Chapter I: Part 1

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THE

_SCHOLEMASTER_

_Or plaine and perfite way of tea-
chyng children, to vnderstand, write, and
speake, the Latin tong, but specially purposed
for the priuate brynging vp of youth in Ientle-
men and Noble mens houses, and commodious
also for all such, as haue forgot the Latin
tonge, and would, by themselues, with-
out a Scholemaster, in short tyme,
and with small paines, recouer a
sufficient habilitie, to vnder-
stand, write, and
speake Latin._

By Roger Ascham.

_An._ 1570.

_AT LONDON._

Printed by Iohn Daye, dwelling
ouer Aldersgate.

_Cum Gratia & Priuilegio Regiæ Maiestatis,
per Decennium._

[page intentionally blank]

To the honorable Sir William

Cecill Knight, principall Secretarie to

the Quenes most excellent Maiestie.

_SOndry and reasonable be the causes why learned men haue vsed
to offer and dedicate such workes as they put abrode, to some
such personage as they thinke fittest, either in respect of abilitie of
defense, or skill for iugement, or priuate regard of kindenesse and
dutie. Euery one of those considerations, Syr, moue me of right to
offer this my late husbands_ M. Aschams _worke vnto you. For
well remembryng how much all good learnyng oweth vnto you for
defense therof, as the Vniuersitie of Cambrige, of which my said
late husband was a member, haue in chosing you their worthy
Chaunceller acknowledged, and how happily you haue spent your
time in such studies & caried the vse therof to the right ende, to
the good seruice of the Quenes Maiestie and your contrey to all our
benefites, thyrdly how much my sayd husband was many wayes
bound vnto you, and how gladly and comfortably he vsed in hys lyfe
to recognise and report your goodnesse toward hym, leauyng with me
then hys poore widow and a great sort of orphanes a good comfort in
the hope of your good continuance, which I haue truly found to me
and myne, and therfore do duely and dayly pray for you and
yours: I could not finde any man for whose name this booke was
more agreable for hope [of] protection, more mete for submission to
iudgement, nor more due for respect of worthynesse of your part and
thankefulnesse of my husbandes and myne. Good I trust it shall do,
as I am put in great hope by many very well learned that can well
iudge therof. Mete therefore I compt it that such good as my
husband was able to doe and leaue to the common weale, it should_

174 _Preface._

_be receiued vnder your name, and that the world should owe thanke
therof to you, to whom my husband the authour of it was for good
receyued of you, most dutiefully bounden. And so besechyng you, to
take on you the defense of this booke, to auaunce the good that may
come of it by your allowance and furtherance to publike vse and
benefite, and to accept the thankefull recognition of me and my poore
children, trustyng of the continuance of your good me-
morie of_ M. Ascham _and his, and dayly commen-
dyng the prosperous estate of you and yours to
God whom you serue and whoes you
are, I rest to trouble you._
Your humble Margaret
Ascham.

_A Præface to the
Reader._

WHen the great plage was at London, the yeare 1563.
the Quenes Maiestie Queene _Elizabeth_, lay at her
Castle of Windsore: Where, vpon the 10. day of December,
it fortuned, that in Sir _William Cicells_ chamber, hir Highnesse
Principall Secretarie, there dined togither these personages,
M. Secretarie him selfe, Syr _William Peter_, Syr _J. Mason_,
D. _Wotton_, Syr _Richard Sackuille_ Treasurer of the Exchecker,
Syr _Walter Mildmaye_ Chauncellor of the Exchecker, M.
_Haddon_ Master of Requestes, M. _John Astely_ Master of the
Iewell house, M. _Bernard Hampton_, M. _Nicasius_, and _J_.
Of which number, the most part were of hir Maiesties most
honourable priuie Counsell, and the reast seruing hir in verie
good place. I was glad than, and do reioice yet to remember,
that my chance was so happie, to be there that day, in the
companie of so manie wise & good men togither, as hardly
than could haue beene piked out againe, out of all England
beside.
M. Secretarie hath this accustomed maner, though his head
be neuer so full of most weightie affaires of the Realme, yet, at
diner time he doth seeme to lay them alwaies aside: and findeth
euer fitte occasion to taulke pleasantlie of other matters,
but most gladlie of some matter of learning: wherein, he will
curteslie heare the minde of the meanest at his Table.
Not long after our sitting doune, I haue strange newes
brought me, sayth M. Secretarie, this morning, that diuerse
Scholers of Eaton, be runne awaie from the
Schole, for feare of beating. Whereupon, M. //M. _Secreta-_
Secretarie tooke occasion, to wishe, that some //_rie._

176 _A Præface to the Reader._

more discretion were in many Scholemasters, in vsing correction,
than commonlie there is. Who many times, punishe rather,
the weakenes of nature, than the fault of the Scholer. Whereby,
many Scholers, that might else proue well, be driuen to hate
learning, before they knowe, what learning meaneth: and so,
are made willing to forsake their booke, and be glad to be put
to any other kinde of liuing.
M. _Peter_, as one somewhat seuere of nature, said plainlie,
M. _Peter._ // that the Rodde onelie, was the sworde, that must
keepe, the Schole in obedience, and the Scholer
M. _Wotton._ // in good order. M. _Wotton_, á man milde of nature,
with soft voice, and fewe wordes, inclined to M. Secretaries
iudgement, and said, in mine opinion, the Schole-
Ludus li- // house should be in deede, as it is called by name,
terarum. // the house of playe and pleasure, and not of feare
_Plato_ de // and bondage: and as I do remember, so saith
Rep. 7. // _Socrates_ in one place of _Plato_. And therefore,
if a Rodde carie the feare of à Sworde, it is no maruell, if those
that be fearefull of nature, chose rather to forsake the Plaie,
than to stand alwaies within the feare of a Sworde in a fonde
mans handling. M. _Mason_, after his maner, was
M. _Mason._ // verie merie with both parties, pleasantlie playing,
both, with the shrewde touches of many courste boyes, and with
the small discretion of many leude Scholemasters. M. _Haddon_
was fullie of M. _Peters_ opinion, and said, that
M. _Haddon._ // the best scholemaster of our time, was the
greatest beater, and named the Person. Though, quoth I, it
was his good fortune, to send from his Schole,
The Author of // vnto the Vniuersitie, one of the best Scholers in
this booke. // deede of all our time, yet wise men do thinke,
that that came so to passe, rather, by the great towardnes of the
Scholer, than by the great beating of the Master: and whether
this be true or no, you your selfe are best witnes. I said
somewhat farder in the matter, how, and whie, yong children,
were soner allured by loue, than driuen by beating, to atteyne
good learning: wherein I was the bolder to say my minde,
bicause M. Secretarie curteslie prouoked me thereunto: or else,
in such à companie, and namelie in his præsence, my wonte is,
to be more willing, to vse mine eares, than to occupie my
tonge.

_A Præface to the Reader._ 177

Syr _Walter Mildmaye_, M. _Astley_, and the rest, said verie
litle: onelie Syr _Rich. Sackuill_, said nothing at all. After dinner
I went vp to read with the Queenes Maiestie. We red than
togither in the Greke tongue, as I well remember. // Demost.
that noble Oration of _Demosthenes_ against _æschines_, // peri pa-
for his false dealing in his Ambassage to king // rapresb.
_Philip_ of Macedonie. Syr _Rich. Sackuile_ came vp sone after: and
finding me in hir Maiesties priuie chamber, he // Syr _R._
tooke me by the hand, & carying me to à // _Sackuiles_
windoe, said, M. _Ascham_, I would not for à good // communi-
deale of monie, haue bene, this daie, absent from // cation with
diner. Where, though I said nothing, yet I gaue // the Author
as good eare, and do consider as well the taulke, // of this
that passed, as any one did there. M. Secretarie said very // booke.
wisely, and most truely, that many yong wittes be driuen to
hate learninge, before they know what learninge is. I can be
good witnes to this my selfe: For à fond Scholemaster, before
I was fullie fourtene yeare olde, draue me so, with feare of
beating, from all loue of learninge, as nowe, when I know, what
difference it is, to haue learninge, and to haue litle, or none at
all, I feele it my greatest greife, and finde it my greatest hurte,
that euer came to me, that it was my so ill chance, to light
vpon so lewde à Scholemaster. But seing it is but in vain, to
lament thinges paste, and also wisdome to looke to thinges to
cum, surely, God willinge, if God lend me life, I will make
this my mishap, some occasion of good hap, to litle _Robert
Sackuile_ my sonnes sonne. For whose bringinge vp, I would
gladlie, if it so please you, vse speciallie your good aduice. I
heare saie, you haue à sonne, moch of his age: we wil deale thus
togither. Point you out à Scholemaster, who by your order,
shall teache my sonne and yours, and for all the rest, I will
prouide, yea though they three do cost me a couple of hundred
poundes by yeare: and beside, you shall finde me as fast à
Frend to you and yours, as perchance any you haue. Which
promise, the worthie Ientleman surelie kept with me, vntill his
dying daye.
We had than farther taulke togither, of bringing vp of
children: of the nature, of quicke, and hard wittes: // The cheife
of the right choice of à good witte: of Feare, and // pointes of
loue in teachinge children. We passed from // this booke.

178 _A Præface to the Reader._

children and came to yonge men, namely, Ientlemen: we
taulked of their to moch libertie, to liue as they lust: of their
letting louse to sone, to ouer moch experience of ill, contrarie to
the good order of many good olde common welthes of the
Persians and Grekes: of witte gathered, and good fortune
gotten, by some, onely by experience, without learning. And
lastlie, he required of me verie earnestlie, to shewe, what I
thought of the common goinge of Englishe men into Italie.
But, sayth he, bicause this place, and this tyme, will not suffer
so long taulke, as these good matters require, therefore I pray
you, at my request, and at your leysure, put in some order of
writing, the cheife pointes of this our taulke, concerning the
right order of teachinge, and honestie of liuing, for the good
bringing vp of children & yong men. And surelie, beside
contentinge me, you shall both please and profit verie many
others. I made some excuse by lacke of habilitie, and weakenes
of bodie: well, sayth he, I am not now to learne, what you can
do. Our deare frende, good M. _Goodricke_, whose iudgement I
could well beleue, did once for all, satisfye me fullie therein.
Againe, I heard you say, not long agoe, that you may thanke
Syr _John Cheke_, for all the learninge you haue: And I know
verie well my selfe, that you did teach the Quene. And
therefore seing God did so blesse you, to make you the Scholer
of the best Master, and also the Scholemaster of the best
Scholer, that euer were in our tyme, surelie, you should please
God, benefite your countrie, & honest your owne name, if you
would take the paines, to impart to others, what you learned
of soch à Master, and how ye taught such à scholer. And, in
vttering the stuffe ye receiued of the one, in declaring the
order ye tooke with the other, ye shall neuer lacke, neither
matter, nor maner, what to write, nor how to write in this
kinde of Argument.
I beginning some farther excuse, sodeinlie was called to
cum to the Queene. The night following, I slept litle, my
head was so full of this our former taulke, and I so mindefull,
somewhat to satisfie the honest request of so deare à frend,
I thought to præpare some litle treatise for a New yeares gift
that Christmas. But, as it chanceth to busie builders, so, in
building thys my poore Scholehouse (the rather bicause the forme
of it is somewhat new, and differing from others) the worke

_A Præf ace to the Reader._ 179

rose dailie higher and wider, than I thought it would at the
beginninge.
And though it appeare now, and be in verie deede, but a
small cotage, poore for the stuffe, and rude for the workemanship,
yet in going forward, I found the site so good, as I was lothe to
giue it ouer, but the making so costlie, outreaching my habilitie,
as many tymes I wished, that some one of those three, my deare
frendes, with full pursses, Syr _Tho. Smithe_, M. // {_Smith._
_Haddon_, or M. _Watson_, had had the doing of it. // M. {_Haddon._
Yet, neuerthelesse, I my selfe, spending gladlie // {_Watson._
that litle, that I gatte at home by good Syr _Iohn_ // Syr_ I._
_Cheke_, and that that I borrowed abroad of my // _Cheke._
frend _Sturmius_, beside somewhat that was left me // _I. Sturmius._
in Reuersion by my olde Masters, _Plato, Aristotle_, // _Plato._
and _Cicero_, I haue at last patched it vp, as I could, // _Aristotle._
and as you see. If the matter be meane, and meanly handled, // _Cicero._
I pray you beare, both with me, and it: for neuer worke went
vp in worse wether, with mo lettes and stoppes, than this poore
Scholehouse of mine. Westminster Hall can beare some
witnesse, beside moch weakenes of bodie, but more trouble of
minde, by some such sores, as greue me to toche them my
selfe, and therefore I purpose not to open them to others.
And, in middes of outward iniuries, and inward cares, to
encrease them withall, good Syr _Rich. Sackuile_
dieth, that worthie Ientleman: That earnest // Syr _R._
fauorer and furtherer of Gods true Religion: // _Sackuill._
That faithfull Seruitor to his Prince and Countrie: A louer of
learning, & all learned men: Wise in all doinges: Curtesse to
all persons: shewing spite to none: doing good to many: and as
I well found, to me so fast à frend, as I neuer lost the like
before. Whan he was gone, my hart was dead. There was
not one, that woare à blacke gowne for him, who caried à
heuier hart for him, than I. Whan he was gone, I cast this
booke àwaie: I could not looke vpon it, but with weping eyes,
in remembring him, who was the onelie setter on, to do it, and
would haue bene, not onelie à glad commender of it, but also
à sure and certaine comfort, to me and mine, for it. Almost
two yeares togither, this booke lay scattered, and neglected,
and had bene quite giuen ouer of me, if the goodnesse of one
had not giuen me some life and spirite againe. God, the

180 _A Præface to the Reader._

mouer of goodnesse, prosper alwaies him & his, as he hath
many times comforted me and mine, and, I trust to God, shall
comfort more and more. Of whom, most iustlie I may saie,
and verie oft, and alwaies gladlie, I am wont to say, that
sweete verse of _Sophocles_, spoken by _Oedipus_ to worthie _Theseus_.

Soph. in // echo [gar] acho dia se, kouk allon broton.
Oed. Col. //

Thys hope hath helped me to end this booke: which, if he
allowe, I shall thinke my labours well imployed, and shall not
moch æsteme the misliking of any others. And I trust, he
shall thinke the better of it, bicause he shall finde the best part
thereof, to cum out of his Schole, whom he, of all men loued
and liked best.
Yet some men, frendly enough of nature, but of small
iudgement in learninge, do thinke, I take to moch paines, and
_Plato_ in // spend to moch time, in settinge forth these
initio // childrens affaires. But those good men were
Theagis. // neuer brought vp in _Socrates_ Schole, who saith
ou gar esti // plainlie, that no man goeth àbout à more godlie
peri otou // purpose, than he that is mindfull of the good
theioterou // bringing vp, both of hys owne, and other mens
anthropos // children.
an bouleu- //
saito, e // Therfore, I trust, good and wise men, will
peri pai- // thinke well of this my doing. And of other, that
deias, kai // thinke otherwise, I will thinke my selfe, they are
ton auton, // but men, to be pardoned for their follie, and
kai ton // pitied for their ignoraunce.
oikeion. //
In writing this booke, I haue had earnest respecte to three
speciall pointes, trothe of Religion, honestie in liuing, right order
in learning. In which three waies, I praie God, my poore
children may diligently waulke: for whose sake, as nature
moued, and reason required, and necessitie also somewhat
compelled, I was the willinger to take these paines.
For, seing at my death, I am not like to leaue them any
great store of liuing, therefore in my life time, I thought good
to bequeath vnto them, in this litle booke, as in my Will and
Testament, the right waie to good learning: which if they
followe, with the feare of God, they shall verie well cum to
sufficiencie of liuinge.
I wishe also, with all my hart, that yong M. _Rob. Sackuille_,

_A Præface to the Reader._ 181

may take that fructe of this labor, that his worthie Grauntfather
purposed he should haue done: And if any other do take, either
proffet, or pleasure hereby, they haue cause to thanke M.
_Robert Sackuille_, for whom speciallie this my Scholemaster was
prouided.
And one thing I would haue the Reader consider in
readinge this booke, that bicause, no Scholemaster hath charge
of any childe, before he enter into hys Schole, therefore I
leauing all former care, of their good bringing vp, to wise and
good Parentes, as à matter not belonging to the Scholemaster,
I do appoynt thys my Scholemaster, than, and there to begin,
where his office and charge beginneth. Which charge lasteth
not long, but vntill the Scholer be made hable to go to the
Vniuersitie, to procede in Logike, Rhetoricke, and other kindes
of learning.
Yet if my Scholemaster, for loue he beareth to hys
Scholer, shall teach hym somewhat for hys furtherance,
and better iudgement in learning, that may serue
him seuen yeare after in the Vniuersitie, he
doth hys Scholer no more wrong, nor de-
serueth no worse name therby, than he
doth in London, who sellinge silke
or cloth vnto his frend, doth
giue hym better measure,
than either hys pro-
mise or bargaine
was.

_Farewell in Christ._

_The first booke for the youth._

AFter the childe hath learned perfitlie the eight partes of
speach, let him then learne the right ioyning togither of
substantiues with adiectiues, the nowne with the verbe, the
relatiue with the antecedent. And in learninge farther hys
Syntaxis, by mine aduice, he shall not vse the common order
in common scholes, for making of latines: wherby, the childe
_Cic._ de // commonlie learneth, first, an euill choice of wordes,
Cla. or. // (and right choice of wordes, saith _Cæsar_, is the
foundation of eloquence) than, a wrong placing
of wordes: and lastlie, an ill framing of the sentence, with
a peruerse iudgement, both of wordes and sentences. These
Making of // faultes, taking once roote in yougthe, be neuer, or
Lattines // hardlie, pluckt away in age. Moreouer, there is
marreth // no one thing, that hath more, either dulled the
Children. // wittes, or taken awaye the will of children from
learning, then the care they haue, to satisfie their masters, in
making of latines.
For, the scholer, is commonlie beat for the making, when
the master were more worthie to be beat for the mending, or
rather, marring of the same: The master many times, being
as ignorant as the childe, what to saie properlie and fitlie to the
matter.
Two scholemasters haue set forth in print, either of them
_Horman._ // a booke, of soch kinde of latines, _Horman_ and
_Whitting-_ // _Whittington_.
_ton._ //
A childe shall learne of the better of them,
that, which an other daie, if he be wise, and cum to iudgement,
he must be faine to vnlearne againe.

_The first booke for the youth._ 183

There is a waie, touched in the first booke of _Cicero
De Oratore_, which, wiselie brought into scholes, // 1. _De Or._
truely taught, and constantly vsed, would not
onely take wholly away this butcherlie feare in making of
latines, but would also, with ease and pleasure, and in short
time, as I know by good experience, worke a true choice and
placing of wordes, a right ordering of sentences, an easie
vnderstandyng of the tonge, a readines to speake, a facultie to
write, a true iudgement, both of his owne, and other mens
doinges, what tonge so euer he doth vse.
The waie is this. After the three Concordances learned,
as I touched before, let the master read vnto hym the Epistles
of _Cicero_, gathered togither and chosen out by _Sturmius_, for
the capacitie of children.
First, let him teach the childe, cherefullie and plainlie, the
cause, and matter of the letter: then, let him
construe it into Englishe, so oft, as the childe may // The order
easilie carie awaie the vnderstanding of it: // of teaching.
Lastlie, parse it ouer perfitlie. This done thus, let the childe,
by and by, both construe and parse it ouer againe: so, that it
may appeare, that the childe douteth in nothing, that his
master taught him before. After this, the childe must take
a paper booke, and sitting in some place, where no man shall
prompe him, by him self, let him translate into Englishe his
former lesson. Then shewing it to his master,
let the master take from him his latin booke, and // Two pa-
pausing an houre, at the least, than let the childe // per bokes.
translate his owne Englishe into latin againe, in an other paper
booke. When the childe bringeth it, turned into latin, the
master must compare it with _Tullies_ booke, and laie them both
togither: and where the childe doth well, either in chosing, or
true placing of _Tullies_ wordes, let the master // Children
praise him, and saie here ye do well. For I // learne by
assure you, there is no such whetstone, to // prayse.
sharpen a good witte and encourage a will to learninge, as is
praise.
But if the childe misse, either in forgetting a worde, or in
chaunging a good with a worse, or misordering the sentence,
I would not haue the master, either froune, or chide with him,
if the childe haue done his diligence, and vsed no trewandship

184 _The first booke teachyng_

therein. For I know by good experience, that a childe shall
Ientlenes // take more profit of two fautes, ientlie warned of,
in teaching. // then of foure thinges, rightly hitt. For than, the
master shall haue good occasion to saie vnto him.
_N. Tullie_ would haue vsed such a worde, not this: _Tullie_
would haue placed this word here, not there: would haue vsed
this case, this number, this person, this degree, this gender: he
would haue vsed this moode, this tens, this simple, rather than
this compound: this aduerbe here, not there: he would haue
ended the sentence with this verbe, not with that nowne or
participle, etc.
In these fewe lines, I haue wrapped vp, the most tedious
part of Grammer: and also the ground of almost all the Rewles,
that are so busilie taught by the Master, and so hardlie learned
by the Scholer, in all common Scholes: which after this sort,
the master shall teach without all error, and the scholer shall
learne without great paine: the master being led by so sure
a guide, and the scholer being brought into so plaine and easie
a waie. And therefore, we do not contemne Rewles, but we
gladlie teach Rewles: and teach them, more plainlie, sensiblie,
and orderlie, than they be commonlie taught in common
Scholes. For whan the Master shall compare _Tullies_ booke
with his Scholers translation, let the Master, at the first,
lead and teach his Scholer, to ioyne the Rewles of his Grammer
booke, with the examples of his present lesson, vntill the
Scholer, by him selfe, be hable to fetch out of his Grammer,
euerie Rewle, for euerie Example: So, as the Grammer booke
be euer in the Scholers hand, and also vsed of him, as a
Dictionarie, for euerie present vse. This is a liuely and perfite
waie of teaching of Rewles: where the common waie, vsed in
common Scholes, to read the Grammer alone by it selfe, is
tedious for the Master, hard for the Scholer, colde and vn-
cumfortable for them bothe.
Let your Scholer be neuer afraide, to aske you any dout,
but vse discretlie the best allurements ye can, to encorage him
to the same: lest, his ouermoch fearinge of you, driue him
to seeke some misorderlie shifte: as, to seeke to be helped
by some other booke, or to be prompted by some other
Scholer, and so goe aboute to begile you moch, and him selfe
more.

_the brynging vp of youth._ 185

With this waie, of good vnderstanding the mater, plaine
construinge, diligent parsinge, dailie translatinge, cherefull
admonishinge, and heedefull amendinge of faultes: neuer
leauinge behinde iuste praise for well doinge, I would haue the
Scholer brought vp withall, till he had red, & translated ouer y^e
first booke of Epistles chosen out by _Sturmius_, with a good
peece of a Comedie of _Terence_ also.
All this while, by mine aduise, the childe shall vse to speake
no latine: For, as _Cicero_ saith in like mater, with like wordes,
_loquendo, male loqui discunt_. And, that excellent // Latin
learned man, _G. Budæus_, in his Greeke Com- // speakyng.
mentaries, sore complaineth, that whan he began // _G. Budæus._
to learne the latin tonge, vse of speaking latin at the table, and
elsewhere, vnaduisedlie, did bring him to soch an euill choice of
wordes, to soch a crooked framing of sentences, that no one
thing did hurt or hinder him more, all the daies of his life
afterward, both for redinesse in speaking, and also good iudge-
ment in writinge.
In very deede, if children were brought vp, in soch a house,
or soch a Schole, where the latin tonge were properlie and
perfitlie spoken, as _Tib._ and _Ca. Gracci_ were brought vp, in
their mother _Cornelias_ house, surelie, than the dailie vse of
speaking, were the best and readiest waie, to learne the latin
tong. But, now, commonlie, in the best Scholes in England,
for wordes, right choice is smallie regarded, true proprietie
whollie neglected, confusion is brought in, barbariousnesse is
bred vp so in yong wittes, as afterward they be, not onelie
marde for speaking, but also corrupted in iudgement: as with
moch adoe, or neuer at all, they be brought to right frame
againe.
Yet all men couet to haue their children speake latin: and
so do I verie earnestlie too. We bothe, haue one purpose: we
agree in desire, we wish one end: but we differ somewhat in
order and waie, that leadeth rightlie to that end. Other would
haue them speake at all aduentures: and, so they be speakinge,
to speake, the Master careth not, the Scholer knoweth not,
what. This is, to seeme, and not to bee: except it be, to be
bolde without shame, rashe without skill, full of words without
witte. I wish to haue them speake so, as it may well appeare,
that the braine doth gouerne the tonge, and that reason leadeth

186 _The first booke teachyng_

forth the taulke. _Socrates_ doctrine is true in _Plato_, and well
_Plato._ // marked, and truely vttered by _Horace_ in _Arte_
_Horat._ // _Poetica_, that, where so euer knowledge doth accom-
panie the witte, there best vtterance doth alwaies
awaite vpon the tonge: For, good vnderstanding must first be bred
Much wri- // in the childe, which, being nurished with skill, and
tyng bree- // vse of writing (as I will teach more largelie
deth ready // hereafter) is the onelie waie to bring him to
speakyng. // iudgement and readinesse in speakinge: and that
in farre shorter time (if he followe constantlie the trade of this
litle lesson) than he shall do, by common teachinge of the
common scholes in England.
But, to go forward, as you perceiue, your scholer to goe
better and better on awaie, first, with vnderstanding his lesson
more quicklie, with parsing more readelie, with translating
more spedelie and perfitlie then he was wonte, after, giue him
longer lessons to translate: and withall, begin to teach him,
The second // both in nownes, & verbes, what is _Proprium_, and
degree and // what is _Translatum_, what _Synonymum_, what
order in // _Diuersum_, which be _Contraria_, and which be
teachyng. // most notable _Phrases_ in all his lecture.
As:
_{Rex Sepultus est
Proprium. {magnificè.

{Cum illo principe,
Translatum. {Sepulta est & gloria
{et Salus Reipublicæ.

Synonyma. {Ensis, Gladius.
{Laudare, prædicare.

{Diligere, Amare.
Diuersa. {Calere, Exardescere.
{Inimicus, Hostis.

{Acerbum & luctuosum
{ bellum.
Contraria. {Dulcis & lœta
{ Pax.

{Dare verba.
Phrases. {abjicere obedientiam._

_the brynging vp of youth._ 187

Your scholer then, must haue the third paper booke: in
the which, after he hath done his double transla- // The thyrd
tion, let him write, after this sort foure of these // paper boke.
forenamed sixe, diligentlie marked out of eurie
lesson.

_{Propria.
{Translata.
{Synonyma.
Quatuor. {Diuersa.
{Contraria.
{Phrases._

Or else, three, or two, if there be no moe: and if there be
none of these at all in some lecture, yet not omitte the order,
but write these.

_{Diuersa nulla.
{Contraria nulla. etc._

This diligent translating, ioyned with this heedefull
marking, in the foresaid Epistles, and afterwarde in some
plaine Oration of _Tullie_, as, _pro lege Manil: pro Archia Poeta_,
or in those three _ad C. Cæs_: shall worke soch a right choise of
wordes, so streight a framing of sentences, soch a true iudge-
ment, both to write skilfullie, and speake wittlelie, as wise men
shall both praise, and maruell at.
If your scholer do misse sometimes, in marking rightlie
these foresaid sixe thinges, chide not hastelie: for that shall,
both dull his witte, and discorage his diligence: // Ientleness
but monish him gentelie: which shall make // in teaching.
him, both willing to amende, and glad to go
forward in loue and hope of learning.
I haue now wished, twise or thrise, this gentle nature,
to be in a Scholemaster: And, that I haue done so, neither by
chance, nor without some reason, I will now // Loue.
declare at large, why, in mine opinion, loue is // Feare.
fitter than feare, ientlenes better than beating, to
bring vp a childe rightlie in learninge.
With the common vse of teaching and beating in common
scholes of England, I will not greatlie contend: // Common
which if I did, it were but a small grammaticall // Scholes.
controuersie, neither belonging to heresie nor

188 _The first booke teachyng_

treason, nor greatly touching God nor the Prince: although in
very deede, in the end, the good or ill bringing vp of children,
doth as much serue to the good or ill seruice, of God, our
Prince, and our whole countrie, as any one thing doth beside.
I do gladlie agree with all good Scholemasters in these
pointes: to haue children brought to good perfitnes in learning:
to all honestie in maners: to haue all fautes rightlie amended:
to haue euerie vice seuerelie corrected: but for the order and
waie that leadeth rightlie to these pointes, we somewhat differ.
Sharpe // For commonlie, many scholemasters, some, as
Schole- // I haue seen, moe, as I haue heard tell, be of so
masters. // crooked a nature, as, when they meete with a
hard witted scholer, they rather breake him, than bowe him,
rather marre him, then mend him. For whan the scholemaster
is angrie with some other matter, then will he sonest faul to
beate his scholer: and though he him selfe should be punished
for his folie, yet must he beate some scholer for his pleasure:
though there be no cause for him to do so, nor yet fault in the
scholer to deserue so. These ye will say, be fond scholemasters,
and fewe they be, that be found to be soch. They be fond in
deede, but surelie ouermany soch be found euerie where. But
Nature // this I will say, that euen the wisest of your great
punished. // beaters, do as oft punishe nature, as they do
correcte faultes. Yea, many times, the better
nature, is sorer punished: For, if one, by quicknes of witte,
take his lesson readelie, an other, by hardnes of witte, taketh it
not so speedelie: the first is alwaies commended, the other is
commonlie punished: whan a wise scholemaster, should rather
discretelie consider the right disposition of both their natures,
and not so moch wey what either of them is able to do now,
Quicke // as what either of them is likelie to do hereafter.
wittes for // For this I know, not onelie by reading of bookes
learnyng. // in my studie, but also by experience of life,
abrode in the world, that those, which be commonlie the
wisest, the best learned, and best men also, when they be olde,
were neuer commonlie the quickest of witte, when they were
yonge. The causes why, amongst other, which be many, that
moue me thus to thinke, be these fewe, which I will recken.
Quicke wittes commonlie, be apte to take, vnapte to keepe:
soone hote and desirous of this and that: as colde and sone

_the brynging vp of youth._ 189

wery of the same againe: more quicke to enter spedelie, than
hable to pearse farre: euen like ouer sharpe tooles, whose edges
be verie soone turned. Soch wittes delite them selues in easie
and pleasant studies, and neuer passe farre forward in hie and
hard sciences. And therefore the quickest wittes commonlie
may proue the best Poetes, but not the wisest Orators: readie
of tonge to speake boldlie, not deepe of iudgement, // Quicke
either for good counsell or wise writing. Also, // wittes, for
for maners and life, quicke wittes commonlie, be, // maners &
in desire, newfangle, in purpose, vnconstant, light // lyfe.
to promise any thing, readie to forget euery thing: both benefite
and inurie: and therby neither fast to frend, nor fearefull to foe:
inquisitiue of euery trifle, not secret in greatest affaires: bolde,
with any person: busie, in euery matter: sothing, soch as be
present: nipping any that is absent: of nature also, alwaies,
flattering their betters, enuying their equals, despising their
inferiors: and, by quicknes of witte, verie quicke and readie, to
like none so well as them selues.
Moreouer commonlie, men, very quicke of witte, be also,
verie light of conditions: and thereby, very readie of disposition,
to be caried ouer quicklie, by any light cumpanie, to any riot
and vnthriftines when they be yonge: and therfore seldome,
either honest of life, or riche in liuing, when they be olde.
For, quicke in witte, and light in maners, be either seldome
troubled, or verie sone wery, in carying a verie heuie purse.
Quicke wittes also be, in most part of all their doinges, ouer-
quicke, hastie, rashe, headie, and brainsicke. These two last
wordes, Headie, and Brainsicke, be fitte and proper wordes,
rising naturallie of the matter, and tearmed aptlie by the
condition of ouer moch quickenes of witte. In yougthe also
they be, readie scoffers, priuie mockers, and euer ouer light and
mery. In aige, sone testie, very waspishe, and alwaies ouer
miserable: and yet fewe of them cum to any great aige, by
reason of their misordered life when they were yong: but
a great deale fewer of them cum to shewe any great counten-
ance, or beare any great authoritie abrode in the world, but
either liue obscurelie, men know not how, or dye obscurelie,
men marke not whan. They be like trees, that shewe forth,
faire blossoms & broad leaues in spring time, but bring out
small and not long lasting fruite in haruest time: and that

190 _The first booke teachyng_

onelie soch, as fall, and rotte, before they be ripe, and so, neuer,
or seldome, cum to any good at all. For this ye shall finde
most true by experience, that amongest a number of quicke
wittes in youthe, fewe be found, in the end, either verie
fortunate for them selues, or verie profitable to serue the common
wealth, but decay and vanish, men know not which way:
except a very fewe, to whom peraduenture blood and happie
parentage, may perchance purchace a long standing vpon the
stage. The which felicitie, because it commeth by others
procuring, not by their owne deseruinge, and stand by other
mens feete, and not by their own, what owtward brag so euer
is borne by them, is in deed, of it selfe, and in wise mens eyes,
of no great estimation.
Some wittes, moderate enough by nature, be many tymes
Som sci- // marde by ouer moch studie and vse of some
ences hurt // sciences, namelie, Musicke, Arithmetick, and
mens wits, // Geometrie. Thies sciences, as they sharpen mens
and mar // wittes ouer moch, so they change mens maners
mens ma- // ouer sore, if they be not moderatlie mingled, &
ners. //
wiselie applied to som good vse of life. Marke all Mathe-
Mathe- // maticall heades, which be onely and wholy bent
maticall // to those sciences, how solitarie they be themselues,
heades. // how vnfit to liue with others, & how vnapte to
serue in the world. This is not onelie knowen now by common
experience, but vttered long before by wise mens Iudgement
_Galen._ // and sentence. _Galene_ saith, moch Musick marreth
_Plato._ // mens maners: and _Plato_ hath a notable place of
the same thing in his bookes _de Rep._ well marked
also, and excellentlie translated by _Tullie_ himself. Of this
matter, I wrote once more at large, XX. yeare a go, in my booke
of shoting: now I thought but to touch it, to proue, that ouer
moch quicknes of witte, either giuen by nature, or sharpened by
studie, doth not commonlie bring forth, eyther greatest learning,
best maners, or happiest life in the end.
Contrariewise, a witte in youth, that is not ouer dulle,
Hard wits // heauie, knottie and lumpishe, but hard, rough, and
in learning. // though somwhat staffishe, as _Tullie_ wisheth _otium,
quietum, non languidum_: and _negotium cum labore,
non cum periculo_, such a witte I say, if it be, at the first well
handled by the mother, and rightlie smothed and wrought as it

_the brynging vp of youth._ 191

should, not ouerwhartlie, and against the wood, by the schole-
master, both for learning, and hole course of liuing, proueth
alwaies the best. In woode and stone, not the softest, but
hardest, be alwaies aptest, for portrature, both fairest for pleasure,
and most durable for proffit. Hard wittes be hard to receiue,
but sure to keepe: painefull without werinesse, hedefull without
wauering, constant without newfanglenes: bearing heauie
thinges, thoughe not lightlie, yet willinglie: entring hard
thinges, though not easelie, yet depelie, and so cum to that
perfitnes of learning in the ende, that quicke wittes, seeme in
hope, but do not in deede, or else verie seldome, // Hard wits
euer attaine vnto. Also, for maners and life, hard // in maners
wittes commonlie, ar hardlie caried, either to // and lyfe.
desire euerie new thing, or else to meruell at euery strange
thinge: and therfore they be carefull and diligent in their own
matters, not curious and busey in other mens affaires: and so,
they becum wise them selues, and also ar counted honest by
others. They be graue, stedfast, silent of tong, secret of hart.
Not hastie in making, but constant in keping any promise.
Not rashe in vttering, but ware in considering euery matter:
and therby, not quicke in speaking, but deepe of iudgement,
whether they write, or giue counsell in all waightie affaires.
And theis be the men, that becum in the end, both most happie
for themselues, and alwaise best estemed abrode in the world.
I haue bene longer in describing, the nature, the good or ill
successe, of the quicke and hard witte, than perchance som will
thinke, this place and matter doth require. But // The best
my purpose was hereby, plainlie to vtter, what // wittes dri-
iniurie is offered to all learninge, & to the common // uen from
welthe also, first, by the fond father in chosing, // learnyng,
but chieflie by the lewd scholemaster in beating // to other li-
and driuing away the best natures from learning. A childe // uyng.
that is still, silent, constant, and somewhat hard of witte, is
either neuer chosen by the father to be made a scholer, or else,
when he commeth to the schole, he is smally regarded, little
looked vnto, he lacketh teaching, he lacketh coraging, he lacketh
all thinges, onelie he neuer lacketh beating, nor any word, that
may moue him to hate learninge, nor any deed that may driue
him from learning, to any other kinde of liuing.
And when this sadde natured, and hard witted child, is bette

192 _The first booke teachyng_

from his booke, and becummeth after eyther student of
Hard wits // the common lawe, or page in the Court, or
proue best // seruingman, or bound prentice to a merchant,
in euery // or to som handiecrafte, he proueth in the ende,
kynde of // wiser, happier and many tymes honester too, than
life. // many of theis quick wittes do, by their learninge.
Learning is, both hindred and iniured to, by the ill choice
of them, that send yong scholers to the vniuersities. Of whom
must nedes cum all our Diuines, Lawyers, and Physicions.
Thies yong scholers be chosen commonlie, as yong apples be
The ill // chosen by children, in a faire garden about _S._
choice of // _Iames_ tyde: a childe will chose a sweeting, because it
wittes for // is presentlie faire and pleasant, and refuse a Runnet,
learnyng. // because it is than grene, hard, and sowre, whan the
one, if it be eaten, doth breed, both wormes and ill humors:
the other if it stand his tyme, be ordered and kepte as it should, is
holsom of it self, and helpeth to the good digestion of other meates:
Sweetinges, will receyue wormes, rotte, and dye on the tree, and
neuer or seldom cum to the gathering for good and lasting store.
For verie greafe of harte I will not applie the similitude:
but hereby, is plainlie seen, how learning is robbed of hir best
wittes, first by the great beating, and after by the ill chosing
of scholers, to go to the vniuersities. Whereof cummeth
partelie, that lewde and spitefull prouerbe, sounding to the
greate hurte of learning, and shame of learned men, that, the
greatest Clerkes be not the wisest men.
And though I, in all this discourse, seem plainlie to prefer,
hard and roughe wittes, before quicke and light wittes, both for
learnyng and maners, yet am I not ignorant that som quicknes
of witte, is a singuler gifte of God, and so most rare emonges
men, and namelie such a witte, as is quicke without lightnes,
sharpe without brittlenes, desirous of good thinges without
newfanglenes, diligent in painfull thinges without werisomnes,
and constant in good will to do all thinges well, as I know was
in Syr _Iohn Cheke_, and is in som, that yet liue, in whome all
theis faire qualities of witte ar fullie mette togither.
But it is notable and trewe, that _Socrates_ saith in _Plato_ to
_Plato in_ // his frende _Crito_. That, that number of men is
_Critone_. // fewest, which far excede, either in good or ill, in
wisdom of folie, but the meane betwixt both, be

_the brynging vp of youth._ 193

the greatest number: which he proueth trewe in diuerse other
thinges: as in greyhoundes, emonges which fewe // Verie
are found, exceding greate, or exceding litle, // good, or
exceding swift, or exceding slowe: And therfore/ verie ill
I speaking of quick and hard wittes, I ment, the // men, be
common number of quicke and hard wittes, // fewest in
emonges the which, for the most parte, the hard // number.
witte, proueth manie times, the better learned, wiser and
honester man: and therfore, do I the more lament, that soch
wittes commonlie be either kepte from learning, by fond fathers,
or bet from learning by lewde scholemasters.
And speaking thus moche of the wittes of children for
learning, the opportunitie of the place, and good- // Horsemen
nes of the matter might require to haue here // be wiser in
declared the most speciall notes of a good witte for // knowledge
learning in a childe, after the maner and custume // of a good
of a good horsman, who is skilfull, to know, and // Colte, than
hable to tell others, how by certein sure signes, a // scholema-
man may choise a colte, that is like to proue an // sters be, in
other day, excellent for the saddle. And it is // knowledge
pitie, that commonlie, more care is had, yea and // of a good
that emonges verie wise men, to finde out rather a cunnynge // witte.
man for their horse, than a cunnyng man for their // A good Ri-
children. They say nay in worde, but they do so // der better
in deede. For, to the one, they will gladlie giue // rewarded
a stipend of 200. Crounes by yeare, and loth // than a good
to offer to the other, 200. shillinges. God, that // Schole-
sitteth in heauen laugheth their choice to skorne, // master.
and rewardeth their liberalitie as it should: for he suffereth
them, to haue, tame, and well ordered horse, but // Horse well
wilde and vnfortunate Children: and therfore in // broken,
the ende they finde more pleasure in their horse, // children ill
than comforte in their children. // taught.
But concerning the trewe notes of the best wittes for
learning in a childe, I will reporte, not myne own opinion, but
the very iudgement of him, that was counted the best teacher
and wisest man that learning maketh mention of, // _Plato_ in 7.
and that is _Socrates_ in _Plato_, who expresseth // de Rep.
orderlie thies seuen plaine notes to choise a good
witte in a child for learninge.

194 _The first booke teachyng_

{1 Euphues.
{2 Mnemon.
Trewe {3 Philomathes.
notes of a {4 Philoponos.
good witte. {5 Philekoos.
{6 Zetetikos.
{7 Philepainos.

And bicause I write English, and to Englishemen, I will
plainlie declare in Englishe both, what thies wordes of _Plato_
meane, and how aptlie they be linked, and how orderlie they
folow one an other.

1. Euphues.

Is he, that is apte by goodnes of witte, and appliable by
Witte. // readines of will, to learning, hauing all other
Will. // qualities of the minde and partes of the bodie,
that must an other day serue learning, not trobled,
mangled, and halfed, but sounde, whole, full, & hable to do their
The tong. // office: as, a tong, not stamering, or ouer hardlie
drawing forth wordes, but plaine, and redie to
The voice. // deliuer the meaning of the minde: a voice, not
softe, weake, piping, wommanishe, but audible,
Face. // stronge, and manlike: a countenance, not werishe
Stature. // and crabbed, but faire and cumlie: a personage,
not wretched and deformed, but taule and goodlie
Learnyng // for surelie, a cumlie countenance, with a goodlie
ioyned // stature, geueth credit to learning, and authoritie
with a cum- // to the person: otherwise commonlie, either, open
lie perso- // contempte, or priuie disfauour doth hurte, or
nage. // hinder, both person and learning. And, euen as
a faire stone requireth to be sette in the finest gold, with the
best workmanshyp, or else it leseth moch of the Grace and
price, euen so, excellencye in learning, and namely Diuinitie,
ioyned with a cumlie personage, is a meruelous Iewell in the
world. And how can a cumlie bodie be better employed,
than to serue the fairest exercise of Goddes greatest gifte,
and that is learning. But commonlie, the fairest bodies,
ar bestowed on the foulest purposes. I would it were not so:
and with examples herein I will not medle: yet I wishe, that

_the brynging vp of youth._ 195

those shold, both mynde it, & medle with it, which haue most
occasion to looke to it, as good and wise fathers shold do, and
greatest authoritie to amend it, as good & wise magistrates
ought to do: And yet I will not let, openlie to lament the
vnfortunate case of learning herein.
For, if a father haue foure sonnes, three faire and well
formed both mynde and bodie, the fourth, // Deformed
wretched, lame, and deformed, his choice shalbe, // creatures
to put the worst to learning, as one good enoughe // commonlie
to becum a scholer. I haue spent the most parte // set to lear-
of my life in the Vniuersitie, and therfore I can // nyng.
beare good witnes that many fathers commonlie do thus: wherof,
I haue hard many wise, learned, and as good men as euer I knew,
make great, and oft complainte: a good horseman will choise
no soch colte, neither for his own, nor yet for his masters sadle.
And thus moch of the first note.

2 Mnemon.

Good of memorie, a speciall parte of the first note euphues,
and a mere benefite of nature: yet it is so // Memorie.
necessarie for learning, as _Plato_ maketh it a
separate and perfite note of it selfe, and that so principall a note,
as without it, all other giftes of nature do small seruice to
learning. _Afranius_, that olde Latine Poete maketh // _Aul. Gel._
Memorie the mother of learning and wisedome,
saying thus.
_Vsus me genuit, Mater peperit memoria_, and though it be the
mere gifte of nature, yet is memorie well preserued by vse, and
moch encreased by order, as our scholer must // Three sure
learne an other day in the Vniuersitie: but in // signs of a
a childe, a good memorie is well known, by three // good me-
properties: that is, if it be, quicke in receyuing, // morie.
sure in keping, and redie in deliuering forthe againe.

3 Philomathes.

Giuen to loue learning: for though a child haue all the
giftes of nature at wishe, and perfection of memorie at wil, yet
if he haue not a speciall loue to learning, he shall neuer attaine
to moch learning. And therfore _Isocrates_, one of the noblest

196 _The first booke teachyng_

scholemasters, that is in memorie of learning, who taught
Kinges and Princes, as _Halicarnassæus_ writeth, and out of
whose schole, as _Tullie_ saith, came forth, mo noble Capitanes,
mo wise Councelors, than did out of _Epeius_ horse at _Troie_.
This _Isocrates_, I say, did cause to be written, at the entrie of his
schole, in golden letters, this golden sentence, ean es philomathes,
ese polymathes which excellentlie said in _Greeke_, is thus rudelie
in Englishe, if thou louest learning, thou shalt attayne to moch
learning.

4. Philoponos.