AN APOLOGY for Schoole-masters, tending to the aduauncement of Learning, and to the vertuous education of Children.
I Am determined (GOD assisting me) to make an Apology against proud and blind ignorance; the only aduersary to noble and learned knowledge: for, Scientia non habet inimicum praeter ignorantem; Knowledge hath no enemy but the ignorant person, [Page]who reputeth the Schoolemaster, and teacher of the Liberall Sciences: albeit he be a Doctor, or Master of Arts, to be a seruant to any subiect in Christendome. I say, to any subiect: for I confesse, that he is a seruant to God, and to his King. Wherin I purpose to proue, that by the Diuine Law, by the Law of Nature, and Nations, by the Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiastical: by the Statute Law of our Realme, by the iudgement of the Heathen men, illuminated by naturall reason, that a Schoolemaster, as a Schoolemaster, and teacher of the Liberall Sciences, is not a seruant to any subiect, much lesse an inferiour seruant. He doth acknowledge in all humilitie his Lord, of whom he receiueth his allowance, to bee his especiall good Lord, his very [Page]Honourable benefactor, his Noble Mecenas or Patrone, to whom he belongeth, of whom he dependeth, and to whom in all liberall duetie he is oblieged.
Schoolemasters, who haue taken degrees of Schoole in the Vniuersities of this Land, lest they doe otherwise, let them remember their Oath: for they haue sworne to defend and maintaine their degrees. They must not make the Profession of the Liberall Sciences seruile, being Masters of Arts, by reason of the teaching thereof, they ought not to be inferiour seruants. All learned men, ancient and moderne, might iustly bee thought vnprouident, and vnwise, for bestowing so long time, so much paines, so great charges to attaine to Learning, and the degrees thereof, if by teaching [Page]of it to other subiects, they themselues should become inferiour seruants.
The most Noble Earles of this Kingdome doe take the degree of Master of Arts willingly, as an Ornament to their Nobilitie, which they would not doe, if they held the degree seruile, or the persons seruants, in respect of their Profession of the Arts. I request not to be mistaken, for I acknowledge and confesse, that Masters of Arts may very well, and not without cause, bee Noble-mens seruants, in offices, and places appertaining to seruants; but not as their Chapleines, or their Schoolemasters; for herein they exercise their Professions of Diuinitie, and of Arts, which are not seruile, and this they must defend, as they are bound by Oath, and I [Page]hope they will not make shipwreck of their consciences. Euery one is to be regarded, and esteemed according to his vocation and degree, and the subiect or obiect thereof about the which he is conuersant: The Diuine for his Theology. The Lawyer for administration and execution of Iustice. The Phisician for the preseruation of the health of the body. The Schoolemaster for the good education of children. The Steward for the ouerseeing and well ordering of seruants, who are inferiour to the children.
Furthermore, seeing that Honour is the reward of vertuous Learning, and Learning the promotor, or aduauncer, the maintayner, and principall Ornament of Nobilitie, it seemeth to bee great want of discretion, [Page]to make a Schoolemaster an inferiour seruant: for how will the noble and ingenious children be animated to learning, whereby they may become worthy Gouernours of their Countrey, when they shall perceiue the teacher thereof to be reputed an inferiour seruant, and his learning seruile. This will be distastfull, and a discouragement to their Honourable natures and dispositions, and a whetstone to pride and disobedience, the very bane of youth. For Noblemen, and Gentlemens children are to bee brought vp in humilitie, the roote of all vertues. Otherwise, by sinister mindes, and meanes, not onely the Liberall Sciences, and the Professors thereof are disgraced; but also the children are by their owne Parents dishonoured, and debased, by making an [Page]imputed seruant their Master, to the exceeding hurt & hinderance of their good education and profite in knowledge, the aduauncer and preseruer of true Nobilitie, whereby, in processe of time, they may become wise Councellours, fit and discreete Gouernours; For how will the Noble and generous children stand in obedience, due awe, and regard to a seruant? or loue and delight in learning so vilifyed? This preposterous course, by all probabilitie, will breede in them contempt of the one, and dislike of the other.
There is an obiection propounded by the proud ignorant to bee confuted; who euer (say they) receiueth meate, drinke, and money, for the execution of bis Office, or function, is a seruant [Page]vnto him, of whom hee receiueth it.
I answere, that this assertion in the generall is manifestly false and erronious. Offices and functions are not to bee huddled vp, and confounded, but to be iudicially distinguished. There are some Offices seruile, they who execute these, are seruants. There are other Offices liberall, they who vndertake these, are not seruants, but onely to GOD, and their King; albeit they receiue allowance, stipend, see, or salary, as their deserts require. Such are the Professours of Diuinitie, Lawe, Phisicke, and the Liberall Sciences. Hee who holdeth these Sciences to be seruile, may bee yoked with Anaxagoras, who held the Snow to be blacke. His opinion is erronius: [Page]And if hee persist stiffe-necked therein, heretical, and worse then Heathenish: for the Heathen men were not so depriued of vnderstanding. A man giueth meate, drinke and money to a Lawyer for the deuising of lands, by making conueyances or assurances thereof to his sonnes: Is the Lawyer therefore his seruant? Or in like manner, giueth to a Physitian for ministring Physicke to his children: Is the Physitian therefore his seruant? One giueth yearely certaine quarters of wheat, and malte, which are equiualent to meate, and drinke, and money, to an other, because hee bestoweth vpon his sonne, for terme of life a Tenement: Is he therefore who bestoweth the Tenement the others seruant? Likewise one giueth meate, drinke and money to [Page]a Schoolemaster, because hee conferreth vpon his sonne Learning, which by the iudgement of the Wise is betttet then a Tenement Is the Schoolemaster therefore his seruant? They who perswade themselues these Consequences to be true, are infected with an errour which is scandalous and preiudiciall to all Vniuersities, Innes of the Court, and degrees of Learning, which worthily haue aduanced, doe still, and will aduance many discended of meane parentage, to true Gentry, true Nobility, and to high dignities in Christendome.
After a Noble man his sonne is sixe yeares of age, diligent industry is to bee vsed, and especiall care is to bee taken, to haue a fitte and sufficient Schoole-master for him. By the iudgement of the [Page]wise hee is deemed to be fitte, and sufficient, who is adorned with these qualities, viz: Who is a man of a found belieefe, honest life, and ciuill conuersation, an auncient man, rather then a young: For a young is commonly more proner to lewde lust, more apt to giue badde example to his Scholler, more inconsiderate, of lesse discretion and experience, then an ancient man. A man tryed for methodicall teaching, and trayning vp of children, and well allowed for the same: A man knowne to be learned, of ready vtterance, and perfect pronuntiation of speech, and of reputation, hauing taken the degrees of learning. It may bee demaunded, why so learned a Master is to be prouided for a childe of such tender yeares: I answere, that it is very requisite, and needfull for diuers considerations [Page]A vessel being well seasoned at the first, retayneth the taste, and preserueth the liquor, that shall bee powred thereinto. A sure and firme foundation is first to be laid of pure and perfect English, to bee deliuered with decent action and gesture, with a right accent, and distinct pronuntiation: that when hee commeth to ripe yeares, beeing in eminent places, hee may communicate his learned knowledge iudicially, and eloquently in his Natiue tongue, to the benefite of his owne Country. In like manner, he is to bee taught pure and perfect Latine, & if it be not too tedious for him, the Greeke may very well bee ioyned thereunto, that he may not only reade with vnderstanding for encrease of knowledge, most learned books in the said languages, & heare with [Page]iudgement exercises & disputations, accomplished by the learned of famous Vniuersities; but also impart his intellectuall conceipts in eloquent Latine to forraine nations, most honorably in any important imploiment for the weale publike. An other consideration isl, that a well learned Schoolemaster is expedient, or rather necessary, because hee is to stay with his Schollers; for change of Masters maketh seldome good Schollers: many mē, many minds, many masters, many maners & methods of teaching, which hurt & hinder knowledge. The rowling stone gathereth little mosse. This noble child is to be kept in awe & obedience, & with gētlenes to be alured to vertue & knowledge: To be cō mēded for his good endeauors, & praised for his wel doing, that hee may loue learning, take delight in [Page]vnderstanding and pleasure in pithy and witty discourses, deliuered vnto him in pure speech with perfect pronuntiation.
His discreet Schoolemaster is to consider his Nature, and disposition, and to frame his instructions and precepts thereunto, according to the child his capacitie: not to daunt his Spirite, or dull his witte: for in the recreation of his minde and memory, Musicke and honest sports are to bee vsed: And for the health of his body, moderate exercises are to be practised.
Honest, ciuill and carefull men are to attend vpon him, who will giue him no bad example, but encourage him to proceed in vertue and learning. Wicked flatterers in any case are to be debarred from him; who to dehort him [Page]from humility, and the pathe of vertue, and learning, will tell him that his Schoole-master is his seruant, that he is discended of high Nobility, and shall haue liuing and landes in plentifull aboundance. Why should hee lone the booke, why should he listen to, or bee ruled by an inferiour seruant? hee is to commaund: why should hee bee gouerned, or in any sort debarred of his will: It is fitte for him to take his pleasure, and to doe what hee liste. Thus a Parasite, or a Gnato by sugred words, will attempt to corrupt him, hauing Iacobs voyce, & Fsaus hands, smooth words, and rough works. Of all tame Creatures, a flatterer is the worst. Likewise other euill disposed persons are not to entrude themselues into his company: such as commonly will vse [Page]swearing, cursing, slaundering, lying, euill speaking, or bad actions in his presence, or hearing: They also are not to be admitted, to conuerse with him, who will teach him foule & foolish songs, dishonest actions, or to mocke & deride any one: or to doe harme to others.
These are to bee taken heed of, and sharpely to bee rebuked: for children by nature are more prone to vice then vertue: and are not so much or soone furthered by things well done or spoken, as they bee hindered, and corrupted by deedes, lewdly committed, or wordes wickedly vttered.
In a Noble man his house, the Schoole-master his place is next to the Chapleines. The office of the Chapleine is to celebrate diuine Seruice, to preach [Page]and to teach the true worshippe of of God. The office of the Schoolemaster is by gentle meanes to instill into his Schollers, by little and little, as their capacities are able to beare, the excellent knowledge of diuine and humane things: to instruct them in the Liberall Sciences, that they may daily encrease and fructifie therein; with the perfect vnderstanding, readie and distinct speaking of die learned Tongues: I mean Latine & Greeke. These Offices are liberall, not seruile, appertaining to the soule.
Of Offices belonging to seruants, the Stewards is chiefe; hee weareth the Liuery and Cognisance of his Lord and Master. If the Chapleine and Schoolemaster were seruants, they also should weare the Liuery & Cognisance, as the Steward, and other seruants [Page]vsually doe. I could neuer yet bee aduertised, what law could be produced, or what reasons could bee rendred, why the Steward, Gentleman of the Horse, or the Receiuer of the Rents, seruants to any Noble man, being a subiect, shuld perswade themselues, their offices & places to be aboue the Schoolemasters. They are conuersant about Seruants, Horses, Rents, as the proper obiects of their Offices. The Schoolemaster about the Noble Children, as the proper obiect of his Office, Are seruants, horses, rents, more to bee respected then Noble Children? Or, do they thinke, the ouer-seeing of certaine seruants, the managing of horses, the receiuing of some rents, to bee preferred before the gouernance and teaching of honourable Children the excellent [Page]knowledge of diuine and humane things? Herein, as it seemeth, they offer indignitie, not onely to the Noble Children, but also to the Professors of Learning, and the degrees thereof, which worthily haue aduanced, and continually doe, many from meane estate to true Gentilitie, Nobilitie, and to the chiefest Dignities. Where order is not, there is confusion: the Sexton there will bee aboue the Clerke.
Certaine Reasons demonstrating the prioritie of Place of the Schoolemaster, before the Steward to any subiect.
1. FIrst, because of the Vocation: For the Schoolemaster is not a seruaut. The Steward is properly a semant. For proofe thereof, I referre them who are opposite [Page]posite in opoinion, to the Cōstitutions & Canons Ecclesiasticall, & to the Statute law of our Realme; where they may euidently see Schoole-masters distinguished frō seruants by seuerall titles, and sundry Statutes concerning them.
2. Secondly, Because of office; for the one is to instruct, and furnish with the knowledge of diuine and humane things: the other to manage matters appertaining to seruants.
3. Thirdly, Because of the obiect of the office: for the one is to gouerne and teach the children: the other to ouer-see and order the seruants, which are inferiour to the children.
4. Fourthly, Because of the loue of parents, descending naturally to their children, which induceth them as it were by the law of nature, if they doe not vnnaturally [Page]abandon naturall loue & learning, to preferre him, who hath the education and instruction of their children, before a seruant.
5. Fiftly, Because of discretion and wisedome that is or ought to be in Parents, being very lawfull & forcible motiues to cause them more to grace and countenance the Master of their children then a seruant: for that redoundeth to the profite, worth, and honour of their children.
6. Sixtly, Because of the good of the children, that they may better stand in due regard, awe, & obedience to their Master, may more esteeme & honour learning, wherewith being adorned, they themselues may be more esteemed and honoured: and consequently continue with augmentation the name and fame of their house.
7. Seuenthly: Because of custome, which is a law vnwritten, and sheweth, that the Steward weareth the Liuery and Cognisance of his Lord and Master: the Chapleine and Schoole-master doe not; for they are not seruants. The Steward hath a table assigned to him: but it is in the Hall, tearmed, The Stewards Table. The Chapleine and Schoolemaster vsually sit eyther at their Lords Table, or at a side table, anciently called, The Chapleines table.
8. Eightly: Because of the dignitie of Learning, and the degrees thereof: For it were extreme folly, or rather madnesse in Parents, to bring vp their children so chargeably in learning, and semblably in their sonnes, to bestow so many yeeres, euen the prime of their time, to disburse so great expences, [Page]to bee so vigilant, and to take such paines for the attayning to learning, and the degrees therevnto belonging; if Promotion, Preferment, Worship, Honour, Grace, were not the due rewards thereof. Honos alit Artes.
The diuine Plato being demanded what difference there was betweene ignorant man, and a learned, answered; As much as betweene a sicke man and a sound: For blind and proud ignorance is the sicknes, and vertuous learning the health of the soule. We vsually say, At your seruice. Your seruant. Rememember my scruice, to such, and to such a one. Those are meere verball complements: when indeede we are not their seruants: and wee know, and take our places, according to our offices and degrees.
A Schoolemaster, who hath receiued [Page]the degree of Master of Artes in the Vniuersities of our Land, must not make his office of teaching seruile: for a publike oath hath beene tendred and ministred to him, according to this forme and tenour; (viz.) Tu tueberis gradum tuum, &c. Thou shall defend and maintaine thy degree of Arts, &c.
These Arts alwayes, and most truely, haue beene called Liberall: Why should any person bee so lewdly disposed, as to attempt to make the Profession of them seruile? In what great estimation Phenix was, when he was Schoolemaster to Achillis, Homer declareth. And in what honourable credite Epaminondas was, when hee was Tutor to Philip, who was after King of Macedonia, Plutarch sheweth. Alexander the great was accustomed to say openly, that he was as much beholding to Aristotle his [Page]Master, as he was to King Philip his Father: for of his Father he tooke the occasion to liue; of his Master he receiued the reason & way to liue well. Dionysius King of Cicily, being banished by his subiects, taught publikely, & kept a Grammer Schoole in Italy: He affirmed openly, that although he were exiled vniustly by his subiects, notwithstanding, in despight of them, hee did, and would still reigne: intimating thereby the authoritie which he had, being a Schoolemaster ouer his schollers. The Cicilians vnderstanding his heroicall resolution, repented themselues, and established him in the Kingdome againe. They who will read, and aduisedly consider the liues of these most Noble Emperours, Alexander the Great, Iualius Caesar, Seuerus, Tacitus, Probus, Aurelius, Traian, Adrian, Antonine [Page]Constantine the great, Theodosius, Charles the great, surnamed Charlemayne, shall easily perceyue: these being trayned vp in their youth by skilfull Schoolemaisters, more to haue flourished, and to haue beene more reuowmed then other Emperours, by reason they were more excellent then the other in learning: whereby the saying of Plato is verified, That those publique weales are happy, and blessed, wherein eyther Phylosophers reigne, or Kings are in Philosophie studious.
Of what reputation Schoolemasters in all former ages haue beene, and how necessary for the benefite of publique weals, experience proueth, and Hystoriographers relate, and testifie
Socrates, Plato, Pythagoras, Aristotle, Isocrates, Plutarch, Seneca, Quintilian, and very many more, [Page]which might bee nominated, were all Sehoolemasters: All of them were reuerenced, and well regarded in their places of teaching, and at this day are renowmed for learning. Their published Bookes eternize their names and fame.
Our Sauiour CHRIST graceth the office of teaching. Hee himselfe taught: the twelue Apostles were his Schollers. They also according to his commaundement, taught. Saint Marke was Saint Peters scholler, Saint Luke was saint Paules scholler.
Syr Thomas Elyot that right worthie Knight, in his booke intituled, The Gouernour, dedicated to King Henry the Eight, declareth three principall causes, why Noble men, and Gentlemen were not so excellent in Learning then, as their auncestours were, who thereby much [Page]aduanced themselues, augmented their estates, profited, and protected their Countrey. Contrary-wise, some of their posteritie decay their houses, being not fit to bee politique Statesmen, or wise Councellours, or discreet Gouernours, nor sufficiently furnished to execute the Lawes, or to administer Iustice, tempered with equitie, because they want learned knowledge. The first cause that he alleadgeth is the pride of many Parents, who doe not esteeme learning as they ought to doe, nor respect the Teacher therof, as they should do. He noteth not any subiect in his dayes to bee so seduced or blinded with ignorance, or to be so puffed vp with pride, as to account a Schoolemaster an inferiour seruant. Euen in his time [Page] Hadrian, the sixth of that name, was made Pope, and Wolsey was created a Cardinall, both of them were Schoolemasters.
The second cause he affirmeth to bee the Auarice or diuers Parents, who being desirous to pinch and spare their purses, are loath to giue sufficient allowance, or bountifull salary to a well learned Schoolemaster. They will not buy learned knowledge for their children, vnlesse they may haue it cheap, & at a very low rate, regarding more, like Aesops Cocke, a graine of Barly, then a precious Iewell.
The third cause hee auouched to bee the negligence of Parents, who doe not bring vp their children as God cōmandeth them, as nature bindeth, & birth requireth, [Page]and as the hopefull expectance of their Countrey craueth at their hands. There are some Parents in our time (I am sorry to speake it) who besore they receiue into their seruice a Cooke, a Falconer, or an Horse-rider, they haue an especiall care to haue them skilfull and cunning in their qualities, and to haue the best and most expert they can get: But when they entertaine a Schoolmaster, to teach their children, being the props and continuing stayes of their houses, the monuments of their names and fame, they are desirous to haue a young man, who will take small allowance, which they terme Wages, will bee an inferiour seruant, will waite, and serue at table, will vse verball and iesticular complements. Such a one, according to their sinister surmizes, is fitte to [Page]teach. They doe not much care whether hee bee well learned, or hath taken any degree of Schoole, or is lawfully allowed to teach, or hath any good methode in teaching, or hath had experience and approbation in the trayning vp of children, and doth vnderstand and speake perfectly pure English, Latine and Greeke, with the right accent and true pronunciation thereof. These things, which are most materiall and necessary, they least regard, vsing more exact diligence, in making choyse of seruants for their sports & pleasures, then of Schoolemasters, for the vertuous education of their children: wherein they swerue and degenerate from their wise Auncesters, transgresse the lawes which distinguish Schoolemasters from seruants. Debase their children, by [Page]making a seruant their Master, disgrace as much as in them lyeth, the Office of Schoolemasters; and that which is woorst of all, abuse learned knowledge, being a singular blessing and principall benefite which Almightie God bestoweth vpon man, by making little reckoning thereof, and accounting it as it were a seruile matter. I pray God they do not therfore incurre his heauy displeasure and iust indignation, hee threatneth by the mouth of his holy Prophet, saying: Because thou hast reiected knowledge, I will reiect thee. I haue diligently obserued, and perceiue, that their children very seldome proue learned; and such Parents, for the most part, doe not prosper. Their estates by little and little do decay. Iulian the Apostata published an Edict, forbidding the Professors [Page]of learning to teach the Christians children. Christian Parents are desirous to haue their children taught, yet some of them (I would that some were lesser) repute their childrens Teacher, and Master to be an inferiour seruant, exhibiting allowance vnto him not competent. The wicked Apostata persecuted Christians and their children: albeit these doe not so, yet (with their fauour bee it spoken) they debase Learning, and the Christian Professors thereof. Aristotle (by generall opinion the chiefest Philosopher) sayth, That to God, to our Parents, and Schoolemasters, we can neuer giue enough, or that which is equall to their deserts. Although the Philosopher out of his wisdome telleth vs, that we can neuer giue enough; notwithstanding in this age it is thoght by (som [Page]that to Schoolemasters there can neuer be giuen too litle. Such scandalous aspersions are cast vpon thē by the proud ignorant. A wise man hearing an vnlearned Gallant speake absurdly, and nothing to the purpose, sayd; En ex aurea vagina plumbeum educit gladium: Behold this braue Gallant, out of his golden sheathe draweth a leaden sword. Diogenes seeing an ignorant fellow sitting vpon a stone, affirmed, That one stone there did sit vpon another. The more a man is with vertuous knowledge beautifyed, the more he approacheth to God; and the more hee is with ignorance blemished, the more neer he resembleth a Beast. The heathen men induced therunto by the law of nature, highly regarded their Professours of learning. The Indians, their Gynnosophists: The Aegyptians, their [Page] Semnothei: The Persians, their Magi: The Gaules, now called the French, their Druydes: The Grecians, their Philosophers. Philip, King of the Macedonians, intending to conquere and subdue the Athenians, not long after he had proclaimed and made war against them, sent Embassadours with an offerture of peace, vpon condition they would put from them Demosthenes and other learned men. Demosthenes, a most famous Orator, smelling the stratageme, in an eloquent Oration, wherein hee disswaded the people from imbracing such a Peace, told them this tale: On a time there was great warre between the Wolues & the Sheepe; at length the Wolues, politikely and fraudulently, promised the Shepheards and the Sheepe to ioyne in firme friendshippe with [Page]them, so that they would put their Dogges from them. The credulous Shepheards & simple sheepe yeelded thereunto. As soone as the Dogges were gone, which protected them, the Wolues assaulted the sheepe, and deuoured them. Euen so, sayd the Oratour, (my deare Athenians) the Macedonians, if you condiscend vnto them, will make hauocke of you presently after the departure of the Learned men, which instruct and direct you.
Our life, as sacred Scripture sheweth, is here a warfarre; wee wage warre against the World, the Flesh, and the Deuill. These three mortall enemies tempt and sollicite the vnlearned, pretending to linke themselues in league and loue with them: so that they would disgrace, put or pull downe their [Page]Schoolemasters, which are indeed the first instrumentall causes and ordinary meanes ordayned by God to furnish and fortify them with diuine and humane knowledge. If these subtile aduersaries could compasse effectually their plotte and proiect heerein, they would, no doubt, deale with the vnlearned, hauing none of reputation or account to teach them, as the rauenous Wolues did with the silly sheep, hauing none to defend them.
Gerson, a famous Doctor, relinquished and gaue ouer the office of the Chauncellourship of Paris, being a place of high credite, and for the good of the weak publike, became an instructor or teacher of children. Theodosius, that right noble, wise, & Christian Emperor, when his sonne Arcadius was sixe [Page]yeers of age, aduauncing him to the Empire, and taking an especiall care, to haue him furnished with vertue and leaming, requisite for imperiall rule and dignitie, vsed most exact diligence in the searching out, and prouiding of Arsenius, a graue, honest, and well learned Schoole-master for him. At the time he deliuered his sonne to be taught, and did commit the charge of him to Arsenius, he spake in this manner: Postbac tu magis pater eius quam ego, hereafter you are (being his Schoole-master) rather a father vnto him, then I. This wise and discreet Emperour, not long after cōming into the schoole and finding Areadius his sonne sitting, and Arsenius standing and reading vnto him, blamed them both, telling the one, that hee did not performe the office [Page]of a Master, and the other that hee did not shewe the dutie of a Scholler, and caused Arsenius to sit downe and reade, and Arcadius to stand vp bare-headed to giue attentiue eare to his lecture: Adding these wordes, that then his sonne would bee fitte for the Empire, when by humilitie & obedience, hee had attained vnto sufficient knowledge.
Nicholas Frigantius in his description of the Prouinces, Kingdomes, and manners of the people subiect to that puissant Monarch the King of China, among other discourses declared), what reuerend, dutifull, and gratefull respect, the inhabitāts of those countries beare to their Schoolmasters. For albeit (saith he) they haue been their schollers but for a short space, notwithstanding, per vitam [Page]deinceps vniuersam eos magistros appellant, & pro magistris colunt. In all their life time after they call them masters, and doe reuerence them as their masters. There is a contagious disease wherewith horses are infected, called the Fashions: I feare lest the name thereof extēdeth to reasonable creatures, insomuch that some of them also, may truly be said to be affected to, or infected with the fashiōs. There is a fashion lately start vp, to haue a French-man to teach: If he speak broken, and not pure and perfect English, with the right accent distinctly pronounced, and truely write it, there is danger lest hee hurt the Childrens english, being farre more necessary for them, then the French and so pul downe with one hand, more then hee can build with the other. I haue had conference with diuers [Page] French men, whom I like, & loue; I haue not heard any one of them to speake, and pronounce english, as perfectly as an English-mā doth.
They in whom intellectuall reason ouerswa [...]eth sensuall appetite, do well discerne and perceiue, that a French-man is not able so much to profite, nor is so fitte to teach children in England, to reade, vnvnderstand, speake, and write perfect english, latine, and greeke, as an English-man is, albeit hee bee as skilfull in the latine, & the greeke, as the English-man: & the reason is, because he is to make the children to vnderstād the learned tongues, by a lāguage which they thēselues vnderstand already: as in the exposition of the latine, if he keepe due methode, he is to giue to euery latine worde, the true proper & significant Englishe thereof; to declare the variety of wordes [Page]and sentences, which are proper, which are figuratiue: To deliuer the peculiar phrases of euery Dialect: To cause them to obserue Orthography: to translate English into Latine; Latine into Greeke; and againe, Greeke into Latine; Latine into English. The Frenchman therefore being not so perfect in the English as the Englishman, fayleth in that Language, which directeth the children to the knowledge of the other: and consequently, is neither so fit to teach, nor so well able to profite them.
Now it remaineth that I briefly refute an errour of some of our Countreymen, who stiffely hold, that the French tongue is better then the Latine: That Noblemen, Gentlemen, and Ladies, ought rather to learne it then the Latine.
This is a most absurd Paradox, [Page]seeing that the Latine, being the Carholike, or vniuersall Language of Christians, who are learned, is commonly taught, both priuately in houses, & publikely in Schooles and Vniuersities, throughout all Nations in Christendom. A good thing, the more generall it is, the better it is. There are but three learned Tongues, the Latine, Greek, and Hebrew. The French was neuer reckoned to be any. It is peculiar to that particular Countrey, as English is to England, Irish to Ireland; so French to France. The French themselues, especially the Nobilitie & Gentry, disburse large expences for the trayning vp of their children in the studie of the Latine. Who hath the knowledge thereof, may trauell therewith throughout all Christian Kingdomes. In this tongue all learned [Page]Bookes, for the most part, are written, wherein the conferences, disputes, and exercises of the Learned are performed, which promoteth to the degrees of Schoole, whereby Worshipfull, Honourable, and gracious preferments are obtayned: and is of that sacred estimate by the lawes of our Land, that the very reading thereof saueth many Malefactors from vntimely death. I doe not discommend the French, but for the causes before mentioned, I prefer the Latine before it by many degrees.
There hath beene an ancient and laudable custome still obserued by the wiser and better sort, that after their sonnes can vnderstand the Latine perfectly, and speake it readily, to send them to trauell into France, Germany, Italy, and Spaine, to the intent that they [Page]may there learne their Languages, which they shal sooner, with more facilitie and iudgement accomplish and attaine vnto, hauing the Latine Tongue before: because the Italian French, and Spanish, borrow very many words of the sayd Latine, albeit they doe clippe, choppe, and change diuers letters and sillables therein. VVhere they trauell, they may see the people, conuerse and conferre with the better sort, perceiue their natures, dispositions, and manners, know their orders, lawes, and customes, behold the scituations of the Cities, the flourishing Academies, the courses of the Riuers, the Castles, Fortresses, and Hauens, the fruitfulnesse and barrennesse of the Soile: And so further, & furnish themselues, not only with the Languages, but also [Page]with the Geographical knowledge of those countries. If the gainsayers cannot produce any law, or alleadge sufficient authoritie to the contrary of that which is here deliuered, I hope they will yeeld, and not shutte their eyes against the cl [...]ere light of truth, as it euidently appeareth. And I trust, they will not perseuere obstinately in errours, remaining therein not illuminated by God, to tally eclipsed, and silenced.