Chapter I: Front Matter

Transcriber’s Notes

No attempt has been made to rationalise the spelling within the text.

Sidenotes, in italics and embedded in the text in the original, have been placed at the beginning of the relevant paragraphs and marked [Sidenote: ....]

The Latin poem that follows the Dedication contains several words ending in q with an acute accent. These are shown thus [que].

Footnotes are placed at the end of Chapters.

Italics are represented thus _italic_, and superscripts thus y^{en}.

POSITIONS:

BY

RICHARD MULCASTER,
First Headmaster of Merchant Taylors’ School (A.D. 1561-1586);

WITH AN APPENDIX, CONTAINING SOME ACCOUNT
OF HIS LIFE AND WRITINGS,

BY

ROBERT HEBERT QUICK,

Author of “_Essays on Educational Reformers_”; First University Lecturer
at Cambridge on the History of Education (A.D. 1879).

LONDON:
LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.,
AND NEW YORK: 15, EAST 16^{th} STREET.
1888.

_All rights reserved._

POSITIONS

WHEREIN THOSE
PRIMITIVE CIRCVMSTANCES
BE EXAMINED, WHICH ARE
NECESSARIE FOR THE TRAINING

vp of Children, either for skill in their
booke, or health in their bodie.

WRITTEN BY RICHARD MVLCASTER, MASTER OF THE SCHOOLE ERECTED IN LONDON ANNO. 1561, IN THE PARISH OF SAINCT LAURENCE POVVNTNEIE, BY THE VVORSHIPFULL COMPANIE OF THE MERCHAUNT TAILERS OF THE SAID CITIE.

Imprinted at London by Thomas Vautrollier, dvvelling in the blacke Friers
by Ludgate, 1581.

Reprinted for Henry Barnard and R. H. Quick by
Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty,
St. Martin’s Lane, London, 1887.

_TO THE MOST VERTVOVS
LADIE, HIS MOST DEARE, AND
soueraine princesse, Elizabeth by the
grace of God Queene of England,
Fraunce, and Ireland, defendresse
of the faith &c._

My booke by the very argument, most excellent princesse, pretendeth a common good, bycause it concerneth the generall traine and bringing vp of youth, both to enrich their minds with learning, and to enable their bodies with health: and it craues the fauour of some speciall countenaunce farre aboue the common, or else it can not possiblie procure free passage. For what a simple credit is myne, to perswade so great a matter? or what force is there in common patronage, to commaunde conceites? I am therefore driuen vpon these so violent considerations, to presume so farre, as to present it, being my first trauell, that euer durst venture vpon the print, vnto your maiesties most sacred handes. For in neede of countenaunce, where best abilitie is most assurance, and knowne vertue the fairest warrant, who is more sufficient then your excellencie is, either for cunning to commend, or for credit to commaunde? And what reason is there more likely to procure the fauour of your maiesties most gracious countenaunce, either to commende the worke, or to commaunde it waie, then the honest pretence of a generall good, wherein you cannot be deceiued? For of your accustomed care you will circumspectlie consider, and by your singular iudgement, you can skillfully discerne, whether there be any appearance, that my booke shall performe so great a good, as it pretendeth to do, before you either praise it, or procure it passage. In deede it is an argument which craueth consideration, bycause it is the leader to a further consequence: and all your maiesties time is so busily employed, about many and maine affaires of your estate, as I may seeme verie iniurious to the common weale, besides some wrong offered to your owne person, to desire your Maiestie at this time to reade any part therof, much lesse the whole, the booke it selfe being very long, and your Maiesties leasure being very litle.

And yet if it maye please your most excellent Maiestie of some extraordinarie grace towardes a most obsequious subiect in way of encoraging his both toilsome and troublesome labour, to take but some taste of any one title, of smallest encumbraunce, by the very inscription, the paw of a Lion may bewraie the hole body in me by the prouerbe, in your highnesse by the propertie, as who can best iudge, what the Lion is. For the rest, which neither your Maiesties time can tarie on, neither my boldnesse dare desire that you should: other mens report, which shall haue time to read, and will lend an officious countrieman some parte of their leysure, will proue a referendarie, and certifie your highnesse how they finde me appointed. I haue entitled the booke POSITIONS, bycause entending to go on further, for the auauncement of learning I thought it good at the first to put downe certaine groundes very needefull for my purpose, for that they be the common circunstances, that belong to teaching and are to be resolued on, eare we begin to teach. Wherin I craue consent of my countrey, to ioyne with me in conceit, if my reasons proue likely, that therby I may direct my whole currant in the rest, a great deale the better. Now if it maye stand with your Maiesties most gracious good will to bestow vpon me the fauourable smile of your good liking, to countenance me in this course, which as it pretendeth the publike commoditie, so it threateneth me with extreme paines, all my paine will proue pleasant vnto me, and that good which shall come thereby to the common weale shall be most iustly ascribed to your Maiesties especial goodnesse, which encoraged my labour, and commended it to my countrey. Which both encoragement to my selfe, and commendacion to my countrey, I do nothing doubt but to obtaine at your Maiesties most gracious handes, whether of your good nature, which hath alwaye furthered honest attemptes: or of your Princely conceit, which is thoroughly bent to the bettering of your state, considering my trauell doth tend that way. For the very ende of my whole labour (if my small power can attaine to that, which a great good will towards this my cuntrey hath deepely conceiued) is to helpe to bring the generall teaching in your Maiesties dominions, to some one good and profitable vniformitie which now in the middest of great varietie doth either hinder much, or profit litle, or at the least nothing so much, as it were like to do, if it were reduced to one certaine fourme. The effecting wherof pretendeth great honour to your Maiesties person, besides the profit, which your whole realme is to reape therby. That noble Prince king HENRY the eight, your Maiesties most renowned father vouchesafed to bring all Grammers into one fourme, the multitude therof being some impediment to schoole learning in his happie time, and thereby both purchased himselfe great honour, and procured his subiectes a marueilous ease. Now if it shall please your Maiestie by that Royall example which otherwise you so rarely exceede, to further not onely the helping of that booke to a refining: but also the reducing of all other schoole bookes to some better choice: and all manner of teaching, to some redier fourme: can so great a good but sound to your Maiesties most endlesse renowne, whose least part gaue such cause of honour, to that famous King, your Maiesties father? By these few wordes your highnesse conceiueth my full meaning I am well assured, neither do I doubt, but that as you are well able to discerne it, so you will very depelie consider it, and see this so great a common good thoroughly set on foote. I know your Maiesties pacience to be exceeding great in verie petie arguments, if not I should haue bene afraid, to haue troubled you with so many wordes, and yet least tediousnesse do soure euen a sweete and sound matter, I will be no bolder. God blesse your Maiestie, and send you a long, and an healthfull life, to his greatest glorie, and your Maiesties most lasting honour.

Your Maiesties most humble and
obedient subiect

_Richard Mulcaster_.

_AVTHOR IPSE AD
librum suum._

Insita naturæ nostræ sitis illa iuuandi
Ignauum vitæ desidis odit iter.
Parca cibi, saturata fame, deuota labori,
Prodiga nocturni luminis vrget opus.
Quod, simul ac lucis patiens fore viderit, edit
Inde licet multo plena timore gemat.
Pœnitet emissam per mille pericula prolem,
Quæ poterat patriæ tuta latere domi.
Iudicium[que] timens alieni pallida iuris
Omine spem lædit deteriore suam.
Sed sine sole nequit viui, prodire necesse est,
Cura[que] quod peperit publica, iura vocant.
Fortunæ credenda salus, quam prouida virtus
Quam patris æterni dextera magna regit.
Sic sua Neptuno committit vela furenti
Spem solam in medijs docta phaselus aquis.
Sic mihi spes maior, cui res cum gente Deorum,
Quæ certo dubijs numine rebus adest.
Perge igitur, sorti[que] tuæ te crede, parentis
Tessera parue liber prima future tui.
Et quia, quà perges, hominum liberrima de te
Iudicia in medijs experiere vijs,
Quidnam quis[que] notet, quidnam desideret in te,
Quo possim in reliquis cautior esse, refer.
Interea veniam supplex vtrique precare,
Nam meus error erat, qui tuus error erit.
Qui neutrius erit, cum, quis sit, sensero, quippe
Nullum in correcto crimine crimen erit.
Ergo tuæ partes, quæ sint errata, referre:
Emendare, mei cura laboris erit.
Nam[que] rei nouitas nulli tentata priorum
Hac ipsa, qua tu progrediere, via,
Vtri[que] errores multos, lapsus[que]; minatur,
Quos cum resciero, num superesse sinam?
Cui tam chara mei lectoris amica voluntas,
Vt deleta illi displicitura velim.

_R. M._

THE ARGVMEMTES HANDLED

IN EVERY PARTICVLAR TITLE.

Cap. 1.

The entrie to the Positions, conteining the occasion of this present
discourse, and the causes why it was penned in English. (P. 1.)

Cap. 2.

Wherfore these Positions serue, what they be, and how necessarie it
was to begin at them. (P. 4.)

Cap. 3.

Of what force circunstance is in matters of action, and how warily
authorities be to be vsed, where the contemplatiue reason receiues the
check of the actiue circunstance, if they be not well applyed. Of the
alledging of authours. (P. 8.)

Cap. 4.

What time were best for the childe to begin to learne. What matters
some of the best writers handle eare they determine this question.
Of letes and libertie, whervnto the parentes are subiect in setting
their children to schoole. Of the difference of wittes and bodies
in children. That exercise must be ioyned with the booke, as the
schooling of the bodie. (P. 14.)

Cap. 5.

What thinges they be, wherein children are to be trained, eare they
passe to the Grammar. That parentes, and maisters ought to examine
the naturall abilities in children, whereby they become either fit,
or vnfit, to this, or that kinde of life. The three naturall powers
in children, Witte to conceiue by, Memorie to retaine by, Discretion
to discerne by. That the training vp to good manners, and nurture,
doth not belong to the teacher alone, though most to him, next after
the parent, whose charge that is most, bycause his commaundement
is greatest, ouer his owne childe, and beyond appeale. Of Reading,
Writing, Drawing, Musicke by voice, and instrument: and that they
be the principall principles, to traine vp the minde in. A generall
aunswere to all obiections, which arise against any, or all of these.
(P. 25.)

Cap. 6.

Of exercises and training the body. How necessarie a thing exercise
is. What health is, and how it is maintained: what sicknesse is, how
it commeth, and how it is preuented. What a parte exercise playeth in
the maintenaunce of health. Of the student and his health. That all
exercises though they stirre some one parte most, yet helpe the whole
bodie. (P. 40.)

Cap. 7.

The braunching, order, and methode, kept in this discourse of
exercises. (P. 49.)

Cap. 8.

Of exercise in generall, and what it is. And that it is Athleticall
for games, Martiall for the fielde, Physicall for health, preparatiue
before, postparatiue after the standing exercise: some within dores,
for foule whether, some without for faire. (P. 51.)

Cap. 9.

Of the particular exercises. Why I do appoint so manie, and how to
iudge of them, or to deuise the like. (P. 54.)

Cap. 10.

Of lowd speaking. How necessarie, and how proper an exercise it is for
a scholer. (P. 55.)

Cap. 11.

Of lowd singing, and in what degree it commeth to be one of the
exercises. (P. 59.)

Cap. 12.

Of lowde, and soft reading. (P. 60.)

Cap. 13.

Of much talking and silence. (P. 62.)

Cap. 14.

Of laughing, and weeping. And whether children be to be forced toward
vertue and learning. (P. 63.)

Cap. 15.

Of holding the breath. (P. 68.)

Cap. 16.

Of daunsing, why it is blamed, and how deliuered from blame. (P. 72.)

Cap. 17.

Of wrastling. (P. 76.)

Cap. 18.

Of fensing, or the vse of the weapon. (P. 78.)

Cap. 19.

Of the Top, and scourge. (P. 80.)

Cap. 20.

Of walking. (P. 82.)

Cap. 21.

Of running. (P. 89.)

Cap. 22.

Of leaping. (P. 92.)

Cap. 23.

Of swimming. (P. 94.)

Cap. 24.

Of riding. (P. 96.)

Cap. 25.

Of hunting. (P. 98.)

Cap. 26.

Of shooting. (P. 101.)

Cap. 27.

Of the ball. (P. 103.)

Cap. 28.

Of the circumstances, which are to be considered in exercise.
(P. 108.)

Cap. 29.

The nature and qualitie of the exercise. (P. 109.)

Cap. 30.

Of the bodies which are to be exercised. (P. 110.)

Cap. 31.

Of the exercising places. (P. 114.)

Cap. 32.

Of the exercising time. (P. 115.)

Cap. 33.

Of the quantitie that is to be kept in exercise. (P. 118.)

Cap. 34.

Of the manner of exercising. (P. 122.)

Cap. 35.

An aduertisement to the training master. Why both the teaching of the
minde and the training of the bodie be assigned to the same master.
The inconueniences which ensue, where the bodie and the soule be made
particular subiectes to seuerall professions. That who so will execute
any thing well, must of force be fully resolued, in the excellencie
of his owne subiect. Out of what kinde of writers the exercising
maister maie store himselfe with cunning. That the first groundes
would be laide by the cunningest workeman. That priuate discretion in
any executour is of more efficacie, then his skill. (P. 124.)

Cap. 36.

That both yong boyes, and yong maidens are to be put to learne.
Whether all boyes be to be set to schoole. That to many learned be
burdenous: to few to bare: wittes well sorted ciuill: missorted
seditious. That all may learne to write and reade without daunger.
The good of choice, the ill of confusion. The children which are set
to learne hauing either rich or poore freindes, what order and choice
is to be vsed in admitting either of them to learne. Of the time to
chuse. (P. 133.)

Cap. 37.

The meanes to restraine the ouerflowing multitude of scholers. The
cause why euery one desireth, to haue his childe learned, and yet
must yeilde ouer his owne desire to the disposition of his countrie.
That necessitie and choice be the best restrainers. That necessitie
restraineth by lacke and law. Why it may be admitted that all may
learne to writ and reade that can, but no further. What is to be
thought of the speaking and vnderstanding of latine, and in what
degree of learning that is. That considering our time, and the state
of religion in our time law must needes helpe this restraint, with
the aunswere to such obiections as are made to the contrarie. That in
choice of wittes, which must deale with learning, that wit is fittest
for our state which aunswereth best the monarchie, and how such a wit
is to be knowne. That choice is to helpe in schooling, in admission
into colledges, in proceding to degrees, in preferring to liuings,
where the right and wrong of all the foure pointes be handled at full.
(P. 142.)

Cap. 38.

That yong maindens are to be set to learning, which is proued by
the custome of our countrie, by our duetie towardes them, by their
naturall abilitie, and by the worthie effectes of such, as haue bene
well trained. The ende whereunto their education serueth, which is the
cause why and how much they learne. Which of them are to learne. When
they are to beginne to learne: What and how much they may learne. Of
whom and where they ought to be taught. (P. 166.)

Cap. 39.

Of the training vp of yong gentlemen. Of priuate and publike
education, with their generall goodes and illes. That there is no
better way for gentlemen to be trained by in any respect, then the
common is, being well appointed. Of rich mens children, which be no
gentlemen. Of nobilitie in generall. Of gentlemanly exercises. What it
is to be a nobleman or a gentleman. That infirmities in noble houses
be not to be triumphed ouer. The causes and groundes of nobilitie.
Why so many desire to be gentlemen. That gentlemen ought to professe
learning, and liberall sciences for many good and honorable effectes.
Of trauelin into forraine contries, with all the braunches, allowance
and disallowance thereof: and that it were to be wished that gentlemen
would professe, to make sciences liberall in vse, which are liberall
in name. Of the training vp of a yong prince. (P. 183.)

Cap. 40.

Of the generall place and time of education. Publike places
elementarie, grammaticall, collegiat. Of bourding of children abroad
from their parentes howses: and whether that be the best. The vse and
commoditie of a large and well situate training place. Observations to
be kept in the generall time. (P. 222.)

Cap. 41.

Of teachers and trainers in generall: and that they be either
Elementarie, Grammatticall, or Academicall. Of the elementarie
teachers abilitie and entertainement: of the grammer maisters abilitie
and his entertainement. A meane to haue both excellent teachers and
cunning professours in all kindes of learning: by the diuision of
colledges according to professions: by sorting like yeares into the
same rowmes: by bettering the studentes allowance and liuing: by
prouiding and maintaining notable well learned readers. That for
bringing learning forward in her right and best course, there would be
seuen ordinarie ascending colledges for tounges, for mathematikes, for
philosophie, for teachers, for physicians, for lawyers, for diuines.
And that the generall studie of law, would be but one studie. Euery of
these pointes with his particular proufes sufficient for a position.
Of the admission of teachers. (P. 232.)

Cap. 42.

How long the childe is to continew in the elementarie, eare he passe
to the toungues and grammer. The incurable infirmities which posting
haste maketh in the whole course of studie. How necessarie a thing
sufficient time is for a scholer. (P. 256.)

Cap. 43.

How to cut of most inconueniences wherewith schooles and scholers,
masters and parentes be in our schooling now most troubled: whereof
there be too meanes, vniformitie in teaching and publishing of schoole
orders. That vniformitie in teaching hath for companions dispatch in
learning and sparing of expenses. Of the abbridging of the number of
bookes. Of curtesie and correction. Of schoole faultes. Of friendlines
betwene parentes and maisters. (P. 262.)

Cap. 44.

That conference betwene those which haue interest in children:
Certaintie of direction in places where children vse most: and
Constancie in well keeping that, which is certainely appointed, be the
most profitable circunstances both for vertuous mannering and cunning
schooling. (P. 281.)

Cap. 45.

The peroration, wherein the summe of the whole booke is recapitulated
and proofes vsed, that this enterprise was first to be begon by
Positions, and that these be the most proper to this purpose. A
request concerning the well taking of that which is so well meant. (P.
292.)

* * * * *