Wherfore these positions serve, what they be, and how necessarie it was to begin at them.

My purpose is to helpe the hole trade of teaching, euen from the very first foundation: that is, not only the Grammarian, and what shall follow afterward, but also the Elementarie, which is the verie infantes train, from his first entrie, vntill he be thought fit to passe thence to the Grammar schoole. My labour then beginning so low, am I not to follow the president of such writers, as in the like argumentes, haue vsed the like methode? The maner of proceding which the best learned authors do vse, in those argumentes, which both for the matter be of most credit, and for the maner of best accompt, kepeth alwaie such a currant, as they at the first laie downe certaine groundes, wherin both they and their readers, whether scholers onely, or iudges alone, do resolutely agree. Which consent enureth to this effect, that they maie therby either directly passe thorough to their ende without empeachment: or else if any difficulty do arise in the way, they may easely compound it, by retiring themselues to those primitiue groundes. The Mathematicall, which is counted the best maister of sound methode, of whome all other sciences do borrow their order, and way in teaching well, eare he passe to any either probleme or theoreme, setts downe certaine definitions, certaine demaundes, certaine naturall and necessarie confessions, which being agreed on, betwen him and his learner, he proceedeth on to the greatest conclusions in his hole profession, as those which be acquainted with Euclide and his friendes, do verie wel know. Wil the naturall philosopher medle with his maine subject, before he haue handled his first principles, matter, forme, priuation, motion, time, place, infinitie, vacuitie, and such other, whervnto Aristotle hath dedicated eight whole bookes? What shall I neede to take more paines in rehersall of any other writer, whether Lawyer, Physician, or any else, which entreateth of his peculiar argument learnedly, to prooue that I am first to plant by positions, seeing the verie diuine himselfe, marcheth on of this foote and groundeth his religion vpon principles of beleefe? I professe my selfe to be a scholer, wherby I do know this methode, which the learned do kepe, and I deale with an argument, which must needes at the first be verie nicely entertained, till proofe giue it credit, what countenaunce soeuer hope maie seeme to lend it, in the meane while. I maie therefore seeme to deale against mine owne knowledge, if I do not fortifie myselfe with such helpes, as vpon probable reason, maie first purchace their owne standing, and being themselues staid in place of liking maie helpe vp all the reste.

I am specially to further two degrees in learning, first the Elementarie which stretcheth from the time that the child is to be set to do any thing, till he be remoued to his Grammar: then the Grammarian, while the child doth continew, in the schoole of language, and learned tounges, till he be remoued for his ripenes, to some Vniuersitie: which two pointes be both of great moment.

For the Elementarie: Bycause sufficiency in the child, before he passe thence, helpes the hole course of the after studie, and insufficiencie skipping from thence to soone, makes a very weake sequele. For as sufficient time there, without to much hast, to post from thence to timely, draweth on the residew of the schoole degrees, in their best beseeming time, and in the ende sendeth abroade sufficient men for the seruice of their countrie: so to hedlong hast scouring thence to swiftly at the first, (for all that it seemeth so petie a thing,) in perpetuall infirmity of matter, procureth also to much childishnes in yeares to be then in place, when iudgement with skill, and ripenes with gray-haires should carie the contenaunce. And is not this pointe then to be well proyned, where hast is such a foe, and ripenes such a freind? Where pushing forward at the first before maturitie bid on, will still force that, which followeth till at the last it marre all?

For the Grammarian: As it is a thing not vnseemely for me to deale in, being my selfe a teacher, so is it verie profitable for my countrie to heare of, which in great varietie of teaching doth seeme to call for some vniforme waie. And to haue her youth well directed in the tounges, which are the waies to wisdome, the lodges of learning, the harbours of humanitie, the deliuerers of diuinitie, the treasuries of all store, to furnish out all knowledge in the cunning, and all iudgement in the wise, can it be but well taken, if it be well perfourmed? or can it but deserue some freindly excuse, yea though good will want good successe? If occasion fitly offered by the waie, cause me attempt any further thing then either of these two, though I may seeme to be beside my schoole, yet my trust is that I shal not seeme to be beside my selfe.

Now then dealing with these matters which appertaine to men, and must be allowed of men, if they deserue allowance, or wil be reiected by them if they seeme not to be sound, whether haue I neede to procede with consent or no? For what if some shall thinke their penny good siluer, and will not admit mine offer? neither receiue teaching at the hand of so meane a controwler? what if some other graunt, that there is some thing amisse in deede, but that my deuise is no meane to amend it? what if disdaine do worke me discredit, and why should he take vpon him? A petie companion, I confesse, but till some better do deale, why may not my petinesse fullwell take place? And if the ware which I do bring, proue marchandable, why may I not make shew, and offer it to sale? Such instances and obiections wilbe offered, with whom seeing I am like to encounter, why ought I not at the first to resolue those, which will relent at the voice of reason? and so entreat the other, which make more deintie, to be drawen on, as my deutie being discharged towardes the thing, by argumentes, towardes them, by curtesie, if there be any strayning afterwardes themselues may be in fault?

But bycause I must applie my positions to some one ground, I haue chosen the Elementarie, and him rather then the Grammarian: for that the Elementarie is the verie lowest and first to be dealt with, and the circunstances being well applyed vnto him, may with very small ado, be transported afterward to the Grammarian or anie other else. And vnder the title of the particular circunstance, (though it seeme peculiarly to appertaine to the Elementarie, by waie of mine example, which I do applie vnto him primitiuely) yet I do trauell commonly with the generall considerations in all persons which use the same circunstance, in anie degree of learning, as the places themselues hereafter will declare. Which I do both to ende these positiue arguments at once, and to make the precept also somewhat more pleasant to the reader, hauing the entertainement of some forreine, but no vnfit discourse.

The positions therefore which I do meane, be these and such other. At what time the child is to be set to schoole. What he is to learne when he is at schoole. Whether all be to be set to schoole. Whether exercise be to be vsed as a principle in trayning. Whether young maidens be to be set to learne. How to traine vp young gentlemen. How to procure some vniformitie in teaching. Of curtesie and correction. Of priuate and publike education. Of choise of wittes, of places, of times, of teachers, of schoole orders. Of restrayning to many bookish people, and many other like argumentes, which the nature of such discourses useth to hale in by the waie. Wherin I require my countreymens consent, to thinke as I do, and will do mine endeauour to procure it, as I can, before I deale with the particular prÆceptes, and schooling of children. Which while I do, as I follow the prÆsident of the best writers, for the methode, which I chuse, so for the matter it selfe I will vse no other argument, then both nature and reason, custome and experience, and plaine shew of euident profit shall recommend to my countrie without either manifest appearaunce, or secrete suspicion of a fantasticall deuise: considering it were an argument of verie small witte knowing fantasticallnes to disgrace the man, and impossibilitie to displace the meane: in so necessarie a thing as I pretend this to be, to entermingle either fantasticall matter, for all men to laugh at, or impossible meane, for as many to muse at. If earnest desier to haue some thing bettered, do cause me wishe the amendement, I hope that will not be accounted fantasticall, vnless it be to such, as do thinke themselues in health when they are deadly sicke, and feeling no paine, bycause of extreme weaknes, do hold their freindes halfe foolish, which wishe them to thinke vpon alteration of life.