teachyng leade nature and exercise make perfite good teachyng Moreouer in other beastes we do perceiue that euery one doth sonest learne that that is most properly belonging to hys nature and whych is fyrste to the sauegarde of hys healthe and that standeth in those thynges whith brynge either payne or destruccioÌ„ Not onlye liuing thyngs but plantes also haue this sence For we se that trees also in that parte where the sea doth sauour or the northen winde blow to shrynke in their braunches and boughes and where the wether is more gentle there to spreade them farther oute And what is that that properly be longeth vnto man Uerelye to lyue according to reason and for that is called a reasonable creature and diuided froÌ„ those that caÌ„ not speake And what is most destruccioÌ„ to maÌ„ Folyshenes He wyll therfore be taught nothyng soner then vertue and abhorre from nothynge sooner then folyshnesse if so be the diligence of the parentes wyll incontinent set a worke the nature whyle it is emty But we here meruelous complantes of the common people howe readye the nature of chyldreÌ„ is to fal to vyce how hard it is to drawe them to the loue of honesty They accuse nature wrongfullye The greatest parte of thys euyll is thorowe oure owne faute whyche mar the wittes w t vyces before we teache them vertues And it is no maruell if we haue them not verye apte to learne honestye seyng they are nowe already taughte to myschiefe And who is ignoraunt that the labour to vnteache is both harder and also goth before teachyng Also the common sorte of men do amysse in thys pointe thre maner of wayes eyther because they vtterlye neglecte the bryngynge vp of children or because they begynne to fashion their myndes to knoweledge to late or because they putte them to those men of whome they maye learne that that muste be vnlerned agayne Wee haue shewed those fyrst maner of men vnworthi to be called fathers and that they very litle differ from suche as serâ—e theyr infantes out abrode to be destroyed and that they oughte worthely to be punyshed by the lawe which doth prescribe this also diligentlye by what meanes chyldren shuld be brought vp afterwards youth The second sorte be very manye wyth whom nowe I specially entend to stâ—iue The thyrd doth amysse two wayes partly thorowe ignoraunce partly thorowe retchlesnes And syth it is a rare thynge and a shame to be ignoraunte to whome thou shuldest put oute thy horse or thy grounde to be kepte howe muche more shamefull is it not to knowe whom thou shuldeste put thy chylde in truste wythal beynge the dearest part of thy possessions Ther thou beginnest to lerne that that thou canst not skyll well of thy selfe thou axest counsell of the beste seene here thou thynkeste it maketh no matter to whom thou commitâ—est thy sonne Thou assignest to thy seruantes eueri man his office that is metest for hym Thou tryest whom thou mayest make ouersear of thy husbandrie whome to appoint to the kitchen and who shulde ouersee thy housholde And if there be any good for nothynge a slug a dulhead a foole a waster to hym we coÌ„mit oure childe to be taught and that thynge whych requireth the cunningest man of all is put to y e worst of our seruauntes What is vntoward if here menne haue not an vntoward mind Ther be some whych for theyr couetous mynd be a feard to hyre a good master and geue more to an horskeper then a teacher of the chyld And yet for al that they spare no costly feastes nyght day thei playe at dice and bestowe mâ—ch vpon houndes fooles In thys thynge onely they be sparers and nigardes for whose cause spaâ—inge in other thynges myght be excused I wold ther wer fewer whych bestowe more vpon a rotten whore then vpon bringyng vp of their chylde Nothyng sayth the Satir writer staÌ„deth the father in lesse cost then the sonne Peraduenture it wyll not be much amisse here to speake of y e day dyet which longe ago was muche spokeÌ„ of in y e name of Crates They report it after thys fashion Alow to thy coke x. pouÌ„d to thy phisicion a grote to thy flatterer .v. taleÌ„ts to thy couÌ„seller smoke to thy harlot a talent to thy philosopher .iii. halfpeÌ„s What lacketh to this preposterous count but to put to it y t the teacher haue iii. farthings Howbeit I thinke y t the master is meant vnder y e name of philosopher WheÌ„ one that was riche in money but nedâ— of wit axed Aristippus wharwages he wold axe for teching his son he answered .v. C. grotes You aâ—e quod heâ—o great a suÌ„me for w t this much money a man maye bye a seruaunce Then the philosopher very properly againe but now quod he for one thou shalt haue two a sonne mete to do the seruice and a philosopher to teache thy sonne Further if a man shulde bee axed whether he wold haue hys onlye sonne dead to wynne an hundred horses if he had any â—rumâ—e of wysedome he wold answer I thinke in no wise Whi geuest thou then more for â—hi horse why is he more diligeÌ„tly takeÌ„ hede to then thy sonne why geuest thou more for a fole then for the bringyng vp of thy chylde Be frugall and sparynge in other thynges in thys poynt to be thryfty is no sparynge but a madnes There be other agayn that take good heede in chosyng a master but that is at the desyre of their friendes They lette passe a meere and cunninge man to reache chyldren and take one that can no skyll for none other cause but that he is set forwardes at the desyres of their friendes Thou mad man what meanest thou In saylynge thou regardest not the affeccion of theÌ„ y t speake good wordes for a man but thou secteste hym to the helme whych can beste skyll to gouerne the shyp in the sonne wheÌ„ not only he hymself is in ieopardy but the father and mother and all the housholde yea and the common wealth it selfe wylte thou noâ— vse like iudgement Thy horse is sicke whether wilt thou sende for a â—eche at the good worde of thy friend or for his cuÌ„nyng in lechcraft What Is thy sonne of lesse price vnto the then thi horse Yea settest thou lesse by thy selfe then by thy horse This beyng a foule thynge in meane citizens how much more shamefull is it in great menne At one supper a dashynge agaynst the mischeuous rocke of dice and so hauynge shypwrake thei lose two hundred pouÌ„d and yet they saye they be aâ— coste iâ— vpon theyr son they bestowe aboue xx pounde No man can geue nature eyther to himselfe or to other howbeit
horne in hys nose naturall enemye to the Elephant Tragelaphus a goate hart Onocrotalus a byrd lyke to a swaÌ„ whyche puttyng hys head into the water brayeth lyke an asse an asse of Iude and an Elephant The table maye haue an Elephant whom a Dragon claspeth harde aboute wrapping in his former feete with his tayle The litle chyld laugheth at the syght of thys straunge paintynge what shall the master do then He shall shewe him that ther is a greate beaste called in Greeke an Elephante and in Latine lykewyse saue that sometyme it is declined after the latine fashion He shall shewe that that whyche the grekes cal proboscida or his snout the latines call his hande because wyth that he reacheth hys meate He shall tell hym that that beaste doth not take breath at the mouthe as we do but at the snoute thaâ— he hath teth standyng out on bothe sides and they be iuory which rich meÌ„ set much price by and therwith shal shew hym an iuory combe Afterwardes he shall declare that in Iude ther be dragons as greate as they And that dragon is bothe a greke worde and a latine also saue that the grekes saye dracontes in the genitiue case He shall shewe that naturallie betwyxte the dragons and the Elephantes is great fyghte And if the chylde be somewhat gredy of learnynge he maye rehearse manye other thynges of the nature of Elephantes and dragons Manye reioyse to see huntinges paynted Here howe manye kyndes of trees hearbes byrdes foure footed beastes maye he lerne and playe I wyll not holde you longe wyth examples seynge it is easye by one to coniecture all The master shall be diligent in chosynge them oute and what he shall iudge moste pleasaunt to chyldren most meâ—e for them what they loue best and is most floryshyng that in especially let hym set before them The fyrste age lyke vnto the spring tyme standeth in pleasaunt sweete flowres and goodly grene herbes vntyl the heruest time of ripe mans age fyll the barne full of corne Then as it were agaynst reason in ver or springe tyme to seeke for a rype grape and a rose in autumne so muste the master marke what is mere for euerye age Mery and plesaunte thynges be conueniente for chyldehod howbeit all sourenesse and sadnes muste be cleane awaye from all studies And I am deceyued except the olde men ment that also whyche ascribed to the muses beynge virgins excellent bewtye harpe songes daunses and playes in the pleasaunt fieldes and ioyned to them as felowes the Ladies of loue and that increase of studies dyd stande specially in mutual loue of myndes and therefore the olde men called it the lernyng that perteined to man And ther is no cause why profite maye not folowe pleasure and honestie ioyned to delectacion For what letteth that they shulde not lerne eyther a proper fable arte of poets or a sentence or a notable prety hystorie or a learned tale as well as they lerne and can wythout boke a piâ—yshe songe and ofteÌ„times a baudy one to folishe old wiues tatlynges very trifâ—es of triflyng womeÌ„ What a suÌ„me of dreames vaine ryddels and vnprofitable trifâ—es of spirites hobgoblines fayries witches nightmares wood men and gyauntes how manye naughty lies how many euyll sayinges remember wee yea euen when we be men whych beyng lytle chyldreÌ„ we lerned of our dadies grauÌ„dmothers nurses maydens whyle they were spynnynge and heard theÌ„ when they kissed plaied wyth vs And what a profite shuld it haue bene to lernynge if in stede of these moste vaine garringes not only folyshe but also hurtfull wee had lerned those thynges that we rehearsed a litle before Thou wylt saye what lerned man wyll lowly hys wyt to these so small thynges Yet Aristotle hym selfe beynge so greate a philosopher was not greued to take vpon hym the office of a teacher to instruct Alexander Chiron fashioned the infancy of Achilles and Phenix succeded hym Hely the priest brought vp y e childe Samuell And ther be now a daies whych eyther for a lytle money or for theyr plesure take almost more payne in teachyng a pye or a popiniay There be some that for deuocions sake take vpon them iourneys that both be farre of and ieoperdeous and other laboures besyde almost intollerable Why dothe not holynes cause vs to do thys office seynge nothyng can please god better Howbeit in teachinge those thynges that we haue rehearsed the master must neyther be to much callyng vpon neither to sharpe but vse a continuaunce rather then be wythout measure Continuaunce hurteth not so it be mesurable spiced also wyth varietie and plesauÌ„tnes Finally if these thynges be so taught that imaginacioÌ„ of labour be awaye and that the chylde do thynk al thinges be done in playe Here the course of our talkyng putteth vs in remeÌ„braunce briefely to shewe by what meanes it maye be brought to passe that lernyng shuld waxe swete vnto the chylde which before we somwhat touched To be able to speake redely as I told you is easely gotten by vse After thys coÌ„meth the care to reade and write whyâ—h of it selfe is somwhat tedious but the griefe is taken awaye a great parte by the cuÌ„nyng handling of the master if it be sauced w t some pleasaunt aliurementes For you shall fynde some whych tarye long and take great paine in knowyng ioynynge their letters in those fyrst rudimeÌ„tes of grammer wheÌ„ they wyl quyckely lerne greater thyngs The yrkesoÌ„nes of these thinges must be holpeÌ„ by some pretie craft of the which y e old fathers haue shewed certeÌ„ fashions Some haue made the letters in sweete crustes and cakes that chyldren loue well thâ— so in manner they myghte eate vp their letters When they tell the letters name they geue the letter it selfe for a rewarde Other haue made the fashion of iuorie that the chylde shulde playe wyth them or if there were any other thyng wherin that age is specially delited The englyshe meÌ„ delyte principally in shotynge and teache it their chyldren fyrst of all wherfore a certen father that had a good quicke wyt perceiuinge his sonne to haue a greate pleasure in shotyng bought hym a prety bowe very fayr arrowes in al partes both of hys bowe arrowes were letters painted Afterwards in sted of markes he set vp the fashioÌ„ of letters fyrste of Greke and after of lateÌ„ when he hyt tolde the name of the letter besyde a greate reioysinge he had for a reward a cherye or some other thynge that chyldreÌ„ delyte in Of that playe commeth more fruite if two or thre matches playe together For then the hope of victorie and feare of rebuke maketh them to take more heede and to be more chereful By thys deuise it was broughte aboute that the chylde wythin a fewe dayes playynge had perfitely lerned to know sound all hys letters whych y e coÌ„moÌ„ sort of teachers be scarse able to brynge
to passe in thre whole yeres wyth their beaâ—ynges threatyngs and brawlynges Yet do not I alowe the diligence of some to painful whych drawe out these thyngs by playinge at chesses or dyce For when the playes them selues passe the capacitie of chyldren how shal they lerne the letters by them This is not to helpe the chyldrens wyttes but to put one labour to an other As there be certen engins so full of worke and so curious that they hynder the doynge of the busines Of thys sorte commonly be all those thynges whych some haue deuised of the arte of memorye for to gette money or for a vayne boastynge rather then for profite for they do rather hurte the memorye The best crafte for memorie is thorowlye to vnderstande and then to brynge into an order last of al ofteÌ„ to râ—pete that thou woldest remember And in litleous there is a natural great desyre to haue the mastry inespecially of suche as be of lustye courage and lyuely towardnes The teacher shall abuse these inclinacions to the profite of hys study If he shall profite nothing by prayers and fayre meanes neyther by gyftes mete for chyldren nor prayses he shal make a contencion with hys equales Hys felowe shall be praysed in the preseÌ„ce of the duller Desyre to be as good shall quicken forwards whom only adhortacion coulde not do Yet it is not meete so to geue the mastrie to the victor as thoughe he shulde haue it for euer but somtime he shall shewe hope to hym that is ouercome that by takyng hede he may recouer y e shame whych thynge capteynes be wonte to dooe in batayle And sometyme we shall suffer that the chyld shuld thynke he hadde gotten the better when he is worse in deede â–ª Finally by enterchaungyng prayse and disprayse he shall noryshe in them as Hesiodus sayth a stryfe who shall do best Perchaunce one of a sadde wyt wyl be loth so to play the child among chyldren And yet the same is not greued neyther yet ashamed to spende a greate parte of the day in playing wyth litle puppies and marinesettes or to babble wyth a pie or popinâ—ay or to play the foole wyth a foole By these tryfles a verye sadde matter is broughte to passe and it is meruell that good men haue litle pleasure herein seeyng y e natural loue of our children and hope of great profit is wunt to make those thynges also pleasauÌ„te whyche of them selues be sharpe sowre and bytter I confesse that the preceptes of grammer be at the beginnynge somewhat sowre and more necessary then pleasant But the handsomnes of the teacher shal take from them also a greate parte of the payne The beste thynge and playnest muste be taughte fyrste But nowe wyth what compasses and hardenesse be chyldren troubeled whyle they learne wythout the booke the names of the letters before they knowe what manner letters they bee Whyle they be compelled in the declinynge of nownes and verbes to can by toote in howe manye cases moodes and tenses one worde is put as muse in the genetiue and datiue singuler the nominatiue and vocatiue plurel Legeris of legor and of legerim and legero What a beatyng is theÌ„ in the schole wheÌ„ chyldren be axed these thynges Some light teachers to boast their lernynge are wonte of purpose to make these thynges somewhat harder Whyche faute maketh the beginnynges almost of all sciences in doute and paynfull specially in logicke And if you shewe them a better waye they answere they were brought vp after thys fashion and wyll not suffer that anye chyldren shulde be in better case then they them selues were when they were chyldren All difficultye eyther therfore muste be auoided whyche is not necessarye or that is vsed oute of tyme. It is made softe and easy that is done wheÌ„ it shuld be But when tyme is that of necessitie an harde doute muste be learned than a cunnynge teacher of a childe shall studye as muche as he may to folowe the good and frendlye Phisicians whych whan they shall gyue a bytter medicyne do anoynt as Lucrecius saith the brimmes of their cuppes with honye that the chylde entised by pleasure of the swetenes shuld not feare the wholesome bytternes or else put suger into y e medicine it selfe or some other swete sauoryng thynge Yea they wyl not be knowen that it is a medicine for the only imaginacion sometyme maketh vs quake for feare Finally thys tediousenes is sone ouercome if things be taught them not to much at once but by lytle and litle and at sundrie times Howebeit we ought not to distrust to much chyldrens strength if perhaps they muste take some paines A chyld is not myghty in strength of bodye but he is stronge to continue and in abilitie strong inough He is not myghty as a bull but he is strong as an emet In some thinges a flye passeth an elephant Euerye thyng is mighty in that to the whyche nature hathe made hym Do we not se tender chyldren tuÌ„ne merueylouse swyftlye all the daye long and feele no werinesse What is the cause Because playe is fitte for that age and they imagine it a playe and no labour And in euerye thynge the gretest part of payne is imaginacion whych somtyme maketh vs feele harme when there is no harme at all Therefore seynge that the prouidence of nature hath taken awaye imaginacion of laboure frome chyldren And howe muche they lacke in strengthe so muche they be holpen in thys part that is that they feele not labour It shal be the masters parte as we sayde before to put away the same by as many wayes as he can and of purpose to make a playe of it There be also certen kindes of sportes meete for chyldren wherwyth theyr earnest studye must somwhat be eased after they be come to that they muste lerne those higher thynges whyche can not be perceiued wythoute diligence and laboure as are the handling of Themes to turne latine into Greeke or greeke into latine or to learne cosmographie wythout booke But moste of all shall profite if the chylde accustume to loue and reuerence hys master to loue and make muche of learnyng to feace rebuke and delyght in prayse There remayneth one doute wonte to be obiected by those whych saye The profite that the chylde gerteth in those thre or foure yeres to be so lytle that it is not worthe the laboure eyther to take so muche payne in teachynge or bestowe so much coste And these in dede seme vnto me not so muche to care for to profite the chyldren as for the sparyng of theyr money or the teachers labour But I wyl saye he is no father whyche when the matter is of teaching his child taketh so greate care for expenses Also it is a folyshe pitie to thintent the master shuld saue his labour to make his sonne lose certen yeres I graunt it to be true in dede y e Fabius sayth y t more good is