Chapter II: Part 2

Is he, that hath a lust to labor, and a will to take paines.
For, if a childe haue all the benefites of nature, with perfection
of memorie, loue, like, & praise learning neuer so moch, yet
if he be not of him selfe painfull, he shall neuer attayne vnto it.
And yet where loue is present, labor is seldom absent, and
namelie in studie of learning, and matters of the mynde: and
therfore did _Isocrates_ rightlie iudge, that if his scholer were
philomathes he cared for no more. _Aristotle_, variing from
_Isocrates_ in priuate affaires of life, but agreing with _Isocrates_ in
common iudgement of learning, for loue and labor in learning,
is of the same opinion, vttered in these wordes, in his Rhetorike
2 Rhet. ad // _ad Theodecten_. Libertie kindleth loue: Loue
Theod. // refuseth no labor: and labor obteyneth what so
euer it seeketh. And yet neuerthelesse, Goodnes
of nature may do little good: Perfection of memorie, may
serue to small vse: All loue may be employed in vayne: Any
labor may be sone graualed, if a man trust alwaies to his own
singuler witte, and will not be glad somtyme to heare, take
aduise, and learne of an other: And therfore doth _Socrates_
very notablie adde the fifte note.

5. Philekoos.

He, that is glad to heare and learne of an other. For
otherwise, he shall sticke with great troble, where he might
go easelie forwarde: and also catche hardlie a verie litle by his
owne toyle, whan he might gather quicklie a good deale, by an
nothers mans teaching. But now there be some, that haue
great loue to learning, good lust to labor, be willing to learne of
others, yet, either of a fonde shamefastnes, or else of a proud

_the brynging vp of youth._ 197

folie, they dare not, or will not, go to learne of an nother: And
therfore doth _Socrates_ wiselie adde the sixte note of a good witte
in a childe for learning, and that is.

6. Zetetikos.

He, that is naturallie bold to aske any question, desirous to
searche out any doute, not ashamed to learne of the meanest,
not affraide to go to the greatest, vntill he be perfitelie taught,
and fullie satisfiede. The seuenth and last poynte is.

7. Philepainos.

He, that loueth to be praised for well doing, at his father,
or masters hand. A childe of this nature, will earnestlie loue
learnyng, gladlie labor for learning, willinglie learne of other,
boldlie aske any doute. And thus, by _Socrates_ iudgement, a
good father, and a wise scholemaster, shold chose a childe to
make a scholer of, that hath by nature, the foresayd perfite
qualities, and cumlie furniture, both of mynde and bodie: hath
memorie, quicke to receyue, sure to keape, and readie to deliuer:
hath loue to learning: hath lust to labor: hath desire to learne
of others: hath boldnes to aske any question: hath mynde holie
bent, to wynne praise by well doing.
The two firste poyntes be speciall benefites of nature:
which neuerthelesse, be well preserued, and moch encreased by
good order. But as for the fiue laste, loue, labor, gladnes to
learne of others, boldnes to aske doutes, and will to wynne
praise, be wonne and maintened by the onelie wisedome and
discretion of the scholemaster. Which fiue poyntes, whether a
scholemaster shall worke soner in a childe, by fearefull beating,
or curtese handling, you that be wise, iudge.
Yet some men, wise in deede, but in this matter, more by
seueritie of nature, than any wisdome at all, do laugh at vs, when
we thus wishe and reason, that yong children should rather be
allured to learning by ientilnes and loue, than compelled to
learning, by beating and feare: They say, our reasons serue
onelie to breede forth talke, and passe a waie tyme, but we
neuer saw good scholemaster do so, nor neuer red of wise man
that thought so.
Yes forsothe: as wise as they be, either in other mens
opinion, or in their owne conceite, I will bring the contrarie

198 _The first booke teachyng_

iudgement of him, who, they them selues shall confesse, was as
wise as they are, or else they may be iustlie thought to haue
small witte at all: and that is _Socrates_, whose iudgement in
_Plato_ in 7. // _Plato_ is plainlie this in these wordes: which,
de Rep. // bicause they be verie notable, I will recite them
in his owne tong, ouden mathema meta douleias
chre manthanein: oi men gar tou somatos ponoi bia ponoumenoi
cheiron ouden to soma apergazontai; psyche de, biaion ouden
emmonon mathema: in Englishe thus, No learning ought to be
learned with bondage: For bodelie labors, wrought by compul-
sion, hurt not the bodie: but any learning learned by compulsion,
tarieth not long in the mynde: And why? For what soeuer the
mynde doth learne vnwillinglie with feare, the same it doth
quicklie forget without care. And lest proude wittes, that loue
not to be contraryed, but haue lust to wrangle or trifle away
troth, will say, that _Socrates_ meaneth not this of childrens
teaching, but of som other higher learnyng, heare, what
_Socrates_ in the same place doth more plainlie say: me toinyn
bia, o ariste, tous paidas en tois mathemasin, alla
paizontas trephe, that is to say, and therfore, my deare frend,
bring not vp your children in learning by compulsion and feare,
but by playing and pleasure. And you, that do read _Plato_, as
The right // ye shold, do well perceiue, that these be no
readyng of // Questions asked by _Socrates_, as doutes, but they
_Plato_. // be Sentences, first affirmed by _Socrates_, as mere
trothes, and after, giuen forth by _Socrates_, as right Rules, most
necessarie to be marked, and fitte to be folowed of all them,
that would haue children taughte, as they should. And in this
counsell, iudgement, and authoritie of _Socrates_ I will repose
my selfe, vntill I meete with a man of the contrarie mynde,
whom I may iustlie take to be wiser, than I thinke _Socrates_
Yong Ien- // was. Fonde scholemasters, neither can vnder-
tlemen, be // stand, nor will folow this good counsell of _Socrates_,
wiselier // but wise ryders, in their office, can and will do
taught to // both: which is the onelie cause, that commonly,
ryde, by com- // the yong ientlemen of England, go so vnwillinglie
mon ry- // to schole, and run so fast to the stable: For in
ders, than // verie deede fond scholemasters, by feare, do
to learne, // beate into them, the hatred of learning, and wise
by common // riders, by ientle allurements, do breed vp in
Schole- //
masters. //

_the brynging vp of youth._ 199

them, the loue of riding. They finde feare, & bondage in
scholes, They feele libertie and freedome in stables: which
causeth them, vtterlie to abhore the one, and most gladlie to
haunt the other. And I do not write this, that in exhorting to
the one, I would dissuade yong ientlemen from the other: yea
I am sorie, with all my harte, that they be giuen no more to
riding, then they be: For, of all outward qualities, // Ryding.
to ride faire, is most cumelie for him selfe, most
necessarie for his contrey, and the greater he is in blood, the
greater is his praise, the more he doth excede all other therein.
It was one of the three excellent praises, amongest the noble
ientlemen the old _Percians_, Alwaise to say troth, to ride faire,
and shote well: and so it was engrauen vpon _Darius_ tumbe, as
_Strabo_ beareth witnesse. // Strabo. 15.

_Darius the king, lieth buried here,
Who in riding and shoting had neuer peare._

But, to our purpose, yong men, by any meanes, leesing the
loue of learning, whan by tyme they cum to their owne rule,
they carie commonlie, from the schole with them, a perpetuall
hatred of their master, and a continuall contempt of learning.
If ten Ientlemen be asked, why they forget so sone in Court,
that which they were learning so long in schole, eight of them,
or let me be blamed, will laie the fault on their ill handling, by
their scholemasters.
_Cuspinian_ doth report, that, that noble Emperor _Maxi-
milian_, would lament verie oft, his misfortune herein.
Yet, some will say, that children of nature, loue pastime,
and mislike learning: bicause, in their kinde, the // Pastime.
one is easie and pleasant, the other hard and
werisom: which is an opinion not so trewe, as // Learnyng.
some men weene: For, the matter lieth not so much in the
disposition of them that be yong, as in the order & maner of
bringing vp, by them that be old, nor yet in the difference of
learnyng and pastime. For, beate a child, if he daunce not well,
& cherish him, though he learne not well, ye shall haue him,
vnwilling to go to daunce, & glad to go to his booke. Knocke
him alwaies, when he draweth his shaft ill, and fauor him
againe, though he faut at his booke, ye shall haue hym verie
loth to be in the field, and verie willing to be in the schole.

200 _The first booke teachyng_

Yea, I saie more, and not of my selfe, but by the iudgement of
those, from whom few wisemen will gladlie dissent, that if euer
the nature of man be giuen at any tyme, more than other, to
receiue goodnes, it is in innocencie of yong yeares, before, that
experience of euill, haue taken roote in hym. For, the pure
cleane witte of a sweete yong babe, is like the newest wax,
most hable to receiue the best and fayrest printing: and like a
new bright siluer dishe neuer occupied, to receiue and kepe
cleane, anie good thyng that is put into it.
And thus, will in children, wiselie wrought withall, maie
Will. } | // easelie be won to be verie well willing to
}in Children.| // learne. And witte in children, by nature,
Witte.} | // namelie memorie, the onelie keie and keper of
all learning, is readiest to receiue, and surest to kepe anie maner
of thing, that is learned in yougth: This, lewde and learned, by
common experience, know to be most trewe. For we remember
nothyng so well when we be olde, as those things which we
learned when we were yong: And this is not straunge, but
Yong yeares // common in all natures workes. Euery man sees,
aptest for // (as I sayd before) new wax is best for printyng:
learnyng. // new claie, fittest for working: new shorne woll,
aptest for sone and surest dying: new fresh flesh, for good and
durable salting. And this similitude is not rude, nor borowed
of the larder house, but out of his scholehouse, of whom, the
wisest of England, neede not be ashamed to learne. Yong
Graftes grow not onelie sonest, but also fairest, and bring alwayes
forth the best and sweetest frute: yong whelpes learne easelie
to carie: yong Popingeis learne quicklie to speake: And so, to
be short, if in all other thinges, though they lacke reason, sens,
and life, the similitude of youth is fittest to all goodnesse,
surelie nature, in mankinde, is most beneficiall and effectuall in
this behalfe.
Therfore, if to the goodnes of nature, be ioyned the
wisedome of the teacher, in leading yong wittes into a right and
plaine waie of learnyng, surelie, children, kept vp in Gods feare,
and gouerned by his grace, maie most easelie be brought well to
serue God and contrey both by vertue and wisedome.
But if will, and witte, by farder age, be once allured from
innocencie, delited in vaine sightes, filed with foull taulke,
crooked with wilfulnesse, hardned with stubburnesse, and let

_the brynging vp of youth._ 201

louse to disobedience, surelie it is hard with ientlenesse, but
vnpossible with seuere crueltie, to call them backe to good
frame againe. For, where the one, perchance maie bend it,
the other shall surelie breake it: and so in stead of some hope,
leaue an assured desperation, and shamelesse con- // _Xen._ 1. _Cy-_
tempt of all goodnesse, the fardest pointe in all // _ri Pæd._
mischief, as _Xenophon_ doth most trewlie and most
wittelie marke.
Therfore, to loue or to hate, to like or contemne, to plie
this waie or that waie to good or to bad, ye shall haue as ye vse
a child in his youth.
And one example, whether loue or feare doth worke more
in a child, for vertue and learning, I will gladlie report: which
maie be hard with some pleasure, and folowed with more profit.
Before I went into _Germanie_, I came to Brodegate in Leceter-
shire, to take my leaue of that noble Ladie _Iane
Grey_, to whom I was exceding moch beholdinge. // _Lady Iane_
Hir parentes, the Duke and Duches, with all the // _Grey._
houshould, Gentlemen and Gentlewomen, were huntinge in the
Parke: I founde her, in her Chamber, readinge _Phædon Platonis_
in Greeke, and that with as moch delite, as som ientleman wold
read a merie tale in _Bocase_. After salutation, and dewtie done,
with som other taulke, I asked hir, whie she wold leese soch
pastime in the Parke? smiling she answered me: I wisse, all
their sporte in the Parke is but a shadoe to that pleasure, that I
find in _Plato_: Alas good folke, they neuer felt, what trewe
pleasure ment. And howe came you Madame, quoth I, to this
deepe knowledge of pleasure, and what did chieflie allure you
vnto it: seinge, not many women, but verie fewe men haue
atteined thereunto. I will tell you, quoth she, and tell you
a troth, which perchance ye will meruell at. One of the
greatest benefites, that euer God gaue me, is, that he sent me
so sharpe and seuere Parentes, and so ientle a scholemaster.
For when I am in presence either of father or mother, whether
I speake, kepe silence, sit, stand, or go, eate, drinke, be merie,
or sad, be sowyng, plaiyng, dauncing, or doing anie thing els,
I must do it, as it were, in soch weight, mesure, and number,
euen so perfitelie, as God made the world, or else I am so
sharplie taunted, so cruellie threatened, yea presentlie some
tymes, with pinches, nippes, and bobbes, and other waies, which

202 _The first booke teachyng_

I will not name, for the honor I beare them, so without
measure misordered, that I thinke my selfe in hell, till tyme
cum, that I must go to _M. Elmer_, who teacheth me so ientlie,
so pleasantlie, with soch faire allurementes to learning, that I
thinke all the tyme nothing, whiles I am with him. And
when I am called from him, I fall on weeping, because, what
soeuer I do els, but learning, is ful of grief, trouble, feare, and
whole misliking vnto me: And thus my booke, hath bene so
moch my pleasure, & bringeth dayly to me more pleasure &
more, that in respect of it, all other pleasures, in very deede, be
but trifles and troubles vnto me. I remember this talke gladly,
both bicause it is so worthy of memorie, & bicause also, it was
the last talke that euer I had, and the last tyme, that euer I
saw that noble and worthie Ladie.
I could be ouer long, both in shewinge iust causes, and in
recitinge trewe examples, why learning shold be taught, rather
by loue than feare. He that wold see a perfite discourse of it,
_Sturmius_ // let him read that learned treatese, which my frende
de Inst. // _Ioan. Sturmius_ wrote _de institutione Principis_, to
Princ. // the Duke of _Cleues_.
The godlie counsels of _Salomon_ and _Iesus_ the sonne of
Qui par- // _Sirach_, for sharpe kepinge in, and bridleinge of
cit virgæ, // youth, are ment rather, for fatherlie correction,
odit filium. // then masterlie beating, rather for maners, than for
learninge: for other places, than for scholes. For God forbid,
but all euill touches, wantonnes, lyinge, pickinge, slouthe, will,
stubburnnesse, and disobedience, shold be with sharpe chastise-
ment, daily cut away.
This discipline was well knowen, and diligentlie vsed,
among the _Græcians_, and old _Romanes_, as doth appeare in
_Aristophanes, Isocrates_, and _Plato_, and also in the Comedies of
_Plautus_: where we see that children were vnder the rule of
three persones: _Præceptore, Pædagogo, Parente_: the scholemaster
1. Schole- // taught him learnyng with all ientlenes: the
master. // Gouernour corrected his maners, with moch
2. Gouer- // sharpenesse: The father, held the sterne of his
nour. // whole obedience: And so, he that vsed to teache,
3. Father. // did not commonlie vse to beate, but remitted that
ouer to an other mans charge. But what shall we saie, whan
now in our dayes, the scholemaster is vsed, both for _Præceptor_

_the brynging vp of youth._ 203

in learnyng, and _Pædagogus_ in maners. Surelie, I wold he
shold not confound their offices, but discretelie vse the dewtie
of both so, that neither ill touches shold be left vnpunished, nor
ientlesse in teaching anie wise omitted. And he shall well do
both, if wiselie he do appointe diuersitie of tyme, & separate
place, for either purpose: vsing alwaise soch discrete modera-
tion as the scholehouse should be counted a
sanctuarie against feare: and verie well learning, a // The schole
common perdon for ill doing, if the fault, of it // house.
selfe be not ouer heinous.
And thus the children, kept vp in Gods feare, and preserued
by his grace, finding paine in ill doing, and pleasure in well
studiyng, shold easelie be brought to honestie of life, and
perfitenes of learning, the onelie marke, that good and wise
fathers do wishe and labour, that their children, shold most
buselie, and carefullie shot at.
There is an other discommoditie, besides crueltie in schole-
masters in beating away the loue of learning from // Youth of
children, which hindreth learning and vertue, and // England
good bringing vp of youth, and namelie yong // brought vp
ientlemen, verie moch in England. This fault // with to
is cleane contrary to the first. I wished before, // much li-
to haue loue of learning bred vp in children: // bertie.
I wishe as moch now, to haue yong men brought vp in good
order of liuing, and in some more seuere discipline, then
commonlie they be. We haue lacke in England of soch good
order, as the old noble _Persians_ so carefullie vsed: // _Xen._ 7.
whose children, to the age of xxi. yeare, were // _Cyri Ped._
brought vp in learnyng, and exercises of labor,
and that in soch place, where they should, neither see that was
vncumlie, nor heare that was vnhonest. Yea, a yong ientleman
was neuer free, to go where he would, and do what he liste him
self, but vnder the kepe, and by the counsell, of some graue
gouernour, vntill he was, either maryed, or cald to beare some
office in the common wealth.
And see the great obedience, that was vsed in old tyme to
fathers and gouernours. No sonne, were he neuer so old of
yeares, neuer so great of birth, though he were a kynges sonne,
might not mary, but by his father and mothers also consent.
_Cyrus_ the great, after he had conquered _Babylon_, and subdewed

204 _The first booke teachyng_

Riche king _Crœsus_ with whole _Asia minor_, cummyng tryumph-
antlie home, his vncle _Cyaxeris_ offered him his daughter to
wife. _Cyrus_ thanked his vncle, and praised the maide, but for
mariage he answered him with thies wise and sweete wordes, as
_Xen._ 8. _Cy-_ // they be vttered by _Xenophon_, o kuazare, to
_ri. Pæd._ // te genos epaino, kai ten paida, kai dora
boulomai de, ephe, syn te tou patros gnome
kai [te] tes metros tauta soi synainesai, &c., that is to say:
Vncle _Cyaxeris_, I commend the stocke, I like the maide, and
I allow well the dowrie, but (sayth he) by the counsell and
consent of my father and mother, I will determine farther of
thies matters.
Strong _Samson_ also in Scripture saw a maide that liked him,
but he spake not to hir, but went home to his father, and his
mother, and desired both father and mother to make the
mariage for him. Doth this modestie, doth this obedience,
that was in great kyng _Cyrus_, and stoute _Samson_, remaine in
our yongmen at this daie? no surelie: For we liue not
longer after them by tyme, than we liue farre different from
them by good order. Our tyme is so farre from that old
discipline and obedience, as now, not onelie yong ientlemen, but
euen verie girles dare without all feare, though not without
open shame, where they list, and how they list, marie them
selues in spite of father, mother, God, good order, and all.
The cause of this euill is, that youth is least looked vnto, when
they stand [in] most neede of good kepe and regard. It auail-
eth not, to see them well taught in yong yeares, and after whan
they cum to lust and youthfull dayes, to giue them licence to
liue as they lust them selues. For, if ye suffer the eye of a
yong Ientleman, once to be entangled with vaine sightes, and
the eare to be corrupted with fond or filthie taulke, the mynde
shall quicklie fall seick, and sone vomet and cast vp, all the
holesome doctrine, that he receiued in childhoode, though he
were neuer so well brought vp before. And being ons inglutted
with vanitie, he will streight way loth all learning, and all good
counsell to the same. And the parents for all their great cost
Great mens // and charge, reape onelie in the end, the frute
sonnes // of grief and care.
worst // This euill, is not common to poore men, as God
brought // will haue it, but proper to riche and great mens
vp. //

_the brynging vp of youth._ 205

children, as they deserue it. In deede from seuen, to seuentene,
yong ientlemen commonlie be carefullie enough brought vp: But
from seuentene to seuen and twentie (the most dangerous tyme of
all a mans life, and most slipperie to stay well in) they haue
commonlie the reigne of all licens in their owne // Wise men
hand, and speciallie soch as do liue in the Court. // fond fa-
And that which is most to be merueled at, // thers.
commonlie, the wisest and also best men, be found the fondest
fathers in this behalfe. And if som good father would seick
some remedie herein, yet the mother (if the house hold of our
Lady) had rather, yea, & will to, haue her sonne cunnyng &
bold, in making him to lyue trimlie when he is yong, than by
learning and trauell, to be able to serue his Prince and his
contrie, both wiselie in peace, and stoutelie in warre, whan he
is old.
The fault is in your selues, ye noble mens sonnes, and
therefore ye deserue the greater blame, that // Meane
commonlie, the meaner mens children, cum to // mens sonnes
be, the wisest councellours, and greatest doers, // come to
in the weightie affaires of this Realme. And // great au-
why? for God will haue it so, of his prouidence: // thoritie.
bicause ye will haue it no otherwise, by your negligence.
And God is a good God, & wisest in all his doinges, that
will place vertue, & displace vice, in those // Nobilitie
kingdomes, where he doth gouerne. For he // without
knoweth, that Nobilitie, without vertue and // wisedome.
wisedome, is bloud in deede, but bloud trewelie, without bones
& sinewes: & so of it selfe, without the other, verie weeke to
beare the burden of weightie affaires.
The greatest shippe in deede commonlie carieth the greatest
burden, but yet alwayes with the greatest ieoperdie, not onelie
for the persons and goodes committed vnto it, // Nobilitie
but euen for the shyppe it selfe, except it be // with wise-
gouerned, with the greater wisdome. // dome.
But Nobilitie, gouerned by learning and wisedome, is
in deede, most like a faire shippe, // | { Wisedom.
hauyng tide and winde at will, vnder // | {
the reule of a skilfull master: whan // | Nobilite with-{
contrarie wise, a shippe, caried, yea // | { Out wise-
with the hiest tide & greatest winde, // | { dome.

206 _The first booke teachyng_

lacking a skilfull master, most commonlie, doth either, sinck it
selfe vpon sandes, or breake it selfe vpon rockes. And euen so,
Vaine plea- // how manie haue bene, either drowned in vaine
sure, and // pleasure, or ouerwhelmed by stout wilfulnesse,
stoute wil- // the histories of England be able to affourde ouer
fulnes, two // many examples vnto vs. Therfore, ye great and
greatest // noble mens children, if ye will haue rightfullie
enemies to // that praise, and enioie surelie that place, which
Nobilitie. // your fathers haue, and elders had, and left vnto
you, ye must kepe it, as they gat it, and that is, by the onelie
waie, of vertue, wisedome, and worthinesse.
For wisedom, and vertue, there be manie faire examples in
this Court, for yong Ientlemen to folow. But they be, like
faire markes in the feild, out of a mans reach, to far of, to shote
at well. The best and worthiest men, in deede, be somtimes
seen, but seldom taulked withall: A yong Ientleman, may
somtime knele to their person, smallie vse their companie, for
their better instruction.
But yong Ientlemen ar faïne commonlie to do in the Court,
as yong Archers do in the feild: that is take soch markes, as be
Ill compa- // nie them, although they be neuer so foule to
nie marreth // shote at. I meene, they be driuen to kepe
youth. // companie with the worste: and what force ill
companie hath, to corrupt good wittes, the wisest men know
best.
And not ill companie onelie, but the ill opinion also of the
The Court // most part, doth moch harme, and namelie of
iudgeth // those, which shold be wise in the trewe de-
worst of the // cyphring, of the good disposition of nature, of
best natures // cumlinesse in Courtlie maners, and all right
in youth. // doinges of men.
But error and phantasie, do commonlie occupie, the place
of troth and iudgement. For, if a yong ientleman, be demeure
and still of nature, they say, he is simple and lacketh witte: if
he be bashefull, and will soone blushe, they call him a babishe
_Xen. in_ 1. // and ill brought vp thyng, when _Xenophon_ doth
_Cyr. Pæd._ // preciselie note in _Cyrus_, that his bashfulnes in
youth, was y^e verie trewe signe of his vertue &
The Grace // stoutnes after: If he be innocent and ignorant of
in Courte. // ill, they say, he is rude, and hath no grace, so

_the brynging vp of youth._ 207

vngraciouslie do som gracelesse men, misuse the faire and
godlie word GRACE.
But if ye would know, what grace they meene, go, and
looke, and learn emonges them, and ye shall see that it is:
First, to blush at nothing. And blushyng in youth, sayth
_Aristotle_ is nothyng els, but feare to do ill: which feare beyng
once lustely fraid away from youth, then foloweth, // Grace of
to dare do any mischief, to contemne stoutly any // Courte.
goodnesse, to be busie in euery matter, to be
skilfull in euery thyng, to acknowledge no ignorance at all.
To do thus in Court, is counted of some, the chief and greatest
grace of all: and termed by the name of a // _Cic._ 3. _de_
vertue, called Corage & boldnesse, whan _Crassus_ // _Or._
in _Cicero_ teacheth the cleane contrarie, and that
most wittelie, saying thus: _Audere, cum bonis_ // Boldnes
_etiam rebus coniunctum, per seipsum est magnopere_ // yea in a
_fugiendum_. Which is to say, to be bold, yea // good mat-
in a good matter, is for it self, greatlie to be // ter, not to
exchewed. // be praised.
Moreouer, where the swing goeth, there to follow, fawne,
flatter, laugh and lie lustelie at other mens liking. // More
To face, stand formest, shoue backe: and to the // Grace of
meaner man, or vnknowne in the Court, to // Courte.
seeme somwhat solume, coye, big, and dangerous of looke,
taulk, and answere: To thinke well of him selfe, to be lustie
in contemning of others, to haue some trim grace in a priuie
mock. And in greater presens, to beare a braue looke: to be
warlike, though he neuer looked enimie in the face in warre:
yet som warlike signe must be vsed, either a slouinglie busking,
or an ouerstaring frounced hed, as though out of euerie heeres
toppe, should suddenlie start out a good big othe, when nede
requireth, yet praised be God, England hath at // Men of
this time, manie worthie Capitaines and good // warre, best
souldiours, which be in deede, so honest of // of conditi-
behauiour, so cumlie of conditions, so milde of // ons.
maners, as they may be examples of good order, to a good sort
of others, which neuer came in warre. But to retorne, where
I left: In place also, to be able to raise taulke, and make
discourse of euerie rishe: to haue a verie good // Palmistrie.
will, to heare him selfe speake: To be seene

208 _The first booke teachyng_

in Palmestrie, wherby to conueie to chast eares, som fond or
filthie taulke:
And if som Smithfeild Ruffian take vp, som strange
going: som new mowing with the mouth: som wrinchyng
with the shoulder, som braue prouerbe: som fresh new othe,
that is not stale, but will rin round in the mouth: som new
disguised garment, or desperate hat, fond in facion, or gaurish
in colour, what soeuer it cost, how small soeuer his liuing be,
by what shift soeuer it be gotten, gotten must it be, and vsed
with the first, or els the grace of it, is stale and gone: som
part of this gracelesse grace, was discribed by me, in a little
rude verse long ago.

_{To laughe, to lie, to flatter, to face:
{Foure waies in Court to win men grace.
{If thou be thrall to none of thiese,
{Away good Peek goos, hens Iohn Cheese:
{Marke well my word, and marke their dede,
{And thinke this verse part of thy Crede._

Would to God, this taulke were not trewe, and that som
mens doinges were not thus: I write not to hurte any, but to
{Councell. | // proffit som: to accuse none, but to monish
Ill{ | // soch, who, allured by ill counsell, and folowing
{ | // ill example, contrarie to their good bringyng vp,
{Company. | // and against their owne good nature, yeld ouer-
moch to thies folies and faultes: I know many seruing men,
Seruinge // of good order, and well staide: And againe, I
men. // heare saie, there be som seruing men do but ill
_Terentius._ // seruice to their yong masters. Yea, rede _Terence_
_Plautus._ // and _Plaut._ aduisedlie ouer, and ye shall finde in
those two wise writers, almost in euery commedie, no vn-
Serui cor- // thriftie yong man, that is not brought there vnto,
ruptelæ // by the sotle inticement of som lewd seruant.
iuuenum. // And euen now in our dayes _Getæ_ and _Daui_,
_Gnatos_ and manie bold bawdie _Phormios_ to, be preasing in,
Multi Ge- // to pratle on euerie stage, to medle in euerie
tæ pauci // matter, whan honest _Parmenos_ shall not be hard,
Parmeno- // but beare small swing with their masters. Their
nes. // companie, their taulke, their ouer great experience

_the brynging vp of youth._ 209

in mischief, doth easelie corrupt the best natures, and best
brought vp wittes.
But I meruell the lesse, that thies misorders be emonges
som in the Court, for commonlie in the contrie // Misorders
also euerie where, innocencie is gone: Bashful- // in the coun-
nesse is banished: moch presumption in yougthe: // trey.
small authoritie in aige: Reuerence is neglected: dewties be
confounded: and to be shorte, disobedience doth ouerflowe the
bankes of good order, almoste in euerie place, almoste in euerie
degree of man.
Meane men haue eies to see, and cause to lament, and
occasion to complaine of thies miseries: but other haue
authoritie to remedie them, and will do so to, whan God shall
think time fitte. For, all thies misorders, be Goddes iuste
plages, by his sufferance, brought iustelie vpon vs, for our
sinnes, which be infinite in nomber, and horrible in deede, but
namelie, for the greate abhominable sin of vn- // Contempt
kindnesse: but what vnkindnesse? euen such // of Gods
vnkindnesse as was in the Iewes, in contemninge // trewe Re-
Goddes voice, in shrinking from his woorde, in // ligion.
wishing backe againe for _ægypt_, in committing aduoultrie and
hordom, not with the women, but with the doctrine of Babylon,
did bring all the plages, destructions, and Captiuities, that fell
so ofte and horriblie, vpon Israell.
We haue cause also in England to beware of vnkindnesse,
who haue had, in so fewe yeares, the Candel of Goddes
worde, so oft lightned, so oft put out, and yet // _Doctrina_
will venture by our vnthankfulnesse in doctrine // _Mores._
and sinfull life, to leese againe, lighte, Candle,
Candlesticke and all.
God kepe vs in his feare, God grafte in vs the trewe
knowledge of his woorde, with a forward will to folowe it, and
so to bring forth the sweete fruites of it, & then shall he
preserue vs by his Grace, from all maner of terrible dayes.
The remedie of this, doth not stand onelie, // _Publicæ_
in making good common lawes for the hole // _Leges._
Realme, but also, (and perchance cheiflie) // _Domestica_
in obseruing priuate discipline euerie man care- // _disciplina._
fullie in his own house: and namelie, if speciall // _Cognitio_
regard be had to yougth: and that, not so moch, // _boni._

210 _The first booke teachyng_

in teaching them what is good, as in keping them from that,
that is ill.
Therefore, if wise fathers, be not as well waare in weeding
_Ignoratio_ // from their Children ill thinges, and ill companie,
_mali._ // as they were before, in graftinge in them
learninge, and prouiding for them good schole-
masters, what frute, they shall reape of all their coste & care,
common experience doth tell.
Here is the place, in yougthe is the time whan som
Some // ignorance is as necessarie, as moch knowledge,
ignorance, // and not in matters of our dewtie towardes God,
as good as // as som wilful wittes willinglie against their owne
knowledge. // knowledge, perniciouslie againste their owne
conscience, haue of late openlie taught. In deede _S. Chryso-_
_Chrisost. de_ // _stome_, that noble and eloquent Doctor, in a
_Fato._ // sermon _contra fatum_, and the curious serchinge of
natiuities, doth wiselie saie, that ignorance therein,
is better than knowledge: But to wring this sentence, to
wreste thereby out of mens handes, the knowledge of Goddes
doctrine, is without all reason, against common sence, contrarie
to the iudgement also of them, which be the discretest men, and
_Iulia. Apo-_ // best learned, on their own side. I know, _Iulianus_
_stat._ // _Apostata_ did so, but I neuer hard or red, that any
auncyent father of the primitiue chirch, either
thought or wrote so.
But this ignorance in yougthe, which I spake on, or rather
Innocency // this simplicitie, or most trewlie, this innocencie,
in youth. // is that, which the noble _Persians_, as wise _Xenophon_
doth testifie, were so carefull, to breede vp their
yougth in. But Christian fathers commonlie do not so. And
I will tell you a tale, as moch to be misliked, as the _Persians_
example is to be folowed.
This last somer, I was in a Ientlemans house: where
A childe ill // a yong childe, somewhat past fower yeare olde,
brought // cold in no wise frame his tongue, to saie, a litle
vp. // shorte grace: and yet he could roundlie rap out,
so manie vgle othes, and those of the newest facion, as som
good man of fourescore yeare olde hath neuer hard named
Ill Pa- // before: and that which was most detestable of
rentes. // all, his father and mother wold laughe at it. I

_the brynging vp of youth._ 211

moche doubte, what comforte, an other daie, this childe shall
bring vnto them. This Childe vsing moche the companie of
seruinge men, and geuing good eare to their taulke, did easelie
learne, which he shall hardlie forget, all daies of his life here-
after: So likewise, in the Courte, if a yong Ientleman will
ventur him self into the companie of Ruffians, it is ouer greate
a ieopardie, lest, their facions, maners, thoughtes, taulke, and
deedes, will verie sone, be euer like. The confounding of
companies, breedeth confusion of good maners // Ill compa-
both in the Courte, and euerie where else. // nie.
And it maie be a great wonder, but a greater shame, to vs
Christian men, to vnderstand, what a heithen writer, _Isocrates_,
doth leaue in memorie of writing, concerning the // _Isocrates._
care, that the noble Citie of _Athens_ had, to bring
vp their yougthe, in honest companie, and vertuous discipline,
whose taulke in Greke, is, to this effect, in Englishe.
"The Citie, was not more carefull, to see their Children
"well taughte, than to see their yong men well // In Orat.
"gouerned: which they brought to passe, not so // Ariopag.
"much by common lawe, as by priuate discipline.
"For, they had more regard, that their yougthe, by good order
"shold not offend, than how, by lawe, they might be punished:
"And if offense were committed, there was, neither waie to
"hide it, neither hope of pardon for it. Good natures, were
"not so moche openlie praised as they were secretlie marked,
"and watchfullie regarded, lest they should lease the goodnes
"they had. Therefore in scholes of singing and dauncing, and
"other honest exercises, gouernours were appointed, more
"diligent to ouersee their good maners, than their masters were,
"to teach them anie learning. It was som shame to a yong
"man, to be seene in the open market: and if for businesse, he
"passed throughe it, he did it, with a meruelous modestie, and
"bashefull facion. To eate, or drinke in a Tauerne, was not
"onelie a shame, but also punishable, in a yong man. To
"contrarie, or to stand in termes with an old man, was more
"heinous, than in som place, to rebuke and scolde with his
"owne father: with manie other mo good orders, and faire
disciplines, which I referre to their reading, that haue lust
to looke vpon the description of such a worthie common
welthe.

212 _The first booke teachyng_

And to know, what worthie frute, did spring of soch
Good sede, // worthie seade, I will tell yow the most meruell
worthie // of all, and yet soch a trothe, as no man shall
frute. // denie it, except such as be ignorant in knowledge
of the best stories.
_Athens_, by this discipline and good ordering of yougthe, did
_Athenes._ // breede vp, within the circute of that one Citie,
within the compas of one hondred yeare, within
the memorie of one mans life, so manie notable Capitaines in
warre, for worthinesse, wisdome and learning, as be scarse
Roma. // matchable no not in the state of Rome, in the
compas of those seauen hondred yeares, whan it
florished moste.
And bicause, I will not onelie saie it, but also proue it, the
The noble // names of them be these. _Miltiades, Themistocles_,
Capitaines // _Xantippus, Pericles, Cymon, Alcybiades, Thrasybulus_,
of Athens. // _Conon, Iphicrates, Xenophon, Timotheus, Theopompus_,
_Demetrius_, and diuers other mo: of which euerie one, maie
iustelie be spoken that worthie praise, which was geuen to
_Scipio Africanus_, who, _Cicero_ douteth, whether he were, more
noble Capitaine in warre, or more eloquent and wise councelor
_æmil._ // in peace. And if ye beleue not me, read dili-
_Probus._ // gentlie, _æmilius Probus_ in Latin, and _Plutarche_
_Plutarchus._ // in Greke, which two, had no cause either to
flatter or lie vpon anie of those which I haue
recited.
And beside nobilitie in warre, for excellent and matchles
The lear- // masters in all maner of learninge, in that one
ned of A- // Citie, in memorie of one aige, were mo learned
thenes. // men, and that in a maner altogether, than all
tyme doth remember, than all place doth affourde, than all other
tonges do conteine. And I do not meene of those Authors,
which, by iniurie of tyme, by negligence of men, by crueltie of
fier and sworde, be lost, but euen of those, which by Goddes
grace, are left yet vnto us: of which I thank God, euen my
poore studie lacketh not one. As, in Philosophie, _Plato, Aris-
totle, Xenophon, Euclide_ and _Theophrast_: In eloquens and Ciuill
lawe, _Demosthenes, æschines, Lycurgus, Dinarchus, Demades,
Isocrates, Isæus, Lysias, Antisthenes, Andocides_: In histories, _He-
rodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon_: and which we lacke, to our

_the brynging vp of youth._ 213

great losse, _Theopompus_ and _Eph[orus]_: In Poetrie _æschylus,
Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes_, and somwhat of _Menander,
Demosthenes_ sister sonne.
Now, let Italian, and Latin it self, Spanishe, French,
Douch, and Englishe bring forth their lerning, // Learnyng,
and recite their Authors, _Cicero_ onelie excepted, // chiefly con-
and one or two moe in Latin, they be all patched // teined in
cloutes and ragges, in comparison of faire wouen // the Greke,
broade clothes. And trewelie, if there be any // and in no o-
good in them, it is either lerned, borowed, or // ther tong.
stolne, from some one of those worthie wittes of _Athens_.
The remembrance of soch a common welthe, vsing soch
discipline and order for yougthe, and thereby bringing forth to
their praise, and leauing to vs for our example, such Capitaines
for warre, soch Councelors for peace, and matcheles masters,
for all kinde of learninge, is pleasant for me to recite, and not
irksum, I trust, for other to heare, except it be soch, as make
neither counte of vertue nor learninge.
And whether, there be anie soch or no, I can not well tell:
yet I hear saie, some yong Ientlemen of oures, // Contem-
count it their shame to be counted learned: and // ners of
perchance, they count it their shame, to be // learnyng.
counted honest also, for I heare saie, they medle as litle with the
one, as with the other. A meruelous case, that Ientlemen
shold so be ashamed of good learning, and neuer a whit ashamed
of ill maners: soch do saie for them, that the
Ientlemen of France do so: which is a lie, as // Ientlemen
God will haue it. _Langæus_, and _Bellæus_ that be // of France.
dead, & the noble _Vidam_ of Chartres, that is aliue, and infinite
mo in France, which I heare tell of, proue this to be most false.
And though som, in France, which will nedes be Ientlemen,
whether men will or no, and haue more ientleshipe in their hat,
than in their hed, be at deedlie feude, with both learning and
honestie, yet I beleue, if that noble Prince, king _Francis_ the
first were aliue, they shold haue, neither place in // Franciscus
his Courte, nor pension in his warres, if he had // I. Nobilis.
knowledge of them. This opinion is not French, // Francorum
but plaine Turckishe: from whens, some Frenche // Rex.
fetche moe faultes, than this: which, I praie God, kepe out of

214 _The first booke teachyng_

England, and send also those of oures better mindes, which
bend them selues againste vertue and learninge, to the con-
tempte of God, dishonor of their contrie to the hurt of manie
others, and at length, to the greatest harme, and vtter destruction
of themselues.
Som other, hauing better nature, but lesse witte, (for ill
commonlie, haue ouer moch witte) do not vtterlie dispraise
Experience // learning, but they saie, that without learning,
without // common experience, knowledge of all facions, and
learnyng. // haunting all companies, shall worke in yougthe,
both wisdome, and habilitie, to execute anie weightie affaire.
Surelie long experience doth proffet moch, but moste, and
almost onelie to him (if we meene honest affaires) that is dili-
gentlie before instructed with preceptes of well doinge. For
good precepts of learning, be the eyes of the minde, to looke
wiselie before a man, which waie to go right, and which not.
Learning teacheth more in one yeare than experience in
Learnyng. // twentie: And learning teacheth safelie. when
experience maketh mo miserable then wise. He
Experience. // hasardeth sore, that waxeth wise by experience.
An vnhappie Master he is, that is made cunning by manie
shippewrakes: A miserable merchant, that is neither riche or
wise, but after som bankroutes. It is costlie wisdom, that is
bought by experience. We know by experience it selfe, that it
is a meruelous paine, to finde oute but a short waie, by long
wandering. And surelie, he that wold proue wise by
experience, he maie be wittie in deede, but euen like a swift
runner, that runneth fast out of his waie, and vpon the night,
he knoweth not whither. And verilie they be fewest of
number, that be happie or wise by vnlearned experience. And
looke well vpon the former life of those fewe, whether your
example be old or yonge, who without learning haue gathered,
by long experience, a litle wisdom, and som happines: and
whan you do consider, what mischiefe they haue committed,
what dangers they haue escaped (and yet xx. for one, do
perishe in the aduenture) than thinke well with your selfe,
whether ye wold, that your owne son, should cum to wisdom
and happines, by the waie of soch experience or no.
It is a notable tale, that old Syr _Roger Chamloe_, somtime

_the brynging vp of youth._ 215

cheife Iustice, wold tell of him selfe. When he was Auncient
in Inne of Courte, Certaine yong Ientlemen // Syr _Roger_
were brought before him, to be corrected for _Chamloe._
certaine misorders: And one of the lustiest saide:
Syr, we be yong ientlemen, and wisemen before vs, haue
proued all facions, and yet those haue done full well: this they
said, because it was well knowen, that Syr _Roger_ had bene a
good feloe in his yougth. But he aunswered them verie wiselie.
In deede saith he, in yougthe, I was, as you ar now: and I
had twelue feloes like vnto my self, but not one of them came
to a good ende. And therfore, folow not my example in yougth,
but folow my councell in aige, if euer ye thinke to cum to this
place, or to thies yeares, that I am cum vnto, lesse ye meete
either with pouertie or Tiburn in the way.
Thus, experience of all facions in yougthe, beinge, in profe,
alwaise daungerous, in isshue, seldom lucklie, is // Experience.
a waie, in deede, to ouermoch knowledge, yet
vsed commonlie of soch men, which be either caried by som
curious affection of mynde, or driuen by som hard necessitie of
life, to hasard the triall of ouer manie perilous aduentures.
_Erasmus_ the honor of learning of all oure time, saide
wiselie that experience is the common schole- // _Erasmus._
house of foles, and ill men: Men, of witte and // Experience,
honestie, be otherwise instructed. For there be, // the schole-
that kepe them out of fier, and yet was neuer // house of
burned: That beware of water, and yet was neuer // Foles, and
nie drowninge: That hate harlottes, and was // ill men.
neuer at the stewes: That abhorre falshode, and neuer brake
promis themselues.
But will ye see, a fit Similitude of this aduentured experience.
A Father, that doth let louse his son, to all experiences, is most
like a fond Hunter, that letteth slippe a whelpe to the hole
herde. Twentie to one, he shall fall vpon a rascall, and let
go the faire game. Men that hunt so, be either ignorant
persones, preuie stealers, or night walkers.
Learning therefore, ye wise fathers, and good bringing vp,
and not blinde & dangerous experience, is the next and readiest
waie, that must leede your Children, first, to wisdom, and than
to worthinesse, if euer ye purpose they shall cum there.
And to saie all in shorte, though I lacke Authoritie to giue

216 _The first booke teachyng_

counsell, yet I lacke not good will to wisshe, that the yougthe
How expe- // in England, speciallie Ientlemen, and namelie no-
rience may // bilitie, shold be by good bringing vp, so grounded
proffet. // in iudgement of learninge, so founded in loue of
honestie, as, whan they shold be called forthe to the execution
of great affaires, in seruice of their Prince and contrie, they
might be hable, to vse and to order, all experiences, were they
good were they bad, and that, according to the square, rule, and
line, of wisdom learning and vertue.
And, I do not meene, by all this my taulke, that yong
Diligent // Ientlemen, should alwaies be poring on a booke,
learninge // and by vsing good studies, shold lease honest
ought to be // pleasure, and haunt no good pastime, I meene
ioyned with // nothing lesse: For it is well knowne, that I both
pleasant // like and loue, and haue alwaies, and do yet still
pastimes, // vse, all exercises and pastimes, that be fitte for my
namelie in a // nature and habilitie. And beside naturall dispo-
ientleman. // sition, in iudgement also, I was neuer, either Stoick in doctrine,
or Anabaptist in Religion, to mislike a merie, pleasant, and
plaifull nature, if no outrage be committed, against lawe,
mesure, and good order.
Therefore, I wold wishe, that, beside some good time, fitlie
appointed, and constantlie kepte, to encrease by readinge, the
knowledge of the tonges and learning, yong ientlemen shold
Learnyng // vse, and delite in all Courtelie exercises, and
ioyned with // Ientlemanlike pastimes. And good cause whie:
pastimes. // For the self same noble Citie of Athenes, iustlie
commended of me before, did wiselie and vpon great considera-
tion, appoint, the Muses, _Apollo_, and _Pallas_, to be patrones of
_Musæ._ // learninge to their yougthe. For the Muses,
besides learning, were also Ladies of dauncinge,
_Apollo._ // mirthe and ministrelsie: _Apollo_, was god of shooting,
and Author of cunning playing vpon Instrumentes:
_Pallas._ // _Pallas_ also was Laidie mistres in warres. Wher-
bie was nothing else ment, but that learninge shold be alwaise
mingled, with honest mirthe, and cumlie exercises: and that
warre also shold be gouerned by learning, and moderated by
wisdom, as did well appeare in those Capitaines of _Athenes_
named by me before, and also in _Scipio_ & _Cæsar_, the two
Diamondes of Rome.

_the brynging vp of youth._ 217