Chapter II: Part 2

¶ And what is that that properly belongeth vnto man? Verelye to lyue according to reason, and for that is called a reasonable creature, and diuided frõ those that cã not speake And what is most destrucciõ to mã? Folyshenes. He wyll therfore be taught nothyng soner then vertue, and abhorre from nothynge sooner then folyshenesse, if so be the diligence of the parentes wyll incontinent set aworke the nature whyle it is emty. But we here meruelous complantes of the common people, howe readye the nature of chyldrẽ is to fal to vyce, & how hard it is to drawe them to the loue of honesty. They accuse nature wrongfullye. The greatest parte of thys euyll is thorowe oure owne faute, whyche mar the wittes w^t vyces, before we teache them vertues. And it is no maruell if we haue them not verye apte to learne honestye, seyng they are nowe already taught to myschiefe. And who is ignoraunt, that the labour to vnteache, is both harder, and also goth before teachyng. Also the common sorte of men do amysse in thys pointe thre maner of wayes: eyther because they vtterlye neglecte the bryngynge vp of chyldren, or because they begynne to fashion their myndes to knoweledge to late, or because they putte them to those men of whome they maye learne that that muste be vnlerned agayne. Wee haue shewed those fyrst maner of men vnworthi to be called fathers, and that they very litle differ from suche as sette theyr infantes out abrode to be destroyed, and that they oughte worthely to be punyshed by the lawe, which doth prescribe this also diligentlye by what meanes chyldren shuld be brought vp, & afterwards youth. The second sorte be very manye, wyth whom nowe I specially entend to striue. The thyrd doth amysse two wayes, partly thorowe ignoraunce, partly thorowe retchlesnes. And syth it is a rare thynge and a shame to be ignoraunte to whome thou shuldest put oute thy horse, or thy grounde to be kepte, howe muche more shamefull is it not to knowe whom thou shuldeste put thy chylde in truste wythal, beynge the dearest part of thy possessions? Ther thou beginnest to lerne that, that thou canst not skyll well of thy selfe, thou axest counsell of the beste seene: here thou thynkeste it maketh no matter to whom thou committest thy sonne. Thou assignest to thy seruantes, eueri man his office that is metest for hym. Thou tryest whom thou mayest make ouersear of thy husbandrie, whome to appoint to the kitchen, and who shulde ouersee thy housholde. And it there be any good for nothynge, a slug, a dulhead, a foole, a waster, to hym we cõmit oure childe to be taught: and that thynge whych requireth the cunningest man of all, is put to y^e worst of our seruauntes. What is vntoward, if here menne haue not an vntoward mind? Ther be some whych for theyr couetous mynd be afeard to hyre a good master, and geue more to an horskeper then a teacher of the chyld. And yet for al that they spare no costly feastes, nyght & day thei playe at dice, and bestowe moch vpon houndes & fooles. In thys thynge onely they be sparers and nigardes, for whose cause sparinge in other thynges myght be excused. I wold ther wer fewer whych bestowe more vpon a rotten whore, then vpon bringyng vp of their chylde. Nothyng sayth the Satir writer stãdeth the father in lesse cost then the sonne. Peraduenture it wyll not be much amisse here to speake of y^e day dyet, which longe ago was muche spokẽ of in y^e name of Crates. They report it after thys fashion. Alow to thy coke .x. poũd, to thy physicion a grote, to thy flatterer .v. talẽts, to thy coũseller smoke, to thy harlot a talent, to thy philosospher .iii. halfpẽs. What lacketh to this preposterous count, but to put to it y^t the teacher haue .iii. farthings: Howbeit I thinke y^t the master is meant vnder y^e name of philosopher. Whẽ one that was riche in money, but nedy of wit axed Aristippus what wages he wold axe for teching his son, & he answered .v.C. grotes. You axe quod he to great a sũme: for w^t this much money a man maye bye a seruaunte. ¶ Then the philosopher very properly againe: but now, quod he, for one thou shalt haue two: a sonne mete to do the seruice, and a philosopher to teache thy sonne. Further if a man shulde bee axed, whether he wold haue hys onlye sonne dead to wynne an hundred horses, if he had any crumme of wysedome, he wold answer (I thinke:) in no wyse. Whi geuest thou then more for thi horse? why is he more diligẽtly takẽ hede to then thy sonne? why geuest thou more for a fole, then for the bringyng vp of thy chylde? Be frugall and sparynge in other thynges, in thys poynt to be thryfty, is no sparynge but a madnes. There be other agayn that take good heede in chosyng a master, but that is at the desyre of their friendes. They lette passe a meete and cunninge man to teache chyldren, and take one that can no skyll, for none other cause, but that he is set forwardes at the desyres of their friendes. Thou mad man, what meanest thou? In saylynge thou regardest not the affeccion of thẽ y^t speake good wordes for a man, but thou setteste hym to the helme, whych can beste skyll to gouerne the shyp: in the sonne, whẽ not only he hymself is in ieopardy, but the father and mother and all the housholde, yea and the common wealth it selfe, wylte thou not vse like iudgement? Thy horse is sicke, whether wilt thou sende for a leche at the good word of thy friend, or for his cũning in lechcraft. What? Is thy sonne of lesse price vnto the then thi horse? Yea settest thou lesse by thy selfe then by thy horse? This beyng a foule thynge in meane citizens, how much more shamefull is it in great menne? At one supper a dashynge agaynst the mischeuous rocke of dice, and so hauynge shypwrake, thei lose two hundred poũd, and yet they saye they be at coste, if vpon theyr son they bestowe aboue .xx. pounde. No man can geue nature, eyther to himselfe, or to other: howbeit in this poynte also the diligẽce of the parẽtes helpeth much. The fyrst poynt is, that a mã chose to hym selfe a wyfe that is good, come of a good kynred, and well broughte vp, also of an healthfull bodie. For seyng the kynred of the body and mynde is very straytlye knytte, it can not be but that the one thynge eyther muste be holpen or hurte of the other. The nexte is, that when the husbande dothe hys duetye to get chyldren, he do it neither beyng moued wyth anger, nor yet drunken, for these affeccions go into the chylde by a secrete infeccion. A certen philosopher seemed to haue marked that thyng properly, whyche seynge a yonge man behauinge hym selfe not verye soberlie, it is meruell quod he, but if thy father begat the whẽ he was dronke. Verily I thynke this also maketh greatli to the matter, if the mother at all times, but specially at y^e time of concepcion and byrthe, haue her mynde free from all crimes, and be of a good cõscience. For ther can be nothyng eyther more quiet or more merye then such a mynd. The thyrd point is y^t the mother noryshe with her own brestes her infãt, or if ther hap any necessitie that it maye not so be, let be chosẽ a nurse, of a wholsome body, of pure mylke, good condicions, nether drunkẽ, not brauler, nor lecherous. For the vices that be takẽ euen in y^e very beginninges of lyfe, both of the bodye and of the mynd, abyde fast vntyl we be olde. Some men also write y^t it skilleth muche who be his sucking felowes & who be his playfelowes. Fourthlye that in due season he be set to a chosen scholemaster alowed by all mens witnes, and many waies tryed. You must be diligẽt in chosyng, and after go thorowe with it. Homer disaloweth wher many beare rule: and after the olde prouerbe of the grekes. The multitude of captaines dyd lose Caria. And the oftẽ chaunginge of physicions hath destroyed manye. There is nothynge more vnprofitable, then often to chaunge y^e master. For by that meanes the web of Penelopes is wouẽ and vnwouen. But I haue knowen childrẽ, whych before they wer .xii. yere old, had more thẽ .xii. masters, and that thorowe the rechelesnesse of their parẽtes. And yet after this is done must the parẽtes be diligẽt. They shall take heede bothe to the master & to the sonne, neither shall they so caste away al care from thẽ as they are wonte to laye all the charge of the doughter vpon the spouse, but the father shall oftentyme looke vpon them, and marke whether he profite, remembrynge those thynges whych the olde men spake both sagely and wittely, that the forehead is set before the hynder part of the head: and that nothyng sooner fatteth the horse then the masters eye, nor that no dunge maketh the ground more fruitfull then the masters footyng. I speake of yonge ons. For as for the elders it is meete sometyme that they be sente far out of oure syght, whiche thing as it were a graffing, is inespecially wont to tame yonge mens wyttes. Emonge the excellent vertues of Paulus Emilius, this also is praised, that as oftẽ as he might for his busines in the cõmon welth he wolde be at the exercises of hys sõnes. And Plinie the nepheu was contente nowe and then to go into the schole for his friendes sonnes sake, whom he had taken vpon him to brynge vp in good learnynge. ¶ Furthermore, that that wee haue spoken of nature is not to be vnderstand one wayes. For there is a nature of a common kinde, as the nature of a man in to vse reason. But ther is a nature peculier, eyther to hym or him, that properly belõgeth either to thys man or that, as if a man wolde saye some menne to be borne to disciplines mathematical some to diuinitie, some to rethorike some to poetrie, and some to war. So myghtely disposed they be and pulled to these studies, that by no meanes they canne be discoraged from them, or so greatly they abhor them, that they wyl sooner go into the fyre, then apply their mynde to a science that they hate. I knewe one familierlye whych was verye well seene both in greke and latin, and well learned in all liberall sciences, when an archbyshop by whõ he was found, had sende hither by hys letters, that he shulde begynne to heare the readers of the lawe agaynst hys nature. After he had cõplayned of this to me (for we laye both together) I exhorted hym to be ruled by his patron, saying that it wold wexe more easily, that at the beginning was harde, and that at the least waye he shulde geue some part of hys tyme to that study. After he had brought oute certen places wonderfull folyshe, which yet those professours halfe goddes dyd teache their hearers wyth greate authoritie, I answered, he shuld set light by them, & take out that whyche they taught well: and after I had preased vpon hym wyth many argumentes, I am quod he so minded, that as often as I turne my selfe to these studies, me thinketh a swerde runneth thorowe my hert. Menne that bee thus naturallye borne, I thynke they be not to bee compelled against their nature, lest after the common saying we shuld leade an Oxe to wreastlynge, or an Asse to the harpe. Peraduenture of this inclinacion you may perceiue certen markes in lytle ons. There be that can pronosticate such thynges by the houre of hys birthe, to whose iudgemente howe muche ought to be geuen, I leaue it to euerye mans estimacion. It wolde yet muche profite to haue espyed the same assoone as can be, because we learne those thynges most easelie, to the which nature hath made vs. I thinke it not a very vayne thing to coniecture by y^e figure of the face and the behaueour of the rest of the bodie, what disposicion a man is of. Certes Aristotle so greate a philosopher vouchsaued to put oute a booke of phisiognonomye verye cunnynge and well laboured. As saylyng is more pleasaunt when wee haue borne the wynd and the tyde, so be we soner taught those things to the whych we be inclined by redines of wyt. Virgyll hath shewed markes wherby a man may know an oxe good for y^e plough, or a cowe meete for generacion & encrease of cattell. Beste is y^t oxe that looketh grimly. He techeth by what tokẽs you may espie a yong colt mete for iusting. Straight waye the colt of a lusty courage trãpleth garlic in the fieldes .&c. for you know the verses. They are deceyued whyche beleue that nature hathe geuen vnto man no markes, whereby hys disposiciõ maye bee gathered, and they do amisse, that do not marke them thar be geuen. Albeit in my iudgemente there is scante anye discipline, but that the wyt of man is apt to lerne it, if we continue in preceptes and exercise. For what may not a man learne, when an Eliphant maye be taught to walke vpõ a corde, a bear to daunse, and an asse to playe the foole. As nature therefore is in no mannes owne hande, so wee haue taught wherin by some meanes we maye helpe nature. But good orderynge and exercise is altogether of our own witte and diligence. How much the waye to teach doth helpe, thys specially declareth, that we se daylye, burdens to be lyft vp by engins and arte, whiche otherwyse coulde bee moued by no strength. ¶ And how greatly exercise auaileth that notable saying of the old wise man, inespeciallye proueth, that he ascribeth all thynges to diligence and study. But labour, say they, is not meete for a tender age, & what readines to lerne can be in children whych yet scarse knowe that they are men: I wyll answere to bothe these thinges in few wordes. How agreeth it that that age shulde bee counted vnmeete for learnynge, whych is nowe apte to learne good maners? But as there be rudimentes of verture, so be there also of sciences. Philosophy hath his infancie, hys youthe, and rype age. An horsecolt, which forthwyth sheweth his gentle kynd, is not straight way forced wyth the bytte to cary on his backe an armed manne, but wyth easy exercises he learneth the fashion of warre. The calfe that is appoynted to the plowghe, is not strayght wayes laden wyth werye yockes, nor prycked wyth sharpe godes, but as Virgyl hath elegantlye taught: Fyrst they knyt aboute his necke circles made of tender twygges, and after when his free necke hathe bene accustumed to do seruice, they make rounde hoopes mete, & when they be wrythẽ, ioyne a payre of meete ons together, and so cause the yonge heyfers to gooe forwardes, and often tymes they make them to draw an empty cart, and sleightly go awaye, but afterwards they set on a great heauy axeltree of beeche, and make them to draw a great plough beame of yrõ. Plowmen can skyll howe to handell oxen in youthe, and attemper their exercises after their strength muche more diligently ought this to be done in bringing vp our children. Furthermore the prouidẽce of nature hath geuen vnto litle ons a certen mete habilitte. An infant is not yet meete to whome thou shuldest reade y^e offices of Cicero, or the Ethickes of Aristotle, or the moral bokes of Seneca or Plutarche, or the epistles of Paule, I confesse, but yet if he do any thyng vncomly at the table, he is monyshed, and when he is monyshed, he fashioneth hym selfe to do as he is taught. He is brought into the temple, he lerneth to bowe his kne, to holde hys handes manerly, to put of hys cap, and to fashion all the behaueour of hys bodie to worshyp God, he is cõmaunded to holde hys peace when misteries be in doyng, and to turne hys eyes to the alter. These rudimentes of modestye and vertue the childe lerneth before he can speake, which because they sticke fast vntil he be elder, they profit somwhat to true religiõ. There is no differẽce to a chyld when he is first borne, betwene his parẽntes & straungers. Anon after he learneth to knowe his mother, & after his father. He learneth by litle & litle to reuerẽce thẽ, he learneth to obey them, & to loue thẽ. He vnlerneth to be angrye, to be auẽged, & when he is biddẽ kysse thẽ that he is ãgry withal, he doth it, & vnlerneth to bable out of measure. He lerneth to rise vp, & geue reuerence to an old mã, & to put of his cap at y^e image of the crucifix. Thei that thinke y^t these lytle rudimẽtes help nothing to vertue, in my mind be greatly deceiued, A certẽ yonge man whẽ he was rebuked of Plato because he had plaied at dice cõplained y^t he was so bitterly chiddẽ, for so litle harme. Thẽ quod Plato, although it be but smal hurt to play at dice, yet is it great hurt to vse it. As it is therefore a greate euyll to accustume thy selfe to euyl, so to vse thy selfe to small good thynges is a greate good. And that tender age is so muche the more apte to learne these thyngs, because of it selfe it is plyaunt vnto all fashions, because it is not yet occupyed wyth vyce, and is glad to folowe, if you shewe it to do any thinge. And as cõmonlye it accustumeth it selfe to vyce, or euer it vnderstand what vyce is, so wyth lyke easynes maye it be accustumed to vertue. And it is beste to vse best thinges euen at the fyrst. That fashion wyll endure longe, to the which you make the empty and tender mynde. Horace wrote that if you thruste oute nature wyth a forke, yet wyll it styll come againe. He wrot it and that very truly, but he wrote it of an olde tre. Therefore the wise husband man wil straight waye fashion the plante after that maner whyche he wyll haue tarye for euer when it is a tree. It wyll soone turne in to nature, that you powre in fyrste of all. Claye if it be to moyste wyl not kepe the fashion that is prynted in it: the waxe may be so softe that nothynge can bee made of it. But scarse is there any age so tender that is not able to receyue learnyng. No age sayth Seneca, is to late to learne: whether that be true or no I wot not, surely elderly age is very harde to learne some thyngs. This is doutles, that no age is so yonge but it is apte to be taught, inespecially those thynges vnto the whych nature hathe made vs, for as I sayd: for thys purpose she hath geuen a certen peculier desyre of folowyng, that what so euer they haue herde or seene, they desyre to do the lyke, and reioyse when they thynke they can do any thyng: a man wolde saye they wer apes. And of thys ryseth the fyrste coniecture of their wyt and aptnes to be taughte. Therefore assone as the man chyld is borne, anone he is apte to lerne maners. After whẽ he hath begon to speake, he is mete to be taught letters. Of what thynge regarde is fyrste to be had, a readines by & by is geuen to lerne it. For learnyng although it haue infinite commodities, yet excepte it wayte vpon vertue, it bryngeth more harme then good. Worthilye was refused of wyse menne theire sentence, which thought that children vnder seuen yere olde shulde not be set to lernyng: and of thys sayinge many beleued Hesiodus to be the author, albeit Aristophanes the gramarian sayd, that those morall preceptes in the whych worke it was written, were not made by Hesiodus. Yet nedes must be some excellẽt wryter, which put forth such a booke that euen learned menne thought it to be of Hesiodus doing. But in case it were Hesiodus, without doute yet no mans authoritie oughte to be of suche force vnto vs, that we shulde not folowe the better if it be shewed vs. Howebeit who soeuer wer of thys mynd, they meant not thys, that all thys time vntyll seuen yeres shulde bee quite voyde of teachyng, but that before that tyme chyldren shulde not bee troubled wyth the laboure of studies, in the whych certeine tediousnes muste bee deuoured, as of cannyng wythout booke, sayinge the lesson agayn, and wyth wrytinge it, for scant maye a man fynde anye that hathe so apte a wytte to bee taught, so tractable and that so wil folowe, whyche wyll accustume it selfe to these thynges wythout prickyng forward. Chrisippus apoynted thre yeres to the nourses, not that in the meane space there shuld be no teachynge of manners, and speach, but that the infante shulde be prepared by fayr meanes to lern vertue and letters, ether of the nurses, or of the parentes, whose maners wythout peraduẽture do help very much to the good fashionynge of chyldren. And because the fyrste teachyng of chyldren is, to speake playnly and wythout faute, in this afore tyme the nourses and the parentes helpe not a lytle. Thys begynnyng, not only very muche profiteth to eloquẽce, but also to iudgement, and to the knowledge of all disciplines: for the ignoraunce of tonges, eyther hath marred all the sciences, or greatly hurt thẽ, euẽ diuinitie it selfe also, phisicke & law. The eloquence of the Gracchians was muche merueyled at in tyme paste, but for the most they myghte thanke theyr mother Cornelia for it, as Tullie iudgeth. It apeareth sayth he, that the chyldren wer not so much brought vp in the mothers lappe, as in the mothers cõmunicacion. So theyr fyrste scholyng was to them the mothers lap. Lelia also expressed in her goodly talke the eloquence of her father Caius. And what marueile. While she was yet yonge she was dyed wyth her fathers communicacion, euen when she was borne in his armes. The same happened to the two sisters, Mucia and Licinia, neeces vnto Caius. Specially is praysed the elegaunce of Licinia in speakyng, whiche was the daughter of Lucius Crassus, one Scipios wyfe as I weene. What nedes many words? All the house and all the kynred euen to the nepheus, and their cosyns dyd often expresse elegance of their fore fathers in artificiall and cunnyng speakyng. The daughter of Quintus Hortencius so expressed her fathers eloquence, that ther was longe ago an oracion of hers to se, that she made before the officers called Triumuiri, not only (as Fabius sayth) to the prayse of womankynd. To speake without faut no litle helpe brynge also the nourses, tutors, and playefelowes. For as touching the tonges, so great is the readines of that age to learne them, that within a few monethes a chylde of Germany maye learne Frenche, and that whyle he dothe other thinges also: neyther dothe that thynge come euer better to passe then in rude and verye yonge yeres. And if this come to passe in a barbarous and vnruled tonge, whych wryteth other wyse then it speaketh, and the whych hathe hys schriches and wordes scarse of a man, howe muche more easely wyl it be done in the Greeke or Latine tonge? Kyng Mithridates is read to haue perfitly knowen .xxii. tonges, so that he could plead the lawe to euery nacion in their owne tonges wythoute anye interpreter. ¶ Themistocles within a yeres space lerned perfitely the Persians tong because he wolde the better cõmen wyth the kyng. If sũwhat old age can do that, what is to be hoped for of a chylde? And all this businesse standeth specially in two thynges, memorye and imitacion. We haue shewed before alredy that there is a certein naturall greate desyre in chyldren to folowe other, and very wyse men wryte that memorie in chyldren is verye sure in holdinge faste: and if we distrust there authoritie, experience it selfe wyll proue it vnto vs. Those thynges that we haue seene beying chyldren, they so abide in our mindes, as thou we had sene them yesterdaie. Thinges that we read today whẽ we be old, wythin two daies after if we read thẽ agayn they seme newe vnto vs. Furthermore howe fewe haue we seene whych haue had good successe in lernynge the tonges when they were olde? And if some haue wel spedde them in knowledge, yet the right sound and pronunciacion hath chaunsed either to none, or to very few. For rare examples be no common rules. Neyther for thys muste we call chyldren to lerne the tonges after sixtene yere olde, because that the elder Cato lerned latine, and Greeke, when he was thre score and ten yeres olde. But Cato of Vtica muche better lerned then the other and more eloquent, when he was a chylde was continuallye wyth hys master Sarpedo. And hẽce we ought so much the more to take heede, because that yonge age led rather by sense then iudgemẽt, wyll assone or peraduenture soner lerne leudnes & things y^t be naught. Yea we forget soner good thinges thẽ naught. Gentile philosophers espyed that, & merueyled at it, and could not search out the cause, whiche christẽ philosophers haue shewed vnto vs: which telleth y^t this redines to mischiefe is setteled in vs of Adam the first father of mãkind. Thys thynge as it can not be false, so is it very true, that the greateste parte of this euyll cõmeth of leude and naughty bryngyng vp, inespeciallye of tender youthe, whyche is plyeable to euerye thynge.

¶ We fynd in writyng that great Alexander lerned certeine fautes of hys master Leonides, whyche he could not leaue when he was well growẽ vp, and a great Emperour. Therfore as long as amonge the latines floryshed that old vertuousnes of good maners, chyldren were not committed to an hyrelynge to be taught, but were taughte of the parentes them selues & their kinsfolke, as of their vncles both by father and mother, of the graundfathers, as Plutarch sayth: For they thought it especially perteyned to the honour of their kynred, if they had very manye excellentlye well seene in liberall knowledge, where as now adayes all nobilitie almost stãdeth in painted & grauen armes, dauncing, huntynge and dicynge. Spurius Carbilius of a bond man made free, whose patron Carbilius brought in the fyrste example of diuorce, is reported to be the fyrste that taught an opẽ grãmer schole. Before thys tyme it was counted a verye vertuous office if euery mã taughte hys kynsefolke in vertue and lernyng. Nowe is thys theyr onlye care, to seeke for their chyld a wyfe wyth a good dowrye. That done, they thynke they haue done all that belongeth to a father. But as the world is alwayes redy to be worse and worse, dayntines hathe perswaded vs to comune this office to a tuter that is one of our householde, and a gentleman is put to be taught of a seruaunte. In whyche thynge in deede, if we wolde take heede whom we chose, the ieopardy were so muche the lesse, because the teacher liued not only in y^e fathers syght, but also wer vnder hys power if he dyd amysse. They that wer very wyse, either bought lerned seruauntes, or prouided they myghte be lerned, that they myghte be teachers to their children. But howe muche wyser were it, if the parents wolde get lernyng for thys entent, that they them selues myght teach theyr owne chyldren. Verelye by thys meanes the profite wolde be double, as the cõmoditie is double if the Byshoppe shewe hym selfe a good man, to the entente he maye encourage very many to the loue of vertue. Thou wyle saye; euerye mã hath not leasure, and they be lothe to take so greate payne. But go to good syr, Lette vs caste wyth oure selfe howe muche tyme wee lose at dice, bankettynge, and beholdynge gaye syghtes, and playinge wyth fooles, and I weene wee shall bee ashamed, to saye wee lacke leasure to that thynge whych oughte to be done, all other set asyde. We haue tyme sufficiente to do all we shoulde do, if we bestowe it so thriftelye as we shulde do. But the daye is short to vs, whẽ we lose the greater part thereof. Consider thys also, howe greate a porcion of tyme is geuen now and then to the foelyshe busines of our friendes. If we can not do as they all wolde haue vs, verelye wee oughte chiefely to regarde our chyldren. What payne refuse we to leaue vnto oure chyldren a ryche patrimonye and well stablished: and to get that for them whiche is better then all this, shulde it yrke vs to take laboure? namelye when naturall loue and the profite of them whyche be mooste deareste vnto vs, maketh sweete al the grief and payne. If that were not, when wolde the mothers beare so longe tediousenes of chyldbyrth and nursyng. He loueth his sonne lyghtlye whych is greued to teache hym. ¶ But the manner to enstructe them was the more easy to them in olde tyme, because the learned and vnlearned people spake all one tong, saue that the learned spake more truelye, more elegantly, more wiselye, and more copiouselye. I confesse that, and it were a very shorte way to learnynge, if it were so nowe a dayes. And there haue bene some that haue gone aboute to renewe and brynge again those olde examples, and to doo as those olde fathers haue done afore tyme, as in Phrisia, Canterians, in Spayne Queene Elisabeth the wyfe of Fardinandus, out of whose familye there haue come forthe verye manye womenne bothe merueylouselye well learned and verteouse. Emong the englishe men, it greued not the ryght worshypful Thomas More, although beyng much occupyed in the kynges matters, to be a teacher to hys wyfe, daughters, and sonne, fyrste in vertue, and after to knowledge of Greke and Latine. Verely this ought to be done in those that we haue apoynted to learnynge. Neyther is there anye ieopardie that they shulde be ignoraunt in the peoples tonge, for thei shall learne that whether they wyl or not by companye of men. And if there be none in oure house that is lerned, anon we shulde prouide for some cunnyng man, but tryed both in maners and lernyng. It is a folyshe thyng to make a profe in thy sone, as in a slaue of litle value, whether hys teacher be learned or not, and whether he bee a good man that thou haste gotten hym or not. In other thinges pardon may be geuen to negligence, but here thou muste haue as manye eyes as Argus had, and muste be as vigilant as is possible. They say: a man maye not twyse do a faute in war: here it is not laweful to do once amisse. Moreouer the soner the child shall be set to a master, so much shal hys brynginge vp come the better to passe. I knowe some men fynde thys excuse, that it is ieopardy lest the labour of studies make y^e good health of the tender bodye weaker. Here I myght ensure, y^t althoughe the strength of the bodye wer sumwhat taken awaye, that thys incõmoditie is well recompensed by so goodly gyftes of the mynd. For we fashion not a wrestler, but a philosopher, a gouernour of the common wealth, to whõ it is sufficient to be healthful, although he haue not the strengthe of Milo: yet do I cõfesse that somewhat we must tender the age, that it maye waxe the more lustye. But there be manye that foolyshely do feare leste their chyldren shulde catche harme by learnynge, whych yet feare not the much greater peryll that cometh of to muche meate, whereby the wyttes of the litle ons no lesse be hurted then bee theyr bodyes by kyndes of meates and drynkes that be not meete for that age. They brynge theyr lytle children to great and longe feastes, yea feastyng sometyme vntyl farre forth nyghtes, they fyl them wyth salt and hoat meates, somtyme euẽ tyl thei vomite. They bynde in and loade the tender bodies wyth vnhandsome garmentes to set them out, as some trym apes, in mans apparel, and otherwayes they weaken their children, and they neuer more tenderlye be afrayed of their health, then when cõmunication is begon to be had of lernynge, that is of that thynge whych of al other is moste wholesom and necessarye. That whych we haue spoken touchyng health, that same perteineth to the care of hys bewety, whyche as I confesse is not to be lyght set bye, so to carefully to be regarded, is not very meete for a man. [Sidenote: A wayward feare for hurting childrẽs bewtye.] Neyther do we more weywardlye fear any other thyng then the hurt of it to come by studie, where it is hurt a greate deale more by surfet, dronkennes, vntymelye watchynge, by fyghtyng and woundes, finally by vngracious pockes, which scarse anie man escapeth that liueth intemperatly. From these thyngs rather let thẽ see they keepe their children then frõ lernyng, whych so carefully take thought for the health and bewtie. [Sidenote: Prouisiõ for easinge chyldrens labour] Howbeit thys also may be prouided for by our care & diligẽce that ther shuld be very litle labour and therfore litle losse. This shal be if neyther many thyngs, neither euery lyght thynge be taught them when they be yong, but the best only & that be mete for their age, whiche is delighted rather in pleasaũt thynges then in subtile. Secondly, a fayre manoure of teachynge shall cause y^t it may seme rather a playe then a labour, for here the age must be beguiled with sweete flattering wordes, which yet cã not tell what fruit, what honour, what pleasure lernyng shall brynge vnto them in tyme to come. And this partly shal be done by the teachers gẽtlenes & curteous behaueour, & partlye by his wit & subtile practise, wherbi he shal deuise diuerse prety meanes to make lerning plesaũt to y^e chylde, & pul hym away frõ feling of labour. For there is nothynge worse then when the waywardnes of the master causeth the children to hate lernyng before they knowe wherefore it shulde be loued. The fyrst degree of lerning, is the loue of the master. In processe of tyme it shall come to passe that the chyld whych fyrst began to loue lernyng for the masters sake, afterwards shall loue the master because of lernyng. For as many giftes are very dere vnto vs euẽ for thys cause, that they come from them whome wee loue hertelye: so lernyng, to whom it can not yet be pleasaunt thorowe discrescion, yet to them it is acceptable for the loue they beare to the teacher. It was very well spoken of Isocrates that he lerneth very much, whych is desirous of lernyng. And we gladlye lerne of them whome we loue. But some be of so vnpleasaunt maners that they can not bee loued, no not of their wyues, theyr countenaũce lowryng, their companye currishe, they seme angrye euen when they be beste pleased, they can not speke fayre, scarse can they laughe when men laugh vpon them, a man wold saye they were borne in an angrye hour. These men I iudge scant worthye to whome we shulde put oure wylde horses to be broken, muche lesse wuld I thynke that thys tender and almost suckynge age shuld be committed to them. Yet be ther some that thynke that these kynde of men, euen inespecyally worthye to be set to teache yonge chyldren, whylest they thynke their sturdynes in lookynge is holynes. But it is not good trustyng the lookes, vnder that frownynge face lurke oftẽ tymes most vnchaste and wanton maners, neyther is to be spoken amonge honeste men, to what shamefulnes these bouchers abuse chyldren by fearyng them. No nor the parents thẽ selues can well bring vp theyr chyldrẽ, if they be no more but feared. The fyrste care is to be beloued, by lytle and lytle foloweth after, not feare, but a certen liberall and gentle reuerence which is more of value then feare. Howe properly then I praye you be those chyldren prouided for, which being yet scante foure yere olde are sente to schole, where sytteth an vnknowen scholemaster, rude of manners, not verye sober, and sometyme not well in hys wytte, often lunatike, or hauynge the fallyng sycknes, or frenche pockes? For there is none so vyle, so naughte, so wretched, whome the common people thynketh not sufficiente ynoughe to teache a grammer schole. And thei thynkyng they haue gotten a kingdome, it is marueyle to see howe they set vp the brystels because thei haue rule, not vpon beastes, as sayeth Terence, but vpõ that age whiche ought to be cheryshed wyth all gentlenes. You wolde saye it were not a schole, but a tormentynge place: nothynge is hearde there beside the flappynge vpon the hande, beside yorkynge of roddes, besyde howlynge and sobbinge and cruell threatnynges. What other thynge maye chyldren learne hereof, then to hate learnyng? When this hatered hath once setteled in the tender myndes, yea when they be old they abhorre studye. It is also muche more foolyshe, that some men sende their lytle chyldren to a pyuyshe dronken woman to learne to reade and wryte. It is agaynste nature that women shulde haue rule vpon menne: besyde that, nothynge is more cruell then that kynde, if they bee moued with anger, as it wyll soone be, and wyll not cease tyll it be full reuenged. Monasteries also, and colleges of brethern, for so they cal them selues, seeke for their liuynge hereof, and in theyr darke corners teache the ignoraunt chyldren commenlye by menne that be but a lytle learned, or rather leudlye learned, althoughe we graunte they bee bothe wyse and honeste. ¶ Thys kynde of teachynge howe so euer other menne alowe it, by my counsell no manne shall vse it, who soeuer entendeth to haue hys child well brought vp. It behoueth that eyther there were no schole, or else to haue it openlye abrode. It is a shorte waye in dede that cõmonlye is vsed: for manye be compelled of one more easelye by feare, that one brought vp of one liberallye. ¶ But it is no great thynge to beare rule vpon Asses or Swyne, but to brynge vp chyldren liberallye as it is veri hard, so is it a goodly thing. It is tiranny to oppresse citizens by feare, to keepe them in good order, by loue, moderacion and prudence, it is princely. Diogenes beynge taken out of the Agenites, and brought oute to be solde, the cryer axed hym by what title he wolde be set out to the byer. Axe quod he if any wyl bye a man that can rule chyldren. At this straunge prayse manye laughed. One that hadde chyldren at home communed wyth the philosopher, whether he could do in deede that he professed. He sayde he coulde. By shorte communicacion he perceyued he was not of the cõmon sorte, but vnder a pore cloke, ther was hydden great wisedome: he bought hym, and brought hym home, & put his chyldrẽ to him to be taught. As y^e Scots say, ther be no greater beaters then frenche scholemasters. When they be tolde thereof, they be wonte to answere, that that naciõ euen lyke the Phrigians is not amẽded but bi stripes. Whether this be true let other mẽ iudge. Yet I graunt that there is some difference in the nacion, but much more in the propertie of euerye seueral wyt. Some you shal soner kyl, then amende wyth stripes: but the same bi loue and gentle monicions you may leade whither ye wyll. Truth it is that of thys disposicion I my selfe was when I was a childe, and when my master whych loued me aboue all other, because he sayd he conceiued a certen great hope of me, toke more heede, watched me well, and at laste to proue howe I could abyde the rod, and laying a faute vnto my charge which I neuer thought of, did beat me, that thinge so put awaye from me all the loue of studie, and so discouraged my chyldyshe mynd, that for sorowe I hadde almost consumed awaye, and in deede folowed therof a quartaine ague. When at laste he had perceiued hys faute, among his friendes he bewailed it. ¶ This wyt (quod he) I had almoste destroyed before I knewe it. For he was a man both wyttye and well learned, and as I thynke, a good mã. He repẽted him, but to late for my parte. Here nowe (good syr) cõiecture me howe many frowarde wyttes these vnlerned greate beaters do destroye, yet proud in their owne conceite of learnyng, wayeward, dronken, cruel, and that wyl beate for their pleasure: them selues of suche a cruell nature, that they take plesure of other mens tormentes. These kynde of men shuld haue ben bouchers or hangmẽ, not teachers of youth. Neyther do any torment chyldren more cruelly, thẽ they that canne not teache them. ¶ What shulde thei do in scholes but passe the daye in chydyng and beatynge? I knewe a diuine and that familierly, a man of greate name, whych was neuer satisfied wyth crudelity against his scholers, whẽ he him selfe had masters that were very great beaters. He thought y^t dyd much helpe to caste downe the fiersnes of their wittes, & tame the wãtonnes of their youth. He neuer feasted amonge hys flocke, but as Comedies be wont to haue a mery endyng, so contrary when they had eaten theyr meat, one or other was haled oute to be beaten wyth roddes: and sometime he raged against them that had deserued nothynge, euen because they shuld be accustumed to stripes. I my selfe on a time stode nerre hym, when after diner he called out a boie as he was wõt to do, as I trow ten yere olde. And he was but newe come frome hys mother into that compani. He told vs before that the chyld had a very good woman to hys mother, and was earnestly committed of her vnto hym: anon to haue an occacion to beate hym, he beganne to laye to hys charge I wotte not what wãtonnesse: When the chylde shewed hym selfe to haue nothyng lesse, and beckened to hym to whome he committed the chyefe rule of hys colledge, surnamed of the thynge, a tormentoure, to beate, hym ne by and by caste doune the chylde, and beate hym as thoughe he had done sacrilege. The diuine sayde once or twyse, it is inoughe, it is inoughe. But that tormentour deaffe with feruentnes, made no ende of his bochery, tyl the chylde was almost in a sounde: Anon the diuine turninge to vs, he hathe deserued nothynge quod he, but that he muste be made lowe. Who euer after that maner hath taught hys slaue, or hys Asse? A gẽtle horse is better tamed with puping of the mouth or softe handlyng, then wyth whyp or spurres. And if you handle hym hard, he wil whynche, he wyll kycke, he wyll byte, and go backwardes. An oxe if you pricke hym to harde wyth godes, wyl caste of his yocke, and run vpon hym that pricked hym. So muste a gentle nature be handled as is the whelpe of a Lion. Onlye arte tameth Elephantes, not violence, neyther is there any beaste so wylde, but that it wyl be tamed by gentlenes, neyther any so tame, but immoderate cruelnes wil anger it. It is a seruyle thynge to be chastened by feare, and common custume calleth chyldren free men, because liberall and gentle bringyng vp becommeth them, much vnlike to seruile. Yet they that be wyse do thys rather, that seruantes by gentelnes and benefites leaue of their slauyshe condicions: remẽbryng that they also be men, and not beastes. There be rehearsed meruelous examples of seruauntes toward their masters, whome verely they shulde not haue founde such if they hadde kept them vnder only by strypes. ¶ A seruaunt if he be corrigible is better amended by monicions, by honestie, & good turnes, then by stripes: if he be paste amendmente, he is hardened to extreme mischief and eyther wyll runne awaye and rob hys master, or by some craft go aboute his masters deathe. Sometime he is reuenged on his masters crueltie, thoughe it coste hym his lyfe. And there is no creature more fereful thẽ man, whõ cruell iniurie hathe taught to dispyse his owne lyfe. Therfore the commõ prouerb that sayth a man hath as manye enemies as he hath seruauntes, If it be true, I thynke it may be chiefly imputed to the vnreasonablenes of the master: for it is a poynte of arte, and not of chaunce to rule wel seruauntes. And if the wyser masters go aboute thys thynge, so to vse their seruauntes, that thei shuld serue them well and gently, and in stede of seruantes had rather haue them fre men, how shameful is it bi bryngyng vp, to make seruantes of those that be gentle and free by nature? Nor wythout cause dothe the olde manne in the comedie thynke that there is greate difference betwixte a master and a father. The master only compelleth, the father by honestie and gentelnes accustumeth hys sonne, to do well of hys owne mynde, rather then by feare of an other: and that he shulde bee all one in hys presence and behind hys backe. He that can not do this sayth he, lette hym confesse that he can not rule chyldren. But there oughte to be a litle more difference betwyxte a father and the master, then betwixt a kinge and a tirant. Wee putte awaye a tiraunte from the common wealthe, and we chose tirauntes, yea for oure sonnes, eyther we oure selfes exercyse tirannye vpon them. Howebeit thys vyle name of seruitude oughte vtterlye to be taken awaye oute of the lyfe of chrysten menne. Sainte Paule desyreth Philo to bee good to Onesimus, not nowe as a seruaunte, but as a deere brother in steede of a seruaunte. And wrytyng to the Ephesians, he monysheth the masters to remitte theyr bytternesse agaynst theyr seruauntes, and their threatnynges, remembrynge that they are rather felow seruauntes then masters, because they both haue a common master in heauen, whyche as well wyll punyshe the masters if they do amysse, as the seruauntes. The Apostle wolde not haue the masters ful of threatning, muche lesse full of beatynge: for he saythe not, pardonynge your strypes, but pardonynge your threatenynges, and yet wee woulde haue oure chyldren nothynge but beaten, whyche scarse the Galeye masters or Sea robbers do agaynste theyr slaues and rowers. But of chyldren, what dothe the same Apostle commaunde vs?

¶ In somuch he wyll not haue them beaten slauyshely, he cõmaundeth all crueltye and bytternes to be awaye from our monicions and chydyng. You fathers saythe he, prouoke not your chyldren to anger, but bring them vp in discipline and chastisyng of the Lorde. And what the discipline of the lorde is, he shal soone se that wyll consider, wyth what gentlenes, what meekenes, what charitie the Lord Iesus hath taught, suffered and noryshed and brought vp by litle and lytle his disciples. The lawes of man do temper the fathers power: the same also permit vnto the seruauntes an accion of euyll handlyng, and from whence then commeth thys crueltye amonge christen men? In time paste one Auxon a knight of Rome, whylest he wente about to amende hys sonne by beatynge hyn vnmesurably, he kylled him. That crueltye so moued the people, that the fathers and chyldren haled hym in to the market place, & al to be pricked hym, thrust him in with theyr wrytyng pinnes, nothynge regarding the dignitie of his knighthod, and Octauus Augustus had much a do to saue hym. But now a daies howe many Auxons do we see whiche thorowe cruell beatynge, hurte the chyldrens healthe, make them one eyed, weaken them, and sometyme kyll them. Roddes serue not to some mens crueltie, they turne them and beate thẽ wyth the great ende, they geue them buffettes, and stryke the yonge ons wyth their fistes, or whatsoeuer is next at hand they snatche it, and dashe it vpon them. It is told in the lawe, that a certen sowter, when he layd one of hys sowters vpon the hynder parte of the heade wyth a laste, he stroke oute one of hys eyes, and that for that deede he was punyshed by the lawe. What shall we saye of them whyche beside their beatinges, do thẽ shamefull despite also? I wolde neuer haue beleued it, excepte both I had knowen the chylde, and the doer of this crueltie perfitelye.

¶ A chylde yet scante .vii. yere olde, whose honeste parentes had done good to his master, they handled so cruellye, that scarse anye suche tiraunt as was Mezencius or Phalaris coulde do more cruelly. They caste so much mans donge into the childes mouth y^t scarsely he coulde spit, but was cõpelled to swallowe doune a great parte of it. What tiraunt dyd euer suche kynde of despyght? After suche daynties, they exercysed suche lozdelynes. The chylde naked was hanged vp wyth cordes by y^e armeholes, as though he hadde bene a stronge thyefe, and there is amonge to Germanes no kynde of punishement more abhorred then thys. Anone as he honge, they all to beat hym wyth roddes, almoste euen tyll deathe. For the more the chylde denyed the thynge that he dyd not, so muche the more dyd they beate hym. Put also to thys, the tormentour hym selfe almoste more to be feared then the verie punyshemente, hys eyes lyke a serpente, hys narowe and wrythen mouth, hys sharpe voyce like a spirite, hys face wanne and pale, hys head roulyng about, threatninges and rebukes suche as they lusted in theyr anger: a manne wolde haue thought it a furie out of hel. What folowed? anone after this punishement the chyld fel sicke, with great ieopardye both of mynde and lyfe. Then this tormentour began fyrst to complayne, he wrote to hys father to take awaye hys sonne as sone as could be, and that he had bestowed as much phisicke vpon him as he coulde, but in vayne vpon the chylde that was paste remedye. ¶ When the sicknes of the body was somewhat put away by medicines, yet was the minde so astonied, that we feared leste he wold neuer come agayne to the olde strength of hys mynd. Neither was thys y^e cruelty of one daye, as longe as the childe dwelte wyth hym there passed no daye but he was cruelly beatẽ once or twise. I know y^u suspectest o reader, that it was an haynouse faute, wherunto so cruell remedie was vsed. I wyl shew you in few words. Ther was foũd both of hys y^t was beaten, and of two others, theire bookes blotted wyth ynke, their garmentes cutte, and their hose arayed wyth mannes donge.