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- Aelfric: The Old Testament
- Aelfric: Aelfric's Homilies (15)
- Aelfric: Aelfric's Catholic Homilies (II/27.2)
- Aelfric: Aelfric's Catholic Homilies (II/29)
- Aelfric: Aelfric's Catholic Homilies (II/8)
- Aelfric: Aelfric's Lives of Saints (14)
- Aelfric: Aelfric's Lives of Saints (26)
- Aelfric: Aelfric's Lives of Saints (32)
- Aelfric: Aelfric's Lives of Saints (9)
- Aelfric: Aelfric's Letter to Sigefyrth
- Aelfric: Aelfric's Letter to Sigeweard ('On the Old and New Testament')
- Aelfric: Aelfric's Letter to Wulfsige
- Aelfric: Aelfric's First and Second Letters to Wulfstan (1)
- Aelfric: Aelfric's First and Second Letters to Wulfstan (2)
- Aelfric: Aelfric's Preface to Grammar
- Aelfric: Aelfric's Preface to Lives of Saints
- Aelfric: Aelfric's Preface to Catholic Homilies I
- Aelfric: Aelfric's Preface to Catholic Homilies II
- Aelfric: Aelfric's Preface to Genesis
- Aelfric: De Temporibus Anni
- Aethelwold: The Benedictine Rule
- Aldred: The Durham Ritual
- Aldred: Lindisfarne Gospels
- Alfred: Alfred's Boethius
- Alfred: Alfred's Cura Pastoralis
- Alfred: The Meters of Boethius
- Alfred: Alfred's Preface to Cura Pastoralis
- Alfred: Alfred's Preface to Soliloquies
- Anonymous: Adrian and Ritheus
- Anonymous: Aelred of Rielvaux's De Institutione Inclusarum (3)
- Anonymous: Aelred of Rielvaux's De Institutione Inclusarum (4)
- Anonymous: Alexander's Letter
- Anonymous: Laws (ALFRED)
- Anonymous: Alfred's Introduction to Laws
- Anonymous: Ancrene Wisse
- Anonymous: Andreas
- Anonymous: Apollonius of Tyre
- Anonymous: Documents 2 (Sweet-Whitelock 35)
- Anonymous: The New Testament (Authorized Version)
- Anonymous: The Old Testament (Authorized Version)
- Anonymous: Bede's Death Song
- Anonymous: Bede's Ecclesiastical History
- Anonymous: The Benedictine Rule
- Anonymous: Beowulf
- Anonymous: A Bestiary
- Anonymous: The Romance of Sir Beues of Hamtoun
- Anonymous: Documents 1 (BIRCH 451)
- Anonymous: The Blickling Homilies (10)
- Anonymous: The Blickling Homilies (12)
- Anonymous: The Blickling Homilies (17)
- Anonymous: The Blickling Homilies (2)
- Anonymous: The Blickling Homilies (6)
- Anonymous: Bodley Homilies (10)
- Anonymous: Bodley Homilies (12)
- Anonymous: Bodley Homilies (5)
- Anonymous: The Battle of Brunanburh
- Anonymous: Brut (1333)
- Anonymous: Caedmon's Hymn
- Anonymous: Satire on the Consistory Courts (HP6)
- Anonymous: Chad
- Anonymous: The Cyrurgie of Guy de Chauliac
- Anonymous: Christ
- Anonymous: Gregory's Chronicle
- Anonymous: Chronicle MS A Early (O2)
- Anonymous: Chronicle MS A Late
- Anonymous: Chronicle MS E (Early)
- Anonymous: Chronicle MS E (Late)
- Anonymous: The Cloud of Unknowing
- Anonymous: A Letter by the Commissioner of Customs (to Lord Clifford)
- Anonymous: A Letter by the Privy Council (to Lord Rochester)
- Anonymous: Cursor Mundi
- Anonymous: Deor
- Anonymous: Depositions
- Anonymous: Dicts of Cato
- Anonymous: Digby Plays
- Anonymous: The Dream of the Rood
- Anonymous: Wulf and Eadwacer
- Anonymous: The Life of St. Edmund
- Anonymous: The Equatorie of the Planetis
- Anonymous: The Trial of the Earl of Essex
- Anonymous: Exodus
- Anonymous: The Fortunes of Men
- Anonymous: The Fox and Wolf in the Well
- Anonymous: Gregory the Great, Dialogues (MS H)
- Anonymous: Genesis
- Anonymous: Documents 1 (HARMER 1)
- Anonymous: Documents 3 (HARMER 12)
- Anonymous: Documents 2 (HARMER 18)
- Anonymous: Documents 1 (HARMER 2)
- Anonymous: Documents 1 (HARMER 3)
- Anonymous: Documents 2 (HARMER 4)
- Anonymous: Documents 1 (HARMER 5)
- Anonymous: Documents 2 (HARMER 7)
- Anonymous: Havelok
- Anonymous: The Proclamation of Henry III
- Anonymous: Hali Meidhad
- Anonymous: King Horn
- Anonymous: A Treatise on Horses
- Anonymous: Historical Poems (Harley 2253) (3)
- Anonymous: Historical Poems (Harley 2253) (4)
- Anonymous: Historical Poems (Harley 2253) (5)
- Anonymous: History of the Holy Rood-Tree
- Anonymous: Song of the Husbandman (HP2)
- Anonymous: Indenture
- Anonymous: Laws (INE)
- Anonymous: In Die Innocencium
- Anonymous: Interlude (Appendix to Dame Sirith)
- Anonymous: Judgements, London
- Anonymous: Juliane
- Anonymous: Kyng Alisaunder
- Anonymous: Katherine
- Anonymous: The Kentish Hymn
- Anonymous: The Kentish Psalm
- Anonymous: Kentish Sermons
- Anonymous: Lacnunga
- Anonymous: Laeceboc
- Anonymous: Lambeth Homilies (1)
- Anonymous: Lambeth Homilies (14)
- Anonymous: Lambeth Homilies (15)
- Anonymous: Lambeth Homilies (3)
- Anonymous: Lambeth Homilies (4)
- Anonymous: Lambeth Homilies (7)
- Anonymous: Lambeth Homilies (8)
- Anonymous: Laws (Eleventh Century)
- Anonymous: Laws (LATE)
- Anonymous: The Leiden Riddle
- Anonymous: Vision of Leofric
- Anonymous: The Trial of Lady Alice Lisle
- Anonymous: Letter(s), London (to the King)
- Anonymous: A Letter by the Lords of the Council (to the King)
- Anonymous: Proclamations, London
- Anonymous: Ludus Coventriae
- Anonymous: Mandeville's Travels
- Anonymous: Mankind
- Anonymous: Margarete
- Anonymous: A Passion of St Margaret
- Anonymous: Martyrology
- Anonymous: Marvels
- Anonymous: Maxims I
- Anonymous: A Hundred Mery Talys
- Anonymous: Man in the Moon
- Anonymous: The Earliest Complete English Prose Psalter
- Anonymous: The Metrical Psalms of the Paris Psalter
- Anonymous: The Northern Homily Cycle
- Anonymous: The Trial of Titus Oates
- Anonymous: Ohthere and Wulfstan (MS L)
- Anonymous: Ohthere and Wulfstan (MS G) (3)
- Anonymous: Alfred's Orosius
- Anonymous: The Panther
- Anonymous: The Partridge
- Anonymous: Penny Merriments
- Anonymous: Peri Didaxeon
- Anonymous: History of Sir John Perrott
- Anonymous: Petitions, London
- Anonymous: Petitions (M4), London
- Anonymous: The Peterborough Chronicle
- Anonymous: Phlebotomy
- Anonymous: Phoenix
- Anonymous: The Paris Psalter
- Anonymous: The Pricke of Conscience
- Anonymous: Prognostications (Caligula)
- Anonymous: Prognostications (CCCC)
- Anonymous: Prognostications (Hatton)
- Anonymous: Quadrupedibus
- Anonymous: The Trial of Sir Walter Raleigh
- Anonymous: Returns, London
- Anonymous: Satire on the Retinues of the Great (HP7)
- Anonymous: Riddles
- Anonymous: The Riming Poem
- Anonymous: Documents 3 (ROBERTSON 1)
- Anonymous: Documents 2 (ROBERTSON 10)
- Anonymous: Documents 3 (ROBERTSON 101)
- Anonymous: Documents 3 (ROBERTSON 103)
- Anonymous: Documents 2 (ROBERTSON 16)
- Anonymous: Documents 4 (ROBERTSON 2)
- Anonymous: Documents 2 (ROBERTSON 26)
- Anonymous: Documents 1 (ROBERTSON 3)
- Anonymous: Documents 3 (ROBERTSON 32)
- Anonymous: Documents 3 (ROBERTSON 41)
- Anonymous: Documents 3 (ROBERTSON 44)
- Anonymous: Documents 3 (ROBERTSON 46)
- Anonymous: Documents 2 (ROBERTSON 6)
- Anonymous: Documents 3 (ROBERTSON 66)
- Anonymous: Documents 3 (ROBERTSON 83)
- Anonymous: Documents 3 (ROBERTSON 87)
- Anonymous: Documents 3 (ROBERTSON 91)
- Anonymous: Documents 3 (ROBERTSON 94)
- Anonymous: Documents 4 (Robertson, Appendix 1)
- Anonymous: Documents 4 (Robertson, Appendix 3)
- Anonymous: Documents 4 (Robertson, Appendix 4)
- Anonymous: Sermon (MS Royal 18 B)
- Anonymous: The Ruthwell Cross
- Anonymous: The Seafarer
- Anonymous: Dame Sirith
- Anonymous: The Siege of Jerusalem
- Anonymous: The Life of St. Edmund
- Anonymous: Solomon and Saturn
- Anonymous: Statutes (II)
- Anonymous: Statutes (III)
- Anonymous: Statutes (IV)
- Anonymous: Statutes (VII)
- Anonymous: A Homily for the Sixth (or Fourth) Sunday After Epiphany
- Anonymous: Sawles Warde
- Anonymous: Testaments and Wills, London
- Anonymous: Liber de Diversis Medicinis (Thornton MS)
- Anonymous: The Trial of Sir Nicholas Throckmorton
- Anonymous: The Thrush and the Nightingale
- Anonymous: Towneley Plays
- Anonymous: Trinity Homilies (12)
- Anonymous: Trinity Homilies (20)
- Anonymous: Trinity Homilies (23)
- Anonymous: Trinity Homilies (5)
- Anonymous: A Letter by the Fellow of Trinity College (to Lord Burghley)
- Anonymous: The Vespasian Psalter
- Anonymous: Vespasian Homilies (3)
- Anonymous: Vespasian Homilies (32)
- Anonymous: Vespasian Homilies (33)
- Anonymous: Vespasian Homilies (42)
- Anonymous: Vespasian Homilies (48)
- Anonymous: Vices and Virtues (1)
- Anonymous: The Book of Vices and Virtues (4)
- Anonymous: The Wanderer
- Anonymous: English Wycliffite Sermons (I/ES1)
- Anonymous: English Wycliffite Sermons (I/ES11)
- Anonymous: English Wycliffite Sermons (I/ES27)
- Anonymous: English Wycliffite Sermons (I/ES40)
- Anonymous: The Whale
- Anonymous: Documents 3 (WHITELOCK 13)
- Anonymous: Documents 3 (WHITELOCK 14)
- Anonymous: Documents 3 (WHITELOCK 15)
- Anonymous: Documents 3 (WHITELOCK 16/1)
- Anonymous: Documents 3 (WHITELOCK 19)
- Anonymous: Documents 3 (WHITELOCK 20)
- Anonymous: Documents 3 (WHITELOCK 30)
- Anonymous: Widsith
- Anonymous: The Wife's Lament
- Anonymous: Laws (WILLIAM I)
- Anonymous: English Wycliffite Sermons (I/S16)
- Anonymous: English Wycliffite Sermons (I/S23)
- Anonymous: English Wycliffite Sermons (I/S28)
- Anonymous: English Wycliffite Sermons (I/S32)
- Anonymous: English Wycliffite Sermons (I/S36)
- Anonymous: English Wycliffite Sermons (I/S4)
- Anonymous: English Wycliffite Sermons (I/S43)
- Anonymous: West-Saxon Gospels
- Anonymous: The New Testament (Wycliffe)
- Anonymous: The Old Testament (Wycliffe)
- Anonymous: York Plays
- Armin, Robert: A Nest of Ninnies
- Ascham, Roger: The Scholemaster
- Aungier, Francis: Letter (to Lord Essex)
- Bacon, Francis: The Twoo Bookes of the Proficience and Advancement of Learning
- Barrington, John: Letters (to his mother)
- Barrington, Thomas: Letter (to his mother)
- Beaumont, Elizabeth: Letter (to her husband)
- Bedyll, Thomas: Letter (to Cromwell)
- Behn, Aphra: Oroonoko
- Betson, Thomas: Letter (to his bride) & Letters (to his mother-in-law)
- Blundevile, Thomas: A Briefe Description of the Tables of the Three Speciall Right Lines Belonging to a Circle
- Boyle, Robert: Electricity & Magnetism
- Brinsley, John: Ludus Literarius
- Burnet, Gilbert: The Reign of Charles the Second
- Burnet, Gilbert: Biography of the Earl of Rochester
- Byrhtferth: Byrhtferth's Manual
- Capel, Arthur: Letters (to the King)
- Capgrave, John: Capgrave's Chronicle
- Capgrave, John: Capgrave's Sermon
- Caxton, William: Prologues and Epilogues
- Caxton, William: The History of Reynard the Fox
- Cecil, Robert: Letters (to Sir Thomas Edmondes)
- Cecil, William: Letter (to the University of Cambridge)
- Cely, George: Letters (to his father)
- Cely, Richard: Letters (to his brother)
- Charles II: Letters (to Lord Essex)
- Chaucer, Geoffrey: A Treatise on the Astrolabe
- Chaucer, Geoffrey: Boethius
- Chaucer, Geoffrey: The Wife of Bath's Prologue
- Chaucer, Geoffrey: The Tale of Melibee
- Chaucer, Geoffrey: The Merchant's Tale
- Chaucer, Geoffrey: The Parson's Tale
- Chaucer, Geoffrey: The General Prologue to the Canterbury Tales
- Chaucer, Geoffrey: The Summoner's Tale
- Clowes, William: Treatise for the Artificiall Cure of Struma
- Colville, George: Boethius
- Conway, Edward: Letter (to Lord Buckingham)
- Coverte, Robert: A Trve and Almost Incredible Report of an Englishman
- Cromwell, Gregory: Letters (to his father)
- Cromwell, Thomas: Letter (to the Earl of Chester)
- Cumberland, Eleanor: Letter (to her husband)
- Cynewulf: Fates of Apostles
- Cynewulf: Elene
- Cynewulf: Juliana
- Deloney, Thomas: Jack of Newbury
- Edmondes, Thomas: Letter (to Sir Robert Cecil)
- Edward VI: The Diary of Edward VI
- Elizabeth I: Boethius
- Elizabeth I: Letter (to Sir Thomas Edmondes) & Letter (to Sir Robert Cecil)
- Elyot, Thomas: The Boke Named the Gouernour
- Evelyn, John: Diary of John Evelyn
- Everard, Joan: Letters (to her mother)
- Fabyan, Robert: The New Chronicles of England and France
- Farman: Rushworth Gospels
- Farquhar, George: The Beaux Stratagem
- Ferrar, Nicholas: Letter (to his mother)
- Ferrar, Richard: Letter (to his mother)
- Fiennes, Celia: My Great Journey to Newcastle and to Cornwall
- Fisher, John: Sermon (against Luther) & Sermon (on Good Friday)
- Fitzherbert, Anthony: The Book of Husbandry
- Fitzjames, Richard: Sermo Die Lune in Ebdomada Pasche
- Forman, Simon: Autobiography and Personal Diary of Dr. Simon Forman
- Fox, George: Journal of George Fox
- Fryer, John: A New Account of East India and Persia
- Gawdy, Philip: Letter (to his father)
- Gaytryge, Dan Jon: Dan Jon Gaytryge's Sermon
- Gifford, George: A Handbook on Witches and Witchcraft
- Gloucester, Robert: The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester
- Gower, John: Confessio Amantis
- Haddock, Nicholas: Letter (to his father)
- Haddock, Richard Jr: Letter (to his father)
- Haddock, Richard Sr: Letters (to his wife) & Letters (to his son)
- Harley, Brilliana: Letters (to her husband)
- Harman, Thomas: A Caveat or Warening for Commen Cursetors Vulgarely Called Vagabones
- Hatton, Alice: Letters (to her father)
- Hatton, Anne: Letters (to her father)
- Hatton, Charles: Letter (to his wife)
- Hatton, Elizabeth: Letter (to her son)
- Hatton, Frances: Letter (to her husband)
- Hayward, John: Annals of the First Four Years of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth
- Henry V: Letters (to a Bishop) & Letter (to -)
- Henry V: Letter(s) (to Mayor of London)
- Henry VIII: Letter (to the Earl of Surrey) & Letter (to the citizens of London)
- Henry, Philip: Letter (to his wife)
- Hilton, Walter: Eight Chapters on Perfection
- Hoby, Margaret: Diary of Margaret Hoby
- Hooke, Robert: Micrographia
- Hooker, Richard: Sermon upon part of S. Judes Epistle (1) & Sermon upon part of S. Judes Epistle (2)
- Hoole, Charles: A New Discovery of the Old Art of Teaching Schoole
- Howard, Thomas: Letter (to the King)
- Kempe, Margery: The Book of Margery Kempe
- Knyvett, Thomas: Letters (to his wife)
- Langford, T.: Plain and Full Instructions to Raise All Sorts of Fruit-Trees That Prosper in England
- Latimer, Hugh: Sermon (on ploughers) & Sermon (before Edward VI)
- Layamon: Layamon's Brut
- Leland, John: Itinerary
- Locke, John: Directions Concerning Education
- Machyn, Henry: The Diary of Henry Machyn
- Madox, Richard: Diary of Richard Madox
- Malory, Thomas: Morte Darthur
- Mannyng, Robert: Handlyng Synne
- Markham, Gervase: Countrey Contentments
- Masham, Elizabeth: Letters (to her mother)
- Metham, John: Days of the Moon
- Metham, John: Physiognomy
- Michel, Dan: Ayenbite of Inwyt
- Middleton, Thomas: A Chaste Maid in Cheapside
- Milton, John: The History of Britain
- Mirk, John: Festial
- More, Thomas: Letter (to his wife) & Letters (to his daughter)
- More, Thomas: The History of King Richard III
- More, Thomas: Letters (to Cardinal Wolsey)
- Mowntayne, Thomas: The Autobiography of Thomas Mowntayne
- Mull, Thomas: Letter (to his brother-in-law) & Letter (to his relative)
- Norwich, Julian: Revelations of Divine Love
- Orm: The Ormulum
- Osborne, Thomas: Letters (to Lord Essex)
- Oxinden, Elizabeth: Letters (to her mother-in-law)
- Oxinden, Henry: Letters (to his wife)
- Oxinden, Katherine: Letter (to her son)
- Oxinden, Richard: Letters (to his son)
- Paston, Clement: Letters (to his brother)
- Paston, John: Letters (to his brother)
- Paston, Katherine: Letters (to her son)
- Paston, Margaret: Letters (to her husbard)
- Paston, William: Letters
- Paston, William: Letters (to his mother)
- Pepys, Samuel: Diary of Samuel Pepys
- Pettit, Valentine: Letters (to her son)
- Peyton, Mary: Letter (to her daughter)
- Pinney, Jane: Letter (to her daughter) & Letter (to her husband)
- Pinney, John: Letter (to his daughter)
- Plumpton, Agnes: Letters (to her husband)
- Plumpton, Dorothy: Letter (to her father)
- Plumpton, Isabel: Letter (to her husband)
- Plumpton, Robert: Letter (to his mother)
- Plumpton, William: Letters (to his father) & Letter (to his son)
- Preston, Viscount: Boethius
- Proud, Mary: Letter (to her mother)
- Purvey, John: The Prologue to the Bible
- Record, Robert: The Path-Way to Knowledg, Containing the First Principles of Geometrie
- Reynes, Robert: Commonplace Book (Tanner MS 407)
- Rolle, Richard: The Bee and the Stork
- Rolle, Richard: The Psalter or Psalms of David
- Rolle, Richard: Prose Treatises
- Roper, Margaret: Letters (to his father)
- Roper, William: The Lyfe of Sir Thomas Moore, Knighte
- Scrope, Katherine: Letter (to her father)
- Shakespeare, William: The Merry Wives of Windsor
- Shillingford, John: Document(s) (Shillingford)
- Shillingford, John: Letter (to his fellows)
- Smith, Henry: Two Sermons on "Of Usurie" (1) & Two Sermons on "Of Usurie" (2)
- Somers, John: Letter (to the King)
- Spencer, Robert: Letters (to the King's agent)
- Stevenson, William: Gammer Gvrtons Nedle
- Stonor, Elizabeth: Letters (to her husband)
- Stow, John: The Chronicles of England from Brute unto This Present Yeare of Christ
- Strype, John: Letters (to his mother)
- Taylor, Jeremy: The Marriage Ring
- Taylor, John: The Pennyles Pilgrimage
- Tillotson, John: Sermon on "The Folly of Scoffing at Religion" & Sermon on "Of the Tryall of the Spirits"
- Torkington, Richard: Ye Oldest Diarie of Englysshe Travell
- Trevisa, John: Polychronicon
- Tunstall, Cuthbert: Letter (to the King)
- Turner, William: Book of Wines
- Tyndale, William: The New Testament (Tyndale)
- Tyndale, William: The Old Testament (Tyndale)
- Udall, Nicholas: Roister Doister
- Usk, Thomas: Appeal(s), London
- Vanbrugh, John: The Relapse
- Vicary, Thomas: The Anatomie of the Bodie of Man
- Waerferth: Gregory the Great, Dialogues (MS C)
- Walton, Izaak: The Compleat Angler
- Wolsey, Thomas: Letter (to the King)
- Wulfstan: Wulfstan's 'Institutes of Polity'
- Wulfstan: Wulfstan's Homilies (10C)
- Wulfstan: Wulfstan's Homilies (12)
- Wulfstan: Wulfstan's Homilies (13)
- Wulfstan: Wulfstan's Homilies (17)
- Wulfstan: Wulfstan's Homilies (1B)
- Wulfstan: Wulfstan's Homilies (2)
- Wulfstan: Wulfstan's Homilies (20)
- Wulfstan: Wulfstan's Homilies (3)
- Wulfstan: Wulfstan's Homilies (8C)
page 182
1
THE FIRST BOOKE FOR THE YOUTH.
2
3 After the childe hath learned perfitlie the eight partes of
4speach, let him then learne the right ioyning togither of
5substantiues with adiectiues, the nowne with the verbe, the
6relatiue with the antecedent. And in learninge farther hys
7Syntaxis, by mine aduice, he shall not vse the common order
8in common scholes, for making of latines: wherby, the childe
9commonlie learneth, first, an euill choice of wordes,
10(and right choice of wordes, saith Caesar , is the
11foundation of eloquence) than, a wrong placing
12of wordes: and lastlie, an ill framing of the sentence, with
13a peruerse iudgement, both of wordes and sentences. These
14faultes, taking once roote in yougthe, be neuer, or
15hardlie, pluckt away in age. Moreouer, there is
16no one thing, that hath more, either dulled the
17wittes, or taken awaye the will of children from
18learning, then the care they haue, to satisfie their masters, in
19making of latines.
20 For, the scholer, is commonlie beat for the making, whe~
21the master were more worthie to be beat for the mending, or
22rather, marring of the same: The master many times, being
23as ignorant as the childe, what to saie properlie and fitlie to the
24matter.
25 Two scholemasters haue set forth in print, either of them
26a booke, of soch kinde of latines, Horman and
27Whittington .
28 A childe shall learne of the better of them,
29that, which an other daie, if he be wise, and cum to iudgement,
30he must be faine to vnlearne againe.
page 183
31 There is a waie, touched in the first booke of Cicero
32De Oratore , which, wiselie brought into scholes,
33truely taught, and co~stantly vsed, would not
34onely take wholly away this butcherlie feare in making of
35latines, but would also, with ease and pleasure, and in short
36time, as I know by good experience, worke a true choice and
37placing of wordes, a right ordering of sentences, an easie
38vnderstandyng of the tonge, a readines to speake, a facultie to
39write, a true iudgement, both of his owne, and other mens
40doinges, what tonge so euer he doth vse.
41 The waie is this. After the three Concordances learned,
42as I touched before, let the master read vnto hym the Epistles
43of Cicero , gathered togither and chosen out by Sturmius , for
44the capacitie of children.
45 First, let him teach the childe, cherefullie and plainlie, the
46cause, and matter of the letter: then, let him
47construe it into Englishe, so oft, as the childe may
48easilie carie awaie the vnderstanding of it:
49Lastlie, parse it ouer perfitlie. This done thus, let the childe,
50by and by, both construe and parse it ouer againe: so, that it
51may appeare, that the childe douteth in nothing, that his
52master taught him before. After this, the childe must take
53a paper booke, and sitting in some place, where no man shall
54prompe him, by him self, let him translate into Englishe his
55former lesson. Then shewing it to his master,
56let the master take from him his latin booke, and
57pausing an houre, at the least, than let the childe
58translate his owne Englishe into latin againe, in an other paper
59booke. When the childe bringeth it, turned into latin, the
60master must compare it with Tullies booke, and laie them both
61togither: and where the childe doth well, either in chosing, or
62true placing of Tullies wordes, let the master
63praise him, and saie here ye do well. For I
64assure you, there is no such whetstone, to
65sharpen a good witte and encourage a will to learninge, as is
66praise.
67 But if the childe misse, either in forgetting a worde, or in
68chaunging a good with a worse, or misordering the sentence,
69I would not haue the master, either froune, or chide with him,
70if the childe haue done his diligence, and vsed no trewandship
page 184
71therein. For I know by good experience, that a childe shall
72take more profit of two fautes, ientlie warned of,
73then of foure thinges, rightly hitt. For than, the
74master shall haue good occasion to saie vnto him.
75N. Tullie would haue vsed such a worde, not this: Tullie
76would haue placed this word here, not there: would haue vsed
77this case, this number, this person, this degree, this gender: he
78would haue vsed this moode, this tens, this simple, rather than
79this compound: this aduerbe here, not there: he would haue
80ended the sentence with this verbe, not with that nowne or
81participle. etc.
82 In these fewe lines, I haue wrapped vp, the most tedious
83part of Grammer: and also the ground of almost all the Rewles,
84that are so busilie taught by the Master, and so hardlie learned
85by the Scholer, in all common Scholes: which after this sort,
86the master shall teach without all error, and the scholer shall
87learne without great paine: the master being led by so sure
88a guide, and the scholer being brought into so plaine and easie
89a waie. And therefore, we do not contemne Rewles, but we
90gladlie teach Rewles: and teach them, more plainlie, sensiblie,
91and orderlie, than they be commonlie taught in common
92Scholes. For whan the Master shall compare Tullies booke
93with his Scholers translation, let the Master, at the first,
94lead and teach his Scholer, to ioyne the Rewles of his Grammer
95booke, with the examples of his present lesson, vntill the
96Scholer, by him selfe, be hable to fetch out of his Grammer,
97euerie Rewle, for euerie Example: So, as the Grammer booke
98be euer in the Scholers hand, and also vsed of him, as a
99Dictionarie, for euerie present vse. This is a liuely and perfite
100waie of teaching of Rewles: where the common waie, vsed in
101common Scholes, to read the Grammer alone by it selfe, is
102tedious for the Master, hard for the Scholer, colde and vncumfortable
103for them bothe.
104 Let your Scholer be neuer afraide, to aske you any dout,
105but vse discretlie the best allurements ye can, to encorage him
106to the same: lest, his ouermoch fearinge of you, driue him
107to seeke some misorderlie shifte: as, to seeke to be helped
108by some other booke, or to be prompted by some other
109Scholer, and so goe aboute to begile you moch, and him selfe
110more.
page 185
111 With this waie, of good vnderstanding the mater, plaine
112construinge, diligent parsinge, dailie translatinge, cherefull
113admonishinge, and heedefull amendinge of faultes: neuer
114leauinge behinde iuste praise for well doinge, I would haue the
115Scholer brought vp withall, till he had red, & translated ouer ye
116first booke of Epistles chosen out by Sturmius , with a good
117peece of a Comedie of Terence also.
118 All this while, by mine aduise, the childe shall vse to speake
119no latine: For, as Cicero saith in like mater, with like wordes,
120loquendo, male loqui discunt . And, that excellent
121learned man, G. Budaeus , in his Greeke Commentaries,
122sore complaineth, that whan he began
123to learne the latin tonge, vse of speaking latin at the table, and
124elsewhere, vnaduisedlie, did bring him to soch an euill choice of
125wordes, to soch a crooked framing of sentences, that no one
126thing did hurt or hinder him more, all the daies of his life
127afterward, both for redinesse in speaking, and also good iudgement
128in writinge.
129 In very deede, if childre~ were brought vp, in soch a house,
130or soch a Schole, where the latin tonge were properlie and
131perfitlie spoken, as Tib. and Ca. Gracci were brought vp, in
132their mother Cornelias house, surelie, than the dailie vse of
133speaking, were the best and readiest waie, to learne the latin
134tong. But, now, commonlie, in the best Scholes in England,
135for wordes, right choice is smallie regarded, true proprietie
136whollie neglected, confusion is brought in, barbariousnesse is
137bred vp so in yong wittes, as afterward they be, not onelie
138marde for speaking, but also corrupted in iudgement: as with
139moch adoe, or neuer at all, they be brought to right frame
140againe.
141 Yet all men couet to haue their children speake latin: and
142so do I verie earnestlie too. We bothe, haue one purpose: we
143agree in desire, we wish one end: but we differ somewhat in
144order and waie, that leadeth rightlie to that end. Other would
145haue them speake at all aduentures: and, so they be speakinge,
146to speake, the Master careth not, the Scholer knoweth not,
147what. This is, to seeme, and not to bee: except it be, to be
148bolde without shame, rashe without skill, full of wordes without
149witte. I wish to haue them speake so, as it may well appeare,
150that the braine doth gouerne the tonge, and that reason leadeth
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151forth the taulke. Socrates doctrine is true in Plato , and well
152marked, and truely vttered by Horace in Arte
153Poetica , that, where so euer knowledge doth accompanie
154the witte, there best vtterance doth alwaies
155awaite vpon the tonge: For, good vnderstanding must first be bred
156in the childe, which, being nurished with skill, and
157vse of writing (as I will teach more largelie
158hereafter) is the onelie waie to bring him to
159iudgement and readinesse in speakinge: and that
160in farre shorter time (if he followe constantlie the trade of this
161litle lesson) than he shall do, by common teachinge of the
162co~mon scholes in England.
parameters for this division: #asch_classification_1
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163 Learning teacheth more in one yeare than experience in
164twentie: And learning teacheth safelie. when
165experience maketh mo miserable then wise. He
166hasardeth sore, that waxeth wise by experience.
167An vnhappie Master he is, that is made cunning by manie
168shippewrakes: A miserable merchant, that is neither riche or
169wise, but after som bankroutes. It is costlie wisdom, that is
170bought by experience. We know by experience it selfe, that it
171is a meruelous paine, to finde oute but a short waie, by long
172wandering. And surelie, he that wold proue wise by
173experience, he maie be wittie in deede, but euen like a swift
174runner, that runneth fast out of his waie, and vpon the night,
175he knoweth not whither. And verilie they be fewest of
176number, that be happie or wise by vnlearned experience. And
177looke well vpon the former life of those fewe, whether your
178example be old or yonge, who without learning haue gathered,
179by long experience, a litle wisdom, and som happines: and
180whan you do consider, what mischeife they haue committed,
181what dangers they haue escaped (and yet xx. for one, do
182perishe in the aduenture) than thinke well with your selfe,
183whether ye wold, that your owne son, should cum to wisdom
184and happines, by the waie of soch experience or no.
185 It is a notable tale, that old Syr Roger Chamloe , sometime
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186cheife Iustice, wold tell of him selfe. When he was Auncient
187in Inne of Courte, Certaine yong Ientlemen
188were brought before him, to be corrected for
189certaine misorders: And one of the lustiest saide:
190Syr, we be yong ientlemen, and wisemen before vs, haue
191proued all facions, and yet those haue done full well: this they
192said, because it was well knowen, that Syr Roger had bene a
193good feloe in his yougth. But he aunswered them verie wiselie.
194In deede saith he, in yougthe, I was, as you ar now: and I
195had twelue feloes like vnto my self, but not one of them came
196to a good ende. And therfore, folow not my example in yougth,
197but folow my councell in aige, if euer ye thinke to cum to this
198place, or to thies yeares, that I am cum vnto, lesse ye meete
199either with pouertie or Tiburn in the way.
200 Thus, experience of all facions in yougthe, beinge, in profe,
201alwaise daungerous, in isshue, seldom lucklie, is
202a waie, in deede, to ouermoch knowledge, yet
203vsed commonlie of soch men, which be either caried by som
204curious affection of mynde, or driuen by som hard necessitie of
205life, to hasard the triall of ouer manie perilous aduentures.
206 Erasmus the honor of learning of all oure time, saide
207wiselie that experience is the common scholehouse
208of foles, and ill men: Men, of witte and
209honestie, be otherwise instructed. For there be,
210that kepe them out of fier, and yet was neuer
211burned: That beware of water, and yet was neuer
212nie drowninge: That hate harlottes, and was
213neuer at the stewes: That abhorre falshode, and neuer brake
214promis themselues.
215 But will ye see, a fit Similitude of this aduentured experience.
216A Father, that doth let louse his son, to all experiences, is most
217like a fond Hunter, that letteth slippe a whelpe to the hole
218herde. Twentie to one, he shall fall vpon a rascall, and let
219go the faire game. Men that hunt so, be either ignorant
220persones, preuie stealers, or night walkers.
221 Learning therefore, ye wise fathers, and good bringing vp,
222and not blinde & dangerous experience, is the next and readiest
223waie, that must leede your Children, first, to wisdom, and than
224to worthinesse, if euer ye purpose they shall cum there.
225 And to saie all in shorte, though I lacke Authoritie to giue
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226counsell, yet I lacke not good will to wisshe, that the yougthe
227in England, speciallie Ientlemen, and namelie nobilitie,
228shold be by good bringing vp, so grounded
229in iudgement of learninge, so founded in loue of
230honestie, as, whan they shold be called forthe to the execution
231of great affaires, in seruice of their Prince and contrie, they
232might be hable, to vse and to order, all experiences, were they
233good were they bad, and that, according to the square, rule, and
234line, of wisdom learning and vertue.
235 And, I do not meene, by all this my taulke, that yong
236Ientlemen, should alwaies be poring on a booke,
237and by vsing good studies, shold lease honest
238pleasure, and haunt no good pastime, I meene
239nothing lesse: For it is well knowne, that I both
240like and loue, and haue alwaies, and do yet still
241vse, all exercises and pastimes, that be fitte for my
242nature and habilitie. And beside naturall disposition,
243in iudgement also, I was neuer, either Stoick in doctrine,
244or Anabaptist in Religion, to mislike a merie, pleasant, and
245plaifull nature, if no outrage be committed, against lawe,
246mesure, and good order.
247 Therefore, I wold wishe, that, beside some good time, fitlie
248appointed, and constantlie kepte, to encrease by readinge, the
249knowledge of the tonges and learning, yong ientlemen shold
250vse, and delite in all Courtelie exercises, and
251Ientlemanlike pastimes. And good cause whie:
252For the self same noble Citie of Athenes, iustlie
253commended of me before, did wiselie and vpon great consideration,
254appoint, the Muses, Apollo , and Pallas , to be patrones of
255learninge to their yougthe. For the Muses,
256besides learning, were also Ladies of dauncinge,
257mirthe and ministrelsie: Apollo , was god of shooting,
258and Author of cunning playing vpo~ Instrumentes:
259Pallas also was Laidie mistres in warres. Wherbie
260was nothing else ment, but that learninge shold be alwaise
261mingled, with honest mirthe, and cumlie exercises: and that
262warre also shold be gouerned by learning, and moderated by
263wisdom, as did well appeare in those Capitaines of Athenes
264named by me before, and also in Scipio & Caesar , the two
265Diamondes of Rome.
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266 And Pallas , was no more feared, in weering AEgida , tha~ she
267was praised, for chosing Oliua : whereby shineth
268the glory of learning, which thus, was Gouernour
269& Mistres, in the noble Citie of Athenes , both of
270warre and peace.
271 Therefore, to ride cumlie: to run faire at the tilte or ring:
272to plaie at all weapones: to shote faire in bow, or surelie in gon:
273to vaut lustely: to runne: to leape: to wrestle:
274to swimme: To daunce cumlie: to sing, and playe
275of instrumentes cunnyngly: to Hawke: to hunte:
276to playe at tennes, & all pastimes generally, which
277be ioyned with labor, vsed in open place, and on
278the day light, conteining either some fitte exercise for warre, or
279some pleasant pastime for peace, be not onelie cumlie and decent,
280but also verie necessarie, for a Courtlie Ientleman to vse.
281 But, of all kinde of pastimes, fitte for a Ientleman, I will,
282godwilling, in fitter place, more at large, declare fullie, in my
283booke of the Cockpitte: which I do write, to
284satisfie som, I trust, with som reason, that be
285more curious, in marking other mens doinges, than
286carefull in mendyng their owne faultes. And som also will
287nedes busie them selues in merueling, and adding thereunto
288vnfrendlie taulke, why I, a man of good yeares, and of no ill
289place, I thanke God and my Prince, do make choise to spend
290soch tyme in writyng of trifles, as the schole of shoting, the
291Cockpitte, and this booke of the first Principles of Grammer,
292rather, than to take some weightie matter in hand, either of
293Religion, or Ciuill discipline.
294 Wise men I know, will well allow of my choise herein: and
295as for such, who haue not witte of them selues, but must learne
296of others, to iudge right of mens doynges, let them
297read that wise Poet Horace in his Arte Poetica ,
298who willeth wisemen to beware, of hie and loftie
299Titles. For, great shippes, require costlie tackling,
300and also afterward dangerous gouernment:
301Small boates, be neither verie chargeable in
302makyng, nor verie oft in great ieoperdie: and yet they cary
303many tymes, as good and costlie ware, as greater vessels do.
304A meane Argument, may easelie beare, the light burden of
305a small faute, and haue alwaise at hand, a ready excuse for
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306ill handling: And, some praise it is, if it so chaunce, to be
307better in deede, than a man dare venture to
308seeme. A hye title, doth charge a man, with
309the heauie burden, of to great a promise: and
310therefore sayth Horace verie wittelie, that, that
311Poete was a verie foole, that began hys booke,
312with a goodlie verse in deede, but ouer proude
313a promise.
314 Fortunam Priami cantabo & nobile bellum ,
315And after, as wiselie.
316 Quanto rectius hic, qui nil molitur inepte. etc.
317Meening Homer , who, within the compasse of a smal
318Argument, of one harlot, and of one good wife,
319did vtter so moch learning in all kinde of sciences,
320as, by the iudgement of Quintilian , he deserueth
321so hie a praise, that no man yet deserued to sit
322in the second degree beneth him. And thus moch
323out of my way, concerning my purpose in spending penne, and
324paper, & tyme, vpo~ trifles, & namelie to aunswere some, that
325haue neither witte nor learning, to do any thyng them selues,
326neither will nor honestie, to say well of other.
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327 Cambrige, at my first comming thither, but not at my
328going away, committed this fault in reading the preceptes of
329Aristotle without the examples of other Authors: But herein,
330in my time thies men of worthie memorie, M. Redman,
331M. Cheke, M. Smith, M. Haddon, M. Watson , put so to
332their helping handes, as that vniuersitie, and all studentes there,
333as long as learning shall last, shall be bounde vnto them, if that
334trade in studie be trewlie folowed, which those men left behinde
335them there.
336 By this small mention of Cambridge, I am caryed into three
337imaginations: first, into a sweete remembrance of my tyme
338spent there: than, into som carefull thoughts, for the greuous
339alteration that folowed sone after: lastlie, into much ioy to
340heare tell, of the good recouerie and earnest forwardnes in all
341good learning there agayne.
342 To vtter theis my thoughts somwhat more largelie, were
343somwhat beside my matter, yet not very farre out of the way,
344bycause it shall wholy tend to the good encoragement and right
345consideration of learning, which is my full purpose in writing
346this litle booke: whereby also shall well appeare this sentence
347to be most trewe, that onely good men, by their gouernment
348& example, make happie times, in euery degree and state.
349 Doctor Nico. Medcalfe , that honorable father, was Master
350of S. Iohnes Colledge, when I came thether: A
351man meanelie learned himselfe, but not meanely
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352affectioned to set forward learning in others. He found
353that Colledge spending scarse two hundred markes by yeare:
354he left it spending a thousand markes and more. Which
355he procured, not with his mony, but by his wisdome; not
356chargeablie bought by him, but liberallie geuen by others by his
357meane, for the zeale & honor they bare to learning. And that
358which is worthy of memorie, all thies giuers were almost
359Northenmen: who being liberallie rewarded in the seruice of
360their Prince, bestowed it as liberallie for the good of their
361Contrie. Som men thought therefore, that D. Medcalfe was
362parciall to Northrenmen, but sure I am of this, that Northrenme~
363were parciall, in doing more good, and geuing more
364la~des to ye forderance of learning, than any other
365contrie me~, in those dayes, did: which deede
366should haue bene, rather an example of goodnes,
367for other to folowe, than matter of malice, for any
368to enuie, as some there were that did. Trewly,
369D. Medcalfe was parciall to none: but indifferent
370to all: a master for the whole, a father to euery one, in that
371Colledge. There was none so poore, if he had, either wil to
372goodnes, or wit to learning, that could lacke being there, or
373should depart from thence for any need. I am witnes my selfe,
374that mony many times was brought into yong mens studies by
375strangers whom they knew not. In which doing, this worthy
376Nicolaus folowed the steppes of good olde S. Nicolaus , that
377learned Bishop. He was a Papist in deede, but would to God,
378amonges all vs Protesta~ts I might once see but one, that would
379winne like praise, in doing like good, for the aduauncement of
380learning and vertue. And yet, though he were a Papist, if any
381yong man, geuen to new learning (as they termed it) went
382beyond his fellowes, in witte, labor, and towardnes, euen the
383same, neyther lacked, open praise to encorage him, nor priuate
384exhibition to mainteyne hym, as worthy Syr I. Cheke , if he
385were aliue would beare good witnes and so can many mo.
386I my selfe one of the meanest of a great number, in that
387Colledge, because there appeared in me som small shew of
388towardnes and diligence, lacked not his fauor to forder me in
389learning.
390 And being a boy, new Bacheler of arte, I chanced amonges
391my companions to speake against the Pope: which matter was
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392than in euery mans mouth, bycause D. Haines and D. Skippe
393were cum from the Court, to debate the same matter, by
394preaching and disputation in the vniuersitie. This hapned the
395same tyme, when I stoode to be felow there: my taulke came
396to D. Medcalfes eare: I was called before him and the Seniores:
397and after greuous rebuke, and some punishment, open warning
398was geuen to all the felowes, none to be so hardie to geue me
399his voice at that election. And yet for all those open threates,
400the good father himselfe priuilie procured, that I should euen
401than by chosen felow. But, the election being done, he made
402countinance of great discontentation thereat. This good mans
403goodnes, and fatherlie discretion, vsed towardes me that one
404day, shall neuer out of my remembrance all the dayes of my
405life. And for the same cause, haue I put it here, in this small
406record of learning. For next Gods prouidence, surely that day,
407was by that good fathers meanes, Dies natalis , to me, for the
408whole foundation of the poore learning I haue, and of all the
409furderance, that hetherto else where I haue obteyned.
410 This his goodnes stood not still in one or two, but flowed
411aboundantlie ouer all that Colledge, and brake out also to
412norishe good wittes in euery part of that vniuersitie: whereby,
413at this departing thence, he left soch a companie of fellowes and
414scholers in S. Iohnes Colledge, as can scarse be found now in
415some whole vniuersitie: which, either for diuinitie, on the one
416side or other, or for Ciuill seruice to their Prince and contrie,
417haue bene, and are yet to this day, notable ornaments to this
418whole Realme: Yea S. Iohnes did the~ so florish, as Trinitie
419college, that Princely house now, at the first erectio~, was but
420Colonia deducta out of S. Ihones , not onelie for their Master,
421fellowes, and scholers, but also, which is more, for their whole,
422both order of learning, and discipline of maners: & yet to this
423day, it neuer tooke Master but such as was bred vp before in
424S. Iohnes : doing the dewtie of a good Colonia to her Metropolis ,
425as the auncient Cities in Greice and some yet in Italie, at this
426day, are accustomed to do.
427 S. Iohnes stoode in this state, vntill those heuie tymes, and
428that greuous change that chanced. An. 1553. whan mo perfite
429scholers were dispersed from thence in one moneth, than many
430yeares can reare vp againe. For, whan Aper de
431Sylua had passed the seas, and fastned his foote
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432againe in England, not onely the two faire groues of learning
433in England were eyther cut vp, by the roote, or troden downe
434to the ground and wholie went to wracke, but the yong spring
435there, and euerie where else, was pitifullie nipt and ouertroden
436by very beastes, and also the fairest standers of all, were rooted
437vp, and cast into the fire, to the great weakning euen at this
438day of Christes Chirch in England, both for Religion and
439learning.
440 And what good could chance than to the vniuersities, whan
441som of the greatest, though not of the wisest nor best learned,
442nor best men neither of that side, did labor to perswade, that
443ignorance was better than knowledge, which they ment, not for
444the laitie onelie, but also for the greatest rable of their spiritualtie,
445what other pretense openlie so euer they made: and
446therefore did som of them at Cambrige (whom I will not name
447openlie,) cause hedge priestes fette oute of the contrie, to be
448made fellowes in the vniuersitie: saying, in their talke priuilie,
449and declaring by their deedes openlie, that he was, felow good
450enough for their tyme, if he could were a gowne and a tipet
451cumlie, and haue hys crowne shorne faire and roundlie, and
452could turne his Portesse and pie readilie: whiche I speake not
453to reproue any order either of apparell, or other dewtie, that
454may be well and indifferentlie vsed, but to note the miserie of
455that time, whan the benefites prouided for learning were so
456fowlie misused. And what was the frute of this seade?
457Verely, iudgement in doctrine was wholy altered: order in
458discipline very sore changed: the loue of good learning, began
459sodenly to wax cold: the knowledge of the tonges (in spite of
460some that therein had florished) was manifestly contemned:
461and so, ye way of right studie purposely peruerted: the choice
462of good authors of mallice confownded. Olde sophistrie (I say
463not well) not olde, but that new rotten sophistrie began to
464beard and sholder logicke in her owne tong: yea, I know, that
465heades were cast together, and counsell deuised, that Duns , with
466all the rable of barbarous questionistes, should haue dispossessed
467of their place and rowmes, Aristotle, Plato, Tullie ,
468and Demosthenes , when good M. Redman , and
469those two worthylace and rowmes, Aristotle, Plato, Tullie ,
470and Demosthenes , when good M. Redman , and
471those two worthy starres of that vniuersitie,
472M. Cheke , and M. Smith , with their scholers, had
473brought to florishe as notable in Cambrige, as
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474euer they did in Grece and in Italie: and for the doctrine of
475those fowre, the fowre pillers of learning, Cambrige than geuing
476place to no vniuersitie, neither in France, Spaine, Germanie,
477nor Italie. Also in outward behauiour, than began simplicitie
478in apparell, to be layd aside: Courtlie galantnes to be taken vp:
479frugalitie in diet was priuately misliked: Towne going to good
480cheare openly vsed: honest pastimes, ioyned with
481labor, left of in the fieldes: vnthrifty and idle
482games, haunted corners, and occupied the nightes: contention
483in youth, no where for learning: factions in the elders euery
484where for trifles. All which miseries at length, by Gods
485prouidence, had their end 16. Nouemb. 1558. Since which
486tyme, the yong spring hath shot vp so faire, as now there be in
487Cambrige againe, many goodly plantes (as did well appeare at
488the Queenes Maiesties late being there) which are like to grow
489to mightie great timber, to the honor of learning, and great good
490of their contrie, if they may stand their tyme, as the best
491plantes there were wont to do: and if som old dotterell trees,
492with standing ouer nie them, and dropping vpon them, do not
493either hinder, or crooke their growing, wherein my feare is ye
494lesse, seing so worthie a Iustice of an Oyre hath the present
495ouersight of that whole chace, who was himselfe somtym, in
496the fairest spring that euer was there of learning, one of the
497forwardest yong plantes, in all that worthy College of S. Ihones :
498who now by grace is growne to soch greatnesse, as, in the
499temperate and quiet shade of his wisdome, next the prouide~ce
500of God, and goodnes of one, in theis our daies, Religio for
501sinceritie, literae for order and
502aduauncement, Respub. for happie
503and quiet gouernment, haue to great rejoysing of all good men,
504speciallie reposed them selues.