somewhat compelled, I was the willinger to take these pains. For seeing at my death, I am not like to leave. them any great store of living, therefore in my lifetime, I thought good to bequeath unto them, in this little book, as in my will and testament, the right way to good learning which if they follow, with the fear of God, they shall very well come to sufficiency of living. I wish also, with all my heart, that young Mr. Robert Sackville may take that fruit of this labor, that his worthy grandfather purposed he should have done; and if any other do take either profit or pleasure hereby, they have cause to thank Mr. Robert Sackville, for whom specially this my schoolmaster was provided. And one thing I would have the reader consider in reading this book, that because no schoolmaster hath charge of any child, before he enter into his school; therefore I leaving all former care, of their good bringing up, to wise and good parents, as a matter not belonging to the schoolmaster, I do appoint this my schoolmaster then, and there to begin, where his office and charge beginneth. Which charge lasteth not long, but until the scholar be made able to go to the University, to proceed in logic, rhetoric, and other kinds of learning. Yet if my schoolmaster, for love he beareth to his scholar, shall teach him somewhat for his furtherance,, and better judgment in learning, that may serve him seven years after in the University, he doth his scholar no more wrong, nor deserveth no worse name thereby, than he doth in London, who selling silk, or cloth, unto his friend, doth give him better measure than either his promise or bargain was.

"Farewell in Christ."

EXTRACTS FROM "THE SCHOLE

MASTER."

"WITH the common use of teaching and beating in common schools of England, I will not greatly contend; which if did, it were but a small grammatical controversy, neither belonging to heresy nor treason, nor greatly touching God nor the Prince; although in very deed, in the end, the good or ill bringing up of children, doth as much serve to the good or ill service of God, our Prince, and our whole country, as any one thing doth beside.

"I do gladly agree with all good Schoolmasters in these points; to have children brought to good perfectness in learning; to all honesty in manners; to have all faults rightly amended; to have every vice severally corrected: but for the order and way that leadeth rightly to these points, we somewhat differ. For commonly, many schoolmasters, some, as I have seen, more, as I have heard tell, be of so crooked a nature, as, when they meet with a hard-witted scholar, they rather break him than bow him, rather mar him than mend him. For when the schoolmaster is angry with some other matter, then will he soonest fall to beat his scholar; and though he himself should be punished for his folly, yet must he beat some 46

scholar for his pleasure, though there be no cause for him to do so, nor yet fault in the scholar to deserve so."

...

"And one example, whether love or fear doth work more in a child for virtue and learning, I will gladly report, which may be heard with some pleasure, and followed with more profit. Before I went into Germany, I came to Brodegate in Leicestershire, to take my leave of that noble Lady Jane Grey, to whom I was exceeding much beholden. Her parents, the Duke and Duchess, with all the household, Gentlemen and Gentlewomen, were hunting in the Park. I found her in her chamber reading Phædon Platonis in Greek, and that with as much delight as some gentlemen would read a merry tale in Bocacio. After salutation, and duty done, with some other talk, I asked her why she would leave such pastime in the Park? Smiling, she answered me: 'I wist, all their sport in the Park is but a shadow to that pleasure that I find in Plato. Alas, good folk, they never felt what true pleasure meant.' 'And how came you, Madame,' quoth I, 'to this deep knowledge of pleasure, and what did chiefly allure you unto it; seeing, not many women, but very few men have attained thereunto?' 'I will tell you,' quoth she, 'and tell you a truth, which perchance ye will marvel at. One of the greatest benefits that ever God gave me, is that he sent me so sharp and severe Parents, and so gentle a schoolmaster. For when I am in presence of either father or mother, whether I speak, keep silence, sit, stand, or go, eat, drink, be merry, or sad, be sewing, playing, dancing, or doing any thing else, I must do it, as it were, in full weight, measure, and number, even so perfectly as God made the world, or else I am so sharply taunted, so cruelly threatened, yea, presently sometimes with pinches, nippes, and

bobbes, and other ways, which I will not name, for the honor I bear them, so without measure, misordered that I think myself in hell, till time come that I must go to M. Elmer, who teacheth me so gently, so pleasantly, with such fair allurements to learning, that I think all the time nothing while I am with him. And when I am called from him, I fall on weeping, because whatsoever I do else but learning, is full of grief, trouble, fear, and wholly misliking unto me. And thus my book hath been so much my pleasure, and bringeth daily to me more pleasure and more, that in respect of it, all other pleasures, in very deed, be but trifles and troubles unto me.' I remem'ber this talk gladly, both because it is so worthy of memory, and because also it was the last talk that ever I had, and the last time that ever I saw that noble and worthy lady."

"But I marvel the less, that these misorders be among some in the Court, for commonly in the country also everywhere, innocency is gone; Bashfulness is banished; much presumption in youth; small authority in age; Reverence is neglected; duties be confounded; and to be short, disobedience doth overflow the banks of good order, almost in every place, almost in every degree of man."

"This last summer, I was in a gentleman's house, where a young child, somewhat past four years old, could in no wise frame his tongue to say a little short grace: and yet he could roundly rap out so many ugly oaths, and those of the newest fashion, as some good man of fourscore years old hath never heard named before; and that which was most detestable of all, his father and mother would laugh at it. I much doubt what comfort,

another day, this child shall bring unto them. This Child using much the company of serving men, and giving good care to their talk, did easily learn which he shall hardly forget all the days of his life hereafter: so likewise, in the Court, if a young Gentleman will venture himself into the company of Ruffians, it is over great a jeopardy, lest their fashions, manners, thoughts, talk, and deeds will very soon be ever like. The confounding of companies breedeth confusion of good manners both in the Court and everywhere else."

"These be the enchantments of Circes, brought out of Italy, to mar men's manners in England; much, by example of ill life, but more by precepts of fond books, of late translated out of Italian into English, sold in every shop in London, commended by honest titles the sooner to corrupt honest manners; dedicated over boldly to virtuous and honorable personages, the more easily to beguile simple and innocent wits. It is pity that those which have authority and charge to allow and disallow books to be printed, be no more circumspect herein than they are. Ten Sermons at Paul's Cross do not so much good for moving men to true doctrine, as one of those books do harm, with enticing men to ill living. Yea I say farther,, those books tend not so much to corrupt honest living, as they do to subvert true Religion."

"I had once a proof hereof, tried by good experience, by a dear friend of mine, when I came first from Cambridge, to serve the Queen's Majesty, then Lady Elizabeth, lying at worthy Sir Ant. Denys in Cheston. John Whitney, a young gentleman, was my bed-fellow, who willing by good nature and provoked by mine advice,