vnto obedient children saying after this maner O my sonne heare the instructions of thy father forsake not the law of thy mother For that shal bring grace vnto thine head shalbe as a chaine about thy necke And againe Heare ye children the fatherly exhortation and take good héed that ye may learne wisdom Hearken vnto counsell and receiue correctiō that thou maist be wise at the last My sonne incline thine eare and hearken vnto the wordes of the wise And in the booke of Wisedome it is written Who so despiseth wisedome and instruction is vnhappie Saint Paul that elect vessell would not with silence passe ouer this place but wold also admonish all children and would shew them the wayes of obedience when in the 6. to the Ephe. hée commaundeth children thus Filij obedite parentibus vestris in domino hoc enim iustū est Children obey your Parentes in the Lord for this is meete and conuenient Honour thy father and mother which is the first commaundement in the promise that thou maist prosper and liue long c. And againe vnto the Coll. Children obey your parents in all things for that is pleasing vnto the Lord. Saint Peter also is not vnmindfull of this place saying thus Adolescentes subditi estote senioribus Young men be yee in subiection vnto your elders Godly children which haue any care of their saluatiō ought alwayes to haue these holy precepts fixed before their eyes for they are full of wonderfull promises they promise vnto children long life honour wisdō diuers other kinds of blessings Theophilus By this your godly communication my good Theodidactus it nowe sufficiently appeareth vnto vs that vnto godly and obedient children all happinesse whatsoeuer is to be expected but now would I gladly knowe what maner plagues and punishments rebellious obstinate and wicked children are constrained to feare and sustaine Theodidactus The holy scriptures euerie where doe speake of the malidictiōs threatnings and miseries of wicked and rebellious children and a thousand kindes of euils as we read in Moses Deut 27. Accursed is he which doeth not honour his father and mother And in Leuit. 27. hée saith Cursed is hée which doeth not honour his father and mother and all the people shall say Amen And Solomon saith who so curseth father or mother his light shall be put out in obscure darknesse Theophilus With these so horrible threatninges of God wicked and disobedient children are to be restrained from their peruerse kinde of life vnto the obeying of their Parents For as there is nothing more true than those promises made vnto godly and obedient children So is there nothing more certaine than those curses and threatninges which God hath threatned to light vpon the wicked and rebellious children at the last except they bee moued with sorowfull and heartie repentaunce and that speedely Amusus Yesterday you promised to declare and shew vnto vs after what maner Parentes are to bee honoured of their children and what great obedience is to be required of them and that not out of the scriptures only but also you said you would make the same manifest by the testimonies of the auncient fathers and Philosophers wherof I pray you discharge your selfe first of those your promises Theodidactus My good friend Amusus I will with all my heart recite vnto you and to your children those sentences which I collected of late as well out of the monuments of the auncient fathers as also out of the decrées of the Philosophers For Cyrill saith Christianorum prima landabilis piet as est vt eos qui nos procrearunt honore afficiamus labores eorum remuneremus omnibus viribus conemur illis otium dare quietem Et si enim plurima illis reddiderimus at certè vicissim illis procreationem reddere nunquà m possumus The chiefest godlines of Christians worthie to be commended is this that we honour them which haue procreated begot vs and that we requite their paines bestowed vpon vs indeuour our selues to the vttermost of our power to procure their ease and quietnesse For albeit wee shal be able to requite many thinges which they haue bestowed vpon vs yet certainly are wee neuer able to requite againe vnto them our procreation Saint Chrysostome saieth Tanquam seruus Parentibus tuis inseruito quid enim tantum illis reddas quantum ab illis accepisti non enim licet illos procreare Euen as a seruant obey thy Parents for what thing so great canst thou restore vnto them as thou hast receiued from them for thou canst by no meanes beget them again Liberigrati ait Basilius magnas efficiūt parentum landationes Thankful and obedient children saieth Basil doe procure and accomplish the great praises of Parentes Qualem parentibus retuleris gratiam talem in senectute à liberis expectato Such duetie and reuerence as thou shewest to thy parents looke for the like from thy children when thou art olde I will also héerevnto adde the saying of Euripides Nihil est quod magis decorum honestum sit liberis quà m si è patre bono nati sint genitoribus dignam referant gratiam There is nothing more comely and honest vnto children than if they bee borne of good parents and that they giue worthie thankes vnto their begettors Theophilus You haue recited vnto vs many and notable sentences concerning the honour and obedience of children towardes their Parents but before you recite any more it shall not bee amisse to shew and declare vnto Amusus his children more plainely the signification of this word honor which is due vnto parents Theodidactus This worde honor doeth signifie a true reuerence and lowlynesse of hearte for this outward shewe in vailing of the Bonnet and bowing of the knée or body is nothing worth except there bée ioyned there withall the inward reuerence of the minde wherein godly children doe testifie that they estéeme nothing more precious and deare vnto them then the loue and honour of theyr Parentes Theophilus Our vnlearned youth haue alwaies supposed and thought that true honour hath consisted in the putting of their Cappe and making of curtesie and that there is none other thing due vnto Parents Wherefore wee woulde bee right glad to heare further of you what it is to honor Parents Theodidactus To honor Parents is to déeme and iudge honorably of them for that God hath made vs subiect vnto them for by the determinate will and appointment of God they are to gouerne and we to obey And therefore with all our heartes wee must submit our selues vnto their wisedome iustice iudgement and authoritie And albeit they shall sometime offend and erre in performing their duties as it is the nature of all men yet must wée pardon excuse and couer their faultes most louingly and reuerently For wheras Saint Paule saith Honor thy father and mother c. Hée requireth this one thing
graunted vnto them Prayer is most necessary in so great perils daungers of life neither is there any thing more séemely pleasant in the house than to sée behold an honest godly societie of the husband wife children wheÌ„ they striue in their seuerall dueties to loue cherish comfort one an other that they talke vpon God and of his benefites that they call vpon him with one voice and haue a care that the knowledge and true worship of God may be set foorth And lastly that the Parents hold not this doctrine only in wordes but also by example of life Theophilus Seing nowe you haue so excellently set forth vnto vs the Godly dueties of Matrimonie it resteth that you declare somewhat concerning the procreation of children Theodidactus You put me well in remembrance for as the procreatioÌ„ of children is the gift of God so is it the proper office of true and lawfull wedlocke which alwayes for the most part doeth waite theron as an inseperable companion which hath the blessing of God as witnesseth she scripture Gene. 1. where as Moses saith God blessed them and said increase and multiply and replenish the earth Herevpon it is that shée was holden accursed which had no séed in Israell and it was a great shame to haue no children Thus did Rachael bewayle the shame and reproch of Lyae So did Hâ—nna when shée was â—aâ—ren pray vnto the Lord and conceiued So in like maner Elizabeth the mother of Iohn Baptist moued God with continuall prayers and was heard Theophilus As the scripture pronounceth them happy whom God hath thus blessed with the increase of children So at this day the common people iudgeth them most vnhappie to whom God hath giuen many children such is the peruerse and preposterous iudgement of the vnlearned nay rather wicked men which looke what God calleth good they dare call euil and what God blesseth they dare curse Theodidactus It is the error or rather the malice of the common people from the which as from a common plague the godly ought to shun and let them rather agrée with Solomon which saith The crowne of the aged is childers children and againe The crowne of olde men is their sonnes sonnes and the glory of the sonnes is their fathers and great graund fathers And Dauid saieth Blessed are they that feare the Lord and walke in his waies For thou shalt eate the labour of thine hands O well is thée and happie shalt thou be Thy wife shalbe as the fruitfull vine vpon the walles of thine house Thy children like the Oliue braunches rounde about thy Table Lâ—e thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lorde And Isocrates being an heathen man coÌ„firmeth y e same also in these versâ—s Foelix fouet bene moratum quifilium Matre sobolis prouentu eris fâ—licior Happie is he which fostereth vp A well taught childe saieth hee Yet in thincrease of many good more happie shal hee bee ANd when Cambises compared himselfe with his father Cyrus and that his friends did sooth him that hée farre excéeded his father Cresus ouerhearing the same answereth after this maner That hée was nothing comparable to his father the which had left behinde him a sonne in the world for at that time Cambises had neuer a childe iudging that this was not the least benefite towardes the common wealth if not only a man shewe himselfe a vertuous and worthie man but if hée beget such as hée is himselfe and make them fit members for his countrie and common wealth And let this be sufficient touching the procreation of children Now let vâ— prosecute the second point that is to say of the necessitie and vtilitie of the instructing of children And first we wil approue the same by the commandement of God secondly by the example of the holy scriptures and lastly by the Ethnickes Theophilus Verie wisely and worthily spoken forsâ—eing that the procreation of children is not the common gift of God it is not without cause that wee ought to bestow al our paines diligence that youth may bee brought vp in the feare word of God But in what words hath God commaunded and inioyned vnto vs this diligent education and instruction of children Theodidactus The God of Israell beginneth after this maner Deut. 4. saying Be not forgetfull of the words which thine eyes haue séene that they slip not out of thine heart all the dayes of thy life Thou shalt teach them thy sonnes and thy sonnes sonnes saying When thou stodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb when the Lord saide vnto mée gather mée the people together and I wil make them heare â—â—â— wordes that they may learne to feare mée all the dayes that they shall line vpon the earth that they may teach their children And againe These wordes which I commaund thée this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt shewe them vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou art at home sitting in thine house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp And thou shalt binde them for a signe vpon thine hand And they shal be warninges betwéene thine eyes and thou shalt write them vpon the postes of thine house and vpon thy gates And in the 11. Chapter he saith Therfore shal ye lay vp these my words in your heart in your soule bind them for a signe vpoÌ„ your hands set them before your eyes teach them your children that they may talke of them when thou sittest in thine house And when thou walkest by the way when thou liest down wheÌ„ thou risest vp yea thou shalt write them vpon thy doore postes of thine house vpon thy gates y t your dayes the dayes of your children may be multiplied Tel your children of it let theÌ„ shew it to their children so they to certefie their posteritie therof Behold y e truth hateth not the light but wil be manifested in all things Therefore the Prophet is not coÌ„tent to teach the people of his time but doeth desire y t they might be taught vnto y e end of the world And he doeth exhort them y t one generation might teach instruct an other And now albeit that very many Parents at this day my Theophilus do lightly regard y e teaching instructing of their children yet how earnestly the instructing of them is charged commaunded here your self may easily iudge So y t when I do bewaile sometime the negligeÌ„ce of many parents I oft burst out into these wordes Alas vnto what end would the education of children haue come if there had béen no commandement nor order prescribed for the same By this we may gather none other thing then excéeding darknesse and confusion of minde that the nature of mankinde should haue vtterly béen defiled which so shamefully contemneth her children of her own self
begotten borne whom God nature neuerthelesse would haue beloued carefully regarded As these places also following doe manifestly shewe witnesse Thou that hast children saith Iesus Sirach Nurture them hold theÌ„ vnder froÌ„ their childehood he saith not Make them rich cocker them but nurture and chastise them And againe he saieth Teach thy some be diligent therin least it be to thy shame The whole Chapiter is worth the reading We finde a like commandement in SolomoÌ„ which saith Chasten thy sonne whiles there is some hope of his amendement And Saint Paule is not vnmindfull of this godly precept saying Bring vp your children in instruction and information of the Lorde Paule woulde haue young men and children brought vp first by instruction and then by correction in the Lorde which reasons and orders if they were of euery Parent diligently obserued it coulde not bée why at this day so many families vtterly spoyled and ouerthrowne should bée lamented Such is the infinite goodnesse care and great loue of God towardes vs who doeth not only send vs children but also most diligently setteth before vs the forme and order how we shall nurture and correct them Moreouer to these his holy precepts hée addeth most sweete promises by the which hée exciteth and stirreth vp the mindes of Parents vnto a more seruent care and these places which I wyll nowe recite in order doe truely testifie the same Nurture thy sonne saith Solomon with correction thou shalt be at rest yea he shal doe thée good at thine heart And againe he that teacheth his sonne is praised in him Hée that teacheth his sonne gréeueth the enimie and before his fréends he shall haue ioy of him But these are made more plaine by the Antithesis Amusus How is that I pray you declare it vnto vs. Theodidactus That is if wée put those places negatiuely after this maner Who so nurtureth not his sonne hath litle ioy of him is seldome praysed and giueth great occasion for his enimies to reioyce Amusus It is verie true and that doth dayly experience proue the same Neither doe I maruel that negligent Parents suffer many griefes and sorowes by meanes of their children for they bring great heauinesse and sorrowe voto vs also which vse the greatest care and diligence that we can in this that they may be godly and vertuously brought vp Theodidactus You say truely for Cain Ismael Cham and the children of Samuel Heli Dauid of many others be examples vnto vs but that I may returne to my purpose Yesterday with sorrowefull minde and great heauinesse you complained vnto mée that you coulde very hardly gouern your children although you did assay al meanes possible and that the matter shoulde come to chiding threatning and cruelt woordes but neither with threatnings nor with stripes onlie ought wée to deale with children but in a contrary maner must we deale with them For first children are to bee instructed with Godly admonitions and trained from their tender yéeres vnto the feare of God which aâ— Solomon witnesseth is the fountaine of all good thinges according to the examples of the Patriarkes prophets and other godly 〈…〉 which haue brought vp their children 〈…〉 and in the feare of God And as I socrates saith Non multâ—â—t exactâ— leges seâ— bona instâ—â—ta honesta disciplina mores iuuentutis emendant Not manie and strict lawes or rules but good instruction and honest discipline doe correct the faultes of youth Amusus I pray you rehearse vnto vs some particular exaÌ„ples of such godly men as haue taught their children the feare of God for men oftentimes take great profite by the number of examples Theodidactus Solomon confesseth himselfe y â— he was taught of his father saying I was y â— beloued sonne of my Father he taught me in my teÌ„der yeeres Tobias taught his sonne in the feare of God euen from his infancie The Parents of Susanna because they were iust feared God taught their daughter according to the law of Moses WheÌ„ Mathathias lay at the poynt of death hée instructed his sonnes in the feare of God by the examples of Abraham Ioseph Phinehes Iosue Caleb Dauid Elias Daniel with many others And thus you may consider thorow out all ages since the beginning of the world y â— whosouer put their trust in God were not confounded the mother taught her 7. sonnes in saith and constancie Timothie learned the feare of GOD from his infancie aswell with his Grandmother Lois as also with his mother Eunica And hée profited so excéedingly in the studie of the scriptures being but a childe that at length he proued a notable Preacher of the word of God So aâ—ayleable is the godly education of youth froÌ„ their tender yeres Also the example of Ioseph and Marie doth moue Parents not only themselues to be carefull in y â— studie of godlinesse willingly to they y e publick ministratioÌ„ in y e coÌ„gregation but also accustome their childâ—eÌ„ therunto so other parentes by their exaÌ„ples y â— they may warâ—e froÌ„ their tender yeres to loue religioÌ„ y â— true worship of God willingly to be present at publike prayers sermons that they may truely vnderstand the knowledge of the diuine misteries other wise how shal they gouerne their owne housholdes and families in the feare of God Amusus I perceiue now plainly that the sonnes are to be instructed very carefully but in the meane time what shal become of the daughters Theodidactus Iesus Syrach saith If thou haue daughters kéepe their bodies shew not a chéerful countenance towards them Marrie thy daughter and so shalt thou performe a weightie matter but giue her to a man of vnderstanding Amusus Truely it is very godly councel if so be parents woulde alwaies beare it in remeÌ„brance follow it But for the most part in the bestowing of their daughters sonnes no wadaies they rather regard wealth then wisedom beautie then bashfulnesse finenesse then fidelitie or any other good gifts or qualities either of bodie or minde Theophilus We haue heard of you that Solomon Tobias Mathathias other godly meÌ„ haue diligently instructed their children but to the end we might be the more coÌ„firmed if you haue any other examples I pray you recite theÌ„ Theodidactus Nothing more gladly Athanasius euen from his childhood was instructed in the Arts in y e studie of godlines he was very chéerefull willing to learne he had a meruellous quicke wit to iudge of most graue and waightie causes And therefore by Alexander Bishop of Alexandria he was receiued into the Church who for his excellent towardnes and the rare vertues which hée noted in him gaue him most louing and friendly entertainment Origen as yet being a child was exercised in the holy scriptures but his father was a great aide furtherance vnto him for the obtaining of the same for ouer
ought to be in this that their youth be taught the true knowledge and woorship of God euen from their yong and tender yeeres according to the saying of that woorthie man Ioannes Caesarens written in these verses Si Christum bene scis satis est si caetera nescis Si Christum nescis nil est quod caetera discis It is best to know Christ though in other things thou faile For know all thinges without Christ and what shal it preuaile Theophilus Cannot then the knowledge of artes and sciences profit without the true knowledge of God Theodidactus A yong man to be well seene in all the sciences it profiteth nothing if he be not a regenerate christian indued with vertues and gentle behauiour wherefore first he must be taught the knowledg of God and exercised in the holy scriptures out of the which he may learne the true woorship of God Theophilus The common people now adayes are not of that minde for they think that they haue doone well with their children if they haue taught them but a litle good maners though they haue no knowledge of God or godlines at al. Theodidactus These meÌ„ truely are farre deceiued for the foundatioÌ„ of godlines must be laide in the beginning whilest he is yet a child y e he may know himself how weak euil he is by the pronenesse of his owne nature so y â— he is not hâ—ng neither can he or is able to doe any thing without the help of God therfore he must cal vâ—oÌ„ him in true faith y â— very ofteÌ„ not to trust y â— he caÌ„ bring any thing to passe without his assistaunce Thus may you easily sée the great blindnesse of the 〈…〉 on people that are altogether deceiued in their iudgement and estimation of things And againe that God is almighty whom they ought to feare their creator and preseruer whom they ought to honor the giuer â—f al good things to whom they ought to render continual thanks for so great and innumerable benefites that reconciled vs vnto himself when we were his enimies by the death and passion of his déerely beloued sonne Iesus Christ for the which we ought to loue him with al our heart mind soule and strength these and such like documents must be carefully instâ—lled into their minde whilest they are yet children Theophilus Without doubt it maketh a great matter in what kinde of studie this first age is exercised For as Horace saith Quo semel est imbuta recens seruabit odorem test a diu The new vessel wil sauour long of the first licour if it be strong Theodidactus Therfore my frieÌ„d Theophilus we must haue great care regard y â— the vessels of these yong minds be not seasoned w t the vaine opinions of this world but with the chief principal pointes of the christian faith wherby they might be exercised in christian godlines learn to know Christ For what griefe can be greater then to haue deformed childreÌ„ altogether boyd of vertue godlines Wheras if they would imploy their chiefâ— care diligence to haue them wel godly taught in their tender yeâ—â—s then should they be sure to haue them comely vertuous and godly when they attaine to 〈…〉 re riper yéeres Theophilus We must needs beleue persuide ourselues that good education is very necessary for children but no we woulde wee bee glad to heare what chiefely they are to be taught Theodidactus The most holie things are first to be taught vnto children and déepely ingrauen setled in their mindes lest they be first infected with any pestilent errours And they must be instructed verie often what difference is betwéene Hercules and Sardanapalus the learned and vnlearned a wise man and a foole Theophilus I pray you shewe vs the difference Theodidactus Although the Poets Heathen writers haue fained that there be many Gods and haue lyed yet our youth are to be admonished that they coÌ„stantly beléeue that there is but one God omnipotent eternall incomprehensible without beginning without ending louing gentle pacient mercifull which knoweth all thinges â—eeth all things gouerneth disposeth all things the which also is true iust and terrible Theophilus How shal our youth coÌ„prehend beleue that ther is but one only God Theodidactus They may know it by thrée thinges chiefly First by the coÌ„templation of naturall thinges Secondly by the holie scriptures in the which God maketh himselfe manifest vnto vs. Thirdly by the spirite of God drawing vs. Theophilus What these thinges meane I pray you declare more at large Theodidactus Heauen earth and all things conteined in them as the Sunne Moone Stars fire water fruits fishes foules al the beasts of the earth doe sufficiently teach that there is one God And againe the children must be taught of the Parents that they meditate studie in the law of God that therout they may learne the knowledge of the true God And lastly that they submit them selues vnto the spirite of trueth mouing and drawing them Theophilus The Creede of the holy Apostles Nicaene and Athanasius doeth teach that God is a Trinitie Are our youthes to bee taught the same or not Theodidactus Yea alwayes for albeit there is but one God yet are there thrée distinct persons The Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost And therefore this must be taught faithfully vnto children least they become Arrians or Anabaptistes Theophilus What should children be taught more Theodidactus Also children ought to beléeue that God loueth them seeth them careth for them defendeth deliuereth and heareth them when they cal vpon him in their perils and necessities that he hath giuen his Sonne for them that our only saluation is in Christ Iesus And againe that there is one Catholike Church in the which God doeth most louingly pardon sinnes to those that doe truely coÌ„fesse the same are penitent and repose their whole trust and confidence in the merites of Christ his passion Lastly they shal teach their children constantly to beleeue the resurrection of the dead in she which who so hath done good shall enioy euerlasting life and they that haue done euill shall be throwne into euerlasting fire Theophilus Good and prouident husbandmen before they sowe their fieldes with great choice doe weigh and consider what maner seede agreeth best to euerie field For that for the most part they cast into seuerall fieldes seueral graines that by such meanes they may receiue the more fruitfull haruest and reaping If husbandmen deale after this manner with their groundes much more ought godly Parents to weigh and consider what maner seede ought to be sowne as it were in the most conuenient soyle in the mindes of children that at length it may bring foorth worthy men in godlines and profitable to the Church of Christ Theodidactus Surely you reason verie wisely for the diligent care and labour of the husbandmen ought to moue vs to the diligent
studie of the bringing vp of our children that we may perfectly know what maner séede we ought to sowe in the mindes of children Theophilus I pray you what maner seede shall it bee Theodidactus There is no séed more excellent nor that of it self bringeth forth more plentifull or more profitable fruites than to cast into them into the inward and déepe sence iudgement of their mindes both the name knowledge of the almightie God that they may begin to loue and reuerence him from whō they daily heare all thinges are giuen bestowed vpon them Wherfore as often as children do desire y ◠the things might be giuen thē which they ask as tablets iewels costly garments or any such thing so often should parents signifie vnto thē that it is the reward gift of God that in the very beginning they may learne to loue him whō it is meet also to fear not with a seruile feare for that is nothing acceptable vnto God neither doth it profit any thing at all vnto innocency true vertue But with y ◠feare which with loue is so conioyned that it cānot be diuided or pulde away of which it is written in the holy scriptures by the holy Ghost The feare of the Lord is the beginning of al wisdom And truely into whose minde soeuer this feare and loue hath setled when we say that the one with the other is mixed coupled of such a one it is neuer to be feared whatsoeuer hée be y ◠he should vtterly giue ouer him selfe into the wicked wayes trades of life which thing chiefly must be attempted laboured in a childe that this good roote fructifiyng to blessed life may verie timely firmely be planted fastened in his minde whilest there is auoid place not yet possessed with any straunge séedes graffes or plantes by reason of the newnesse of nature Theophilus Why and for what causes ought children to bee instructed after this maner Theodidactus Erasmus Roter A man of verie good iudgement setteth downe foure speciall causes First saieth hée it is verie néedfull requisite that these young tender mindes receiue the séedes of godlines Secondly that they both loue and learne liberall sciences Thirdly that they be instructed to the dueties of honest vertuous life And fourthly in good maners without the which man is litle regarded Theophilus For that it is certayne our children are rude ignoraunt and naturally without any ciuilitie I iudge that they are to bee taught aswel those thinges that apperteine to their bodies as to their mindes Wherfore to the end they may be of good gentle behauiour in the meetings assemblies and common societie of men I pray you howe shal they bee taught and instructed Theodidactus The father which desireth y ◠his sōne should not only be adorned in the vertues of the mind but also would haue him wel instructed in an honest and ciuill maner of life ought to observe diligently that hée be carefully instructed and exercised in certeine precepts of good manners Theophilus What maner preceptes be those I pray you tell vs. Theodidactus Hée shall teach his childe after this maner My sonne as often as any man speaketh vnto thée to whom thou owest any reuerēce settle thy bodie in a comely order put off thy hatte or cappe let not thy countenance be sadde heauie sower lowring shamelesse vnstable nor terrible but tempered with a chearfull modestie thine eyes demure alwayes beholding him to whom thou speakest thy féete ioyned together not wagging or standing of one legge lyke a Goose not trifling with thy handes nor biting in thy lippes scratching thy head or picking thine eares In like maner let thy countenaunce apparel and iesture be so setled and framed in good order that the whole habit of thy bodie may shewe foorth an honest modestie and a towardnesse inclined vnto vertue Answere not foolishly nor rashly neither let thy minde be wandring in the meane season but marke what hée saieth with whom thou hast to talke Theophilus You shal finde many fathers now a dayes which knowe and confesse that their children should be taught and instructed But how they should doe it they are altogether ignorant Wherefore I pray you prescribe vnto vs an order if it please you Theodidactus Wée must deale with children that they be taught by litle and litle like as when wée would fill a narrow mouthed vessell For if wée powre in a great deale of licour at once it runneth ouer on euerie side but if wée will powre it in faire and softly as it were through a fonnell it will be filled vnto the brimme Plantae quum modicis alantur aquis crescunt multis ver◠suffocantur eodem mod◠animus quum mediocri vegetatur labore sub nimio demersus opprimitur Plantes when they are moderately watered grow and increase the better but with ouermuch they are choked So the minde is refreshed cōforted with moderate labour but being drowned with ouermuch is vtterly ouerthrowne Therefore from continuall paynes a certeine pawsing must be giuen vnto children for we must remember that all our whole life is diuided into recreation and studie or labour So that wée haue not only the day to wake but also the night for sléepe not alwayes warre but sometime peace not winter but sommer not only working dayes but holy dayes also and to speak at a worde Otium laboris est condimentum Rest is the sawce of labour and trauel And this doeth not appeare only in liuing creatures but also in thinges that haue no life as a Bowe Harpe Lute or other instrument Theophilus These thinges are no lesse wisely than eligantly spoken But yet if you haue any other Methode of teaching I pray you shewe it vnto vs. Theodidactus Children in good Artes and vnto good and godly studies are to be drawne some with praise and through hope of preferment others with small giftes and inticements others are to be compelled with threatnings and stripes Pueri bonis artibus ad bona rectaque studia sunt inducendi alij laude per spem honoris alij munusculis blandicijsque alliciendi minis alij flagrisque cogendi erunt But yet all these thinges must be so duely considered and by reason guided and moderated that in ordering of wittes Parents and Teachers doe vse great Art and skil and beware that they be neither too gentle nor too seuere For as too much libertie and cockering marreth a towarde wit so too sharpe and ouermuch chastisement dulleth the same and quickly extinguisheth the litle sparkes of nature in children which while they feare all thinges dare attempt nothing And so commeth it to passe that they alwayes erre whilest that they feare they shall faile in euerie thing Theophilus I vnderstand you haue gathered together many places arguments by the which Parēts may learn their duties towards their children the which if you wil cōmunicat to Amu. his wife the
paine and charge lieth vpon Parentes and for this cause chiefly are they appointed of God that they teache bring vp their childreÌ„ not according to their own faÌ„tasies as séemeth best to theÌ„ selues but after the coÌ„maÌ„dement of God WhereupoÌ„ Paul saith Educate filtos in eruditione correptione domini Bring vp your children in instruction information of the Lord. Parents therefore ought to bring vp their children according to the will and word of God and alwaies beare in minde that they do not bring vp instruct their owne but Gods children who hath created them for himselfe And how surely they kéepe greatly estéeme the things they haue learned of their elders all men may iudge for the most part And this is a coÌ„mon saying at this day I wil beléeue as my forefathers haue beléeued I will do as mine elders haue taught me Doe not the Iewes Turkes Infidels Papists vnder this pretence defend y e errours which they haue receiued from their forefather the diuel who hath so bleared their eyes that they cannot sée the trueth of the Gospel shine it neuer so cléere Therfore let euery father of children and maister of familie take héede what they teache their children housholds and families Theophilus Then mee thinke by your saying it is very meete that parents instruct their children not only with godly admonitions wise councels but also with the examples of their owne vnrebukable life Theodidactus The father how learned soeuer he be as it is saide in the Prouerbe Leonis catulum educauerit shall bring vp a Lions whelpe except by his owne good maners and godly conuersation he point out the way wherein he would haue his sonne walke Corrumpet enim pupillam tutor si praeter literas nil christiano homine dignum in se osteÌ„dâ—rit For the Tutor shall vtterly spoyle his pupil if besides learning hee shall shewe him nothing in him selfe worthie for a Christian man For as there is a contagion of the bodies so is there an infection of the minde and soule which is more to bee regarded because it is more precious and of greater valiewe then the body And our Sauiour Christe saith Who so shall offend one of these little ones which beléeue in mée it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his necke and that hée were drowned in the depth of the Sea Héere may wée sée what great account the Lord God maketh of childreÌ„ how dearely he loueth them Who would not therefore make great account of this to minister vnto them to whom the Angels doe seruice which are euer in the presence of God There ought nothing to séeme troublesom and gréeuous vnto Parents Scholemaisters Pastors al other that haue charge of children and youthes if so it be that such heauenly Princes are not ashamed to take charge of them and to be present with them And therefore Parents ought to take great héede that they be not offensiue to their children either in worde or déede Theophilus Ought not a godly father to the ende hee might perfourme his dutie throughly to bee very careful that he nourish not vp degenerat children Theodidactus It is better to bée without and neuer to haue any than to haue wicked and vngodly children I reade of Epaminundas an excellent wise man and of great authoritie in his time which did neuer mary and when at a certaine time one Pelopides a friend of his did reproue him therfore because hée could leaue behind him no sonnes in whom hée might sow the séedes of his vertues therefore hée prouided very euill for his countrie Epaminundas smiling thereat answered Take héede you prouide not worse for the same which shal leaue behind you so wicked a son by w t words this wiseman sheweth y â— pareÌ„ts should feare nothing more then y â— they shoulde haue leaue behind theÌ„ degenerate childreÌ„ either in body or mind Erasmus saith A mans minde in a beastly body is a monster to bée abhorred as wée read of Circes that with her poisons coulde transforme men into Lions Beares and swine Who could abide saith Augustine to bée called the father of such a monster But a beastly mind in a mans body is more monstrous And yet there are many in their own iudgements and in the iudgement of coÌ„mon people very wise which content themselues with such issue and thinke them no degenerat children and that very truely for they digresse not at all from the wicked maners and beastlie behauiour of their parents Ex malo enim Ouo nunquam nascitur bonus Coruus For out of an euil and corrupt egge neuer commeth a good birde Therefore it is the duetie of godly Parentes to bring vp their children not to riotousnesse but to modestie not to spoile them with cockering but to chasten them with due correction if they offende to prayse them if they behaue themselues well obediently to mooue them to vertue with good exhortations and faire promises to feare them from vice with rebukings threatnings stripes if neede require But aboue all things let thy family whether they be children or seruants be taught to feare God to loue their neighbours to hate no body to wish wel vnto all meÌ„ to do good to whoÌ„ they may not to remember iniuries but to do good for euill Whosoeuer therfore hath taken vpon him the office of gouerning others let him take héed least he disdain or neglect the same with being giueÌ„ to idlenes drowsines or that he leaue not y e flock wherof he taketh charge to be spoyled with wolues the blood of the lost shéep be required at his handes but if any prouide not for his owne speciall for theÌ„ of his houshold he hath denied the faith and is worse than an Infidel Theophilus I think it is also the duetie of Parents to exhort their children vnto liberalitie and giuing of almes Theodidactus You say very true For the soule saith Solomon which doeth good shalbe filled Christ gaue bread to his Disciples to be distributed vnto the people who gathered together xij baskets full of the fragments by which example our children are to bee admonished that the blessing of the Lord doth alwaies accompanie almes nesther are they the poorer y â— giue vnto y â— poore with singlenes of hart For we sée manifestly by the words of Solomon Some man giueth out his goods and is the richer But the nigarde hauing enough will depart from nothing and yet is euer in pouertie Theophilus Is it not also the duetie of Parents to prouide learned and godly Scholemaisters for their children Theodidactus If euery family had their Catones there should be no such néede neque Paedagogis neque Praeceptoribus but because now adaies the most fathers of families are vnlearned haue neither that carâ—nor loue towardes their children that Cato had therfore they must prouide the best learned and most
bée to the soule then the knowledge of the woorde of trueth For the soule of man liueth by euery woorde that procéedeth from the mouth of GOD. Wherefore if the father at any time heare his Childe or Seruant rapping out any execrable curse or detestable and blasphemons othe by and by hée shall rebuke and correct him that hée may vnderstande that it is a foule fault and vitious thing and that hée take greater héede to his spéech and tongue vpon the paine that thereof shall ensue And let him bée admonished also of the Angels of GOD standing by him which cannot endure nor abide such things and if the Angelles for such filthie and Diabolicall cursing and blasphemie bee compelled to execute punishment of those offendors how shall the Almighty GOD suffer the same which séeth and knoweth all thinges Therefore the moste sharpe and terrible wrath of God must alwayes be set before our eyes least lightly and negligently we regard the instruction of our youth Theophilus You haue most perfectlie and playnelie shewed vs that children shoulde not onelye bee instructed but also corrected and you haue confirmed the same as well by the Scriptures as by the Godlie Fathers and Wise Ethnickes But nowe a dayes wee see and knowe among Fathers of Families not a fewe which too filthily and shamefully doe abuse their power and authoritie and are in correcting their children so ireful fierce and cruel that they seeme to vse a tyrannical power rather then that a man would thinke they haue anye naturall and fatherly affection towardes them Wherefore wee earnestly beseeche you that you woulde briefly describe vnto vs the manner and order howe to chastice them least that when wee woulde performe the duties of good and naturall Parentes wee playe the partes of vnnaturall wicked Tyrantes Theodidactus For that hitherto as is conuenient you haue made so greate accompt of the holie Scriptures and opinions of Godlie men and with so greate reuerence imbraced the same Therefore héere shall you heare not myne but the moste Godly and wise answeares of Solomon which sayeth Chasten thy Sonne while there is yet hope but let not thy soule bée mooned to slay him for greate wrath bringeth muche harme Againe hée sayeth Punishmentes are ordayned for the scornefull and stripes for fooles backes And Saint Paule sayeth Fathers prouoke not your children to wrath And Saint Ambrose also teacheth after what manner children are to bée corrected saying Leuiter castigatus exhibet reuerentiam castiganti qui vero crudeliter castigatur vel increpatur nec increpationem suscipit nec salutem A child that is gently and easily corrected yeeldeth reuerence vnto his corrector but who so is cruelly chastened and rebuked doeth neither admit rebuke nor receiue health nor amendment And Seneca writeth Cordatorum esse parentum filios obiurgare citra contumeliam laudare citra adulationem quamobrem curare debent parentes vt filii eos reuereantur ob vita seueritatem ament ob morū iocunditatem castigandi quidem sunt filii verum paternè non tyrannicè It is the part of wise parents to rebuke their children without contumely checke or taunt and to prayse them without flattery or adulation wherefore parents ought to haue great regard vnto this that their children reuerence them for their grauitie of life and loue them for the pleasantnesse of their maners truely children are to be corrected but yet fatherly not tyrannously Theophilus Was there euer Parenes at any time that haue been moued with such wrath crueltie or rather madnesse which haue exceeded the bounds and limits of their function and dutie in chastening and haue vsed themselues like Tyrants towards their children Theodidactus Yea in Titus Liuius is described at large the tyrannie of Lucius Manilius the which against all equitie and against the lawe of armes commaunded his sonne to bee beheaded Wee reade also that Axio a Noble Romane whipped and scourged his sonne in suche cruell manner that hee dyed thereof presently whome through the indignation of which cruell and horrible fact when all people as well Parents as Children were gathered togeather and woulde haue slayne hym with their penciels or bodkins in the market place Augustus Caesar with all his authoritie and power though very great coulde scarscely saue and deliuer out of their hands Wherefore Parents ought to traine vp their Children so warily and wisely that they beate them not like Asses nor that they spoile them with cockeringe or dallyinge with them like Whelpes But that they goe directly in the middest admonishing them sometime with prayses sometime with seueritie as the mater time doeth require minister occasion vnto them For Parents must obserue and kéepe the golden meane least that they amase their children with too muche threatning discourage them with their two sharpe and bitter reproches or with their rigor and crueltie to kill and murder them which great faultes and errors haue so preuailed in those which haue supposed and iudged that threatninges and stripes are the best meanes and readiest way to bring their children to vertue and learning whereas on the contrary part it hath put them very often in such seare amazednesse and terror that it coulde hardly bée remoued from them when they haue attained vnto mature and riper yeeres For as too much drowth doeth wither dry vp and kyll the young plantes and graffes euen so doeth too sharpe and austere seueritie kill the heartes of young men It were good for Parents to kéepe alwaies in remembrance those good lessons of Phocilides which saith Filiis ne difficilis sis tuis sed mitis esto Sine contumeliaplectito quibus praees In filium iram non bonus nutrit pater Bee not too sharpe to children deare but vse a modest checke And ouer whom thou hast a charge without reproch correct Good parents will not foster vp their wrath against their childe But rather seeke their mendment with their counsels graue and milde Theophilus Wherefore and with what purpose and intent ought children to bee corrected Theodidactus Agustine saith Nemo prudens punit quia peccatum est sed ne peccetur Res est enim optima non sceleratos omnino extirpare sed scelera There is no wise man that correcteth and punisheth an offendor because of the offence which is committed but rather least hee or any other shoulde offende againe by the like example For it is not alwaies the best way vtterly to extirpe and roote out the malefactors and offendors but rather their haynous and wicked offences that they may bée amended and brought to a better order of life Theophilus What shoulde the father thinke vpon while he is correcting his child Theodidactus It shall greatly mittigate and asswage the rage aud fury of our mindes if wée heare in memory this saying of Plinie which after this maner doeth admonishe a sharpe seuere and cruell father that hée shoulde not deale with his sonne or
the same commaundement also hée hath giuen a charge vnto the Parents that they should perfourme and do their duetie that is to say that they teach instruct their children in the true knowledge of God and bring them vp in the feare of the Lord. For howe shall the children perfourme their dueties towardes their Parents if that parents shall first neglect their dueties towardes their children And albeit the slouth and negligence of parents doeth not excuse the wickednesse and impietie of children before God notwithstanding parents owe this duetie to their children that they prouide for them not only corporall foode for their bodies but much rather spirituall foode and nourishment for their soules if otherwise they couet and desire to haue them saued Theophilus But if after all wholesome admonitions and councels instructions and chastisements they remain stubborn disdaineful children do receiue no godly admonition nor wil suffer nor abide any correction what doe you thinke is meete to be done with such and howe should a man deale them Theodidactus Such stubborne wicked and rebellious wretches are first to be dispoiled and depriued of all their possessions and inheritance and that by the authoritie of the lawes written Theophilus How many causes be there set down of ingratitude contumacie stubbornnesse and disobedience for which a father may disherite his sonne Theodidactus There are setdowne and regestred fourtéene speciall causes Theophilus Declare them vnto vs I pray you for by the grace of God it may be that in the hearing of them it shal driue a greater feare and terrour into them Theodidactus 1 Prima si filius parentibus manus intulerit The first is if the sonne shal lay violent handes vpon his Parents 2 Si grauem iniuriam eis fecerit If he shal worke them any villanie iniurie or wrong 3 Si contumaciter eos accusauerit de causa quae non est aduersus principem vel rempublicam If stubbornly and disobediently hee shal accuse them of a matter or cause that is not against the Prince or common wealth 4 Si cum maleficis versatur If he do haunt or be conuersant among wicked persons drunkardes whoremongers theeues murtherers and such like 5 Si maledicus efficiatur If hee become a cursed speaker railer and blasphemer 6 Si parentum vitae insidiatus fuerit If hee shal lye in waite to slea and murther his father 7 Si vxori vel concubinae eius se immiscuerit If hee shal meddle or haue to doe with his fathers wife or concubine 8 Si exdilapidatione filij graue dispendium parentes sustulerint If the Parentes shal susteine great dammage losse and hinderaunce by meanes of the riotous and wastful spending of their sonne 9 Si pro persona vel debito eius in quantum potest fideiubere noluerit If he wil not vndertake become suretie for his fathers own person or his debt to the vttermost of his power 10 Si prohibuit eos facere testamentum If hee shal prohibit or let them to make their wil and Testament 11 Si contra voluntatem parentum inter arenarios mimos perseuerauerit quum pater non fuerit illius professionis If against his fathers minde and wil hee keepe company with Ruffians quarrellers foolish Minstrelles and such like when his father is not of the same profession 12 Si filia luxuriosam vitā egerit quū parentes vellent eam pro posse dotare nisi neglexerint eam maritare vsque ad 25. annos If the daughter shal leade aluxurious wanton and riotous lyfe when her Parentes are willing to bestowe and set her foorth in mariage to the vttermost of their abilitie and power except they shal deferre her mariage vntil shee be 25. yeares olde 13 Si parentibus furiosis debitam curam non impenderit If they wil not giue due regarde and reuerence to their Parentes although they be furious and way warde 14 Si patrē captū de carcere deducere neglexerit Hae inquam sunt causae cur parentes liberos suos haereditate excludere possint If hee shal neglect contemne and haue no regarde or care to ransom and deliuer his father out of prison being taken by enemies These I say be the causes wherefore parentes may disherite their children Theophilus But if they bee more wicked and stubborne than that these corrections and punishmentes can bridle and holde them vnder or rather after all these good and wholesome admonitions and chastisementes they continue rebellious what doe you thinke is to bee done then Theodidactus The same that the Lorde hath commaunded by Moyses his seruant saying after this maner Si genuerit homo filium contumacem qui non audiat patris aut matris imperium coercitus obedire contempserit lapidibus eum obruet populus And if a man haue a sonne that is stubborne and disobedient which disdayneth the voyce and commaundement of his father and mother and when hee is chastened wil not hearken vnto them but contemneth it all the people shall stone him with stones vnto death Theophilus A harde sentence without doubt and of al stubborne and rebellious children deepely to be weighed and considered Theodidactus Truely it is an harde and fearfull sentence wherout all young men may gather as is méet for them how great the wrath of God is against the sinne of disobedience Neither doeth the law of God only hate and detest such stubborne and rebellious children But also the verie Ethnickes would haue them cast off from their parentes and to be vtterly dispossessed which Aristippus teacheth by an excellent Apophthegme after this maner A certaine man accusing him for that hee so cast off his sonne and contemned him as though hée had neuer begot him hée saieth Doe wée not cast away from vs our spittle lice and such like as thinges vnprofitable which neuerthelesse are ingendred and bread euen out of our owne selues His minde and iudgement is that they are not to bée accounted for children whiche otherwise haue nothing in them whereby they might commende them selues to the loue and effection of their Parentes but only that they be by them begotten So the olde father Menedemus to his sonne Clinia brought in by the Poet Terence in his third Comedie speaketh after this maner Ego te meum dici tantisper volo dum id quod te dignum est facias So long and no longer shalt thou be my sonne As thou behauest thy selfe with discretion Thus did the verie Heathen men which had not the law of God to direct them as wée haue handle their degenerate and disobedient children whom God woulde haue also to be an example vnto vs. Theophilus Thus of your fatherly beneuolence haue you taught and diligently instructed vs hethertoo howe good howe profitable and necessarie it is to instruct and chasten youth in vertue and godlinesse From whence as out of a most sweete and pure fountaine al other vertues doe flowe Nowe if it seeme good
vp vnto a greater diligence and carefulnesse towardes their children and chiefly when they did heare the instruction and vertuous education of children so earnestly commaunded of God which when it is rightly taught setteth foorth the glorie of God excéedingly and is most necessarie and profitable as wel to the common wealth generally yea as also to all families perticularly Wherefore as I haue often sayde héeretofore so I now say againe that diligent care and regard is to be had about this first age which the porche and entraunce of life sheweth it selfe as it were a certeine platforme and frame or whole building of the yeares following Theophilus For that you haue so diligently dissolued this doubt and so plainly declared and made manifest this question vnto vs we haue to reioyce and giue you hartie thankes If I remember wel the matter going before you proued by the testimonies of godly learned men that PareÌ„ts run in great daunger which shal not bring vp and chasten their children vertuously and carefully albeit they them selues shal leade a godly and vertuous life And because this your opinion seemeth somewhat obscure and darke I would haue you make it more plaine vnto vs. Theodidactus This doubt is easily discussed if we will giue credite to the holy scriptures For if the lord God doth require the blood at the hand of the watchmam for that he will not shew vnto his neighbour his offence and trespasse that hée might be conuerted vnto the Lorde How much rather will the Lorde God require the blood of children at the hands of those Parents which wil not declare and shew the wayes of God vnto their owne children and when they offend and wander a stray will not reduce and bring them againe into the right way and chasten their offences Theophilus Out of this place of Ezechiel it is said the Father shal beare the sinne of the childe The same Prophet saith The sonne shal not beare the sinne of his father And contrarily The Father saith hee shal not beare the iniquitie of the sonne I would be glad to heare of you how these places are to be vnderstood Theodidactus Parents shal take héed diligently that they liue godly among their children and family and that they bring them vp in the feare and the information of the Lorde and a greater patrimonie than this can they not leaue vnto them But if they them selues shall liue vngodly and their children shall commit the lyke wickednesse receiued from them they them selues shall not only be accursed but also their children shall inherite the curse of their Parentes Not that the children if they repent doe beare the sinnes of their Parentes but that whereas the same wickednesse is and shall bée committed of the father and the sonne there it must néedes be that there shall be a lyke punishment of the vngodlinesse And the Lorde sayeth Exod. 20. I am the Lorde thy God a mightie and a iealous God visiting the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and foorth generation of those that hate mée c. In these wordes Parents and children doe heare that Parents ought to take great héed that they sin not against God that their children also learn not to sin so of God be remoued destroied froÌ„ their posterities ChildreÌ„ ought not to deride offend their pareÌ„ts lest they and their posterities be accursed euen as Cham was accursed Therefore this saying the father shall not beare the iniquitie of the childe thou shalt vnderstande it after this maner The father that shal liue godly and without fault before his children and shal prouide that they may be vertuously and godly trayned vp and instructed then if the sonne will not obey the godly instruction and counsell of his Parentes then hée shall not beare the iniquitie of his childe But if the Parent shall not diligently carefully performe his duetie hée shal beare his childes offences the Lord wil require the blood of the childe at his hand For not to teach and informe his childe in the wayes of God is great wickednesse neither can the holie Ghost dwell or haue any perfect working in y t man where there is so great impietie for true faith inuocation of God must néedes be farre from such a one and the Lorde doeth detest and abhorre him Theophilus Surely Parentes if they bee wise they wil studie and indeuour to efâ—hue this sinne and great offence with al regard and care lest they get and purchase vnto them selues and their children the great wrath and indignation of Almightie God Theodidactus Although simply and in plaine woordes children are not saide to beare the iniquities of their fathers yet are they punished with â—ore plagues with death it selfe for the offences of their fathers which I will make manifest and apparant vnto you by many places of the scripture In Gen. 7. Moyses witnesseth saying The wrath of God doeth not only destroy the men and women but also litle children and infantes yea God doth destroy also the childe yet vnborne for the horrible wickednesse committed of their elders and forefathers Moreouer there was none but Noe with his family that loued and feared God and therefore through his Almightie power they were preserued all the rest perished with the floude In like maner it happened vnto the Sodomites which verie long with their horrible wickednesse prouoked vpon them selues the wrath of God and woulde not obey the voice of GOD vttered by that godly man Loth. Wherfore they were all miserably consumed yea the verie infants which yet had not offended Numeri 16. Sub pedibus Lorach Dathan Abiron dirupta est terra aperiens os suum deuorauit eos cum tabernaculis suis vniuersa substantia eorum c. The grounde cloue a sunder that was vnder them and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them vp with their houses and all their substance and all those that perteined vnto them so that the very infants did not escape but they all went down aliue vnto Hell and the earth closed vpon them and they perished from among the congregation And all Israell that were about them fled at their crie and said let vs be gone least the earth swallowe vs also In the booke of Iosue 6. The infants are also gréeuously punished for the offences of their fathers and elders as it is said They tooke their Citie and slue all that were in the same from the man euen to the woman and from the infant vnto the hore head Were not the sonnes and daughters of Acham and all their shéepe and oxen burnt and consumed for their theft Aman that most cruell enimie of the people of God by commandement of the king was hanged neither did hée himselfe only suffer the punishment of his tyrannie but also his tenne sonnes were al killed and hanged Darius the king commaunded them to bée throwne vnto Lions to
authoritie of Saint Chrysostome to the end I might a little call backe and withdraw those couetous and mad Parents and fathers of families from their madnesse that is to say from that wicked and inordinate care of riches and bring them rather vnto the studie of Godlines whose wordes are these Operaem dabimus non vt filus iâ—gentes diuitias relinquamus sed vt doceamus eos virtutem Et benedictionem Det illis imprecemur Istae maximae sunt facultates istae ineffabiles diuitiae quae non absumentur Let vs indeuour ourselues and doe our best not that we might leaue our children great wealth and riches but that we might teache them vertue and pray vnto the Almightie God to send them his blessing these be the chiefest riches these bee such as neither heart can thinke nor pen discrine which shall neuer bee wasted nor consumed And againe Operam dabis filium relinquere non diuitem sed pium Haue care to leaue thy sonne not riche but vertuous and godly Erasmus that worthie man saith Videmus doctrinam ac virtutem tutissimas esse diuitias quae nec eripipossunt nec grauant circumferentem Wee see saith he learning and vertue are the best and surest riches which can neither be taken for a maÌ„ nor trouble him any thing in carriage And Philomon although an Ethnicke in plaine wordes doeth abhorre and detest the hoording vp of riches No man saith he that is wise studieth to accumilate and heape together great summes of money for his children to the ende hée might leaue them rich for that neither profiteth them nor the Citie or place where they shall after inhabite Wherefore it is very conuenient saith hée that a Father haue his chiefe care that he may leaue his sonne vertuous and of good and gentle conditions and behauiour and so much the rather as vertue learning and good maners are to bée preferred before the vaine trashe and mucke of this world For the good and vertuous childe though hée bée left poore shall quickly and easily get and purchase vnto himselfe aswell friends as also wealth and good fortune whereas the riche being rude rechlesse and wicked shall soone scatter waste and consume his portion and patrimony and after obtain the hatred and detestatioÌ„ of all men And Epictetus Cura inquit vt filios tuos magis eruditos quà m opulentos relinquas prestant enim eruditorum expectationes quà m indoctorum diuitiae Prouide saith he that thou maiest leaue thy sonnes rather learned then rich For the good hope and expectations of the wise and learned are farre better then the wealth and riches of the vnlearned and foolishe Which the Frenche men doe affirme after this maner Scauior passe auior Theophilus Without doubt these are golden sayings which I wish al greedie gripes couetous cormorants and foolishe fathers might haue them alwaies fixed before their eyes But nowe albeit you perswade and teache vs that wee ought not to endeuour nor labour that wee might leaue great wealth and riches for our children yet I iudge it were not meete that wee should leaue our children voide and without some succour Theodidactus Although my good Theophilus I doe perswade you that you shoulde not leaue your children such monstrous strouting bagges of golde and siluer and such heapes of treasure and wealth without measure yet my meaning is not neither woulde I haue them lefte altogether vnprouided for at the wilde aduentures voide emptie and as bare as my nayle as they say or as poore as Iâ—us Theophilus What then would you counsel or wishe most chiefly to bee prouided got together and left for them Theodidactus Si â—â—s filiis tuis inquit Chrisostomus magnas relinquere diuitias relinque illis prouidentem Deitutelam If thou wilt saith Chrisostome leaue great riches and wealth for thy children leaue them that prouident wardship custodie and safe keeping of Almightie God And Isocrates saith Certissimum liberis suis patrimonium relinquet qui ciuium beneuolentiam honestam famam relinquet Whosoeuer shal leaue vnto his children the good will and loue of Citizens and an honest fame and report shall leaue them the moste assured Patrimonie And again Magis expetendum ducito vt liberis tuishouestaÌ„ famaÌ„ quâ—n magnas opes relinquas nam hae mortales sunt illa immortalis Famapecunia acquiri potest fama amissa pecuniis emt non potest Account thou it a thing rather to bee wished and desired that thou leauest thy children good name and fame rather then greate riches For these bee fleeting and mortall the other permanent and immortall Through thy good name wealth and money may bee obteyned and gotten but thy good name once lost it cannot bee recouered and bought againe with money Opes etiamimprobis contingunt gloriam vero parare non possunt nisi virtute praestantes Riches also happen to the wicked but none can obteine true glory but such as excell in vertue This question also was demaunded of Plato Who being asked what thing was best to bée left for children Get them suche riches saith hée as if it chaunce they shoulde suffer shipwrack may yet swimme foorth with the owner which is neyther golde nor siluer nor any other precious iewel but a mind garnished with vertue wisdome and vnderstanding And Saint Chrysostome also writeth thus Sididicerit inquie filius tuus ab initiis philosophus esse diuitias acquiret omnibus diuitiis maiores non enim diues est qui multis pecunits abundat sumptuose vestitur sed qui nulla re opus habet If thy sonne sayth hee shall learne to bee a Philosopher from his young and tender yeeres hee shall then purchase riches greater and more excellent then all the treasures of the earth For hee is not riche that walloweth in wealth and bagges full of money and is sumptuously arayed in gorgeous apparrell but rather he which hath no neede of any such thing Instruct and teache thy sonne in these thinges for they bee the chiefest and moste excellent treasures and séeke not how thou shouldest make him famous and renowmed in the vaine pompe and outwarde shewe and wisdome of the worlde but rather care how thou mayest make him to contemne the glory of this life that hée may bée the more glorious in the life to come and séeke not so much how hée might leade a long life héere as that howe hée might liue for euer in the worlde to come Theophilus As very many men are vaine moued and led with the blast of vaine glory So doe they seeke by all meanes possible to leaue behinde them some monument that it might continue long in the memory of their posterities What maner of Monumente I praye you shall a godly and wise Father studie to leaue behinde him Theodidactus A godly father can leaue behinde him no monument more excellent then his sonne the very liuely Image of his maners vertues constancie wisdome and
Ciuile dueties theyr paynes and industrie may floorishe and haue some force Caueant intemperantiam meminerint verecundiae sobrietatis libidinosa intemperansque adolescentia effatum corpus tradit senectuti Let them beware of intemperancie and haue mynde of shamefastnesse and sobrietie For a Libidinous and intemperate youth soone committeth and deliuereth a weake bodie vnto olde Age. But to the ende that our youth may more manifestly see and perceiue what a greate euill lust is and howe great a plague fornication and Adulterie is out of the Fountaynes of the holie Scriptures I will plainely shewe howe straying and wicked Lustes are vtterly forbidden of GOD and thereunto will ioyne the paynes and grieuous punishmentes due for the same It is written in the twentieth Chapter of Exodus Thou shalt not committe Adulterie And Leuiticus 20. Si quis maechatus fuerit cum Vxore alterius adulterium perpetrauerit cum Coniuge Proximi sui morte moriantur maechus adultera If a man shall breake Weadlocke with another mans wife euen hee that shall breake Weadlocke with his neighbours wife let them bee slayne both the Aduouterer and the Aduoutresse Tobias performing the duetie of a good and Godlie Father admonisheth his Sonne after this manner Attende tibi mi Fili ab omni Fornicatione praeter Vxorem tuam nunquam patiaris crimen scire My Sonne keepe thee from all Fornication and besides thy wife see that no faulte bee knowen by thee And Saint Paule sayeth Bée not deceiued neyther Fornicators nor Idalaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminat nor Abusers of themselues with mankinde nor théeues nor couetous nor drunkardes nor reuilers nor pillers shall inherite the kingdome of God And to the Ephesians hée sayeth Fornication and all vncleannesse or couetousnesse neyther foolishe talking nor iesting whiche are not comelie Let it not bee once named among you For this yee knowe that no Whooremonger neyther vncleane Person or couetous Person which is a Worshipper of Images hath anye inheritaunce in the kingdome of Christe and of GOD. With these Godly Sentences shall Parentes terrifie their Children least they pollute and defile them selues with these horrible and filthie crimes And because this vice augmented and increaseth verie much of ydlenesse riotous banquetting and drunkennesse therefore I also iudge it meete that children bee restrayned from wyne the immoderate vse whereof is enemy to good health besides many other perils and daungers as may appeare héere following It is written by the Prophete Esaie Vae qui consurgitis mane adebrietatem sectandam potandum vsque ad vesperam vt vino aestuetis Câ—â—hara Lyra Timpanum Tibia vinum in conuiuijs vestris opus Domini non respicitis nec opera manuum eius consideratis Vae qui potentes estis ad bibendum vinum viri fortes ad miscendam ebrietatem Woe vnto them that rise vp earle to follow drunkennesse and to them that continue vntil night till the wine doe inflame them And the Harpe and Vial Timbrel and pipe and wine are in their feastes but they regarde not the woorke of the Lorde neither consider the worke of his handes Woe vnto them that are mighty to drinke wine and to them that are strong to power in strong drinke Vinum mulieres apostatare faciunt sapientes arguunt sensatos Wine and Women leade wise men out of the way and put men of vnderstanding to reproofe The Drunkard and the glutton shalbe poore and the sléeper shalbe clothed with ragges Cui vae cuius patri vae cui rixae cui foueae cui sine causa vulnera cui suffosio oculorum Nonne his qui commorantur in vino student calicibus epotandis To whom is woe To whom is sorrowe to whom is strife to whom is murmuring to whom are woundes without cause and to whom is the rednesse and glaring of the eyes Euen to them that tarrie long at the wine and to them to goe and séeke mixt wine Ebrietas est blandus Daemon dulce veneâ—um suaue peccatum quam qui habet seipsum non habet Drunkennes is a flattering Diuel a pleasant poyson a sweete sinne which who so vseth knoweth not how to vse and guide himselfe Ebriosus quum ab sorbet vinum ab sorbetur à vino abominabitur à Deo despicitur ab Angelis deridetur ab hominibus destituitur à virtutibus confunditur a daemonibus conculcatur ab omnibus The Drunkarde when he suppeth vp the wine the wine swalloweth him vp againe he is hated of GOD despised of Angels derided of men depriued of all vertues confounded of the Diuels and vtterly forsaken of all honest men Moreouer the same Saint Augustine saith Aufert memoriam ebrietas discipat sensum confundit intellectum concitat libidinem inuoluit linguam corrumpit sanguineÌ„ omnia membra debilitat vitaÌ„ diminuit omnem salutem exterminat DrunkeÌ„nes taketh away the memorie it dissolueth the sence and feeling It confoundeth the vnderstanding it prooueth filthie Lust it faltreth the tongue it dyminisheth and shorteneth the life it banisheth all health and prosperitie Wherefore I thinke it not amisse to describe vnto you the order of the Lacedemonians concerning this point which when they had any of their seruants so beastly blemished and ouertaken with drink caused them to bée brought before them at their feasts and bankets not to sport and delight themselues with beholdyng their beastly behauiour and fonde or foolishe wordes voyde of all reason but rather by their example to shew their young men and children howe filthie and odious a thing it is to sée and beholde a drunkarde Therefore children in their drinking of wine from their young and tender yéeres shoulde temper and mixe the same more with water then with wine Nam fomentum est libidinis vtnum For wine is the nourishment and prouocation of luste if wee giue credite to Saint Paule which saith Nolite inebriare vino in quo est luxuria Bee not drunken with wine wherein is excesse Wherefore Parents also ought to haue great care that they inglut not their children either with too muche meate or too muche sléepe for that maketh them dull witted drowsie and slouthfull if they vse it But let them rather studie that their children may loue and imbrace sobrietie learne to talke of God and be kept from filthie communication Moreouer they shal take héede that their children do not waxe hautie being puffed vp with too much pride of praises commendations without their iust desert Furthermore wise Parents ought to indeuour with great diligence y â— they induce theÌ„ vnto modestie sometime set before them the examples of such which for their lewdnesse haue suffered griefe and punishment or for their vertues haue obteined praise and great glory Haec enim duo perinde ac virtutis elementa sunt spes honoris formido paenae For these two thinges the hope
of Abraham Isaac Iacob would vouch safe to blesse them for euer and defende them care for them heare them and deliuer them from all euill Liberi For that you wishe so wel vnto vs most reuerende Sir wee render vnto you hartie thankes and doe humbly pray you that you wil vouchsafe to shewe vs our dueties that is to say howe we ought to honour reuerence and obey our Parentes and in the meane season whilest you are reciting these thinges you shal finde vs verie willing and attentiue Theodidactus Deare children for that I sée you are so affected to the studie of godlinesse and vertue I haue determined throughly to satisfie your most iust and lawfull requests and to shew you those things which I shall thinke méete and conuenient touching your dueties But before I goe to the matter I purpose to handle all thinges in order in their â—it and appointed places and will helpe your wittes as much as I may to the end you might the better and more easily vnderstande mée reasoning and debating the same In the first place therefore I will treate of your dueties that is to say what maner of honour and obedience ye ought to shew to your Parents In the second place I wil bring to your remembrance some things concerning honestie profite and the necessitie of teaching and true wisedome In the third place I will handle the shunning of certeine vices and of the embracing of certeine vertues In the fourth place of Matrimonie and howe a young man shall contract himselfe therein And in the fift and last place I will recite many and that most worthie and excellent sentences collected out of the writinges of the best and purest Authors Theophilus Seeing that the first lawe of nature is to loue our Parentes and as witnesseth the Apostle iust and pleasing before God and hath a promise of long life I doe not a litle meruaile what neede there should be to giue preceptes vnto mortall men concerning these thinges Theodidactus It is nothing to be meruelled at forasmuch as wée are borne of so corrupt nature so that it shal be néedfull to commannd a thing in the iudgement of al men so iust that there is no man liuing able to gainsay it which neuerthelesse all bruit beastes haue ingraffed into them by a certeine natural instinct and working without any lawe giuen vnto them But the Lord our God deeth knowe that the corruption of our nature is so excéeding great that wée shall altogether be iniurious to our Parents except God through his almightie power doe restrame vs and giue vs obedient heartes insomuch that hée hath appointed paines of death to such as shal curse father or mother which hée would neuer haue done but that hée knewe this peruerse and rebellions nature to be in vs. Theophilus Oh good God what doe I heare Is there so great corruption and wickednesse ingendred in the mindes of children that to the due dueties required of nature they must bee compelled with certeine prescribed lawes and ordinaunces Theodidactus Nay rather such is the malice according to this saying the sence and cogitation of mans heart is inclined to wickednesse euen from his infancie wherefore persuade your selfe that you shall neuer do good amongst your children without lawes orders chiding threatning stripes and sometimes againe with faire promises Theophilus Seeing that the nature of children is so vitiate and defiled that vnto the honour and obedience which is due vnto Parentes it must be allured sometime with promises an other time induced by lawes and somewhiles compelled by stripes I doe earnestly wish and desire to heare of you some places of scripture wherein God doeth commaund children to honour and obey their Parentes for so I trust it shal come to passe that after you haue declared the same vnto vs the sonnes daughters of this our neighbour and friend Amusus shal become more obedient than they haue beene hitherto For it cannot be that where the worde of God is truely taught and preached it should not haue his force and effect according to this saying of the Prophet Esay 55. My worde which shal goe out of my mouth shal not returne vnto me voide and emptie but shal do whatsoeuer I wil haue it and it shal prosper in those vnto whom I haue sent the same Theodidactus The effect and efficacie of the diuine worde preached and taught vnto the people is of greater force thaÌ„ y â— mans reasoÌ„ can attain vnto wherefore with goodwill I will here performe my duetie and will declare the same to these children The Lorde God of his frée mercy hath giuen a commaundement vnto children for the honouring of their parents therunto hath ioyned a most swéet promise saying Honora patrem tuum matrem tuam vt bene sit tibi sis longaeuus super terram c. Honour thy father and mother that it may go wel with thee and that thou maist liue long in the land which the Lord God shal giue vnto thee Euerie one ought to feare his father and mother My sonne make much of thy father in his age gréeue him not as long as hée liueth And if his vnderstanding faile haue patience with him and despise him not in thy strength for the good deed that thou she west vnto thy father shall not be forgotten and thy sinnes also shal melt away like as the yse in a faire warme day Hearken to thy father which begot thée and contemne not thy mother when shée waxeth olde The children of wisedome are a congregation of the righteous and their exercise is obedience and loue Here mée your father O my deare children and doo therafter that yée may be safe For the Lord will haue the father honoured of the children and looke what a mother commaundeth her children to doe hée will haue it kept Who so honoureth his father his sinnes shalbe forgiuen him and hée that honoureth his mother is like one that gathereth treasure together Who so honoureth his father shall haue ioy of his owne children and when hée maketh his prayer hée shalbe heard he that honoureth his father shal haue long life Honour thy father in déed in word in all patience that thou maist haue Gods blessing his blessing shal abide with thée at y e last The blessing of y e father buildeth vp the houses of y â— childreÌ„ but the mothers curse rooteth out the foundations Theophilus Of the honour and obedience of children towards their Parents you haue shewed vnto me sentences worthy to bee written in golden letters wherfore I pray you go forward if you haue any other things to coÌ„municate vnto vs. For what can be more pleasant wholsome vnto our eares and to the hearing of these children than the holie word of God Theodidactus Because I perceiue these holy scriptures and places are so well liking vnto your eares I will procéede with the rest in order Solomon also promiseth great honours
Theophilus It is very needfull that children first bee instructed in true religion and the sincere worshipping of God as you say and then exercised and practised in wisdome the vse of reason and honestie of life Theodidactus You vnderstand my meaning very rightly He shall hardly euer proue a good maÌ„ a wise man a profitable meÌ„ber vnto his coutrie commoÌ„ wealth which hath not béen accustomed froÌ„ his young teÌ„der yéeres in the studie of vertue godlines by carefull diligent instructioÌ„ And this is out of all coÌ„trouersie or doubt y â— no teachers of maners honestie of life also no instructors of godlines true religioÌ„ can be hoped for froÌ„ thence where there is no discipline godly instructing of children Therfore the first chiefest care is to béebestowed about the vertuous godly training vp of youth for because in y â— age the séeds either of vertue or vice once receiued after wards abideth foreuer Also Isocrates teacheth y â— it is not possible y â— a yong man haue any great studie or card of vertue w tout often profitable admonitioÌ„s And Plato saith NoÌ„ hactenus cognoui cui rei maioreÌ„ diligentiaÌ„ quisque adhibere debeat quà m vt optimuÌ„ filiuÌ„ reddat I haue not yet known wherabout a maÌ„ ought to bestow greater diligence theÌ„ that he might make his sonne vertuous godly Therefore if thou lonest thy soÌ„ne saith he haue also the chiefest care for his vertuous educatioÌ„ Erasmus saith y â— father w t desireth to haue his soÌ„ne not only like him in words feiture of face comely countenaÌ„ce the lineamentes and proportion of the bodie but also in inward gifts qualities of the minde so soone as he shall haue any aptnes to coÌ„cciue learning must diligeÌ„tly prouide to haue him taught in good letters godly discipline the wholsoÌ„e precepts of philosophy wherfore to the end thou maist be a true perfect father thou must bend all thy whole care study for the vertuous trayning vp of thy soÌ„ne w tout the which he shal reseÌ„ble thée nothing at al. And therfore saith Murmellius it is the determinate wil of God that parents doe bring vp their children honestly y â— they restrayn then with due correction froÌ„ liceÌ„tious liberty chiefly prouide y â— eueÌ„ froÌ„ their infanry they may be instructed in the principles of religion y â— by theÌ„ the glory of God may shine abrode be set forth vnto the posterities the common wealth duly executed the quiet frieÌ„dly society of meÌ„ preserued No horse willingly obeyeth his rider except he be first made fame geÌ„tle by the diligeÌ„t wise haÌ„dling of his breaker so is their no wit but y â— it wil proue fierce cruel outragious except it be famed brideled subdued by wholsoÌ„ precepts good education Theophilus You haue manifestly shewed by the authority of the scriptures that childreÌ„ are to be instructed haue coÌ„firmed the same by exaÌ„ples similitudes most cermine argumentes for the which we heartily thankâ—lyon And now I pray you shew vs how and at what age you woulde hate children instructed Theodidactus PareÌ„ts so soone as their children are able to speake euery thing plainly shuld instruct theÌ„ to cal vpoÌ„ God by praiers supplications â— by litle litle make theÌ„ vnderstaÌ„d the summe of the Gospel And séeing that children are a great part of Christs church let parents teachers know that there is no litle charge committed vnto them wherefore they ought with great faithfulnes diligence sée them taught and gouerned For Plaâ—ster beeing tempered muste be vsed and wrought straight waie because it waxeth stiffe drye very quickly so youth must be framed vnto godlines learning and manners before they waxe great rude and sturdie and then cannot abide nor suffer the hand of the reformer and teacher The plaister though it waxe hard and dry may be beaten watered and easilie brought to the former temperature but after that the wits of yong men be once infected and hardened with vices they can hardely be reformed Therefore parentes ought to be very carefull that they by and by instruct their tender youth for as the plaister or clay whilest it is moist may be wrought to what fashion or forme the woorkeman will haue it So the tender wits of yong Children are to be framed which way the teacher shal thinke good Paulus Vergerius sayth The foundation of good life must be laid in the young and tender age and the minde framed vnto vertue whilest it is yet fresh and apt to receiue any kinde of impression For yong age is very prone to sinne and except it be restrained by the examples of the elders it easilie waxeth woorse and woorse And Ioan Murmellius sayth children are to be exercised in good maners and the studies of learning from their tender â—eeres Ieremie saith O how good is it for a man to beare the yoke of the Lord euen from his youth vp Theophilus But to the end that we and our children might the better vnderstande you shewe vs by some other apt similitude that children are to be taught from their infancie Theodidactus It shalbe done Euen as the members of infantes so soone as they be be borne be carefully tended roled and swadled that they grow not crooked and deformed so is it meete that the manners of youth be aptly framed and fashioned in the beginning Wherefore the poet Phocilides saith Dum tener est natus generâ—sos instrue mores Whilest that thy sonne is tender and yong Teach him good manners and also wisedome If they haue once receiued into their tender mindes from their infancie good and vertuous instructions they wil retaine the same euen vnto their olde age but if they be neglected in their youth and so passe foorth vnto their riper yeeres then with great difficul tie grife and labour will they suffer themselues to be taught Imo saepius oleum opera perditur Nay often labour wilbe lost With all thy charges and thy cost For as it is truly sayd in the prouerb Colla canum vetera nâ—lunt attingere Lora The neckes of the olde dogges cannot abide the collers And trees when they beginne to waxe olde and take déepe rootes if after they be remoued doe seldome yéelde either profit or pleasure to the husbandman The wilde and rugged coltes prooue often the best horses if a man doe bestowe great paines and labour in their breaking Euen so we must deale with fierce and couragious wittes Wherefore there is no better nor surer way than from their childhoode and tender yeeres to haue their children in good and godly discipline trained and instructed Theophilus The studie theÌ„ of godly parentes ought to be this that they haue their children and family well instructed from their first yeeres Theodidactus Nay rather the principall parte of their paines and care
godly teachers for their children from their tender yéeres from whoÌ„ they may draw first the knowledge of God then the vnderstanding of Artes with the increase of good maners For saith Plato The beastes which shall turne vs to most profite may not be without their heardes men seruaÌ„ts without their maisters nor children without their Tutors and Teachers for otherwise they wil become the most deceitful fierce and cruell of all other beastes and therefore had néede to be holden back as it were with many raines And Chrysostome teacheth IuuentuteÌ„ esse feram quaeplurimis indiget magistris institutoribus paedagogis quare qui filium vult relinquere diuitem bonum benignum illum doceat aut docericuret That a young man is a wilde beast that needeth many maisters instructers and teachers wherefore hee that woulde leaue his sonne good rich and gentle ought to teache him or cause him to bee taught from his youth Therefore godly parents shall rather suffer their children to be taught instructed of wise men abroade then to be holden at home about triâ—lling matters which shal turne to no profite Theophilus May not a diligent Scholemaister teach his schollers two artes or faculties together Theodidactus I iudge it very profitable to teach a childe two arts together for it is not to be feared y â— a childes wit shalbe ouercharged any whit y â— more with two teachers of diuers artes for the paines of y â— childe doth nothing increase yet his diligence is to be diuided so by that meanes his irksomnesse is taken away for when he is weary of y â— one hee flieth to y â— other as it were to the part rest of his labors Theophilus What maner teacher shall a father choose for his sonne Theodidactus A Father shall prouide with all diligence for his sonne a godly instructer not infected with any notorious crimes Plinie sayth Trade filium tuum praeceptori a quo mores primum mox eloquentiam discat quae malè sine moribus discitur Commit thy sonne to a maister of whom he may first learne good maners and after eloquence which without maners is euill learned And that this is necessary and conuenient it may bée prooued by notable examples First by the example of Philip king of Macedonia which immediately after his sonne Alexander was borne sendeth to Aristotle the philosopher writing after this maner Philippus Aristoteli salutem dicit Eilium mihi genitum scito quamobrem diis habeo gratiam non perinde quia notus est quam pro eò quod nasci contigit temporibus vitae tuae spero enim fore vt educatus eruditusque abs te dignus existat nobis reruÌ„istarum successione Phillip to Aristole sendeth greting Vnderstand that a sonne is borne vnto mee wherefore I hartely thanke the Goddes not so much for that he is borne as that it hath chaunced him to bee borne while thou are liuing for I trust it shall come to passe that hee being well brought vp and instructed by thy meanes may proue worthie both for vs and in our life time and the succession of these our goods and kingdomes when wee are dead Séeing then this mightie Prince being an Heathen did make so great account of the bringing vp and instructing of his sonne ought not wée which desire to bée called Christians to bée much more diligent in the godly trayning vp of our children Plato saith That the kings of the Persians did alwaies allow foure teachers sought out with great care and diligence to instruct those children in whom they had any hope to succéed them in their kingdome The first the truest that might bée found which did euer teach them that trueth in a king was alwayes most chiefly to bée regarded and mainteined The second the iustest who euer taught them that iustice and politike gouernment was to bée preserued The thirde the temperatest who alwayes set before them examples of temperancie The fourth the valiantest who euer shewed them many things concerning fortitude heroicall vertues and the worthie Actes of Kinges Princes and Noble men and hée exhorted them diligently to followe the good examples and to eschewe hate and vtterly detest the tyrannous examples of moste shamefull enterprises of the wicked Thus euery one aduisedly and with great diligence taught that that to his charge and duetie did appertaine And as long as the Persians vsed this order of instructing and trayning vp of their young Princes so long theyr kinges were most famous and renowmed in those vertues prudence Iustice Temperance and Fortitude At the least with these examples Parentes ought too bee admonished and stirred vp vnto the instructing of their sonnes if their heartes bée not hardened aâ— the Adamant For those parents which commit their children to be vertuously trained vp are a great deale more worthie praise then those that beget them for they are only thauthours of life the other of good and blissefull life Theophilus Seeing that mans chiefe felicitie in this life consisteth as appeareth in the good educatioÌ„ of youth I beseech you let vs heare those things which I haue seene you gather together heeretofore concerning the vtilitie praise and effect of good education Theodidactus Although a certaine towardnes of wit and goodnesse of nature are chiefly to bée required to the perfect ordering of life yet neuerthelesse good and honest education the discipline of parentes hath such force and efficacie that oftentimes it bringeth therewithall that same very felicitie and happinesse of mans life and correcteth and changeth sometimes a wit and nature that is not so toward Therfore children as it were new vessels are to be seasoned with good and godly documents And Solomon saith Teach a childe in his youth what way he should goe he will not forget it when hée is old And Plato teacheth that there is great vertue and efficacie in the education of children Educatio eruditioque bona seruata ingenia quoque bona efficit Bringing vp good teaching wel obserued maketh a good toward wit Again he saith Qui rectam nacti sunt disciplinaÌ„ omnes firme probi euaduÌ„t qui coÌ„tra improbi Al those for the most part which haue had good bringing vp proue honest vertuous the other oftentimes proue lewd and wicked Erasmus in a certaine place reasoneth very elegantly in few words of the effect of discipline saying Efficax est natura sed hanc vincit efficatior institutio nam diligens sancta educatio fons omnis est virtutis Nature is of great effect but instruction being more effectual doth farre exceede the same For diligent and godly education is the fountaine of al vertue Also Isocrates the Philosopher greatly coÌ„mendeth the effect of good bringing vp in these wordes Omnes benignos reddet eruditio bacillus est vitae egregia eruditio hominis opes pulcherrimae sunt literae Good bringing vp it maketh men both gentle
and ouergrowne with wéedes nettles bryers if it be not orderly tilled manured and dressed Euen so the forwarder and nobler wittes except they be the better ordred and instructed will the sooner be inclined to wickednes and obdusked and defaced with many vices For noble wittes if they bée well and rightly ordred and instructed profite verie much but if they be neglected then are they a great plague vnto the common wealth For séeing they holde no meane place so doe they not knowe howe to obserue any mediocritie Quare Paedagogus Themistoclis dicere solebat nil mediocre futurus es O puer nam aut magnum bonum eris reipublicae aut magnum malum Wherefore the Tutor of Themistocles was wont to say vnto him O my childe thou shalt be no meane thing for either thou shalt doe great good or great harme to thy common wealth Theophilus For that you haue set before vs so excellent and profitable admonitions for the instructing of children we hartily thanke you But yet for that Saint Paule would haue children brought vp both with learning and correction in the Lorde therefore wee hartily pray you that you woulde impart vnto vs those good lessons and counsels which you haue collected touching the chastizing and correcting of children Theodidactus Our Lorde God in whose handes wée are all which also loueth our children excéedingly prouideth for them and kéepeth them verie carefully which of the children of his wrath hath made vs the children of God and would haue vs to be the heires of his celestiall kingdome through the precious blood of his dearely beloued Sonne Iesus Christ Euen the same God I say woulde not only that our children and youthes should be vertuously godly brought vp and instructed but would also haue them continually preserued and kept vnder the same godly discipline and correction For correction is no lesse necessarie profitable for children than instruction which these places doe clearely make manifest that I will resite here in order in the which God doeth set foorth his will vnto vs concerning this pointe For Solomon saieth Noli subtrahere a puero tuo disciplinam si enim percusseris eum virga non morietur tu virga percuties eum animam eius ab inferno liberabis Withholde not correction from thy childe for if thou smitest him with the rodde he shal not die thereof thou smitest him with the rodde but thou shalt deliuer his soule from hell This sentence doeth not only conteine a precept but also a most comfortable promise And againe Qui diligit filium suum assiduat illi flagella vt laetetur in nouissimo suo Who so loueth his childe holdeth him stil vnder correction that he may haue ioy of him afterwarde Tonde latera euis duminfans est ne fortè induretur non credat tibi erit tibi dolor animae Hit him on the sides while he is yet but a childe lest he waxe stubborne giue no more force of thee and so shalt thou haue heauines of soule reade ouer this Chapiter And in an other place Solomon saith Qui parcit virgae odit filium suum qui antem diligit illum instantur erudit Hee that spareth the rodde hateth his sonne But who so loueth him holdeth him euer in nurture Theophilus Seeing that our Lord God hath commaunded vs so often and so earnestly the chastening of our youthes maruel it is that Parents do so spoile and marre their children with nice pampering and too much cockering of them and chiefly seeing that they are stirred vp vnto the performance of their dueties with most louing and sweete promises For to those Parents which vse due correction vnto their children the Lorde God doeth promise a sweete and ioyful life yea in their old age which benefit cannot be obteined with gold siluer nor any other treasure though it be of neuer so great price or value But yet I beseech you in the meane tyme proceede to shew vnto vs those godly places in the which correction is commaunded Theodidactus As to those Parents which carefully perfourme their dueties in correcting their children there are promised great ioyes both of bodie and minde So they are compelled to beare and suffer great shame and griefe of minde which without any regarde of fatherly admonitions and corrections permit suffer their childe to growe vp in all lewdnesse and disobedience as by these texts doe appeare Puer qui demittitur voluntati suae confundit matrem suam rursuÌ„ Confusio matris est de filio indisciplinato The childe that is suffred to runne after his owne wil doeth shame his mother and againe A rude and vnmannerly sonne shal be a reproch to his mother Dolor patris filius stultus melior est puer pauper sapiens rege sene stulto filius sapieÌ„s laetificat patrem filius vero stultus maestitia est matris suae A foolish sonne is the sorrowe of his father better is a childe poore and wise than a king olde and foolish A wise sonne is a great ioye to his father but a foolish childe is the heauinesse of his mother Theophilus Without doubt these voices of God are greatly to bee feared of negligent parentes but yet would we be verie glad to heare of you what the auncient fathers haue left vnto their posteritie concerning the chastening of children Theodidactus Saint Augustine teacheth manifestly that children and seruants are to be corrected when hee saieth Non putes te amare seruum quuÌ„ eum non caedis aut tunc amare filium quum ei non das disciplinam aut tunc diligere natum tuum cum eum non corripis non ista est charitas sed languor Thinke not that thou louest thy seruant when thou dost not beare him or that then thou louest thy sonne when thou doest not giue him correction for this is not loue but languishing or fonde feeblenesse or rather foolish pitie And that Epistle which hée wrote vnto Fabius after this maner sheweth the same more plainly Dilecto filio Fab. Augustinus Episcopus salutem Congratulor vnà tecum quumâ—te prolem nuper habere cognoui Sed deprecor vt dum tempus adfuerit castigare prolem non differas nam sicut fructus non inuenitur in arbore in quo flos prius non apparuerit sic in sene viro qui nisi a patre tempore adolescentiae in bono nutritus fuerit tempore senectutis fructus bonorum operum non apparebunt castiga igitur quem debes dum iunenescit Vale. Augustine Bishop to his welbeloued sonne Fabius sendeth greeting I reioyce with you for that I vnderstand you haue a sonne But I hartily pray you as time and occasion shal serue that you doe not spare to chastise him For as fruite is not to bee founde in that tree on the which blossomes haue not first appeared So in an olde man except hee haue beene well gouerned of his Parentes in
purposes Howe muche more a reasonable creature which is created to the Image of God Surely I wishe you shoulde weigh and consider this with your selfe if other mens children perceiue and vnderstande verie many thinges Why shoulde not yours vnderstande some thinges in the wayes of vertue and godlinesse Vndoubtedly if you will not teach them but still pamper them with too much cockering and delicate nicenesse you shall answere and beare the sinnes and offences of your children And howe sharpely and seuerely the Lorde God executeth punishment for the contemptuous bringing vp of children onely Heli the high Priest with his sonnes may be for an example as i◠saide before which miserably finished their liues Hée for that hée spoiled his children with too much libertie they for because they would not hearken to nor obey the counsels and admonitions of their father though verie gentle light and easie Theophilus Did Heli then the high Priest in Israel offende the Maiestie of God being so woorthie a man with too much cockering of his children And yet I remember hee did reproue them verie often Theodidactus The voyce of God testifieth otherwise which soundeth after this manner I haue tolde him that I will iudge his house for euer because his children did curse God and followed Beliall and hée would not chasten and correct them Therefore haue I sworne vnto the house of Heli that the wickednesse of Helies house shall not be purged with sacrifice and burnt offringes for euer Theophilus Verely this voice of God ought greatly to bee feared of all Parentes For if the iniquitie of Heli so woorthie a man and of so hygh calling could not be purged for euer which notwithstanding sometymes corrected his sonnes and seemed willing to cleanse and purge their sinnes and offences with certaine sacrifices and oblations What shal bee done with them which scarcely at any time haue chastened their children neyther in worde nor deede neither doe they once beleeue that God wil execute punishment of so great wickednesse it is so farre from them that they are willing to bewayle and lament this so great a faulte with true sorow and vnfayned teares Theodidactus Wée deny not that Heli the Priest reprooued his sonnes dooing wickedly but yet hée reprooued them not earnestly and sharply but lightly and tenderly as many Parentes vse to doe now adayes the more to be lamented And therefore that good and godly father suffred payne for the iniquitie of his sonnes by which example suche negligent Parentes ought with good cause to bée moued or if this doe not moue them yet mée thinkes this saying of Paule shoulde rowse them vp and shake of all their drowsinesse which saieth Si quis suorum maximè domesticorum non agit curam fidem denegauit est deterior infideli If a man haue no care of his owne and specially those of his own houshold and familie hee hath denied the faith and is worse than an Infidel Theophilus If you haue any more such like examples by the which you might sti◠vp and moue those negligent Parents from their fluggishnesse bring them foorth I pray you Theodidactus I haue many other examples of whiche you shall heare this one because it is worthie the noting Marcus Tul. Cicero in the Oration which hée made against Verres in his first booke among many other thinges whiche hee obiected vnto him by way of reproch this is one and the chiefest that hée had so trayned vp his sonne that hée had neuer séene chast shamefast or sober feast or banquet for the space of thrée yeares togethers but was euer conuersaunt and in company with wanton Harlottes and vnchast women and with riotous Kuffians and intemperate men so that if hée had any desire to be good yet could hée not escape from them either wiser or better By meanes whereof saith hée thou hast not only wrought greate iniurie to thy sonne but also to the common wealth Susceperas enim liberos non solum tibi sed etiam patriae For thou hast begot children not only for thy selfe but also for thy countrie Which should not only bée to thy selfe a ioy and pleasure but also profitable and commodious afterwarde vnto the common wealth And thou oughtest to instruct and traine them vp in the knowledge and vnderstanding of graue and waightie matters as the quiet gouernment of people in publike assemblies of Ciuile gouernment in Cities Townes and other affaires of the common wealth that loue and neighbored might bée mainteined and not after their owne lewde lustes and wantonnesse and licentious libertie Thus muche of Cicero to Verres touching his sonne A very Christian saying of an Heathen man and meete for all men to bée set on the outwarde postes of their doores in their bed Chambers and closets or rather after the maner of the Hebrewes that all fathers and mothers should haue them on their philacteries skirtes of their vestures and to bée written in golden letters Theophilus I doe not so much maruel that such corrupters of youth were found amongst the Heathen which liued without the light of the Gospel and true knowledge of God but that this chaunceth very often amongest those men which boast themselues to bee good and perfect Christians this is much rather to bee maruelled at and by no meanes to bee suffered At this day as it is manifest to all men our children are brought vp with such libertie and boldnes that a man cannot sufficiently bewaile the same with abundance of teares heere is no shame heere is no reuerence no regard of duetie parents vtterly spoyle their children with cockering and wantonnesse and seekes to refraine them with no feare or correction Mothers take no regarde no care of their daughters but winke at their faultes suffer them to rome abrode seeke their amendment by no milde nor moderate correction neither doe they perswade them vnto sobrietie mildnesse nor modestie with their wholesome admonitions and motherly counsels Wee haue greater care and will take more paines a great deale about any thing els then about the godly education of our children I am perswaded that God is greatly offended with vs euen for this one fault that wee deale so negligently with our children and cast the raines of al libertie and loosenesse into their owne necks after this maner For as wee woulde haue them proue when they shal bee men and women so muste wee deale with them and instruct them in their greene and tender yeeres So that whereas many things fall out amongest vs christians so vntowardly and peruersly touching the disobediēce of our youth nowe adayes I iudge one chiefe cause to come growe and proceede from this that there are so few which take such paines and diligent care as they ought to doe for their godly and vertuous training vp And albeit better is to bee hoped for yet certainely this is still to bee expected and looked for from Children that they wyll growe worse
manner you shewe vnto vs what ought to bee shunned and auoided That is from what vices children ought to bee feared for there bee an innumerable sorte of vices into which foolishe and frayle youth are lyke to fall except they shall be premonished diligently and feared from them in the beginning whilest they are yet vnder correction Theodidactus I will satisfie these your lawfull requestes and petitions for I iudge it myne office and duetie not onely to shewe you what is to bee followed but also what is to bée shunned and abhorred Theophilus You say well for as it is the parte and duetie of a wyse father that is sending his sonne into a farre countrie not only to tell him of the pleasure and commodities of the way but also faythfully to shewe and make manifest vnto him the great perilles and daungers that are like to befall in that iourney So seemeth it vnto mee that it is the office and duetie of a godly instructor and teacher that hee doe not only commaunde those thinges which are good and godly but also that hee doe demonstrate and set before them the thinges that are daungerous and for their greatest hurt and annoyaunce Wherefore I pray you that you wil not deny this your duetie vnto vs in this case Theodidactus I will doe it and that willingly Parentes ought first of all to haue diligent care that they withdrawe and holde them from false and vngodly worshipping of Goddes Forasmuch as it is saide before that there is but one true God Secondly they must be drawne and holden from laciuious and wanton company and the familiar fellowship of housholde seruauntes from all beastly and filthie sightes from the company of light and wanton women from common daunsings and Maygames Fayres and other open places and assemblyes from wanton méetinges and banquettinges from rebauld speaches and iestings from railings backbiting and slaundering from pryde and disdayne from all superstition from idlenesse from hauing of monie forasmuch as they can not tell howe to vse it and from all vnhonest games Furthermore also their Parentes shall admonish them that they giue no credite to coniurations Witchcraftes sorceries and such like vayne trifles Theophilus You giue vs verie good counsell but from what kinde of vices besides these shal children bee feared for there bee almost an innumerable sorte of mischiefes and slightes by the which Satan doeth assault children and in which hee studieth and lyeth in wayte to intrappe them Theodidactus To the ende that children may become and prooue good and honest men they must bee diligently and carefully kept and feared from the vanitie and custome of lying than the which nothing is more filthie nor more vngodly or wicked Wherefore the voice of God is to bée heard as well in the Prophets as also in the Apostles and others which in Moses cryeth out in this maner Non mentiemini nec decipiet vnusquisque proximum suum Yee shal not lie neither deale falsly one with another And S. Paule forbiddeth lying saying Nolite mentiri inuicem Lie not one to another And too the Ephesians hee saieth Deponentes mendacium loquimini veritatem vnusquisque cum proximo suo Laying aparte all Lying speake yee the trueth one to another The Lorde our God forbiddeth vs to lye because it greatly displeaseth him as witnesseth Solomon saying Dominus odit linguam mendacem The Lorde hateth and abhorreth a lying tongue And agayne Abominatio est Domino labia mendacia qui autem fideliter agunt placent Deo testis iniquus peribit The Lorde abhorreth deceiptfullippes but they that labour for trueth pleaseth him a false witnesse shall perishe And the Psalmograph saith Odisti omnes qui operantur iniquitatem perdes omnes qui loquuntur mendacium Thou hatest all the workers of iniquitie thou wilt destroy all that speake leasing And Solomon saith Testis fidelis non mentietur profert mendacium dolosus testis A faithful witnesse will not dissemble but a false record wil make a lye And in the 30. chap. hée prayeth that vanitie and lies might be remoued farre from him And Iesus Sirach saieth Doe not loue lying for it bringeth many euilles according to this saying Os quod mentitur occidit animam The mouth that lieth slayeth the soule What wickednes destruction lying doeth alwayes bring with it may easily be gathered by the exaÌ„ple of Ananias Saphira his wife both which died within the space of thrée houres together By this example I say let vs admonish our children to flée from lying as from a common plague Theophilus You haue plainly taught vs by the most assured testimonies of the holy Scriptures ihat our children are to be feared from this filthy vice of lying But to the ende they might be the more feared from this great mischiefe if you wil shew vs some examples out of the heathen writers you shall doe vs great pleasure Theodidactus For that I perceiue the saying of the olde Philosophers haue great force in counselling and perswading I will willingly héere bring some things to your remembraunce For nothing ought to bée more straunge vnto an honest man than lying Wherefore Solon among many other good lawes which hee made for the Athenians hée straightly forbad them this greate vice of lying Aristotle saieth Omne mendacium prâ—uum est fugiendum Al lying is wicked and to be abhorred And againe he sayth Verax creditur tamet si fing it aliquando sed mendax non creditur etiamsi iurat A true man is beleeued albeit he faine sometimes but a Lier is not beleeued though he doesweare Among the Persians also it was a verye great fault to lye Wherefore they taught their Children three speciall thinges in their youth Equitare arcusagittas excutere vera loqui To ride wel to shoote fayre and to speake truely Aristotle beeyng demaunded what a man gayned by his lying saith that when hee speaketh trueth hee is not credited And Plato sayeth An nescis quod ipsum mendacium omnes homines Dijque oderunt Doest thou not knowe that all men yea and the Gods also doe abhorre lying And Cicero sayeth Si quis semel veritatis fines transilierit actum est de eius fide If a man haue once passed the boundes and limittes of trueth his credite is sore crackt as they say Theophilus You doe not knowe what greate commoditie and profite you haue brought to vs and our posteritie by shewing vs as well out of the woorde of GOD as also by the Heathen Writers What greate perils and daungers commeth by Lying Nowe I praye you shewe vs some other vices from the which our Youthes are to bee feared Theodidactus Also this Age chiefly must bee kept from wicked Beastes and must bee exercised in Labour in trauayle and in patience both of mynde and bodye Vt in Bellicis Ciuilibus officâ—s eorum vigeat Industria That as well in feares of Warre as also in
excellent learning But yet in the meane time I haue knowne not a fewe whiche haue returned home to their Parents not only vnlearned but also most vile varlets wicked vnthriftes and roysting Ruffians nouseled in most wicked and vngodly opinions blasphemous and stayned with most filthie and monstruous manners and beastly behauiour which with much more profite might haue stayed at home with their Parents as dayly examples doe clearely testifie Notwithstanding if it may séeme profitable and necessarie to any to sende their sonnes into Italy or Fraunce to common studies in their Vniuersities and to haue greater vnderstanding and knowledge in the tongues and liberall Artes and Sciences I will not gaine say it or striue much with them so that it be done with great aduisement counsel and consideration that is to say if Parents shal first diligently instruct their children in the true knowledge reuerend fear of God and that the same be surely setled and most firmely fixed in their heartes that it may not be easily remooued and they caried away with euerie vaine blast of blasphemous doctrine and hatefull Heresies which shal soone be blowne aswel into their outward eares as also into their inward mindes wherwith their hearts shalbe so infected that both bodie minde shal soone be out of all good course Wherof all the Patriarkes and Prophets had great regard as we may reade in their Bookes which haue most diligently and carefully taught and instructed their children in the feare of God foretolde them of perilles and daungers and discouraged them from the company and fellowship of wicked men as wée may sée by the example of Beniamin which was alwayes kepte at home of his father Iacob And except Ioseph had béene diligently instructed of his father in the wayes of the Lorde God Howe I pray you had hée auoyded the lasciuious wordes of Putiphers wyfe which with her daily allurementes and with her peruersse pollicies did sollicite and moue him that by some meanes she might drawe him into the horrible sinne of adulterie except I say hée had béene carefully taught of his father and that from his childehood the true knowledge and feare of God vndoubtedly hée had béene intrapped with her faire promises and had vtterly perished with the sugred woordes of this lewde lasciuious woman For Ioseph was young well fauoured and comely And if per aduenture there be any that will not be moued with these godly examples let him reade Plinie de natura Ceti A Sea fishe of verie great bignesse who describeth his bodie to be 600. féete in length and 300. féete in breadth which watcheth and kéepeth his young ones very carefully neither doth suffer them to stray far frō him is moued with such excéeding care towards them y ◠in the time of any storme hée receiueth them into his wombe againe least they shoulde be hurt with the force and violence of the storme and tempest or fall into any perill or daunger and when the storme is once ouer and the Sea calme hée eiecteth and vomiteth them out againe By which example I wish all Parentes to bée admonished that they sende not their children into straunge and far countries except as I saide they be well and vertuously instructed and so as well by reason of their age as also by the experience of many thinges they become wiser and of more perfect iudgement to discerne betwéene good and euill Againe if a man be ignoraunt and knoweth howe and after what maner this first mutable wauering and slipperie age ought to be defended preserued and instructed let him learne this lesson also of the Delphins which doe accompanie their young ones a long time vntill they be well growne and able to shift and pray for them selues neither wil they suffer their young ones to raunge abroade and depart out of their sight except some elder one attend vpon them as a guide and ouerseer By this example also are Parentes to bée admonished that they sende not their sonnes into straunge countries vnaduisedly without their Paedagoges Tutors Gouernors least that they be Italianated as that worthie man maister Aschan hath sufficiently described in the latter end of his first Booke intituled the Schoolemaister Moreouer the Iewes also at this day do obserue this one thing verie carefully that they suffer none of their sonnes to forsake and leaue their fathers house and so to trauell-into any straunge nation or countrie except they haue first liued in wedlocke and haue had the fellowship and societie of a wife by the space of thrée yeares at the least and haue begot children by them And then libertie is graunted vnto them to departe and goe whither they will about their néedfull affaires and necessarie businesse Theophilus The Iewes in this point are farre wiser than many of vs Christians But now seeing that by many arguments good reasōs you haue shewed and declared vnto vs howe and after what maner Parentes ought to instruct and bring vp their children nowe wee earnestly desire to knowe of you after what sorte the Mothers ought to deale with their children in their bringing vp For it is certeine that Mothers by the commaundeof God ought to haue no lesse care and charge belonging vnto them than the Fathers and Maisters touching the good gouernment of their sonnes daughters and seruantes Theodidactus I cannot deny or refuse this my duetie vnto you desiring so good and godly a thing First this duetie belongeth to godly matrones and mothers of families that they them selues be in subiection to their owne husbandes as Saint Paule admonisheth saying Mulieres subditae estote viris vestris sicut oportet in domino Wiues submit your selues and be obedient to your owne husbandes as vnto the Lorde Wherefore a good wife ought not to abuse the moderation humanitie and lenitie of her husbande for then shée resisteth the commaundement of God For it is one thing to obey an other thing to rule and an other thing to commaunde And it nourisheth loue and concorde exceedingly when the wife is readie at the becke and commaundement of her husbande enclineth and prepareth her selfe to accomplish his requests and studieth to pleasure and gratifie him to the vttermost of her power And eschueth all thinges which shée knoweth woulde offende him For thus verely as one saieth a good wife by obeying her husbande doeth also after a sort rule and commaund him And this ought a woman to doe not only for the auoiding of variance discorde breach of loue but rather for that it is the commaundement of God Theophilus What are the chiefest ornaments of Godly Matrones Theodidactus Saint Peter saieth that the most excellent ornament of godly Matrones is to stay and repose their whole trust confidence and hope in the liuing God That they should be sober in their outward apparell be decked inwardly with the vertues of their mindes as with gentlenesse méekenesse quietnesse and chastitie which are most precious thinges in
the sight of God Theophilus But nowe seeing wee know that Matrimonie is instituted and ordeined of God for the procreation of children what I pray woulde you aduise and counsel the mother to doe when shee shal perceiue and feele her selfe with childe Theodidactus So soone as the mother shall perceiue or knowe her selfe to be with childe shée shall commit the same so conceiued in her wombe vnto the Lorde God with feruent and heartie prayers and shall haue great care during that time that shée doe not vere disquiet and giue her selfe to anger Also shée shall forbeare all dauncing and immoderate stirring striuing lifting and labour from intemperauncie in eating and drinking and from all other thinges which might be offenciue or hurtfull to the childe whilest it is yet in the mothers wombe And when through the prouidence of God shée shall perceiue and féele the time of her trauayle to be at hand shée shal wholly giue her selfe to earnest and godly prayers and after that the infant is borne then according to the order prescribed by the worde of God shall prepare to haue it baptized in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Theophilus Now when the infant is borne is it not the mothers parte and duetie to nourish it with hir owne brestes and milke Theodidactus In mine opinion it is most necessarie and best agréeing to the nature of the childe that mothers nourish and giue sucke to their owne children with their owne dugges and breastes for mothers with a greater care and diligence will cherish them and are moued therunto with a certain intire loue naturall affection for y â— they are of them bread born And therfore they haue often this prouerb in their mouthes It is a neare collop that is cut from their owne flesh So that the mothers loue is vnfained But these Nurses vse no true but fained dissembled loue because they are hirelings and so by y â— meanes vrged to practise vse their kindnesse for gaine and lucer sake And Aulus Gellius saith Optima mater non permittat aliouius lactis contagione filiuÌ„ suum infici A good mother cannot abide nor suffer her childe to bee infected with the contagion of a straungers milke And nature her selfe doeth euidently declare and shewe that mothers ought to cherish with their owne milke those whiche they haue ingendred and borne And therefore nature hath giuen to euerie liuing beast that bringes foorth young power to nourishe and comforte the same with their owne milke And God by his great prouidence and inscrutable wisedome hath prouided and giuen vnto women two breastes that if it shoulde fortune at one trauayle they shoulde be deliuered of two children that then they might haue two fountaynes for their better nourishing Great rare therefore must bée imployed and paynes bestowed that the verie mothers them selues as I haue sayde doe nourishe and bring vp their infantes with their owne breastes and mylke For the benefite of the mothers milke hath wrought suche great effect rewarde and merite with our elders that whensoeuer the mothers haue desired any harde or difficult thing at the handes of their children they haue euer desired and requested the same after this maner that for the tender loue they beare vnto them in their infancie when they nourished and suckled them euen with the milke of their owne breastes with great care and diligence mixed sometime with sorrowe and the oft abridging of their wonted pleasures with the abandoning of many swéete sléepes they wold graunt their requestes As Homer maketh report of Hecuba the wife of Priamus King of Troy Quae nudatis vberibus quae suxerat aliquando Hector orabat vt se intra maenia contineret Which with her bare and naked breastes which Hector her sonne that most noble valiaunt and worthie wight had sometime sucked and with their sweete sugred and dulcete droppes had batled and nourished him vp when as yet hee was any maner way farre vnable to helpe and succour him selfe For the requiting whereof and as euer hée woulde shewe him selfe a louing naturall and obedient childe towardes her shée I say desired and intreated him that hée woulde now saue protect and defend her within the reared rampires and warlike wals of Troy that most famous and renoumed Citie from the furious force of the raging and cruell enemies which hée most obediently aswell with valiant courage as also with prudent pollicitie perfourmed vntill hée him selfe was slaine by Achilles one of the most valiaunt Capitaines of the Gréekes Theophilus You haue shewed great reasons why the mothers should giue suck to their owne children But if they be oppressed with infirmities and diseases and be vnhealthfull which may happen or hasten to the procreation of other children Shal they not then procure Nurses for the better nourishing and bringing vp of their infantes Theodidactus Yes forsooth then must Nurses be prouided and gotten but not without great regard good aduisement and singular choise For you may not intertaine and admit bondwomen forerenners nor drowsie drunkardes you may not choose sawsie sluttes malapert mawdes wanton wanderers gawdâ—e gosseps neither vnchast or daintie fingred dames nor of the rascal rebauldes and rudest sort But such as be sober honest wise discréete well condicioned of geÌ„tle behauior of a good complexion cleanly and such a one as can well frame her tongue to an exquisite order of spéech in deliuering and pronouncing the same plainly with apt wordes lest the young and tender infant in the budding flouring yeares be stamed with corrupt maners vnséemely words And so with sucking the milk and nutriment of such lewde Nurses issuing procéeding from an vnnaturall bodie disordred minde be infected with the most pernicious contagion of soule filthinesse odious errours detestable diseases which shal verie hardly or neuer be remoued cured For euen as it is most necessarie expedient to frame and fashion the limmes members of children so soone as they be borne that they may grow straight séemely So in like maner it is coÌ„uenient and most decent to indue their childreÌ„ with good maners euen froÌ„ their Cradles and to frame them vp in ciuil behauiour whilest they are yet young tender For infancie is a flexible thing and fit to frame to what thing you please as we haue said before And as Seales be soonest insculped and engrauen into soft waxe so are good disciplines precepts and eruditions with great facilitie instilled printed in childrens tender mindes And Plato séemeth verie diligently to admonish Nurses that they sing not to their babes and youg infantes euerie trifling tale rusticke ryme baudie Ballet and olde wiues fabled fanfies lest from their Cradles it shall fortune that they be nouseled in folly and fraught with corrupt conditions and too bolde behauiour And this also is not to be pretermitted that so soone as children be growne vp to some strength and
by his example they coulde more easily tollerate and beare the death of their déerest friendes with greate pacience and constancie These examples doe admonishe vs that wée doe beare paciently and with good mynds the death of our children For séeing that the heathen men haue excelled in so greate constancie of mind I pray you what shal not wee suffer which haue professed our selues to be Christians We I say which are ingraffed vnto Christ vnited vnto him through that most sacred holy baptisme know that our children haue not onelie a Father héere vpon the earth but also in the heauens which hath prepared his Angelles that they should kéepe and take charge of our children in the stéede of Nurses Wherby also by many examples he hath declared and made manifest vnto vs that hée careth for them and preserueth them farre better and in more happy state and condition then parentes can eyther hope or wishe when vnto them it may séeme they vtterly perish and are most infortunate Which by the example of the Patriarche Iacob wee may plainely sée For when hée mourned and lamented for his sonne Ioseph being lost and as hée thought was miserably deuoured of the wilde beastes yet God in the meane time did exalt and promote him vnto great honour and dignitie in Aegypt and made him the instrument and meane to comfort his father and brethren and prolonged their dayes whereas other wise they were al in danger to haue perished with famine which fell ouer al the Landes there adioyning The like happened of Saule séeking his Fathers Asse which by the commaundement of GOD by Samuell was annoynted king of Israell Read the nienth and tenth chapters of the first booke of the kinges otherwise called the first booke of Samuell The like was in Christ which at the last was founde in the middle of the Doctors reasoning and disputing amongest them and posing them Therefore those Parentes more sorrowful then néede and bearing the fortune and death of their Children too vnpaciently if they beholde and consider the promises of God and these examples they shall easily sée and learne that these their vnfaithfull sorowes and cares for their Children are not onely wicked but also vayne and foolishe and so shall they confirme their fayth that afterwarde they shall more easily performe their dueties towardes their Children according to their vocation and moderately sustayne and with patience beare the fortune of their Children though it were accompanyed with death it selfe And they ought to beléeue and haue sure confidence that although they were lost or dead that yet neuerthelesse the Lord our GOD hath chiefe regarde and care of them if they liue in his feare And thus shall they more easily moderate and qualifie their immoderate sorrowes and mourninges Theophilus O immortal GOD who can sufficiently maruel and commende the constancie and pacience of these Ethnickes Againe if wee woulde faithfully beleeue that our Children are so carefully kept and preserued of GOD and that all thinges depende vpon his prouidence wee woulde with greater confidence commit all things vnto him which doe appertayne eyther to the bodies or soules of our children And wee woulde not bee so sorrowfull and discouraged when any aduersitie shall chaunce either to our selues or our children but woulde farre exceed those Ethnickes in constancie of minde When I reade so many and so notable thinges among the Philosophers of fortitude and constancie I am ashamed of the inconstancie of those men which seeme to bee adourned and garnished with so rare and singuler erudition and knowledge of God But nowe my good Theodidacte I woulde at the last know this one thing of you whether is it the duetie of godly Parentes to elect and choose for their sonnes beeyng once growen to mans state and stayednesse of life godlie wiues according to the example of Abraham Theodidactus Godlie Parentes before all thinges shall haue speciall regarde and care that they ioyne not their Sonnes in marriage vnto Lawelesse and vnbeléeuing wiues without anye difference but shall followe the example of the Patriarche Abraham which woulde not haue his sonne Isaac to be coupled in matrimonie vnto a wise from among the Chanaanites giuing his seruaunt charge after this manner Put thine hande vnder my Thigh that I may sweare thée by the Lorde GOD of Heauen and earth that thou doest not choose and take a wife for my sonne of the daughters of the Chanaanites amongst whom I now dwell but thou shalt goe vnto mine owne countrie kinred frō thence doe take a wife for my sonne Isaac Without doubt this so godly an example of Abrahā ought to admonish earnestly moue vs which haue either sōnes or daughters ready to marry to haue great care of them For except Abraham had feared some greate perill and daunger and had knowen some great secrete mischief to be hid and lurking therin certainly he woulde neuer haue giuen so earnest charge to his seruaunt That he should not take a wife of the daughters of the Chanaanites For it was not to be doubted but that some of their daughters were of good towardnes nature inclination also tractable which happily might haue béen drawne vnto Abrahams religion but hée would not haue his sonne to aduenture and make triall of so great a danger and in so weightie a matter Now forasmuch as Abraham did séeke to eschue this perill with what face boldnes or example dare we presume to attempt the same But hereof if God will wée will treate more at large in some other place of our next booke The second Booke of the dueties of Children towardes their Parents FOrasmuch as I haue alreadie spoken and that you haue so willingly heard from mée and my good friend Theophilus many things concerning those dueties which are required of Parentes towardes their Children nowe is it méete and conuenient that wée procéed to the other part of this our worke and purpose For I promised that to the vttermost of my simple skill and slender capacitie I would shew and declare vnto you those things which did apperteine to the dueties of Godly obedient children that is to wit what honour reuerence and obedience euery childe oweth to their Parents But my good Amusus before wée treat of this thing at large I woulde all your children were here present and that you woulde counsell them as I saide in the beginning of our talke that they may be silent and verie attentiue and bring with them pennes incke and paper to the ende they might note the most principall matters and worthie examples and so the better commit them to memorie Amusus Beholde here they are readie Elizabeth Anne Leuinus Charles Frauncis Paule Marie Katherine and Barbara and according to your commaundement I haue admonished them that they might hearken with all reuerence and marke euerie thing diligently Theodidactus What other thing should I wish to these your swéet childrē than that y e God
taught som handiecraft Science Trade or Occupation wherwith wée may honestly get our liuings in that state condition of life vnto the which it shall please God to appoint vs by them wée haue our Countrie then the which nothing is more swéete or deare vnto vs by them wee inioy the benefite of the lawes of our Towne Citie Common Wealth then the which nothing is more to bée obeyed by them wée receiue and inioy our Patrimony and inheritance then the which nothing is more to bée wished Finally what is it that wée doe not receiue by their meanes So great paines and labour haue they in bringing vp their children in framing forming teaching nurturing and adorning them that they are not able fully to perfourme their dueties woulde they neuer so faine And these be the chiefest causes why God doth commaund vs to honour our Parents Therefore vndoubtedly they are very wicked children which do not this asmuch as they possible may séeing they receiue so great an heape of benefites from their Parents Theophilus My good Theodidactus hitherto you haue instructed vs that parents are not slightly to bee honored but also you haue added heereunto that they are reuerently to bee honored with great submission and lowlines of minde and to whom children ought to bee obedient not as to men but as to God himselfe These things are not as yet sufficiently vnderstanded of these children wherefore you had neede to explane and make manifest the same vnto vs more plainely Theodidactus Although this sentence hath no scruple or doubt yet with all my hearte wil I gratifie these young ones concerning this thing there is a like saying of S. Paul touching seruants to whom the Apostle speaketh after this maner Seruants obey your bodily maisters with feare trembling in y ◠simplenes of your hearts as to Christ himselfe not with the eye seruice as pleasing men but as seruing the Lorde Christ And if seruants ought to obey their maisters as the Lord God himself ought not children much more to reuerence and obey their parents But to the ende that these thinges may be the better vnderstood I will vse a similitude for the better capacity of children Euen as the chiefe maister cōmitteth his schollers vnto his vssher to teach guide and gouerne them in his absence to whom they owe the like reuerence for the time as to their maister And as the vssher doth sharply punish and correct their disobediēce if they offend so doth y ◠Lord God gréeuously punish those children which do not obey their Parents For he hath appointed parents to be his vsshers in his stéede for the training vp and instructing of children Now God is the chiefest workmaister vssher the parents are but meanes and instruments by the which god worketh these things Therfore parents are to be honored loued obeyed because God will haue it so who punisheth rebels not as contemners of men but as railers of his will high maiestie wherfore I woulde haue good children héereby admonished least that they sufer themselues to be drawne of the Diuel into the sinne of disobedience and rebellion Theophilus You giue vs very wise and godly counsell but wee knowe that there is so greate malice ingendered in the mindes of children that they fall very often into this sinne of rebellion What remedie therefore doe you thinke meete to be applied to this vnhappinesse and crookednesse of nature so vitiate and defiled Theodidactus I iudge no remedy to bée more effectuall for this purpose then if they set before their eyes the feare of plagues punishmentes and that by this meanes they may bée brideled and restrayned frō these rashe assaultes and giddie attemptes and that they accustome themselues to loue and cherish discipline that they may be obediēt to their parents and to all pollitike gouernment And let them assure themselues that God will punish their pride their malapertnesse and contempt of discipline as we sée in Caine which is accursed In the sonnes of Samuel and Heli Absolon and Siba which moued sedition against Dauid and therefore were destroyed It should bée very profitable vnto young men if they woulde consider these horrible examples in histories For it is certayne in the whole lawe there are added promises of rewards which are bestowed vpon the obedient as is to be séene in Tobia which was blessed of his father in Iesu the sonne of Mary which was subiect to his Parentes and obeyed them euen to the death And in Iohn and others innumerable of godly children And there are also added vnto the law threatnings of plagues and punishmentes which the stubborne wicked and disobedient children shal féele that haue contemptuously disobeyed their Parents For it is written Al collusion disobedience and rebellion receiueth iust recompence of such hurte and dammage which thing at this day manie young men haue assayed and prooued to their greate shame and confusion which haue contemned the obedience of Parents Euen as it happened vnto Esau which vered his Parentes in marrying vngodly wiues which intreated their Father and mother in lawe very contumeliously despitefully and contemptuously And he himselfe also taketh vpon him in his fathers house to commaund most malapertly and proudly and expulsed his brother Iacob for whom he lay in waite to haue murdered and slayne neyther doth he feare punishment nor regardeth the threatnings of God but contemneth his fathers admonitions and therefore he is accursed But on the contrary part Iacob both reuerenceth his parents and loueth his brother for he feareth the iudgement of God punishment that might therof ensue And agayne also he knew cōsidered y ◠rewards which were promised for well doyng therfore he doeth his duetie that hee might call vpon God with a good conscience Furthermore also he acknowledgeth that God hath care and regarde vnto corporall blessinges and therefore prayeth vnto GOD and desireth that he might bée defended and ayded against his brother after this manner doth he exercise his faith and inuocation whiles hée studieth by all meanes possible to comfort and appease the sorrowes and griefes of his Parentes at the last giueth place to his brother Therfore he enioyeth great rewardes at Gods hand he is instructed and defended in a woonderfull manner preserued enriched amongst his very enimies that being olde he saw his sonnne Ioseph in floorishing most prosperous state which to him was no little ioy and comfort Let children weigh and consider these and such like examples and let them learne vndoubtedly y ◠God hath great care of them that he will bestow vpon them many corporall blessinges for performing their dueties towardes their Parents Magistrates Maisters Teachers Let them also consider and call to their remembraunce what greate paynes and cares Parentes haue had in their education and what true loue they beare towardes them and what greate benefites shall redounde vnto them by their godlie education and instruction For these
and such like blessinges let them acknowledge themselues to bée thankfull And let them knowe that GOD doeth punishe the vnthankefull as sayeth Solomon Non recedet malum à domo ingrati Plagues and punishmentes shall not departe from the house of an vnthankfull person Also let all godly Children and young men studie to followe the Patriarche Ioseph and by his example learne to honour their Parentes Who when hee was solde into Egypt and afterwarde by Gods prouidence promoted to great honour and high authoritie so that hee was the very next vnto the king how did hee prouide for his father Iacob â—ding for him very honorably to come to him into Egypt where he had great entertainment of the king and enioyed the pleasures and blessings of the lande afterwards when hée was dead with what great pompe renome did he carrie him foorth thence into the land of Chanaan there to bée buried with the Fathers the Patriarkes The 16. 17. and 18 Chapters of Genesis doe sufficiently declare That noble and woorthie King Solomon gaue place to his Mother and reuerencing her set her in the kings Seate and Chaire of estate next vnto himselfe Theophilus They are worthy notable examples truely which if our youth would begin to immitate put the like in practise O howe happy blessed should they bee But I pray you proceed to shewe vs the rest that our children which cannot be wonne with precepts good counsel may yet suffer themselues to be withdrawen by these and such effectual examples Theodidactus The Rahabites most constantly obserued and kepte the preceptes of their Father Ionadab neyther woulde they suffer themselues to be drawne from their obedience with any wanton or flickering inticementes therefore they heard this ioyful voyce for that you haue obeyed the commaundementes of your father haue kept al his preceptes haue done whatsoeuer he commanded you thus saith the Lord Zebaoth the God of Israel There shall not a maÌ„ fayle of the stocke of Ionadab the sonne of Rehab to stand in my sight all the dayes of their liues Isaack readie to bée slayne and offered vp in Sacrifice willingly obeyed his father Abra. Ioseph obeyed his father Iacob went to his brother whoÌ„ notwithstanding he knew to be maruellously offended augry with him Abel was a godly obedieÌ„t child did the things which he knew were wel pleasing to his parentes Adam Eue. God helde him alwayes in his sight and hee walked diligently in the preceptes of God Wherfore both he and his sacrifice pleased God Sem and Iaphet obeyed their father Noe and were blessed But Cham which derided his father béeing naked was accursed Isaack because hée obeyed his Father with all his hearte obtayned the blessing of his seede vnto his Father Abraham But Ismael because hee rebelled against his father was reiected Let godlie Children consider these thinges and take héede that their portion bée not with Caine Cham Ismael Esau and such others which haue purchased vnto themselues the eternall curse and malediction of God for that they would not obey their Parentes But let them rather follow the examples of these godly ones Abel Seth Sem Iaphet Ismael Iacob others which for their obedience haue obtained euerlasting felicity Furthermore if we diligently search reade ouer y â— histories of the holy scripture we shal find that meÌ„ of al ages which haue not obeied the godly wholesome admonitions of their Parents and elders haue béen horribly punished of God Loth very louingly frieÌ„dly admonished the Sodomites to forsake their wickednes but because they woulde not obey his voyce they perished with fire Also Lots wife for that shée woulde not hearken to the counsell of the Angell but looking backe was turned into a salt stone Iosephes brethren for that they woulde not followe the counsel of their brother Ruben that they should restore and deliuer their brother Ioseph to his father they fel into great danger Holophernes contemned the counsel of Achior which he had giuen him that he should deale without tyranny he himselfe was slayne and his host put to flight Rhoboam for that he lightly regarded the wholsome counsell of the elders lost his kingdome Godolias because he despised the counsell of Iohannan was killed of Ismael Nabuchodonozor refusing the counsel of Daniel that he should redéeme his sinnes with almes and other godly exercises was turned into a beast of the wood Ioseph and Azarias not regarding the counsell of Machabaeus and willing and desirous to get themselues a name lost both the name and the thing they hoped for Machabaeus hauing with him 800 men his aduersaries 2000. wheÌ„ he was aduertised of his fellowes that hee should not fight against them following his owne wisedome pollicie perished in the same warres and the rest tooke their flight Pilate for y â— he would not his wiues admonitioÌ„s counsels concerning y â— rostoring of Christ but refused her good admonitioÌ„s sinned very grieuously in iudging Christ vnto death being innocent Behold now if they which would not obey the counsels admonions of the holy Patriarkes Prophets other holy meÌ„ were punished with so great plagues haue perished so horrible I pray you what great euilles what greate calamities miseries and plagues are like to fall vpon them which doe contemne and reiect the most godly and necessarie admonitions and counsels of Parentes yea and with disdaine do refuse to heare them and make no reckoning or account at all of their wordes Theophilus To heare the counsels and wholesome admonitions of the aged it is not only profitable but also verie necessarie Theodidactus But to contemne them is surely a most pestilent thing and extreame madnesse For seeing that our life is verie short the wisedome and experience of thinges is to bee learned of our auncientes and elders For the authoritie of elders is an holy thing and to bée had in great reuerence wherefore it is written Coram cano capite consurge honora personam senis time Dominum Deum tuuÌ„ Thou shalt rise vp before the hoarehead reuerence the person of an old man and dread thy Lord God That is to say the Lord is to be feared and reuerenced in the elders For it is a young mans part in whoÌ„ there is any signe of good towardnesse to estéeme y â— counsell of his elders and to follow it For hée that learneth of young men to whoÌ„ is hée likened I pray you Nempe ei qui edit vuas immaturas bibit vinum de torculari suo Verely vnto him that eateth vnripe sowre grapes and drinketh wine out of his winepresse But who so learneth of his elders Similis ei qui edit vuas maturas bibit vinum vetus Islyke vnto him that eateth ripe and pleasant grapes and drinketh olde wine I would therefore aduise all young men that they ioyne
them selues with the aged and follow their godly counsels wholesome documents Bias the Philosopher an Heathen man teacheth y ◠old age is to be honoured saying Non est contemnendae senectus ad quā omnes poruenire cupimus sed diligenda obseruanda plurimumque ei deferēda Old age is not to be contemned to the which we all desire to come but to bee beloued reuerenced and to giue great authoritie and regarde vnto it Wherfore let vs hearken vnto old men giue all reuerence honour vnto them neither let vs depart from their sides whose steps let vs follow for their great experiēce of things for their great wisdom knowledge let vs vse their counsell delight in their studies that we may haue the sight of them which may feare vs frō vices Illi inquit Diuus Ambrosius erūt vitae nostrae testes simul magistri ab illis percipiemus viuēdi normā loquēdi modū virtutū ōniū disciplinā They saieth Saint Ambrose shal be witnesses of our liues and also teachers vnto vs from them we shal perceiue the order to liue the maner to speake the discipline of all vertues And this may séeme true to all men for that they haue had great experience in many things they remember many things they are also for the most part wiser and more apt to giue counsell and to gouernment in all thinges whatsoeuer Theophilus There are many thinges nowe spoken of you verie wel and wisely of the honour and obedience of parentes but as yet these children doe not vnderstand throughly what this word obedience meaneth wherefore I humbly pray you that you would also vnlose this knot vnto vs and resolue vs of this doubt and other thinges which seeme to appertaine any thing to the knowledge of the fift commaundement vouchsafe to declare more plainly vnto vs. Theodidactus Nothing more willingly Obedience in the scriptures generally is greatly allowed and estéemed and chiefly that wherein Parentes are to be honoured and obeyed which the olde Fathers not vnfitly haue called the mother of all felicitie And Samuel saieth Obedientiam meliorem esse victimis Obedience is better than sacrifice Obedience is a great good thing and contrariwise disobedience is a wicked and outragious euill A disobedient sonne saieth a certaine man is a cruell murtherer of his Parentes for that there is no sorow or griefe in the whole course and life of men greater than that which ariseth of the calamitie and wickednes of children such as was of our first Parentes or of Dauid Let children consider of these thinges that it may increase in them a greater and more diligent care of obeying than heretofore Saint Bernard commendeth this verie worthily saying thus Obedientia quae maioribus proebetur Christo exhibetur What obedience soeuer is shewed vnto our elders is exhibited vnto Christ Nay rather hée saith what thing soeuer man doth commaund in the stead of God that is not directly against the worde of God the same is altogether to be receiued as if God had commaunded it Parentes sunt vicary Christi ergo non spernendi sed honorandi Parents are the Vicars of Christ therefore not to be dispised but to be honoured For who soeuer contemneth the Vicar contemneth him that placed him Basilius Magnus teacheth that Iesus Christ was obedient to his mother Mary and Ioseph euen in verie small thinges as in fetching of water and bearing of his axe and such like and thus he cryeth out O example worthie to be immitated O wholesome document Excellens Dei filius obedit homini propter hominis salutē homo non vult obedire propter Deum suam salutem The excellent Sonne of God obeyeth man for mans health and saluation and man wil not obey for Gods cause and his owne saluation Ah woulde to God all children out of this woulde vnderstand the honour due to their Parentes out of this I say that they haue Christ their Captaine and guider of their dueties when they treade in his steppes and execute their dueties prescribed by their Parentes Moreouer also this ought to incite and stirre vp all children excéedingly to the obedience of their Parentes when they heare the whole obedience of the fift commaundement to haue beene sanctified and consecrated by the childe Iesus But now we must come to the declaration of the fift commaundement in the which if these children of Amusus will shew them selues willing and attentiue they shall adde vnto mée the greater quicknesse of spirit and minde in the declaring and opening of the same Liberi Reuerend Maister Doctor we yeeld great thankes vnto you for that you doe admonish vs so godly and louingly And if you wil haue vs doe any thing commaund it freely and you shal finde vs readie to doe it and wee wil shewe our mindes vnto you in the expounding of this thing not only willing but also attentiue and vigilant euen as our Lorde God shal giue vnto vs the measure of his spirite Theodidactus This worde honour comprehendeth two things as it is saide before an inward an outward reuerence Therfore y ◠first honor which is commaunded here is to knowe the things them selues that is to say that wedlock the ordering of a family or housholde and pollitical gouernment were instituted ordeined of God and by his aide and mightie power preserued that in these ordinaunces the presence wisedome goodnes and loue of God doeth shine towardes vs acknowledging these benefites wée ought to render humble thanks to God the Author beséech him to preserue defend vs from our aduersary the Deuil the mortal enemy of mankinde which goeth about by all meanes hée can possibly deuise t◠dissolue breake this swéete pleasant harmony Vnto this degrée of honor belongeth preaching or celebrating of these thinges That the youth may learn that they come frō god accustom thēselues to make their humble prayers supplications vnto God y ◠he will vouchsafe to preserue these his own ordinaunces and giftes And it is the part duetie of a thankful minde willingly to obey for gods cause to beware of wicked lewde examples of giuing occasions to sin whereby good ordinaunces might be dissolued broken the lawes vtterly ouerthrowne peruerted to conclude by all possible meanes to preserue defend these things so néedful profitable The other part of honor cōcerneth the persons to wit Parents Magistrates teachers whosoeuer haue any gouernment ouer vs There is a great vnlikenes of these things But yet all men ought to follow this rule platforme Parentes other gouernors ought to be a liuely lawe that is to say the preseruers mainteiners of the diuine law For who doth not vnderstād that these persons are to be loued honored by through whō God doeth impart so great benefits to wit true religiō godly lawes iudgement peace vnto mankinde Such gouernors were Moses Iosua
tender tongue be seasoned with swéete songes and Psalmes 3 Weigh not down her necke with gold and precious stones 〈◊〉 beset her head with pearles neither curle nor bushe out her heare nor die it into any vnnaturall colour 4 Let her not eate openly that is to say in the feastes banquetes of her Parentes lest shée sée such meats as shée might desire and lust after Let her not learn to drinke wine wherein is all excesse and riotte 5 Let her not delight and take pleasure in the hearing of musicall instruments Shalmes Sytheâ—â—s Lutes Harps nor know wherefore they were inuented 6 Let her appoint her self some taske euerie day to read some speciall part of the holy scriptures chosen for the same purpose 7 Let her learne to carde spinne to make woollen cloth and to handle the whéele and distaffe to make her linnen cloth 8 Let her not set her minde on silkes as Taffata Damaske Satten and Vellet 9 Let her prouide and get such clothes wherewith colde may be defended not wherwith her bodie shalbe nakedly apparelled 10 Let her so eate as that shée may be alwayes an hungred that immediately after her meate shée may either reade or sing Psalmes 11 If it chaunce thée at any time to walke or ryde out of the Towne or Citie leaue not thy daughter at home without a godly gouernour for without thée shée knoweth not neither is shée able to liue and when shée shall chaunce to be left alone let her bée afraide 12 Let her not haue her secret méetings and fellowship with foolish and light maidens 13 In the stead of silkes pearles and precious iewels let her loue godly bookes not gaudely garnished and set out with gold but inwardly perfected and learnedly distinguished for the better increase of her faith 14 Let her first learne the Psalter or Psalmes of Dauid in méeter which may withdrawe her minde from light and vaine songues and baudie ballades And in the Prouerbes of Solomon which may instruct her to good and godly life And in Ecclesiasticus Let her exercise her self to seeke out things that apperteine to the world In Iob Let her folow the example of vertue and patience Prudens filia viro est vice haereditatis A wise daughter is to her husband in the stead of an inheritance Also a shamefast maid wil reuereÌ„ce her husband A daughter is another possessioÌ„ vnto her father If he get a good sonne in law than hath he found his daughter but if he chaunce of a wicked sonne in law thaÌ„ hath he vtterly lost cast away his daughter Besides this it apperteineth to the duetie of a godly maid which would séeke for true and euerlasting saluation that also before all things shée haue the knowledge of the doctrine religion which hath béene set forth and deliuered vnto vs from the Patriarkes Prophets Apostles and which is conteined in the bookes of the holy scriptures It is necessary that shée know the lawe which may teach her not only what workes please ordisplease almightie God but also therby shée may learne to know her owne sinnes and be put in minde to seeke for the remission of the same And therefore it is also néedfull that shée know the Gospell of the sonne of God the cleanser washer away of our sinnes and the pacifier of Gods wrath that shée shewe her selfe faithfull herein and giue credite hereunto Theophilus These be good lessons for daughters in deed But if a young man haue vngodly parents infidels and altogether ignorant of Gods lawes is it not the sonnes duetie to teach instruct his father and mother Theodidactus Yea alwayes albeit it be not an vsuall or common thing For if a young man being a Christian haue vngodly Parentes in whoÌ„ hée would wish and desire to haue sowne the séedes of vertue true knowledge of God hée ought to endeuour him by all meanes possible gently and reuerently to admonish them that hée might draw them vnto pietie and the true knowledge of Christ that at the last being instructed in the will of God of wicked and vngodly ones he might make them godly and vertuous Theophilus What young men at this day are to be deemed and iudged most happie Theodidactus Certes none are more happie than those which truely performe their duties to whoÌ„ it is giueÌ„ froÌ„ their childhood to repose al hope in one y â— true god with sure coÌ„fideÌ„ce to depeÌ„d of his only goodnes prouidence which thing appeareth to haue chaunced vnto Dauid Psal 71. Where most faithfully hée speaketh vnto God saying thus Quoniam tu es expectatio mea domine Domine spes mea à iuuentute mea For thou O Lord God art the thing that I long for thou art my hope euen from my youth As though hée should say not now only but hitherto alwayes through my whole life thou art the thing I long for and my hope that is to say Séeing that I haue had none other God from my youth vp but thée alone howe shall I now not call vpon thée in this trouble And howe shalt thou forsake mee Parentes are hereby admonished that they instruct their children from their youth in such godlines knowledge fayth and hope of God that they become not wicked vnhappie but continue blessed with God and all his holy Angels and Saintes in heauen for euer But this instruction as I said ought to be proponed and set foorth vnto children euen from their young and tender yeares Nam quod noua testa capit inueterata sapit For looke what licour at the first the newe vessell taketh The tast thereof when it is olde it hardly then forsaketh And out of question nothing sticketh more surely in the minds of young men than that that is taught them in their gréene and tender yeares And if wée will giue credite to Quintilian Natura tenacissimi eorum quae rudibus annis percepimus We are the surest keepers of those thinges by nature which we haue learned in our rude ignoraunt yeares If thou puttest strong wine into newe vessels the tast thereof will continue verie long And who can reduce dyed woolles into their pristinate colour Theophilus How happeneth it that so few inheritours left very wealthily by their Parentes And also so few men seruantes and maydes haue so litle happinesse and prosperitie in this life Theodidactus Because so fewe at this day regard to obserue and fulfill the fift commaundement the breach whereof hath a curse thereunto annexed hereof it commeth to passe that the great treasures and possessions left vnto the heires helpeth them nothing It auayleth seruauntes and maydes nothing at all to labour and toile and to proll filtch and steale all their life long For God doeth not blesse them for their contempt disobedience towards their Parentes Magistrates Maisters Mistresses and Dames Hither may bée referred the examples of this present time not to be numbred of those
Deus est mundo hoc liberis Parentes esse arbitror Looke what God is vnto the worlde I iudge Parents to be the same thing to their children For as God made y ◠that was not to the ende it might appeare So they imitating his power as much as possible might be doe make an immortall generatiō and linage by their progenies Also it shal not a litle stirre vp the mindes of godly children to the loue of their Parentes if they shall rightly weigh and consider that neuer one of the commandements hath any singuler promise but only the 5. commandement For by the name of long life is not only vnderstood the cōtinuance of daies but also the tranquillitie and quietnesse of this corporall life But heere I am more full of wordes then the matter doth require For séeing that youth doe now vnderstand y ◠they receiue so great benefites frō their elders surely except they haue hearts more hard then the Adamant they woulde bee inflamed and incited by their owne accord vnto the honor and loue of their Parents should neede no spurres nor such prouocations and allurementes Theophilus It is very true my good Theodidactus For it were the partes of wise godly childrē willingly to be drawne to the obedience of their parēts But what more special things are there to be deuised for children which might more gladly with greater affection moue them to the obedience of their Parents Theodidactus For the better performing of this honor to their parents childrē ought most specially to remember except they be altogether harde hearted vnnatural y ◠perils dolors anguishes which their mothers sustained suffered for thē in their trauaile birth therw tal let thē diligētly cōsider with what greate paines cares frightes sorrowes charges frō their infancy vpwards they are brought vp of their parents which thing they may more easily collect gather by the education and bringing vp of other children and infantes In like maner they ought to remember and ponder this one thing wel that their children shalbe such to them when they are parents as they now shew themselues towards their parents But this as yet is but a small thing for they ought diligently to consider that to honour their Parentes is the most acceptable woorship to God that can bee that what dueties soeuer thou shalt performe to thy parents the same God iudgeth estemeth as done vnto himself the which also he wil recōpence with many great benefits whē on y ◠cōtrary part as is aforesaid he wil punish the impietie of children towards their Parents with grieuous maledictions plagues and tormentes There is a very profitable lesson concerning these thinges in Eccle. 3. Which because it is somewhat touched before I will here omit Moreouer children ought to set before their eyes the example of Iesus Christ the sonne of the liuing God who albeit he was the liuely image of his father became neuerthelesse obedient vnto his father euen to the death of the Crosse But if children when they bée adopted into Sonnes of GOD for Christ his sake doe desire to be made fellow heires of Christ in heauen surely then very duety requireth that they also follow the exāple of Christ his obedience in earth according to their seueral callings For there bée among the very bruite beasts which when their Parents are well striken in yéeres do by course and turne requite them againe with foode nourishment Therfore what great dishonestie filthinesse detestation and villanie is it if he which bosteth vanteth himself that he is not only a man indued with reason but also beléeueth y ◠he is the adopted sonne of God bee ouercome of the bruite beastes with gratitude kindnes towards their parents Godly children ought to study find out practise these such like examples that at the last willingly by their owne minds they might be excited and drawne to the due obedience of their Parentes Theophilus O good God how profitable how effectual be these things which hitherto you haue declared to the obedience of parents but yet if you haue any other things in store which may seeme meete vnto you to bee vttered vnto vs declare thē here I beseech you that the hearts of these children of our good neighbor Amusus may the more easily bee bowed begin to serue willingly obey the wil minds of their parentes in all thinges Theodidactus Al godly children vertuous young men ought to cōsider diligētly weigh who is the Author giuer of the 5. cōmandement y ◠is to wit almighty God maker of heauen earth the disposer preseruer of al things in them contained yet is not this sufficient except in like maner they doe cōsider what how great the maiestie of God is which hath cōmanded saying Honor thy father and mother c And for that I say God is the author giuer of this precept many things hereof doe necessarily follow Theophilus I would be very glad to heare of you what might ensue bee obteyned hereby for there is no doubt but that it shal bring great profit to the hearers they shal the better vnderstand the fift commaundement Theodidactus For as much as God is the Author giuer of this cōmandemēt First it followeth of necessitie that this precept is good for y ◠God by nature being good cannot commaunde that which is yll Secondly it followeth that this commaundement is necessary that there might be a true worship of God in the which youth might exercise themselues vnto true pietie and godlines Thirdly it is profitable for the rewards that therein is promised Fourthly those doe wel and rightly which kéepe the same Fiftly wée are bounde to the kéeping of the same vnder payne of damnation But that I may be more briefe at the last make an end of these things the minds of children shalbe wonderfully stirred vp to honor their parents if they rightly weigh with themselues what Moses meaneth when he saith Honor thy father mother for although their parents be mē yet doth not Moses say honor thē as they are mē but honor thy father mother as though he shoulde say honor thē whō God fauoureth which God hath coupled together and which are exercised in y ◠kind of life y ◠pleaseth almighty God In like manner he doth not say honor thy God or thine euil father or mother or thine hard harted gētle wayward rich or poore parents but he saith honor thy father thy mother without adding any Epithite cōdition or quality Therefore let children young men learne to reuerence and obey their parents to hold these vocables titles father mother in great price for most sacred reliques And let them rather wishe to die then willingly obstinately to offende them for parents haue nothing in this life wherein they are more affected and delighted
of their Parentes Theodidactus This we ought to knowe and vnderstand that after such commixion and coupling of them selues together they may not be seuered nor disioyned neither may such marriages be broken by the authoritie of their Parents for because there is now no question of any marriage to come and the authoritie of Parentes is alreadie violated and corrupted so that great iniurie shoulde be offered vnto the woman if shee should be cast off againe and forsaken And to conclude I will adde this one thing that it doeth appertaine as wel to the duetie of Parents as of Iudges for they ought to weigh and consider where and in what cases the fathers may haue a probable cause to breake the marriage and where not which causes I will leaue to be discided of the Diuines and such as haue to deale in those nuptiall affaires Beséeching Almightie God to graunt your children good successe and to bestow his blessings on them as well in this single life as also in that married estate whensoeuer it shall hereafter please him to all your comfortes and his euerlasting glorie to whom be praise for euer Amen ⧠Imprinted at London at the three Cranes in the Vintâ—â—â— by Thomas Dawfon and Gregorie Seton 1581. Amusus â—eâ—â—â—leth the state of disordered families Psal 39. The workes commended The family is committed to the wife aswell as the husband The argument diuided into siâ— partes The definition of mariage Mariage was firste instituted of God Gene. 2. Ioan. 2. Mariage doth please God The end of mariage is in â— sortes Good lessonâ— for husbandes and wiues The dueties of godly couples Mat. 18. Of the Procreation of children Gene. 3. 1. Reg. 2. Iudi. 13. Luc. 1. The peruers iudgement of the people Pro. 10. Pro. 17. Psal 128. The wise answer of Cresus Deut. 6. Eodem 11. â—â—â—l 1. Eccle. 7. God commandeth children to be nurtured Eccle. 30. Ephe. 6. Parentes are stirred vp to instruct their children with sweete promises Prou. 29. Eccle. 30. We must not deale with youth by threatnings stripes Tobi. 4. Dan. â—3 1. Mach. 2. 2. Mach. 7. â— Tim. 1. Luke 2. Eccle. 7. Of Athanasâ—â—â— Bish of Alexandria Of Origen 〈…〉 Eusebius Iohannes Aegyptius The example of Cato Children are to be instructed by the examples of the Elders The necessarie instruction of poutly The best schol Master is to bee chosen Dayly Experience proueth this true Isocrates Plate The end of instruction is this Children must be taught from their tender yeeres A good similitude Paulus Ver. Ioan Mur. â—â—enorunâ— Prouerb A similibus A causa A causa What thinges children are to be taught By 3. thinges may we know that there is a God c. Children ought to beleeue these thinges chiefly The examples of husbandmen What seede ought to bee sowne in the midst of children The causes why children ought to be instructed Preceptes of good maners Recreation must be vsed Optimaratio iustituendi De nobili officio parentum Psal 36. 37. A good fourme â—â— teaching The discription of a true father Senum Officium Diffinitio patris familias What it is to bee occupied with children Fathers should vse 3 offices at once Tobias 4. Prou. 29. Eccl. 30. An Antidote against Arrogancie A good praier Ephe 6 A good caâ—eat vnto the pareÌ„ts of our time A common fâ—ing very true Mat. 18. Mark 9. Of degenerate children A good lesson for parentes 1. Timo. 5. Hortandi sunt liberi ad eleemosynam Proue 11. Mat. 14. Prou. 11. Children must bee committed to godly schoolmaisters 4. Timo. 2207. A man must not bestowe his whole studie in one arte only Ludouicus â—â—ues Plinius An example of Phi. of Macedon kinges of the Persians The efficacie of education Pro. 22. Plato in libro 4. de republic Erasmus Isocrates Deogines Aristippus Lycurgus giueth an example of two whelpes What vse can doe in education is here shewed We must not leaue of instructing for the stupiditie of wit Matth. 9. Marci 7. Num. 22. In education three things are necessarie After what maner forward wittes should be vsed Children are to be corrected Prou. 23. Eccle. 30. Pro. 13. Pro. 10. Eccle. 4. Augustinus Bernardus Innocontiâ—â— Correction is necessary Seneca A good note Cicero Isocrates Valeri Max. de Luci. Bru. â— Reg. 12. 1. Cor. 9. Body and soula compared together Mat. 4. Luke 4. Fathers abuse their authorities Prou. 19. Ephe. 6. Ambrose Seneca The tirannie of L. M. Axio the noble Romaine passed the boundes of his duetie in correcting his sonne A meane in correcting is best Augustine giueth a reason with what intente children should bee corrected What the father shoulde think vpon whilist he is in correcting Prouer. 13. Children shuld bee corrected with the rodde That parte of the bodie which is to be beaten The end whâ—e children should bee corrected After what maner children ought to be chastened A good note Inglossa cap quinta vallis Obquae exhaeredari posset filius Deut. 22. A stubborne disobedient childe to be stoâ—â—ed to death Deut. 21. Degenerate children are to be cast of forsaken Against negligent parents Children 〈…〉 the pledges of God ArgumentuÌ„ a simile 1. Regum 2. 4. Cockering is the originall cause of negligent instruction â—ere the absurd excuse of Parents is reâ—â—â—yed 1. Regum 3. Heli suffereth the punishment of his negligent instruction Paul Cicero Verrâ— Negligent parents are iniurious to their countrie and common welth Fathers ' and mothers spoiâ— their owns children Children are the blessinge of God How the inheritance of y â— he â—uenly life being lost is recouered by the parentes Negligent parentes are sharply accused A vehement exclamation of S. â—ug against negligent parentes What and ho 〈…〉 great mischiefs doe arise by negligent instructinge What shall befall vpon vs without preachinge and teachinge Negligente parentes doe exceede in cruelty Pharao Herod or any other Tyraunte Erasmus Women of Thessalia were transformers of men â—utâ— beast Tomo â— Those that doe not teach their children be the destroyers of Christes Church Tomo 3. 14. What a Sea of euils this negligent care of children doth bring Tom. 2. 292. Erasm The exclamation of Crates S. B. doth bewayle the negligence of Parentes The admiration of Lucius Apuleus The Sabboth day abused The exclamation of Quintilianâ— Whether negligent Parents are to be compelled by any lawe If the feare and loue of God will not cause Parentes to be careful for their children much lesse will any lawe that can be deuised by men What is the chiefe of mans felicitie Solons law was verie sharpe against negligent Parents The Ethnickes are to be compelled one way but the Christians an other way Ezechiel 1â— How the children beare the sinnes of the Parents Children may not deride their Parents Gene. 9. Gene. 1â— Num. 16. Parentes and infantes together are greeuously punished Iosue 6. Iosue 7. Hester 9. Daniel 6. Regum 11. Regum 12. Deut 2â— A hight and excellent treasure to bee borne of good parents A