Chapter III: Part 3

And _Pallas_, was no more feared, in weering _ægida_, than she
was praised, for chosing _Oliva_: whereby shineth // Learning
the glory of learning, which thus, was Gouernour // rewleth
& Mistres, in the noble Citie of _Athenes_, both of // both warre
warre and peace. // and peace.
Therefore, to ride cumlie: to run faire at the tilte or ring:
to plaie at all weapones: to shote faire in bow, or surelie in gon:
to vaut lustely: to runne: to leape: to wrestle: // The pas-
to swimme: To daunce cumlie: to sing, and playe // times that
of instrumentes cunnyngly: to Hawke: to hunte: // be fitte for
to playe at tennes, & all pastimes generally, which // Courtlie
be ioyned with labor, vsed in open place, and on // Ientlemen.
the day light, conteining either some fitte exercise for warre, or
some pleasant pastime for peace, be not onelie cumlie and decent,
but also verie necessarie, for a Courtlie Ientleman to vse.
But, of all kinde of pastimes, fitte for a Ientleman, I will,
godwilling, in fitter place, more at large, declare fullie, in my
booke of the Cockpitte: which I do write, to // The Cok-
satisfie som, I trust, with som reason, that be // pitte.
more curious, in marking other mens doinges, than
carefull in mendying their owne faultes. And som also will
nedes busie them selues in merueling, and adding thereunto
vnfrendlie taulke, why I, a man of good yeares, and of no ill
place, I thanke God and my Prince, do make choise to spend
soch tyme in writyng of trifles, as the schole of shoting, the
Cockpitte, and this booke of the first Principles of Grammer,
rather, than to take some weightie matter in hand, either of
Religion, or Ciuill discipline.
Wise men I know, will well allow of my choise herein: and
as for such, who haue not witte of them selues, but must learne
of others, to iudge right of mens doynges, let them // A booke of
read that wise Poet _Horace_ in his _Arte Poetica_, // a lofty title,
who willeth wisemen to beware, of hie and loftie // beareth the
Titles. For, great shippes, require costlie tack- // brag of o-
ling, and also afterward dangerous gouernment: // uergreat a
Small boates, be neither verie chargeable in // promise.
makyng, nor verie oft in great ieoperdie: and yet they cary
many tymes, as good and costlie ware, as greater vessels do.
A meane Argument, may easelie beare, the light burden of
a small faute, and haue alwaise at hand, a ready excuse for

218 _The first booke teachyng_

ill handling: And, some praise it is, if it so chaunce, to be
The right // better in deede, than a man dare venture to
choise, to // seeme. A hye title, doth charge a man, with
chose a fitte // the heauie burden, of to great a promise: and
Argument // therefore sayth _Horace_ verie wittelie, that, that
to write // Poete was a verie foole, that began hys booke,
vpon. // with a goodlie verse in deede, but ouer proude
_Hor. in_ // a promise.
_Arte Poet._ //

_Fortunam Priami cantabo & nobile bellum,_

And after, as wiselie.

_Quantò rectiùs hic, qui nil molitur ineptè. etc._

Meening _Homer_, who, within the compasse of a smal
_Homers_ // Argument, of one harlot, and of one good wife,
wisdom in // did vtter so moch learning in all kinde of sciences,
choice of // as, by the iudgement of _Quintilian_, he deserueth
his Argu- // so hie a praise, that no man yet deserued to sit
ment. // in the second degree beneth him. And thus moch
out of my way, concerning my purpose in spending penne, and
paper, & tyme, vpon trifles, & namelie to aunswere some, that
haue neither witte nor learning, to do any thyng them selues,
neither will nor honestie, to say well of other.
To ioyne learnyng with cumlie exercises, _Conto Baldesær_
The Cor- // _Castiglione_ in his booke, _Cortegiano_, doth trimlie
tegian, an // teache: which booke, aduisedlie read, and dili-
excellent // gentlie folowed, but one yeare at home in
booke for a // England, would do a yong ientleman more good,
ientleman. // I wisse, then three yeares trauell abrode spent in
_Italie_. And I meruell this booke, is no more read in the Court,
than it is, seying it is so well translated into English by a worthie
Syr _Tho._ // Ientleman Syr _Th. Hobbie_, who was many wayes
_Hobbye._ // well furnished with learnyng, and very expert in
knowledge of diuers tonges.
And beside good preceptes in bookes, in all kinde of tonges,
this Court also neuer lacked many faire examples, for yong
Examples // ientlemen to folow: And surelie, one example,
better than // is more valiable, both to good and ill, than xx.
preceptes. // preceptes written in bookes: and so _Plato_, not in
one or two, but diuerse places, doth plainlie teach.

_the brynging vp of youth._ 219

If kyng _Edward_ had liued a litle longer, his onely example
had breed soch a rase of worthie learned ientlemen, // _King Ed._ 6.
as this Realme neuer yet did affourde.
And, in the second degree, two noble Primeroses of
Nobilitie, the yong Duke of Suffolke, and Lord // The yong
_H. Matreuers_, were soch two examples to the // Duke of
Court for learnyng, as our tyme may rather wishe, // Suffolke.
than looke for agayne. // _L. H. Mar-_
// _treuers._
At Cambrige also, in S. Iohns Colledge, in
my tyme, I do know, that, not so much the good statutes, as two
Ientlemen, of worthie memorie Syr _Iohn Cheke_, // _Syr John_
and Doctour _Readman_, by their onely example // _Cheke._
of excellency in learnyng, of godlynes in liuyng, of
diligencie in studying, of councell in exhorting, of good order in
all thyng, did breed vp, so many learned men, in // _D. Read-_
that one College of S. Iohns, at one time, as I // _man._
beleue, the whole Vniuersitie of _Louaine_, in many
yeares, was neuer able to affourd.
Present examples of this present tyme, I list not to
touch: yet there is one example, for all the Ien- // _Queene_
tlemen of this Court to folow, that may well // _Elisabeth._
satisfie them, or nothing will serue them, nor no
example moue them, to goodnes and learning.
It is your shame, (I speake to you all, you yong Ientlemen
of England) that one mayd should go beyond you all, in excel-
lencie of learnyng, and knowledge of diuers tonges. Pointe
forth six of the best giuen Ientlemen of this Court, and all they
together, shew not so much good will, spend not so much tyme,
bestow not so many houres, dayly orderly, & constantly, for the
increase of learning & knowledge, as doth the Queenes Maiestie
her selfe. Yea I beleue, that beside her perfit readines, in
_Latin, Italian, French_, & _Spanish_, she readeth here now at
Windsore more Greeke euery day, than some Prebendarie of
this Chirch doth read _Latin_ in a whole weeke. And that
which is most praise worthie of all, within the walles of her
priuie chamber, she hath obteyned that excellencie of learnyng,
to vnderstand, speake, & write, both wittely with head, and
faire with hand, as scarse one or two rare wittes in both the
Vniuersities haue in many yeares reached vnto. Amongest
all the benefites y^t God hath blessed me with all, next the

220 _The first booke teachyng_

knowledge of Christes true Religion, I counte this the greatest,
that it pleased God to call me, to be one poore minister in
settyng forward these excellent giftes of learnyng in this most
excellent Prince. Whose onely example, if the rest of our
Ill Exam- // nobilitie would folow, than might England be,
ples haue // for learnyng and wisedome in nobilitie, a spectacle
more force, // to all the world beside. But see the mishap of
then good // men: The best examples haue neuer such forse
examples. // to moue to any goodnes, as the bad, vaine, light
and fond, haue to all ilnes.
And one example, though out of the compas of learning,
yet not out of the order of good maners, was notable in this
Courte, not fullie xxiiij. yeares a go, when all the actes of
Parlament, many good Proclamations, diuerse strait commanude-
mentes, sore punishment openlie, speciall regarde priuatelie, cold
not do so moch to take away one misorder, as the example of
one big one of this Courte did, still to kepe vp the same: The
memorie whereof, doth yet remaine, in a common prouerbe of
Birching lane.
Take hede therfore, ye great ones in y^e Court, yea though
Great men // ye be y^e greatest of all, take hede, what ye do,
in Court, // take hede how ye liue. For as you great ones
by their // vse to do, so all meane men loue to do. You be
example, // in deed, makers or marrers, of all mens maners
make or // within the Realme. For though God hath placed
marre, all // yow, to be cheife in making of lawes, to beare
other mens // greatest authoritie, to commaund all others: yet
maners. // God doth order, that all your lawes, all your authoritie, all your
commaundementes, do not halfe so moch with meane men, as
Example // doth your example and maner of liuinge. And
in Religion. // for example euen in the greatest matter, if yow
your selues do serue God gladlie and orderlie for
conscience sake, not coldlie, and somtyme for maner sake, you
carie all the Courte with yow, and the whole Realme beside,
earnestlie and orderlie to do the same. If yow do otherwise,
yow be the onelie authors, of all misorders in Religion, not
onelie to the Courte, but to all England beside. Infinite shall
be made cold in Religion by your example, that neuer were
hurt by reading of bookes.
And in meaner matters, if three or foure great ones in

_the brynging vp of youth._ 221

Courte, will nedes outrage in apparell, in huge hose, in mon-
strous hattes, in gaurishe colers, let the Prince Pro- // Example
clame, make Lawes, order, punishe, commaunde // in apparell.
euerie gate in London dailie to be watched, let all
good men beside do euerie where what they can, surelie the
misorder of apparell in mean men abrode, shall neuer be
amended, except the greatest in Courte will order and mend
them selues first. I know, som greate and good ones in Courte,
were authors, that honest Citizens of London, shoulde watche
at euerie gate, to take misordered persones in apparell. I know,
that honest Londoners did so: And I sawe, which I saw than,
& reporte now with some greife, that som Courtlie men were
offended with these good men of London. And that, which
greued me most of all, I sawe the verie same tyme, for all theis
good orders, commaunded from the Courte and executed in
London, I sawe I say, cum out of London, euen // Masters,
vnto the presence of the Prince, a great rable of // Vshers, &
meane and light persons, in apparell, for matter, // Scholers
against lawe, for making, against order, for facion, // of fense.
namelie hose, so without all order, as he thought himselfe most
braue, that durst do most in breaking order and was most
monsterous in misorder. And for all the great commaunde-
mentes, that came out of the Courte, yet this bold misorder,
was winked at, and borne withall, in the Courte. I thought,
it was not well, that som great ones of the Court, durst declare
themselues offended, with good men of London, for doinge their
dewtie, & the good ones of the Courte, would not shew them-
selues offended, with ill men of London, for breaking good
order. I fownde thereby a sayinge of _Socrates_ to be most trewe
that ill men be more hastie, than good men be forwarde, to
prosecute their purposes, euen as Christ himselfe saith, of the
Children of light and darknes.
Beside apparell, in all other thinges to, not so moch, good
lawes and strait commaundementes as the example and maner
of liuing of great men, doth carie all meane men euerie where,
to like, and loue, & do, as they do. For if but two or three
noble men in the Court, wold but beginne to // Example
shoote, all yong Ientlemen, the whole Court, all // in shoo-
London, the whole Realme, wold straight waie // tyng.
exercise shooting.

222 _The first booke teachyng_

What praise shold they wynne to themselues, what com-
moditie shold they bring to their contrey, that would thus
deserue to be pointed at: Beholde, there goeth, the author of
good order, the guide of good men. I cold say more, and yet
not ouermuch. But perchance, som will say, I haue stepte to
farre, out of my schole, into the common welthe, from teaching
Written not // a yong scholer, to monishe greate and noble men:
for great // yet I trust good and wise men will thinke and
men, but for // iudge of me, that my minde was, not so moch,
great mens // to be busie and bold with them, that be great
children. // now, as to giue trewe aduise to them, that may
be great hereafter. Who, if they do, as I wishe them to do,
how great so euer they be now, by blood and other mens
meanes, they shall becum a greate deale greater hereafter, by
learninge, vertue, and their owne desertes: which is trewe praise,
right worthines, and verie Nobilitie in deede. Yet, if som will
needes presse me, that I am to bold with great men, & stray to
Ad Philip. // farre from my matter, I will aunswere them with
_S. Paul, siue perc ontentionem, siue quocunqe modo,
modò Christus prædicetur, &c._ euen so, whether in place, or out
of place, with my matter, or beside my matter, if I can hereby
either prouoke the good, or staye the ill, I shall thinke my
writing herein well imployed.
But, to cum downe, from greate men, and hier matters, to
my litle children, and poore scholehouse againe, I will, God
willing, go forwarde orderlie, as I purposed, to instructe
Children and yong men, both for learninge and maners.
Hitherto, I haue shewed, what harme, ouermoch feare
bringeth to children: and what hurte, ill companie, and ouer-
moch libertie breedeth in yougthe: meening thereby, that from
seauen yeare olde, to seauentene, loue is the best allurement to
learninge: from seauentene to seauen and twentie, that wise
men shold carefullie see the steppes of yougthe surelie staide by
good order, in that most slipperie tyme: and speciallie in the
Courte, a place most dangerous for yougthe to liue in, without
great grace, good regarde, and diligent looking to.
Syr _Richard Sackuile_, that worthy Ientlemen of worthy
Trauelyng // memorie, as I sayd in the begynnynge, in the
into Ita- // Queenes priuie Chamber at Windesore, after he
lie. // had talked with me, for the right choice of a good

_the brynging vp of youth._ 223

witte in a child for learnyng, and of the trewe difference betwixt
quicke and hard wittes, of alluring yong children by ientlenes
to loue learnyng, and of the speciall care that was to be had, to
keepe yong men from licencious liuyng, he was most earnest
with me, to haue me say my mynde also, what I thought,
concernyng the fansie that many yong Ientlemen of England
haue to trauell abroad, and namely to lead a long lyfe in Italie.
His request, both for his authoritie, and good will toward me,
was a sufficient commaundement vnto me, to satisfie his
pleasure, with vtteryng plainlie my opinion in that matter.
Syr quoth I, I take goyng thither, and liuing there, for a yonge
ientleman, that doth not goe vnder the kepe and garde of such
a man, as both, by wisedome can, and authoritie dare rewle him,
to be meruelous dangerous. And whie I said so than, I will
declare at large now: which I said than priuatelie, and write
now openlie, not bicause I do contemne, either the knowledge
of strange and diuerse tonges, and namelie the // The Ita-
Italian tonge, which next the Greeke and Latin // lian tong.
tonge, I like and loue aboue all other: or else
bicause I do despise, the learning that is gotten, or the experi-
ence that is gathered in strange contries: or for any priuate
malice that beare to Italie: which contrie, and // Italia.
in it, namelie Rome, I haue alwayes speciallie
honored: bicause, tyme was, whan Italie and // Roma.
Rome, haue bene, to the greate good of vs that now liue, the
best breeders and bringers vp, of the worthiest men, not onelie
for wise speakinge, but also for well doing, in all Ciuill affaires,
that euer was in the worlde. But now, that tyme is gone, and
though the place remayne, yet the olde and present maners, do
differ as farre, as blacke and white, as vertue and vice. Vertue
once made that contrie Mistres ouer all the worlde. Vice now
maketh that contrie slaue to them, that before, were glad to
serue it. All men seeth it: They themselues confesse it,
namelie soch, as be best and wisest amongest them. For sinne,
by lust and vanitie, hath and doth breed vp euery where,
common contempt of Gods word, priuate contention in many
families, open factions in euery Citie: and so, makyng them
selues bonde, to vanitie and vice at home, they are content to
beare the yoke of seruyng straungers abroad. _Italie_ now, is not
that _Italie_, that it was wont to be: and therfore now, not so

224 _The first booke teachyng_

fitte a place, as some do counte it, for yong men to fetch either
wisedome or honestie from thence. For surelie, they will make
other but bad Scholers, that be so ill Masters to them selues.
Yet, if a ientleman will nedes trauell into _Italie_, he shall do
well, to looke on the life, of the wisest traueler, that euer
traueled thether, set out by the wisest writer, that euer spake
with tong, Gods doctrine onelie excepted: and that is _Vlysses_ in
_Vlysses._ // _Homere_. _Vlysses_, and his trauell, I wishe our
_Homere._ // trauelers to looke vpon, not so much to feare
them, with the great daungers, that he many
tymes suffered, as to instruct them, with his excellent wisedome,
which he alwayes and euerywhere vsed. Yea euen those, that
be learned and wittie trauelers, when they be disposed to prayse
traueling, as a great commendacion, and the best Scripture they
haue for it, they gladlie recite the third verse of _Homere_, in his
first booke of _Odyssea_, conteinyng a great prayse of _Vlysses_, for
odys. a. // the witte he gathered, & wisdome he vsed in
his traueling.
Which verse, bicause, in mine opinion, it was not made at
the first, more naturallie in _Greke_ by _Homere_, nor after turned
more aptlie into _Latin_ by _Horace_, than it was a good while
ago, in Cambrige, translated into English, both plainlie for the
sense, and roundlie for the verse, by one of the best Scholers,
that euer S. Iohns Colledge bred, _M. Watson_, myne old frend,
somtime Bishop of Lincolne, therfore, for their sake, that haue
lust to see, how our English tong, in auoidyng barbarous
ryming, may as well receiue, right quantitie of sillables, and
trewe order of versifiyng (of which matter more at large here-
after) as either _Greke_ or _Latin_, if a cunning man haue it in
handling, I will set forth that one verse in all three tonges, for
an Example to good wittes, that shall delite in like learned
exercise.
<b>Homerus.</b>
pollon d anthropon iden astea kai noon egno.
<b>Horatius.</b>
_Qui mores hominum multorum vidit & vrbes._
<b>M. Watson.</b>
_All trauellers do gladly report great prayse of Vlysses,
For that he knew many mens maners, and saw many Cities._

_the brynging vp of youth._ 225

And yet is not _Vlysses_ commended, so much, nor so oft, in
_Homere_, bicause he was polytropos, that is, // | {polytropos.
skilfull in many mens manners and facions, as // | _Vlyss._ {
bicause he was polymetis, that is, wise in all // | { polymetis.
purposes, & ware in all places: which wisedome and warenes
will not serue neither a traueler, except _Pallas_ be // _Pallas_ from
alwayes at his elbow, that is Gods speciall grace // heauen.
from heauen, to kepe him in Gods feare, in all
his doynges, in all his ieorneye. For, he shall not alwayes
in his absence out of England, light vpon a
ientle _Alcynous_, and walke in his faire gardens // | _Alcynous._ od. 2.
full of all harmelesse pleasures: but he shall // |
sometymes, fall, either into the handes of some // |
cruell _Cyclops_, or into the lappe of some wanton // | _Cyclops._ od. 1.
and dalying Dame _Calypso_: and so suffer the // | _Calypso._ od. e.
danger of many a deadlie Denne, not so full of // |
perils, to distroy the body, as, full of vayne // |
pleasures, to poyson the mynde. Some _Siren_ // | _Sirenes._ }
shall sing him a song, sweete in tune, but // | }
sownding in the ende, to his vtter destruction. // | _Scylla._ } od.
m.
If _Scylla_ drowne him not, _Carybdis_ may fortune // | _Caribdis._ }
swalow hym. Some _Circes_ shall make him, of // | _Circes._ od. k.
a plaine English man, a right _Italian_. And at
length to hell, or to some hellish place, is he likelie to go: from
whence is hard returning, although one _Vlysses_, and that by
_Pallas_ ayde, and good counsell of _Tiresias_ once // od. l.
escaped that horrible Den of deadly darkenes.
Therfore, if wise men will nedes send their sonnes into
_Italie_, let them do it wiselie, vnder the kepe and garde of him,
who, by his wisedome and honestie, by his example and
authoritie, may be hable to kepe them safe and sound, in the
feare of God, in Christes trewe Religion, in good order and
honestie of liuyng: except they will haue them run headling,
into ouermany ieoperdies, as _Vlysses_ had done many tymes, if
_Pallas_ had not alwayes gouerned him: if he had not vsed, to
stop his eares with waxe: to bind him selfe to // od. m.
the mast of his shyp: to feede dayly, vpon that // od. k.
swete herbe _Moly_ with the blake roote and // Moly Her-
white floore, giuen vnto hym by Mercurie, to // ba.
auoide all the inchantmentes of _Circes_. Wherby, the Diuine

226 _The first booke teachyng_

Poete _Homer_ ment couertlie (as wise and Godly men do iudge)
Psal. 33. // that loue of honestie, and hatred of ill, which
_Dauid_ more plainly doth call the feare of God:
the onely remedie agaynst all inchantementes of sinne.
I know diuerse noble personages, and many worthie Ientle-
men of England, whom all the _Siren_ songes of _Italie_, could
neuer vntwyne from the maste of Gods word: nor no inchant-
ment of vanitie, ouerturne them, from the feare of God, and
loue of honestie.
But I know as many, or mo, and some, sometyme my
deare frendes, for whose sake I hate going into that countrey the
more, who, partyng out of England feruent in the loue of
Christes doctrine, and well furnished with the feare of God,
returned out of _Italie_ worse transformed, than euer was any in
_Circes_ Court. I know diuerse, that went out of England, men
of innocent life, men of excellent learnyng, who returned out
of _Italie_, not onely with worse maners, but also with lesse
learnyng: neither so willing to liue orderly, nor yet so hable to
speake learnedlie, as they were at home, before they went
abroad. And why? _Plato_ y^t wise writer, and worthy
traueler him selfe, telleth the cause why. He went into _Sicilia_,
a countrey, no nigher _Italy_ by site of place, than _Italie_ that is
now, is like _Sicilia_ that was then, in all corrupt maners and
licenciousnes of life. _Plato_ found in _Sicilia_, euery Citie full of
vanitie, full of factions, euen as _Italie_ is now. And as _Homere_,
like a learned Poete, doth feyne, that _Circes_, by pleasant in-
chantmentes, did turne men into beastes, some into Swine, som
into Asses, some into Foxes, some into Wolues etc. euen so
Plat. ad // _Plato_, like a wise Philosopher, doth plainelie
Dionys. // declare, that pleasure, by licentious vanitie, that
Epist. 3. // sweete and perilous poyson of all youth, doth
ingender in all those, that yeld vp themselues to her, foure
notorious properties.
{1. lethen
The fruits // {2. dysmathian
of vayne // {3. achrosynen
pleasure. // {4. ybrin.
The first, forgetfulnes of all good thinges learned before:
Causes // the second, dulnes to receyue either learnyng or
why men // honestie euer after: the third, a mynde embracing

_the brynging vp of youth._ 227

lightlie the worse opinion, and baren of discretion // returne out
to make trewe difference betwixt good and ill, // of Italie,
betwixt troth, and vanitie, the fourth, a proude // lesse lear-
disdainfulnes of other good men, in all honest // ned and
matters. _Homere_ and _Plato_, haue both one // worse ma-
meanyng, looke both to one end. For, if a man // nered.
inglutte himself with vanitie, or walter in filthi- // _Homer_ and
nes like a Swyne, all learnyng, all goodnes, is // _Plato_ ioy-
sone forgotten: Than, quicklie shall he becum // ned and ex-
a dull Asse, to vnderstand either learnyng or //pounded.
honestie: and yet shall he be as sutle as a Foxe, // A Swyne.
in breedyng of mischief, in bringyng in misorder, // An Asse.
with a busie head, a discoursing tong, and a factious harte, in // A Foxe.
euery priuate affaire, in all matters of state, with this pretie
propertie, alwayes glad to commend the worse // aphrosyne,
partie, and euer ready to defend the falser // Quid, et
opinion. And why? For, where will is giuen // vnde.
from goodnes to vanitie, the mynde is sone caryed from right
iudgement, to any fond opinion, in Religion, in Philosophie, or
any other kynde of learning. The fourth fruite of vaine
pleasure, by _Homer_ and _Platos_ iudgement, is pride // hybris.
in them selues, contempt of others, the very
badge of all those that serue in _Circes_ Court. The trewe
meenyng of both _Homer_ and _Plato_, is plainlie declared in one
short sentence of the holy Prophet of God // Hieremias
_Hieremie_, crying out of the vaine & vicious life // 4. Cap.
of the _Israelites_. This people (sayth he) be
fooles and dulhedes to all goodnes, but sotle, cunning and
bolde, in any mischiefe. &c.
The true medicine against the inchantmentes of _Circes_,
the vanitie of licencious pleasure, the inticementes of all sinne,
is, in _Homere_, the herbe _Moly_, with the blacke roote, and white
flooer, sower at the first, but sweete in the end: which,
_Hesiodus_ termeth the study of vertue, hard and // Hesiodus
irksome in the beginnyng, but in the end, easie // de virtute.
and pleasant. And that, which is most to be
marueled at, the diuine Poete _Homere_ sayth plainlie that this
medicine against sinne and vanitie, is not found // Homerus,
out by man, but giuen and taught by God. And // diuinus
for some one sake, that will haue delite to read // Poeta.

228 _The first booke teachyng_

that sweete and Godlie Verse, I will recite the very wordes of
_Homere_ and also turne them into rude English metre.

chalepon de t oryssein
andrasi ge thnetoisi, theoi de te panta dynantai.

In English thus.

_No mortall man, with sweat of browe, or toile of minde,
But onely God, who can do all, that herbe doth finde._

_Plato_ also, that diuine Philosopher, hath many Godly
medicines agaynst the poyson of vayne pleasure, in many
places, but specially in his Epistles to _Dionisius_ the tyrant of
Plat. ad // _Sicilie_: yet agaynst those, that will nedes becum
Dio. // beastes, with seruyng of _Circes_, the Prophet
_Psal._ 32 // _Dauid_, crieth most loude, _Nolite fieri sicut equus et
mulus_: and by and by giueth the right medi-
cine, the trewe herbe _Moly, In camo & freno maxillas
eorum constringe_, that is to say, let Gods grace be the bitte,
let Gods feare be the bridle, to stay them from runnyng head-
long into vice, and to turne them into the right way agayne.
_Psal._ 33. // _Dauid_ in the second Psalme after, giueth the
same medicine, but in these plainer wordes,
_Diuerte à malo, & fac bonum_. But I am affraide, that ouer
many of our trauelers into _Italie_, do not exchewe the way to
_Circes_ Court: but go, and ryde, and runne, and flie thether,
they make great hast to cum to her: they make great sute to
serue her: yea, I could point out some with my finger, that
neuer had gone out of England, but onelie to serue _Circes_, in
_Italie_. Vanitie and vice, and any licence to ill liuyng in
England was counted stale and rude vnto them. And so, beyng
Mules and Horses before they went, returned verie Swyne and
Asses home agayne: yet euerie where verie Foxes with suttle
A trewe // and busie heades; and where they may, verie
Picture of // wolues, with cruell malicious hartes. A mer-
a knight of // uelous monster, which, for filthines of liuyng, for
Circes // dulnes to learning him selfe, for wilinesse in
Court. // dealing with others, for malice in hurting without
cause, should carie at once in one bodie, the belie of a Swyne,
the head of an Asse, the brayne of a Foxe, the wombe of
a wolfe. If you thinke, we iudge amisse, and write to sore

_the brynging vp of youth._ 229

against you, heare, what the _Italian_ sayth of the English man,
what the master reporteth of the scholer: who // The Ita-
vttereth playnlie, what is taught by him, and what // lians iudge-
learned by you, saying, _Englese Italianato, e vn_ // ment of
_diabolo incarnato_, that is to say, you remaine men // Englishmen
in shape and facion, but becum deuils in life // brought vp
and condition. This is not, the opinion of one, // in Italie.
for some priuate spite, but the iudgement of all, in a common
Prouerbe, which riseth, of that learnyng, and those maners,
which you gather in _Italie_: a good Scholehouse // The Ita-
of wholesome doctrine: and worthy Masters of // lian diffa-
commendable Scholers, where the Master had // meth him
rather diffame hym selfe for hys teachyng, than // selfe, to
not shame his Scholer for his learning. A good // shame the
nature of the maister, and faire conditions of the // Englishe
scholers. And now chose you, you _Italian_ English men, // man.
whether you will be angrie with vs, for calling you monsters,
or with the _Italianes_, for callyng you deuils, or else with your
owne selues, that take so much paines, and go so farre, to make
your selues both. If some yet do not well vnder- // An Eng-
stand, what is an English man Italianated, I will // lish man
plainlie tell him. He, that by liuing, & traueling // Italiana-
in _Italie_, bringeth home into England out of _Italie_, // ted.
the Religion, the learning, the policie, the experience, the maners
of _Italie_. That is to say, for Religion, // | {1 Religion.}
Papistrie or worse: for learnyng, lesse // | {2 Learn- }
commonly than they caried out with // | { ing. }
them: for pollicie, a factious hart, a // | {3 Pollicie. }
discoursing head, a mynde to medle in // |The{ }gotten in
all mens matters: for experience, // | {4 Experi- }_Italie_.
plentie of new mischieues neuer // | { ence. }
knowne in England before: for maners, // | {5 Maners. }
varietie of vanities, and chaunge of // |
filthy lyuing. These be the inchantementes of _Circes_, brought
out of _Italie_, to marre mens maners in England: much, by
example of ill life, but more by preceptes of fonde // _Italian_
bookes, of late translated out of _Italian_ into // bokes trans-
English, sold in euery shop in London, com- // lated into
mended by honest titles the soner to corrupt // English.
honest maners: dedicated ouer boldlie to vertuous and honor-

230 _The first booke teachyng_

able personages, the easielier to begile simple and innocent wittes.
hand.gif // It is pitie, that those, which haue authoritie and
charge, to allow and dissalow bookes to be printed,
be no more circumspect herein, than they are. Ten Sermons
at Paules Crosse do not so moch good for mouyng men to trewe
doctrine, as one of those bookes do harme, with inticing men
to ill liuing. Yea, I say farder, those bookes, tend not so moch
to corrupt honest liuyng, as they do, to subuert trewe Religion.
Mo Papistes be made, by your mery bookes of _Italie_, than by
your earnest bookes of _Louain_. And bicause our great
Phisicians, do winke at the matter, and make no counte of this
sore, I, though not admitted one of their felowshyp, yet hauyng
bene many yeares a prentice to Gods trewe Religion, and trust
to continewe a poore iorney man therein all dayes of my life,
for the dewtie I owe, & loue I beare, both to trewe doctrine,
and honest liuing, though I haue no authoritie to amend the
sore my selfe, yet I will declare my good will, to discouer the
sore to others.
S. Paul saith, that sectes and ill opinions, be the workes of
Ad Gal. 5. // the flesh, and frutes of sinne, this is spoken, no
more trewlie for the doctrine, than sensiblie for
the reason. And why? For, ill doinges, breed ill thinkinges.
And of corrupted maners, spryng peruerted iudgementes. And
Voluntas} {Bonum. | // how? there be in man two speciall
} Respicit. { | // thinges: Mans will, mans mynde,
Mens } { Verum. | Where will inclineth to goodnes,
the mynde is bent to troth: Where will is caried from goodnes
to vanitie, the mynde is sone drawne from troth to false
opinion. And so, the readiest way to entangle the mynde with
false doctrine, is first to intice the will to wanton liuyng.
Therfore, when the busie and open Papistes abroad, could not,
by their contentious bookes, turne men in England fast enough,
from troth and right iudgement in doctrine, than the sutle and
hand.gif // secrete Papistes at home, procured bawdie bookes
to be translated out of the _Italian_ tonge, whereby
ouer many yong willes and wittes allured to wantonnes, do now
boldly contemne all seuere bookes that sounde to honestie and
godlines. In our forefathers tyme, whan Papistrie, as a standyng
poole, couered and ouerflowed all England, fewe bookes were
read in our tong, sauyng certaine bookes of Cheualrie, as they

_the brynging vp of youth._ 231

sayd, for pastime and pleasure, which, as some say, were made
in Monasteries, by idle Monkes, or wanton Chanons: as one
for example, _Morte Arthure_: the whole pleasure // Morte Ar-
of which booke standeth in two speciall poyntes, // thur.
in open mans slaughter, and bold bawdrye: In which booke
those be counted the noblest Knightes, that do kill most men
without any quarell, and commit fowlest aduoulteries by
sutlest shiftes: as Sir _Launcelote_, with the wife of king _Arthure_
his master: Syr _Tristram_ with the wife of king _Marke_ his
vncle: Syr _Lamerocke_ with the wife of king _Lote_, // hand.gif
that was his own aunte. This is good stuffe, for
wise men to laughe at, or honest men to take pleasure at. Yet
I know, when Gods Bible was banished the Court, and _Morte
Arthure_ receiued into the Princes chamber. What toyes, the
dayly readyng of such a booke, may worke in the will of a yong
ientleman, or a yong mayde, that liueth welthelie and idlelie,
wise men can iudge, and honest men do pitie. And yet ten
_Morte Arthures_ do not the tenth part so much harme, as one of
these bookes, made in _Italie_, and translated in // hand.gif
England. They open, not fond and common
wayes to vice, but such subtle, cunnyng, new, and diuerse
shiftes, to cary yong willes to vanitie, and yong wittes to
mischief, to teach old bawdes new schole poyntes, as the simple
head of an English man is not hable to inuent, nor neuer was
hard of in England before, yea when Papistrie ouerflowed all.
Suffer these bookes to be read, and they shall soone displace all
bookes of godly learnyng. For they, carying the will to
vanitie, and marryng good maners, shall easily // hand.gif
corrupt the mynde with ill opinions, and false
iudgement in doctrine: first, to thinke ill of all trewe Religion,
and at last to thinke nothyng of God hym selfe, one speciall
pointe that is to be learned in _Italie_, and _Italian_ // hand.gif
bookes. And that which is most to be lamented,
and therfore more nedefull to be looked to, there be moe of
these vngratious bookes set out in Printe within these fewe
monethes, than haue bene sene in England many score yeare
before. And bicause our English men made _Italians_, can not
hurt, but certaine persons, and in certaine places, therfore these
_Italian_ bookes are made English, to bryng mischief enough

232 _The first booke teachyng_

openly and boldly, to all states great and meane, yong and old,
euery where.
And thus yow see, how will intised to wantonnes, doth
easelie allure the mynde to false opinions: and how corrupt
maners in liuinge, breede false iudgement in doctrine: how sinne
and fleshlines, bring forth sectes and heresies: And therefore
suffer not vaine bookes to breede vanitie in mens willes, if yow
would haue Goddes trothe take roote in mens myndes.
That Italian, that first inuented the Italian Prouerbe
against our Englishe men Italianated, ment no more their
The Ita- // vanitie in liuing, than their lewd opinion in
lian pro- // Religion. For, in calling them Deuiles, he carieth
uerbe ex- // them cleane from God: and yet he carieth them
pounded. // no farder, than they willinglie go themselues,
that is, where they may freely say their mindes, to the open
contempte of God and all godlines, both in liuing and doctrine.
And how? I will expresse how, not by a Fable of _Homere_,
nor by the Philosophie of _Plato_, but by a plaine troth of
Goddes word, sensiblie vttered by _Dauid_ thus. Thies men,
_abhominabiles facti in studijs suis_, thinke verily, and singe
gladlie the verse before, _Dixit insipiens in Corde suo, non est_
_Psa._ 14. // _Deus:_ that is to say, they geuing themselues vp to
vanitie, shakinge of the motions of Grace, driuing
from them the feare of God, and running headlong into all
sinne, first, lustelie contemne God, than scornefullie mocke his
worde, and also spitefullie hate and hurte all well willers
thereof. Than they haue in more reuerence, the triumphes of
Petrarche: than the Genesis of Moses: They make more
accounte of _Tullies_ offices, than _S. Paules_ epistles: of a tale in
_Bocace_, than a storie of the Bible. Than they counte as
Fables, the holie misteries of Christian Religion. They make
Christ and his Gospell, onelie serue Ciuill pollicie: Than
neyther Religion cummeth amisse to them: In tyme they be
Promoters of both openlie: in place againe mockers of both
priuilie, as I wrote once in a rude ryme.

_Now new, now olde, now both, now neither,
To serue the worldes course, they care not with whether._

For where they dare, in cumpanie where they like, they

_the brynging vp of youth._ 233

boldlie laughe to scorne both protestant and Papist. They
care for no scripture: They make no counte of generall
councels: they contemne the consent of the Chirch: They passe
for no Doctores: They mocke the Pope: They raile on _Luther_:
They allow neyther side: They like none, but onelie
themselues: The marke they shote at, the ende they looke for,
the heauen they desire, is onelie, their owne present pleasure,
and priuate proffit: whereby, they plainlie declare, of whose
schole, of what Religion they be: that is, Epicures in liuing,
and atheoi in doctrine: this last worde, is no more vnknowne
now to plaine English men, than the Person was vnknown
somtyme in England, vntill som Englishe man tooke peines, to
fetch that deuelish opinion out of Italie. Thies men, thus
Italianated abroad, can not abide our Godlie // The Ita-
Italian Chirch at home: they be not of that // lian Chirche
Parish, they be not of that felowshyp: they like // in London.
not y^t preacher: they heare not his sermons: Excepte som-
tymes for companie, they cum thither, to heare the Italian tonge
naturally spoken, not to hear Gods doctrine trewly preached.
And yet, thies men, in matters of Diuinitie, openlie pretend
a great knowledge, and haue priuatelie to them selues, a verie
compendious vnderstanding of all, which neuertheles they will
vtter when and where they liste: And that is this: All the
misteries of _Moses_, the whole lawe and Cerimonies, the
Psalmes and Prophetes, Christ and his Gospell, GOD and the
Deuill, Heauen and Hell, Faith, Conscience, Sinne, Death, and
all they shortlie wrap vp, they quickly expounde with this one
halfe verse of _Horace_.
_Credat Iudæus Appella._
Yet though in Italie they may freely be of no Religion, as
they are in Englande in verie deede to, neuerthelesse returning
home into England they must countenance the profession of
the one or the other, howsoeuer inwardlie, they laugh to
scorne both. And though, for their priuate matters they can
follow, fawne, and flatter noble Personages, contrarie to them
in all respectes, yet commonlie they allie them- // Papistrie
selues with the worst Papistes, to whom they be // and impie-
wedded, and do well agree togither in three // tie agree in
proper opinions: In open contempte of Goddes // three opini-
worde: in a secret securitie of sinne: and in // ons.

234 _The first booke teachyng_

a bloodie desire to haue all taken away, by sword or burning,
_Pigius._ // that be not of their faction. They that do
read, with indifferent iudgement, _Pygius_ and
_Machiaue-_ // _Machiauel,/i>, two indifferent Patriarches of thies
_lus._ // two Religions, do know full well that I say trewe.
Ye see, what manners and doctrine, our Englishe men fetch
out of Italie: For finding no other there, they can bring no
Wise and // other hither. And therefore, manie godlie and
honest tra- // excellent learned Englishe men, not manie yeares
uelers. // ago, did make a better choice, whan open crueltie
draue them out of this contrie, to place themselues there, where
_Germanie._ // Christes doctrine, the feare of God, punishment
of sinne, and discipline of honestie, were had in
speciall regarde.
I was once in Italie my selfe: but I thanke God, my
_Venice._ // abode there, was but ix. dayes: And yet I sawe
in that litle tyme, in one Citie, more libertie to
sinne, than euer I hard tell of in our noble Citie of London in
_London._ // ix. yeare. I sawe, it was there, as free to sinne,
not onelie without all punishment, but also
without any mans marking, as it is free in the Citie of London,
to chose, without all blame, whether a man lust to weare Shoo
or pantocle. And good cause why: For being vnlike in troth
of Religion, they must nedes be vnlike in honestie of liuing.
Seruice of // For blessed be Christ, in our Citie of London,
God in // commonlie the commandementes of God, be more
England. // diligentlie taught, and the seruice of God more
reuerentlie vsed, and that daylie in many priuate mens houses,
Seruice of // than they be in Italie once a weeke in their
God in I- // common Chirches: where, masking Ceremonies,
talie. // to delite the eye, and vaine soundes, to please
the eare, do quite thrust out of the Chirches, all seruice of
The Lord // God in spirit and troth. Yea, the Lord Maior
Maior of // of London, being but a Ciuill officer, is com-
London. // monlie for his tyme, more diligent, in punishing
sinne, the bent enemie against God and good order, than all
The In- // the bloodie Inquisitors in Italie be in seauen yeare.
quisitors in // For, their care and charge is, not to punish
Italie. // sinne, not to amend manners, not to purge
doctrine, but onelie to watch and ouersee that Christes trewe

_the brynging vp of youth._ 235

Religion set no sure footing, where the Pope hath any
Iurisdiction. I learned, when I was at _Venice_, that there it is
counted good pollicie, when there be foure or fiue // An ungod-
brethren of one familie, one, onelie to marie: & // lie pollicie.
all the rest, to waulter, with as litle shame, in
open lecherie, as Swyne do here in the common myre. Yea,
there be as fayre houses of Religion, as great prouision, as
diligent officers, to kepe vp this misorder, as Bridewell is, and
all the Masters there, to kepe downe misorder. And therefore,
if the Pope himselfe, do not onelie graunt pardons to furder
thies wicked purposes abrode in Italie, but also (although this
present Pope, in the beginning, made som shewe of misliking
thereof) assigne both meede and merite to the maintenance of
stewes and brothelhouses at home in Rome, than let wise men
thinke Italie a safe place for holsom doctrine, and godlie
manners, and a fitte schole for yong ientlemen of England to
be brought vp in.
Our Italians bring home with them other faultes from
Italie, though not so great as this of Religion, yet a great deale
greater, than many good men can well beare. For commonlie
they cum home, common contemners of mariage // Contempt
and readie persuaders of all other to the same: // of mariage.
not because they loue virginitie, but, being free in Italie, to go
whither so euer lust will cary them, they do not like, that lawe
and honestie should be soch a barre to their like libertie at
home in England. And yet they be, the greatest makers of
loue, the daylie daliers, with such pleasant wordes, with such
smilyng and secret countenances, with such signes, tokens,
wagers, purposed to be lost, before they were purposed to be
made, with bargaines of wearing colours, floures, and herbes,
to breede occasion of ofter meeting of him and her, and bolder
talking of this and that &c. And although I haue seene some,
innocent of all ill, and stayde in all honestie, that haue vsed
these thinges without all harme, without all suspicion of harme,
yet these knackes were brought first into England by them,
that learned them before in _Italie_ in _Circes_ Court: and how
Courtlie curtesses so euer they be counted now, yet, if the
meaning and maners of some that do vse them, were somewhat

236 _The first booke teachyng_

amended, it were no great hurt, neither to them selues, nor to
others.
An other propertie of this our English _Italians_ is, to be
meruelous singular in all their matters: Singular in knowledge,
ignorant of nothyng: So singular in wisedome (in their owne
opinion) as scarse they counte the best Counsellor the Prince
hath, comparable to them: Common discoursers of all
matters: busie searchers of most secret affaires: open flatterers
of great men: priuie mislikers of good men: Faire speakers,
with smiling countenances, and much curtessie openlie to all
men. Ready bakbiters, sore nippers, and spitefull reporters
priuilie of good men. And beyng brought vp in _Italie_, in some
free Citie, as all Cities be there: where a man may freelie
discourse against what he will, against whom he lust: against
any Prince, agaynst any gouernement, yea against God him
selfe, and his whole Religion: where he must be, either
_Guelphe_ or _Gibiline_, either _French_ or _Spanish_: and alwayes
compelled to be of some partie, of some faction, he shall neuer
be compelled to be of any Religion: And if he medle not ouer
much with Christes true Religion, he shall haue free libertie to
embrace all Religions, and becum, if he lust at once, without
any let or punishment, Iewish, Turkish, Papish, and Deuillish.
A yong Ientleman, thus bred vp in this goodly schole, to
learne the next and readie way to sinne, to haue a busie head,
a factious hart, a talkatiue tonge, fed with discoursing of
factions: led to contemne God and his Religion, shall cum
home into England, but verie ill taught, either to be an honest
man him self, a quiet subiect to his Prince, or willyng to serue
God, vnder the obedience of trewe doctrine, or within the
order of honest liuing.
I know, none will be offended with this my generall
writing, but onelie such, as finde them selues giltie priuatelie
therin: who shall haue good leaue to be offended with me,
vntill they begin to amende them selues. I touch not them
that be good: and I say to litle of them that be nought. And
so, though not enough for their deseruing, yet sufficientlie for
this time, and more els when, if occasion so require.
And thus farre haue I wandred from my first purpose of
teaching a child, yet not altogether out of the way, bicause

_the brynging vp of youth._ 237

this whole taulke hath tended to the onelie aduauncement of
trothe in Religion, and honestie of liuing: and hath bene wholie
within the compasse of learning and good maners, the speciall
pointes belonging in the right bringyng vp of youth.
But to my matter, as I began, plainlie and simplie
with my yong Scholer, so will I not leaue him,
God willing, vntill I haue brought him a per-
fite Scholer out of the Schole, and placed
him in the Vniuersitie, to becum a fitte
student, for Logicke and Rhetoricke:
and so after to Phisicke, Law, or
Diuinitie, as aptnes of na-
ture, aduise of frendes, and
Gods disposition shall
lead him.

_The ende of the first booke._

_The second booke._

AFter that your scholer, as I sayd before, shall cum in
deede, first, to a readie perfitnes in translating, than, to a
ripe and skilfull choice in markyng out hys sixe pointes, as,
{1. _Proprium._
{2. _Translatum._
{3. _Synonymum._
{4. _Contrarium._
{5. _Diuersum._
{6. _Phrases._
Than take this order with him: Read dayly vnto him,
_Cicero._ // some booke of _Tullie_, as the third booke of
_de Senectute_, Epistles chosen out by _Sturmius, de Amicitia_,
or that excellent Epistle conteinyng almost the
whole first book _ad Q. fra_: some Comedie of
_Terentius._ // _Terence_ or _Plautus_: but in _Plautus_, skilfull
choice
_Plautus._ // must be vsed by the master, to traine his Scholler
to a iudgement, in cutting out perfitelie ouer old and vnproper
_Iul. Cæsar._ // wordes: _Cæs. Commentaries_ are to be read with
all curiositie, in specially without all exception to
be made, either by frende or foe, is seene, the vnspotted
proprietie of the Latin tong, euen whan it was, as the _Grecians_
say, in akme, that is, at the hiest pitch of all perfitenesse: or
_T. Liuius._ // some Orations of _T. Liuius_, such as be both longest
and plainest.
These bookes, I would haue him read now, a good deale at
euery lecture: for he shall not now vse dalie translation, but
onely construe againe, and parse, where ye suspect, is any nede:
yet, let him not omitte in these bookes, his former exercise, in

_The ready way to the Latin tong._ 239