Chapter III: Part 3

¶ He that played thys playe was a chylde borne to all myschiefe, whiche by other vngracious deedes afterwardes, made men beleue the other to be true that were done before. And he was nephewe by the systers syde to this mad docter: euẽ then playing a part before to these thyngs whych souldiers are wont to do in bataile or robbynge. At an hostes house of his, he pulled oute the faucet, and let the wyne runne vpõ the ground, and as one to shew a pleasure, he sayde that he felt the sauour of the wyne: wyth an other of hys felowes he daylye played at the sworde, not in sporte, but in earnest, that euen then you myght wel perceyue he wolde be a thyefe or a murtherer, or whych is very lyke to them, that he wolde be an hyred souldier. Although the teacher fauored hym, yet fearynge leste they shulde one kyll an other, he sente awaye his cosen. For he had for that other a good rewarde: and he was of this sorte of gospellers, to whom nothing is more swete then monei. His godfather was made surely to beleue that the child was w^t a good and diligent master, when in deede he dwelte wyth a boucher, & was continually in company, and made drudge with a man that was halfe mad, and continually sicke. Thus fauoringe more his kynseman then hym by whom he had so much profite, the suspicion was layde vpon the harmeles, to whom they ascribed so muche malice that he wolde teare and defile his owne garmentes to auoide suspicion if any suche thyng had bene done. But the child commyng both of good father and mother, dyd neuer shewe any tokẽ of such a naughtie disposicion: and at thys daye there is nothing farther from all malice then are hys maners, whyche nowe free frome all feare telleth all the matter in order as it was donne.

¶ To suche tutors do honest citizens committe their chyldren whome they moste loue, and suche do complayne that they be not wel rewarded for their paynes. And this tormentour wolde not once knoweledge he had done amisse, but had rather playe the starke mad man, then confesse his faute: and yet agaynst such is not taken an accion of euyll handlyng, neither hath the rigoure of the lawe anye power agaynste suche huge crueltie. There is no anger worse to be pleased thẽ theirs that be lyke to haue the fallynge sycknes. Howe many things be crepte in, into the lyfe of christen men, not meete neither for the Phrigians nor y^e Scithians, of y^e which I wyl shew one much like this matter. The yong gentlemã is send in to y^e vniuersitie to lerne the liberall sciences. But w^t how vngentle despightes is he begun in them? Fyrst they rub his chyn, as though they wolde shaue his bearde: hereunto thei vse pisse, or if ther be any fouler thyng. This liquour is dashed into his mouth, & he may not spit it out. Wyth paynfull bobbes they make as though thei drewe hornes from him: sõtime he is cõpelled to drinke a great deale of vinegre or salte, or whatsoeuer it listeth y^e wyld cõpany of yong mẽ to geue him: for whẽ they begin the play, thei make him swere y^t he shal obey al that they cõmaund him. At last they hoyse him vp, & dashe his backe against a post as oftẽ as they list. After these so rustical despightes sũtime foloweth an ague or a paine of y^e backe y^t neuer cã be remedied. Certes this foolishe play endeth in a drõken bãket: w^t such beginninges enter they into y^e studies of liberal sciences. But it were mete that after this sorte ther shuld begin a boucher, a tormẽtour a baud or a bõde slaue or a botemã, not a child appointed to y^e holy studies of lerning. It is a meruel that yong mẽ geuen to liberal studies be mad after this fashiõ, but it is more meruel y^t these things be alowed of suche as haue the rule of youth. To so foule & cruel folyshenes is pretẽsed the name of custume, as though the custume of an euil thing wer any thing else thẽ an old errour, whiche ought so much the more diligẽtly to be pulled vp bicause it is crept among many. So cõtinueth amõg the diuines y^e maner of a vesper, for they note an euyl thynge w^t a like name, more mete for scoffers thẽ diuines. But thei y^t professe liberal sciẽces, shuld haue also liberal sports. But I come againe to chyldren, to whome nothyng is more vnprofitable, then to be vsed to stripes, whiche enormittie causeth that the gẽtle nature is intractable, and the viler driuen to desperacion: and cõtinuaunce of thẽ maketh that both the bodye is hardened to stripes, & the mynd to wordes. Nay we may not oftentymes chyde thẽ to sharplye. A medicine naughtelye vsed, maketh the sickenes worse, helpeth it not, and if it be layde to continuallye, by litle and litle, it ceaseth to be a medicine, and dothe nothinge else then dothe stinkynge and vnwholesome meate. But here some man wyl laye vnto vs the godlye sayings of the Hebrues. He that spareth the rod hateth hys chylde and he that loueth hys sonne, beateth hym muche. Agayne: Bowe downe the necke of thy chylde in youth, and beate hys sydes whyle he is an infante very yonge. Suche chastisemente peraduenture was meete in tyme paste for the Iewes. Nowe must the sayinge be expounded more ciuilely. And if a man wil be hard to vs wyth letters and sillables, what is more cruell then to bend the necke of a chyld, & to beat the sides of an infant? woldest thou not beleue that a bull were taught to y^e plowgh, or an asse to bear paniars, and not a mã to vertue? And what rewarde doth he promise vs? That he grope not after other mẽnes dores. He is afeard lest his son shulde be poore, as the greateste of all mischiefe. What is more coldly spoken then thys sentence? Let gentle admonicion be oure rodde, and sometyme chydyng also, but sauced wyth mekenes, not bitternes. Let vs vse thys whyp continuallye in our chyldren, y^t beyng wel brought vp, they maye haue at home a meanes to lyue well, and not be cõpelled to beg counsell at their neighbours how to do their busines. Licon the philosopher hath shewed .ii. sharpe spurres to quicken vp chyldrens wyttes, shame, and prayse: shame is the feare of a iust reproch, prayse is the norysher of all verteous actes: wyth these prickes lette vs quicken our chyldrens wyttes. Also if you wyl, I wyl shewe you a club to beate their sides wythall. Continuall labour vanquysheth all thynges sayth the best of al poetes. Let vs wake, let vs prycke thẽ forwardes, & styl call vpon them, by requiringe, repetynge, and often teachyng: Wyth this club let vs beate the sydes of our infantes. Fyrst let them lerne to loue, and maruell at vertue and lernyng, to abhor sinne and ignorance. Let them hear some praysed for theyr well doinges, and some rebuked for their euyl. Let examples be brought in of those men to whom lernyng hath gottẽ hygh glorye, ryches, dignitie, and authoritie. And againe of them to whom their euyll condicions & wyt wythout all lernyng hath brought infamie, contempt, pouertye and myschiefe. These verely be the clubbes meete for christians, that make disciples of Iesu. [Sidenote: Emulacion is an enuye wythout malice, for desire to be as good as an other, & to be as much praysed.] And if we cã not profite by monicions, nor prayers, neyther by emulacion, nor shame, nor prayse, nor by other meanes, euen the chastenyng w^t the rod, if it so require, ought to be gentle & honeste. For euen thys that the bodies of gẽtle children shulde be made bare, is a kind of despice. Howbeit Fabius vtterly cõdemneth al y^e custume to beate gentle chyldrẽ. Some mã wil saye, what shall be done to them if they can not be driuen to study but by stripes? I answer roũdly, what wold ye do to asses or to oxen if thei went to schole? Woldest thou not driue them in to the contrey, & put the one to the backhouse, the other to the plowe. For there be men as well borne to the plowe and to the backehouse, as oxen and asses be. But they wyll saye: then decreseth my flocke. What then? Yea and myne aduauntage to. Thys is an harde matter: thys maketh them to weepe. They set more money then by the profite of the chyldren. But suche are all the cõmon sorte of folyshe teachers. I graunte. As the philosophers describe a wyse mã, y^e rethoricians an oratour, such one as scarse maye be foũd in anye place: So muche more easye it is to prescribe what manner of man a scholmaster shuld be, thẽ to find many y^t wil be as you wold haue thẽ. [Sidenote: Ciuile officers and prelates shuld se that ther wer good schole masters.] ¶ But this oughte to be a publyque care and charge, and belongeth to the ciuyle officer, and chyef prelats of the churches that as ther be men appointed to serue in war, to singe in churches, so muche more there shulde be ordeined that shuld teach citizens chyldren well and gently. [Sidenote: Vespasian.] Vespasianus oute of hys owne cofers gaue yerely sixe hũdred poũde to Latine and Greke rethoricians. [Sidenote: Plinie.] Plinie the nephew of his owne liberalitie bestowed a great sũme of money to the same purpose. And if the comẽty in thys poynt be slacke, certenly euerye man ought to take hede at home for his owne house. ¶ Thou wylt saye: what shall poore men do which can scarse fynd their chyldren, muche lesse hyre a master to teache them? Here I haue nothynge to saye, but thys out of the comedie: We muste do as we maye do, when we can not as we wolde. We do shewe the beste waye of teachynge, we be not able to geue fortune: Saue that here also the liberalitie of ryche men ought to helpe good wyttes, whych can not shewe forthe the strength of naturall inclinacion because of pouertye. [Sidenote: Pouertie hurteth good wittes.] I wyll that the gentlenes of the master shulde be so tempered, that familiaritie, the companion of contempte, put not away honeste reuerence, suche one as men say Sarpedo was, tutour to Cato of Vtica, which thorowe hys gentle maners gat greate loue, and by hys vertue as lyke authoritie, causynge the chylde to haue a greate reuerence, and to set much by him wythout anye feare of roddes. But these y^t can do nothynge elles but beate, what wolde they do if they had taken vpon them to teache Emperoures or kynges chyldren, whome it were not lefull to beate? They wyll saye that greate mens sonnes muste be excepted from thys fashion. What is that? Be not the chyldren of citizens, men as well as kynges chyldren be? Shulde not euerye manne as wel loue hys chylde as if he wer a kynges sonne? If his estate be sũwhat base, so much the more neede hath he to be taught, and holpen by lernynge, that he maye come vp, from his pore case. But if he be of hye degre, philosophy & lernyng is necessary to gouerne hys matters well. Further not a fewe be called frome lowe degre to hye estate, yea sometyme to be great byshops. All men come not to thys, yet oughte al men to be brought vp to come to it. I wil braule no more with these greate beaters, after I haue tolde you this one thing: How that those lawes & officers be condemned of wyse men, whych can no more but feare men wyth punyshement, & do not also entyse men by rewardes: and the whych punyshe fautes, and prouide not also y^t nothyng be done worthy punishmẽt. The same must be thought of the cõmon sort of teachers, whych only beate for fautes, and do not also teache y^e mynd that it do not amysse. They straitlie require their lesson of them: if the chylde fayle, he is beaten: and whẽ this is done daily because the child shuld be more accustumed to it, thei thinke they haue plaied the part of a gaye scholemaster. But the chyld shulde fyrste haue ben encoraged to loue lernyng, and to be afeared to displease hys teacher. But of these thynges peraduenture some man wyl thynke I haue spoke to much & so myght I worthely be thought, except that almoste all men dyd in this poynte so greatly offende, that hereof a mã cã neuer speke inough. Furthermore it wyll helpe verye muche, if he that hathe taken vpon hym to teache a chylde, so sette hys mynd vpon hym, that he bear a fatherly loue vnto hym. By thys it shall come to passe, y^t both the child wil lerne more gladly, & he shal fele lesse tediousnes of his laboure. [Sidenote: A sentence to be marked.] For in euery busines loue taketh away y^e greatest part of hardnes. And because after the olde prouerbe: Lyke reioyseth in lyke, y^e master muste in maner play the childe againe, that he may be loued of the chylde. Yet this lyketh me not, y^t men set theyr children to be taught their fyrst beginnings of letters vnto those that be of extreme and dotyng olde age, for they be chyldren in verye deede, they fayne not, they coũterfait not, stuttinge, but stutte in deede.

¶ I wolde wyshe to haue one of a lustye yonge age, whome the chylde myght delyght in, and which wold not be lothe to playe euerye parte. [Sidenote: A lykenynge of scholemasters and nurses together.] Thys man shulde do in fashionyng hys wytte, that parentes and nurses be wont to do in formynge the bodye. Howe do they fyrst teache the infante to speake lyke a man? They applye their wordes by lyspyng accordyng to the chyldes tatlynge. How do they teach them to eat? They chaw fyrst their milke soppes, and when they haue done, by lytle & litle put it in to the chyldes mouthe. Howe do they teache thẽ to go? They bowe downe their owne bodies, and drawe in theyre owne strides after the measure of the infantes. Neyther do they fede them wyth euerye meate, nor putte more in then they bee able to take: and as they increase in age, they leade them to bigger thinges. First they seeke for noryshemente that is meete for them, not differyng much frõ mylke, whych yet if it be thrust into the mouthe to muche, either it choketh the chylde, or beynge caste oute defileth hys garmente. When it is softelye and pretelye put in, it doth good. Whych selfe thynge we se cõmeth to passe in vesselles that haue narowe mouthes: if you pour in muche, it bubbleth out agayne, but if you powre in a litle, and as it were by droppes, in deede it is a whyle, and fayre and softely erste, but yet then fylled. [Sidenote: The fedyng of the bodye and mynd cõpared together.] So then as by small morsels, and geuen now and then, the lytle tender bodies are noryshed: in lyke manner chyldrens wyttes by instruccions meete for them taught easely, and as it were by playe by lytle & litle accustume thẽ selues to greater thyngs: & the wearynesse in the meane season, is not felte, because that small encreasynges so deceyue the felynge of labour, that neuerthelesse they helpe much to great profite. As it is told of a certen wrestler, whych, accustumed to beare a calfe by certein furlonges, bare hym whẽ he was waxen a bull, wythoute anye payne: for the encrease was not felt, whych euerye daye was put to the burden. But there be some that looke that chyldren shulde strayghtwaye become olde men, hauyng no regarde of their age, but measure the tender wittes, by theyr owne strengthe. ¶ Straightway they call vpon them bytterly, straightway they straitly require perfect diligence, by and by they frowne wyth the forhead if the childe do not as wel as he wold haue hym, and they bee so moued as thoughe they had to do wyth an elder body, forgettyng you maye be sure y^t they thẽ selues wer once children. How much more curteouse is it that Pliny warneth a certen master that was to sore. Remember saythe he, that bothe he is a yonge man, and that thou hast ben one thi selfe. But many be so cruel against the tender chyldren, as though thei remẽbred not neyther them selues, neyther their scolers to be menne. [Sidenote: What things lytle yonge chyldrẽ shold be fyrste taughte.] Thou woldest that I shulde shewe the those thynges that be meete for the inclinaciõ of that age, and whiche shuld by and by be taughte the lytle yongons. Fyrst the vse of tonges whych commeth to them without any greate studye, ther as olde folkes can scarse be hable to learne them wyth great labour. [Sidenote: Chyldren desyre naturally to folow & do as other do.] And here to as we sayde, moueth the chyldrẽ a certen desyre to folowe and do as they se other do: of the which thing we see a certen lyke fashion in pies and popiniayes. What is more delectable then the fabels of poetes, which wyth their swete entisynge plesures to delight childrens eares that thei profite vs very much whẽ we be olde also, not only to y^e knowledge of the tong, but also to iudgement and copye of elegant speche? What wyll a chyld hear more gladlye then Esops fabels, whyche in sporte and playe teache earnest preceptes of philosophy? and the same fruite is also in the fabels of other poetes. The chylde heareth that Vlisses felowes were turned into swyne, and other fashions of beastes. The tale is laughed at, and yet for al that he lerneth that thing that is the chiefest poynte in al morall philosophye: Those whyche be not gouerned by ryght reason, but are caried after the wyll of affeccions, not to be men, but beastes. ¶ What coulde a stoycke saye more sagely? and yet dothe a merye tale teache the same. In a thynge that is manifest I wyll not make the tarye with many exãples. [Sidenote: Bucolicall, where y^e herdmen do speke of nete and shepe.] Also what is more mery conceited thẽ the verses called Bucolicall? what is sweter then a comedie, whych standing by morall maners, deliteth bothe the vnlearned and chyldren? And heare how great a parte of philosophye is lerned by playe? Adde vnto thys the names of all thynges, in the whych it is meruell to see howe now a dayes, yea euẽ they be blind which are taken for wel lerned mẽ. Finally, shorte and mery conceited sentences, as commonly be prouerbes, and quicke shorte sayinges of noble men, in the whiche onlye in tyme paste philosophie was wonte to be taught to the people. Ther appeareth also in the very chyldren a certen peculier redines to some sciences, as vnto musicke, arithmetique, or cosmographie. For I haue proued that they whych were very dull to lerne the preceptes of grammer and rethorique, were found verye apte to lerne the subtile artes. Nature therfore must be holpen to that parte wherunto of it selfe it is inclined. And down the hyll is very litle labour, as contrary is great. Thou shalt nether do nor saye anye thynge agaynst thy naturall inclinacion. I knewe a child that could not yet speake whych had no greater pleasure, than to open a booke, and make as thoughe he read. And when he dyd that sometyme many houres, yet was he not weery. And he neuer wept so bitterli, but if you had offered hym a booke, he wolde be pleased. That thynge made hys friendes hope that in time to come he wolde be a well lerned manne. His name also brought some good lucke: for he was called Hierome. [Sidenote: That is a teacher of holye lernynge.] And what he is now I can not tel, for I sawe hym not beynge growẽ vp. To the knowledge of the tonge it wyll helpe verye muche if he be broughte vp amonge them that be talkatiue. Fabels and tales wyll the chylde lerne so muche the more gladly, and remember the better, if he maye see before his eyes the argumentes properly paynted, and what soeuer is tolde in the oracion be shewed him in a table. The same shall helpe as much to lerne without boke the names of trees, herbs, and beastes, and also their properties, inespecially of these whych be not common to be seene in euerye place, as is Rhinoceros, whyche is a beaste that hathe a horne in hys nose, naturall enemye to the Elephant: Tragelaphus, a goate hart, Duocrotalus, a byrd lyke to a swã, whyche puttyng hys head into the water brayeth lyke an asse, an asse of Inde and an Elephant. The table maye haue an Elephant whom a Dragon claspeth harde aboute, wrapping in his former feete with his tayle. The litle chyld laugheth at the syght of thys straunge paintynge, what shall the master do then? He shall shewe him that ther is a greate beaste called in Greeke an Elephante, and in Latine lykewyse, saue that sometyme it is declined after the latine fashion. He shall shewe, that that whyche the grekes cal proboscida, or his snout, the latines call his hande, because wyth that he reacheth hys meate. He shall tell hym that that beaste doth not take breath at the mouthe as we do, but at the snoute: & that he hath teth standyng out on bothe sides, and they be iuory, which rich mẽ set much price by, and therwith shal shew hym an iuory combe. Afterwardes he shall declare that in Inde ther be dragons as greate as they. And that dragon is bothe a greke worde and a latine also, saue that the grekes says dracontes in the genitiue case. He shall shewe that naturallie betwyxte the dragons and the Elephantes is great fyghte. And if the chylde be somewhat gredy of learnynge, he maye rehearse manye other thynges of the nature of Elephantes and dragons. Manye reioyse to see huntinges paynted. Here howe manye kyndes of trees, hearbes, byrdes, foure footed beastes maye he lerne and playe? I wyll not holde you longe wyth examples, seynge it is easye by one to coniecture all. ¶ The master shall be diligent in chosynge them oute, and what he shall iudge moste pleasaunt to chyldren, most mete for them, what they loue best, and is most floryshyng, that inespecially let hym set before them. The fyrste age lyke vnto the spring tyme, standeth in pleasaunt sweete flowres, and goodly grene herbes, vntyl the heruest time of ripe mans age fyll the barne full of corne. ¶ Then as it were agaynst reason in ver or springe tyme to seeke for a rype grape, and a rose in autumne, [Sidenote: Autumne is the tyme betwyxt somer and wynter.] so muste the master marke what is mete for euerye age. Mery and plesaunte thynges be conueniente for chyldehod, howbeit all sourenesse and sadnes muste be cleane awaye from all studies. [Sidenote: The meaning of y^e poetes deuise touching the muses & Charites.] And I am deceyued except the olde men ment that also, whyche ascribed to the muses beynge virgins, excellent bewtye, harpe, songes, daunses, and playes in the pleasaunt fieldes, and ioyned to them as felowes the Ladies of loue: and that increase of studies dyd stande specially in mutual loue of myndes, and therefore the olde men called it the lernyng that perteined to man. And ther is no cause why profite maye not folowe pleasure, and honestie ioyned to delectacion. [Sidenote: Wherfore lernyng is called humanitie] For what letteth that they shulde not lerne eyther a proper fable, arte of poets, or a sentence, or a notable prety hystorie, or a learned tale, as well as they lerne and can wythout boke a piuyshe songe, and oftẽtimes a baudy one to, & folishe old wiues tatlynges, & very trifles of triflyng womẽ? What a sũme of dreames, vaine ryddels, and vnprofitable trifles of spirites, hobgoblines, fayries, witches, nightmares wood men and gyauntes, how manye naughty lies, how many euyll sayings remember wee, yea euen when we be men, whych beyng lytle chyldrẽ we lerned of our dadies, graũdmothers, nurses, & maydens whyle they were spynnynge, and heard thẽ when they kissed & plaied wyth vs? And what a profite shuld it haue bene to lernynge, if in stede of these moste vaine garringes, not only folyshe, but also hurtfull, wee had lerned those thynges that we rehearsed a litle before. Thou wylt saye, what lerned man wyll lowly hys wyt to these so small thynges? Yet Aristotle hym selfe beynge so greate a philosopher was not greued to take vpon hym the office of a teacher, to instruct Alexander. ¶ Chiron fashioned the infancy of Achilles, and Phenix succeded hym. Hely the priest brought vp y^e childe Samuell. And ther be now a daies whych eyther for a lytle money, or for theyr plesure take almost more payne in teachyng a pye or a popiniay. There be some that for deuocions sake take vpon them iourneys that both be farre of and ieoperdeous, and other laboures besyde almost intollerable. Why dothe not holynes cause vs to do thys office seynge nothyng can please god better? Howbeit in teachinge those thynges that we haue rehearsed, the master must neyther be to much callyng vpon, neither to sharpe: but vse a continuaunce rather then be wythout measure. Continuaunce hurteth not so it be mesurable, & spiced also wyth varietie and plesaũtnes. Finally if these thynges be so taught, that imaginaciõ of labour be awaye, and that the chylde do thynk al thinges be done in playe. Here the course of our talkyng putteth vs in remẽbraunce briefely to shewe by what meanes it maye be brought to passe that lernyng shuld waxe swete vnto the chylde, [Sidenote: How learnyng may be made swete vnto y^e chyld.] which before we somwhat touched. To be able to speake redely, as I told you is easely gotten by vse. After thys cõmeth the care to reade and write whych of it selfe is somwhat tedious, but the griefe is taken awaye a great parte by the cũnyng handling of the master, if it be sauced w^t some pleasaunt allurementes. For you shall fynde some whych tarye long and take great paine in knowyng & ioynynge their letters & in those fyrst rudimẽtes of grammer, whẽ they wyl quyckely lerne greater thyngs. The yrksõnes of these thinges must be holpẽ by some pretie craft, of the which y^e old fathers haue shewed certẽ fashions. Some haue made the letters in sweete crustes and cakes that chyldren loue well, that so in manner they myghte eate vp their letters. ¶ When they tell the letters name, they geue the letter it selfe for a rewarde. Other haue made the fashion of iuorie, that the chylde shulde playe wyth them, or if there were any other thyng wherin that age is specially delited. [Sidenote: The practise of a certen englishe man to teache hys chyld hys letters by shootyng.] The englyshe mẽ delyte principally in shotynge, and teache it their chyldren fyrst of all: wherefore a certen father that had a good quicke wyt perceiuinge his sonne to haue a greate pleasure in shotyng, bought hym a prety bowe & very fayr arrowes, & in al partes both of hys bowe & arrowes were letters painted. Afterwards insted of markes, he set vp the fashiõ of leters, fyrste of Greke, and after of latẽ: when he hyt, & tolde the name of the letter, besyde a greate reioysinge, he had for a reward a cherye, or some other thynge that chyldrẽ delyte in. Of that playe commeth more fruite, if two or thre matches playe together. For then the hope of victorie and feare of rebuke maketh them to take more heede, and to be more chereful. By thys deuise it was broughte aboute that the chylde wythin a fewe days playing, had perfitely lerned to know & sound all hys letters whych ye cõmõ sort of teachers be scarse able to brynge to passe in thre whole yeres whyth their beatynges threatyngs, and brawlynges. Yet do not I alowe the diligence of some to painful, whych drawe out these thyngs by playinge at chesses or dyce. For when the playes them selues passe the capacitie of chyldren, how shal they lerne the letters by them? ¶ This is not to helpe the chyldrens wyttes, but to put one labour to an other. As there be certen engins so full of worke and so curious, that they hynder the doynge of the busines. Of thys sorte commonly be all those thynges whych some haue deuised of the arte of memorye for to gette money, or for a vayne boastynge, rather then for profite: for they do rather hurte the memorye. [Sidenote: The beste craft for memmorie.] The best crafte for memorie, is thorowlye to vnderstande, and then to brynge into an order, last of al oftẽ to repete that thou woldest remember. And in litleons there is a natural great desyre to haue the mastry inespecially of suche as be of lustye courage, and lyuely towardnes. ¶ The teacher shall abuse these inclinacions to the profite of hys study. If he shall profite nothing by prayers, and fayre meanes, neyther by gyftes mete for chyldren, nor prayses, he shal make a contencion with hys equales. Hys felowe shall be praysed in the presẽce of the duller. Desyre to be as good shall quicken forwardes, whom only adhortacion coulde not do. Yet it is not meete so to geue the mastrie to the victor, as thoughe he shulde haue it for euer: but somtime he shall shewe hope to hym that is ouercome, that by takyng hede he may recouer y^e shame: whych thynge capteyns be wonte to dooe in batayle. And sometyme we shall suffer that the chyld shuld thynke he hadde gotten the better, when he is worse in deede. Finally by enterchaungyng, prayse and disprayse, he shall noryshe in them, as Hesiodus sayth, a stryfe who shall do best. Perchaunce one of a sadde wyt wyl be loth so to play the child among chyldren. And yet the same is not greued, neyther yet ashamed to spende a greate parte of the day in playing wyth little puppies and marmesettes, or to babble wyth a pie or popiniay, or to play the foole wyth a foole. By these tryfles, a verye sadde matter is broughte to passe, and it is meruell that good men haue litle pleasure herein, seeing y^t natural loue of our children, and hope of great profit is wunt to make those thynges also pleasaũte, whyche of them selues be sharpe, sowre and bytter. I confesse that the preceptes of grammer be at the beginnynge somewhat sowre, and more necessary then pleasant. But the handsomnes of the teacher shal take from them also a greate parte of the payne. The beste thynge and playnest muste be taughte fyrste. ¶ But nowe wyth what compasses, and hardenesse be chyldren troubeled whyle they learne wythout the booke the names of the letters before they knowe what manner letters they bee?

¶ Whyle they be compelled in the declinynge of nownes and verbes to can by roote in howe manye cases, moodes and tenses one worde is put: as muse in the genetiue and datiue singuler, the nominatiue and vocatiue plurel? Legeris of legor, and of legerim, and legero? What a beatyng is thẽ in the schole, whẽ chyldren be axed these thynges? ¶ Some light teachers to boast their lerynge are wonte of purpose to make these thynges somewhat harder. Whyche faute maketh the beginnynges almost of all sciences in doute, and paynfull, specially in logicke. And if you shewe them a better waye, they answere they were brought vp after thys fashion, and wyll not suffer that anye chyldren shulde be in better case, then they them selues were when they were chyldren. All difficultye eyther therefore muste be auoided, whyche is not necessarye, or that is vsed oute of tyme. It is made softe and easy, that is done whẽ it shuld be. But when tyme is, that of necessitie an harde doute muste be learned, than a cunnynge teacher of a childe shall studye as muche as he may to folowe the good and frendlye Phisicians, [Sidenote: A good schol master in teachyng, muste folow a phisicion in medicines.] whych whan they shalt gyue a bytter medicyne do anoyut, as Lucrecius faith, the brimmes of their cuppes with honye, that the chylde entised by pleasure of the swetenes shuld not feare the wholesome bytternes, or else put suger into y^e medicine it selfe, or some other swete sauoryng thynge. Yea they wyl not be knowen that it is a medicine, for the only imaginacion sometyme maketh vs quake for feare. Finally thys tediousenes is sone ouercome, if things be taught them not to much at once, but by lytle and litle, and at sundrie times. Howebeit we ought not to distrust to much chyldrens strength, if perhaps they muste take some paines. A chyld is not myghty in strength of bodye, but he is stronge to continue, and in abilitie strong inough. He is not myghty as a bull, but he is strong as an emet. [Sidenote: Note the sentence.] In some thinges a flye passeth an elephant. Euerye thyng is mighty in that, to the whyche nature hathe made hym. Do we not se tender chyldren rũne merueylouse swyftlye all the daye long, and feele no werinesse. What is the cause? Because playe is fitte for that age, and they imagine it a playe and no labour. And in euerye thynge the gretest part of payne is imaginacion, whych somtyme maketh vs feele harme, when there is no harme at all. Therefore seynge that the prouidence of nature hath taken awaye imaginacion of laboure from chyldren, And howe muche they lacke in strengthe, so muche they be holpen in thys part, that is, that they feele not labour, It shal be the masters parte, as we sayde before, to put away the same by as many wayes as he can, and of purpose to make a playe of it. ¶ There be also certen kindes of sportes meete for chyldren, wherwyth theyr earnest studye must somwhat be eased after they be come to that, they muste lerne those higher thynges whyche can not be perceiued wythoute diligence and laboure: as are the handling of Themes, to turne latine into Greeke, or greeke into latine, or to learne cosmographie wythout booke. But moste of all shall profite, if the chylde accustume to loue and reuerence hys master, to loue and make muche of learnyng, to feare rebuke, and delyght in prayse. [Sidenote: The last obieccion touching the profit of y^e chyld in his young yeres.] There remayneth one doute, wonte to be obiected by those whych saye: The profite that the chylde getteth in those thre or foure yeres to be so lytle, that it is not worthe the laboure, eyther to take so muche payne in teachynge, or bestowe so much coste. And these in dede seme vnto me, not so muche to care for to profite the chyldren, as for the sparyng of theyr money, or the teachers labour. But I wyl saye he is no father, whyche when the matter is of teaching his child, taketh so greate care for expenses. Also it is a folyshe pitie, to thintent the master shuld saue his labour, to make his sonne lose certen yeres. I graunt it to be true indede y^t Fabius sayth, y^t more good is done in .i. yere after, then in these .iii. or .iiii. why shuld we set light by this litle y^t is won in a thyng far more precious. Let vs graunt that it is but a very lytle, yet were it better the chylde to do it, then eyther nothyng at al, or lerne somewhat that after muste be vnlerned. Wyth what businesse shall that age be better occupied as sone as he beginneth to speake, whiche in no wyse can be vnoccupied? Also how lytle soeuer it be that the former age doth bringe, yet shal the chylde lerne greater thynges, euen in the same yeres, when smaller shuld haue ben lerned, if he had not lerned them before. Thys sayth Fabius, euery yere furthered and increased profiteth to a great summe and as much tyme as is taken before in the infancie, is gotten to the elder age. It nedeth not to rehearse that in those first yeres certen thinges be easely lerned, which be more hard to be lerned whẽ we be elder. For it is very easely lerned, that is lerned in time conueniente. Let vs graunt that they be small and litle thynges, so we confesse them to be necessarye. Yet to me in deede it semeth not so litle a furtheraunce to lerning to haue gotten though not a perfit knowledge, yet at the least waye a taste of bothe the tongues, besydes so many vocables and names of thinges, and finally to haue begun to be able to reade and write prõptly. It greueth vs not in thinges much more vile, to gette all the vauntage we can, be it neuer so lytle. A diligente marchaunt setteth not light bi winning of a farthing, thinkyng thus in hys mynde: it is in dede of it selfe but a litle, but it groweth to a summe, and a litle often put to a lytle, wyll quyckelye make a great heape. The Smithes ryse before daye, to wyn as it were parte of the day. Husband men vpon the holy daye do some thynges at home, to make an ende of more worke the other dayes. And do we regarde as nothyng the losse of .iiii. yeres in oure chyldren, when there is nothyng more costly then tyme, nor no possession better thẽ lerning? It is neuer lerned tymely inoughe that neuer is ended. For we muste euer learne as longe as we lyue. ¶ And in other thyngs the lucre that is loste by slackenes, maye be recouered by diligence. Time whẽ it is once flowen awaye (and it flyeth awaye very quickely) may be called againe by no inchauntmentes. For the poets do trifle whyche tell of a fountayne, wherby olde men do as it were waxe yong agayne: and the phisicions deceiue you, whych promise a gay floryshyng youth to old men thorowe a certeyn folishe fyft essence I wote not what. Here therfore we ought to be verye sparyng, because the losse of tyme may by no meanes be recouered. Beside this the fyrst part of our lyfe is coũted to be best, and therfore shuld be bestowed more warelye. Hesiodus aloweth not sparynge, neyther at the hyest, nor at the lowest, because when the tunne is full it semeth to hasty, and to late when it is spente: and therefore byddeth vs spare in the myddes. But of tyme we muste nowher cast away the sparing, and if we shuld spare when the tunne is ful for thys cause that wyne is best in the myddest, then shulde we most of all saue our yonge yeres, because it is the best parte of the life, if you exercise it, but yet y^t goeth swyftest awaye. The husbande manne if he be anye thynge diligente, wyll not suffer anye parte of hys lande to lye vacante, and that that is not meete to brynge forthe corne, he setteth it eyther wyth yonge graffes, or leaueth it to pasture, or storeth it wyth potte hearbes. And shall we suffer the beste parte of our lyfe to passe awaye wyth oute all fruite of lerning? Newe falowed ground must be preuented wyth some fruitfull thynge, leste beynge vntylled, it brynge forthe of it selfe naughty cockle. For needes muste it brynge forthe somewhat. Lykewyse the tender mynde of the infante, except it bee strayghte wayes occupyed wyth fruitefull teachynges, it wyl be ouercoued wyth vyce. An earthen potte wyll keepe longe the sauoure of the liquore that it is fyrste seasoned wyth, and it wyll be long or it go out. But as for an earthen vessell beynge newe and emptye, you maye keepe it for what liquore ye wyll.

¶ The mynde eyther bryngeth forth good fruite, if you caste into it good seede, or if ye regard it not, it is fylled wyth naughtines, whych afterwardes must be pulled vp. And not a litle hath he wonne whyche hathe escaped the losse, neyther hathe he brought small helpe to vertue, whiche hath excluded vyce. But what nede many wordes? Wylt thou see howe muche it auayleth, whether one be brought vp in learnynge or not? Beholde how excellently lerned in the olde tyme men were in their youth, and how in oure daies they that be aged be hable to do nothyng in studie? [Sidenote: Ouide.] Ouide beyng a verye yonge man wrot hys verses of loue. What olde man is hable to do lyke? [Sidenote: Lucane.] What maner of man Lucane was in hys youth hys workes declare. Howe came thys? Because that beynge but .vi. moneths old he was brought to Rome, & strayght waie deliuered to be taught of two the best gramarians, Palemõ, and Cornutus. [Sidenote: Bassus.] Hys companions in studye were Salcius Bassus, and Aulus Persius: [Sidenote: Persius.] that one excellente in historye, that other in a Satyre.

Doubtles hereof cam that most perfite knoweledge that he had in all the seuen sciences, & his so marueylous eloquence, that in verse he was both an excellente oratoure, & also a Poet. In thys our time ther wãteth not exemples of good bringing vp (although thei be veri few) & y^t as wel in womẽ as mẽ. Politiã praised y^e wit of y^e maidẽ Cassãdra. ¶ And what is more marueylous thã Vrsinus a childe of .xii. yeres olde? for the remẽbraunce of him, he also in a very eligãte epistle put in eternall memorye. How fewe men shal you nowe fynd, whiche at one time be able to endite two epistles to so manye notaries, that the sẽtence in euerye one do agree, and that there shoulde happen no inconueniente speache. That chylde did it in fyue epistles & gaue the argumentes w^tout any study, & was not prepared afore hãd to do it. Some men when they se these things, thinking that thei passe al mens strength, ascribe it to witchcraft. It is done in dede by witchcrafte, but it is an effectual enchaũting, to be set in time to a learned, good, and vigilant master. It is a stronge medicine to learne the best things of learned men, and emonge the learned.

[Sidenote: Alexander.] By such wytchcrafte Alexander the greate, whan he was a yonge man, besides eloquence, was perfit in al the parts of Philosophie, and except the loue of warres, & swetenes to raygne had quite raught away his inclinaciõ, he might haue bene counted the chiefe among the beste Philosophers. By the same meanes Caius Cesar beinge but a yonge man, was so eloquent & wel sene in the mathematical sciences. So well sene also were many Emperors: Marcus Tullius, also Virgil, and Horace in their lusty youth were so excellent in learninge and Eloquence, all bycause they were strayght waye in their tender age learned of their parentes & nourses the elegancy of the tonges, and of the beste maisters the liberal sciences: as Poetry, Rhetorique, Histories, the knowledge of antiquities, Arithmetique, Geographye, Philosophye, moral and political. And what do we I praye you? wee kepe our children at home till they be past fourtene or fiftene yere old, and whan they be corrupted wyth idlenes, ryot, & delicatenes, with muche worke at the laste we sende them to the cõmen scholes. There to further y^e matter wel, they taste a little grammer: after, whan they can declyne words, & ioyne the adiectiue and the substãtiue togither, they haue learned al the grammer, and thã be set to that troubled Logike, wher they must forget againe if they haue learned to speake anie thynge well. But more vnhappye was the tyme whan I was a child whiche al to vexed the youth with modes of signifiinge, and other folyshe questions, & teching nothinge els then to speake folishelye. Verely those masters bicause they wold not be thought to teach folish thinges, darckened grammer wyth difficulties of Logike and Metaphisike: euen for this verelye, that afterwardes they shold returne backwardelye to learne grammer, whã they were olde, which we see happeneth nowe to some diuines that be wyser, that after so manye hye degrees and all their titles, wherby they maye be ignoraunte in nothing, they be faine to come againe to those bookes, which are wonte to be reade vnto children. I blame thẽ not, for it is better to lerne late then neuer, that thing which is necessary to be knowen.

Good Lorde what a world was that, whan wyth greate boastynge Iohn Garlandes verses wer read to yonge men, and that with longe and painefull commentaries? whã a greate parte of tyme was consumed in folyshe verses, in saying thẽ to other, repetynge them, and hearynge theim agayne? whan Florista and Florius were learned without booke? for as for Alexander, I thynke him worthye to be receiued amonge the meaner sorte. Moreouer howe muche tyme was loste in Sophistrye, and in the superfluous mases of Logyke? And bicause I will not be to longe, howe troublesomelye were all sciences taughte? howe paynefully? whiles euerye reader to auaunce him selfe, wolde euen straighte waye in the begynninge stuffe in the hardest thynges of all, and sometyme verye folyshe thyngs to. For a thyng is not therfore goodly bycause it is harde, as to stand a far of, and to caste a mustarde seede thorowe a nedles eye & misse not, it is hard in dede, but yet it is a verye trifle: and to vndo a payre of tariers, it is much worke, but yet a vayne and idle subilltye.

Adde here vnto, that oftentymes these thynges be taught of vnlearned men, and that is worse, of lewd learned men, somtyme also of sluggardes and vnthriftes, which more regarde takynge of money thã the profite of their scholers. Whã the commune bryngynge vp is suche, yet do wee maruayle that fewe be perfitly learned before they be old. [Sidenote: Nota.] The beste parte of oure lyfe is loste wyth idlenes, with vices, wherewith whan we be infected, we giue a litle parte of our tyme to studies, and a greate parte to feastes and plaies. And to an yll matter is taken as euil a craftes manne, either teachynge that is folyshe, or that whiche must be vnlearned againe. And after this we make our excuse that the age is weake, the wyt not yet apte to learne, the profite to be verye small, and manye other thinges, whan in dede the fault is to be ascribed to euill brynginge vp. I wil not trouble you any lẽger, onelie wil I speake to your wisdome whyche is in other thynges verye sharpe and quycke of syght. [Sidenote: A goodli brief rehearsall of the thinges before spokẽ.] Consider howe deare a possession youre sonne is, howe diuerse a thynge it is and a matter of muche worke to come by learnynge, and how noble also the same is, what a redines is in all childrens wyttes to learne, what agilitie is in the mynd of mã howe easily those thynges be learned whyche be beste and agreable to nature, inespeciallye if they be taught of learned and gentle maisters by the waye of playe: further how fast those thynges abide with vs, wherew^t we season fyrste of all the emptye and rude myndes, whiche selfe thynges an elder age perceyueth boeth more hardelye, and soner forgetteth: Beside thys how dear and the losse neuer recouered, tyme is, howe much it auayleth to begin in seasõ, and to learne euery thyng whan it shold be, how much continuaunce is able to do, & howe greately the heape that Hesiodus speaketh of, doeth increase by puttinge to little and litle, how swiftly the time flieth away, how youth wyll alwayes be occupied, & howe vnapte olde age is to be taught: If thou consyder these thynges thou wilt neuer suffer that thi litle child shoulde passe away (I wil not say) seuen yere, but not so much as thre dayes, in the whiche he maye be eyther prepared or in- structed to learnynge though the profit be neuer so litle.

FINIS.

¶ Impryn-
ted at London by Iohn Day,
dwellinge ouer Aldersgate, beneth
saint Martyns. And are to be sold
at his shop by the litle conduit
in Chepesyde at the sygne
of the Resurrec-
tion.

Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum
solum. Per septennium.

* * * * *
* * * *
* * * * *

_Paragraphs_

Some paragraph breaks in this e-text are conjectural. The printed book had the following kinds of breaks:

--conventional paragraph with indented first line
--unambiguous paragraph with non-indented first line
--ambiguous paragraph: previous line ends with blank space, but the
space is not large enough to contain the first syllable of the
following line
--sentence break corresponds to line break: this happens randomly in
any printed book, and only becomes ambiguous when the book also has
non-indented paragraphs

In this e-text, the second type of paragraph is marked with a pilcrow ¶. The third type has a pilcrow ¶ but no paragraph break. The fourth type is not marked.

_Errors and Inconsistencies_ (Noted by Transcriber)

Unless otherwise noted, spelling and punctuation are unchanged.

Spelling:

The pattern of initial “v”, non-initial “u” is followed consistently.
The spelling “they” is more common than “thei”.
The form “then” is normally used for both “then” and “than”;
“than” is rare.
The most common spelling is “wyll”, but “wyl”, “wil” and “will”
also occur.

Word Division:

Line-end hyphens were completely arbitrary; words split at line break were hyphenated about two-thirds of the time. The presence or absence of a hyphen has not been noted. Hyphenless words at line-end were joined or separated depending on behavior elsewhere in the text:

Always one word (re-joined at line break):
som(e)what, without, afterward(e)s
Usually one word: often()times, what()so()euer
One or two words: an()other
Usually two words: it/him/my.. self/selues; shal()be;
straight()way
Always two words: here to

Roman Numerals:

Numbers were printed with leading and following .period. When the number came at the beginning or end of a line, the “outer” period was sometimes omitted. These have been silently supplied for consistency.

Notes:

what soeuer is tolde in the oracion be shewed him in a table.
[_in context, “table” looks like an error for either “tale” or
“fable”, but it means picture (Latin _tabula_)_]
the grekes says dracontes in the genitiue case
[_Latin _draco, draconis_;
Greek δρακων, δρακοντος (_drakôn, drakontos_)_]

Errors:

what plante wyll bee as the owener or [or or]
They lerne to loke fierslie, the learne to loue the swearde
[_text unchanged: “the” error for “they/thei”?_]
What thynke ye then is to be looked for [is to de]
a yonge man behauinge hym selfe [behaninge]
Straight waye the colt of a lusty courage [Sraight]
so be there also of sciences.
[_text has “sci-/cences” at line break_]
were not made by Hesiodus. [_final . missing_]
thought it to be of Hesiodus doing. [_final . missing_]
And hẽce we ought [hece]
things y^t be naught. [_final . missing_]
Nowe is thys theyr onlye care [_one printing has “thyer”_]
dayntines hathe perswaded vs to comune this office
[_one printing has “commit”_]
more easelye by feare, that one brought vp
[_text unchanged: “that” error for “then/than”?_]
hym to whome he committed the chyefe rule of hys colledge, surnamed
of the thynge [_text unchanged_]
theyr seruauntes, and their threatnynges, [threatnynges,,]
After suche daynties, they exercysed suche lozdelynes.
[_text unchanged: “z” may be intended for some other letter_]
When the sicknes of the body was somewhat put away [sickens]
these things be alowed of suche as haue [suche is]
But if he be of hye degre [_“if” invisible in one printing_]
I wil braule no more [wll]
fayries, witches, nightmares wood men and gyauntes
[_punctuation unchanged_]
that so in manner they myghte eate vp their letters
[_final “t” in “that” invisible_]
of laboure from chyldren, And howe muche [_punctuation unchanged_]
they feele not labour, It shal be the masters parte
[_punctuation unchanged_]
a thyng far more precious. Let vs
[_text has “preci-//Let” at page break; “ous” supplied from
catchword_]
it wyl be ouercoued wyth vyce
[_text unchanged: error for “overcouered”?_]

End of Project Gutenberg's The Education of Children, by Desiderius Erasmus