Of teachers and trainers in generall, and that they be either Elementarie, Grammaticall, or Academicall. Of the Elementarie teachers abilitie, and entertaiment. Of the Grammer maisters abilitie, and his entertaiment. A meane to haue both excellent teachers, and cunning professors in all kindes of learning, by the diuision of colleges according to professions: by sorting like yeares into the same roumes: by bettering the studentes allowance and liuing: by prouiding and maintaining notable well learned readers. That for bringing learning forward in his right and best course, there would be seuen ordinarie ascending colleges for Toungues, for Mathematikes, for Philosophie, for Teachers, for Physicians, for Lawyers, for Diuines, and that the generall studie of Lawe would be but one studie: Euery of these pointes with his particular proofes, sufficient for a position. Of the admission of teachers.

Althovgh I deuided the traine of education into two partes, the one for learning to enrich the minde: the other for exercise to enable the body: yet I reserued the execution of both to one and the same maister: bycause neither the knowledge of both is so excessiue great, but it may easely be come by: neither the execution so troublesome, but that one man may see to it: neither do the subiectes by nature receiue partition seeing the soule and body ioyne so freindly in lincke, and the one must needes serue the others turne: and he that seeth the necessitie of both, can best discerne what is best for both. As concerning the trainers abilitie, whereby he is made sufficient to medle with exercises, I haue already in my conceit sufficiently enstructed him, both for the exercises themselues, and for the manner of handling them according to the rules and considerations of Physick and Gymnastick, besides some aduertisements giuen peculiarly to his owne person: wherin I dwelt the longer, and delt the larger, bycause I ment not to medle with that argument any more then once, and for that point so to satisfie the trainer, wheresoeuer he dwelt, or of what abilitie soeuer he were, as if he listed he might rest vpon my rules being painfully gathered from the best in that kinde. If he were desierous to make further search, and had oportunity of time, and store of bookes: I gaue him some light where to bestow his studie.

Now am I to deale with the teaching maister, or rather that propertie in the common maister, which concerneth teaching, which is either Elementarie and dealeth with the first principles: or Gramaticall and entreth to the toungues: or Academicall, and becomes a reader, or tutour to youth in the vniuersity.

For the tutour bycause he is in the vniuersitie, where his daily conuersation among a number of studentes, and the opinion of learning, which the vniuersitie hath of him: wil direct choice and assure desire: I haue nothing to saye, but leaue the parentes to those helpes, which the place doth promise.

2. For the Elementarie bycause good scholers will not abase themselues to it, it is left to the meanest, and therfore to the worst. For that the first grounding would be handled by the best, and his reward would be greatest, bycause both his paines and his iudgement should be with the greatest. And it would easily allure sufficient men to come downe so lowe, if they might perceaue that reward would rise vp. No man of iudgement will contrarie this pointe, neither can any ignorant be blamed for the contrarie: the one seeth the thing to be but low in order, the other knoweth the ground to be great in laying, not onely for the matter which the child doth learne: which is very small in shew, though great for proces: but also for the manner of handling his witte, to harten him for afterward, which is of great moment.

But to say somwhat concerning the teachers reward, which is the encouragement to good teaching, what reason is it, though still pretended, and sometimes perfourmed, to encrease wages, as the child waxeth in learning? Is it to cause the maister to take more paines, and vpon such promise, to set his pupille more forward? Nay surely that cannot be. The present payment would set that more forward, then the hope in promise, bycause in such varietie and inconstancie of the parentes mindes, what assurance is there, that the child shall continue with the same maister: that he maye receiue greater allowance with lesse paines, which tooke greater paines, with lesse allowance? Besides this if the reward were good, he would hast to gaine more, which new and fresh repare of scholers would bring, vpon report of the furthering his olde, and his diligent trauell. What reason caryeth it, when the labour is lesse, then to enlarge the allowance? the latter maister to reape the benefit of the formers labour, bycause the child makes more shew with him? why? It is the foundacion well and soundly laid, which makes all the vpper building muster, with countenaunce and continuaunce. If I were to strike the stroke, as I am but to giue counsell, the first paines truely taken, should in good truth be most liberally recompensed: and lesse allowed still vpward, as the paines diminish, and the ease encreaseth. Wherat no maister hath cause to repine, so he maye haue his children well grounded in the Elementarie. Whose imperfection at this day doth marueilously trouble both maisters and scholers, so that we can hardly do any good, nay scantly tell how to place the too too raw boyes in any certaine forme, with hope to go forward orderly, the ground worke of their entrie being so rotten vnderneth. Which weaknes if the vpper maister do redresse, when the child commeth vnder his hand, he cannot but deserue triple wages, both for his owne making, and for mending that, which the Elementarie either marred with ignoraunce, or made not for haste, which is both the commonest, and the corruptest kinde of marring in my opinion. For the next maisters wages, I do conceiue, that the number in ripenesse vnder him, will requite the Elementarie allowance, be it neuer so great. For the first maister can deale but with a few, the next with moe, and so still vpward, as reason groweth on, and receiues without forcing. For the inequalitie of children, it were good a whole companie remoued still togither, and that there were no admission into schooles, but foure times in the yeare quarterly, that the children of foresight might be matched, and not hurled hand ouer head into one forme as now we are forced, not by substaunce, but by similitude and coniecture at the sudden, which thing the conference betwene the maisters in a resolued plat will helpe wonderfully well forward, when the one saith this haue I taught, and this can the child do: the other knoweth this ye should teach, and this your childe should do. Thus much for the elementarie maister, that he be sufficiently appointed in himselfe for abilitie, and sufficiently prouided for, by parentes for maintenaunce. Now whether one man, or moe shalbe able to perfourme all the elementarie pointes, at diuers houres, or of force there must be more teachers, that shalbe handled in the elementarie it selfe hereafter. Once fore all good entertainement by way of reward, will make very able men to leane this way, and one course of training will breed, a meruelous number of sufficient trainers, whose insufficiencie may now be obiected, that such cannot presently be had, though in short time they may. And if there must be moe executours, entertainement will worke that to, and conuenientnes of rowme will bring all togither.

3. My greatest trauell must be about the grammer maister, as ech parent ought to be verie circumspect for his owne priuate that way. For he is to deale with those yeares, whereupon all the residew do build their likelyhoode to proue well or ill. Wherein by reason of the naturall agilitie of the soule and body, being both vnsettled, there is most stirre, and least stay: he perfiteth the Elementarie in course of learning: he offereth hope or despaire of perfection to the tutour and vniuersitie, in their proceeding further. For whom in consideration of sufficient abilitie, and faithfull trauell I must still pray for good entertainement, which will always procure most able persons. For it is a great daunting to the best able man, and a great cutting of his diligent paynes, when he shall finde his whole dayes trauell not able to furnish him of necessarie prouision: to do good with the best, and to gaine with the basest, nay much lesse than the lowest, who may entend to shift, when he must entend his charge: and enrich himselfe, nay hardly feede himselfe, with a pure, and poore conscience. But ye will perhaps say what shall this man be able to performe, for whom you are so carefull, to haue him so well entertained? to whose charge the youth of our country is to be committed? If there were no more said, euen this last point were enough to craue enough, for that charge is great: and if he do discharge it well, he must be well able to do it, and ought to be very well requited for doing it so well. Besides his maners and behauiour, which require testimonie and assurance: besides his skill in exercising and trayning of the body, he must be able to teach the three learned toungues, the latin, the greeke, the hebrew, if the place require so much, if not, so much as is required. Wherin assuredly a mediocritie in knowledge, will proue to meane, to emplant, that in another which he hath in himselfe. For he that meaneth to plant but some litle well: must himselfe farre exceede any degree of mediocrite. He must be able to vnderstand his writer, to maister false printes, vnskilfull dictionaries, simple coniectures of some smattering writers concerning the matter of his traine, and be so appointed ear he begine to teach, as he may execute readyly, and not make his owne imperfection, to be a torture to his scooler, and a schooling to him selfe. For it is an ill ground to grow vp from ignoraunce by teaching, in that place, where no ignorance of matter at least should be, at the very first: though time and experience do polish out the maner. He must haue the knowledge of all the best grammers, to giue notes by the way still, though he burden not the childes memorie of course, with any more then shalbe set downe. There are required in him besides these, and further pointes of learning to, as I will note hereafter, hardnes to take paines: constancie to continew and not to shrinke from his trade: discretion to iudge of circumstances: lightsomnes to delite in the successe of his labour: hartines to encourage a toward youth: regard to thinke ech childe an Alexander: courteous lowlines in himselfe, as if he were the meanest thoug he were knowne to be the best. For the verie least thing in learning, will not be well done, but onely by him, which knoweth the most, and doth that which he doth with pleasure and ease, by reason of his former store. These qualities deserue much, and in our scooles they be not generally found, bycause the rewardes for labour there be so base and simple, yet the most neare is best in choice, and many there be which would come neare, if entertainement were answerable. Let the parentes, and founders prouide for the one: and certainely they shall finde no default in the other.

There were a way in the nature of a seminarie for excellent maisters in my conceit, if reward were abroad, and such an order might be had within the vniuersitie: which I must touch with licence and for touching craue pardon, if it be not well thought of, as I know it will seeme straunge at the first, bycause of some difficultie in perfourming the deuise. And yet there had neuer bene any alteration to the better, if the name of alteration had bene the obiect to repulse. This my note but by the way, though it presently parhapes doe make some men muse, yet hereafter vpon better consideration, it may proue verie familiar to some good fantasies, and be exceeding well liked of, both by my maisters of the vniuersities them selues, and by their maisters abroad. Whereby not onely schoolemaisters, but all other professours also shalbe made excellently able to performe that in the common weale which she looketh for at their handes, when they come from the vniuersitie. But by the way I protest simply, that I do not tender this wish, as hauing any great cause to mislike the currant, which the vniuersities be now in: but graunting thinges there to be well done already, I offer no discourtesie in wishing that good to be a great deale better. My conceit resteth in these foure pointes: 1. what if the colleges were deuided by professions and faculties? 2. what if they of the like yeares, and the like profession, were all bestowed in one house? 3. what if the liuings by vniting were made better, and the colleges not so many: though farre greater? 4. what if in euery house there were great pensions, and allowances for continuall and most learned readers: which would end their liues there? what harme could our countrie receiue thereby? nay, what good were not in great forwardnes to be done, if this thing were done? And may not the state of the realme do this by authoritie, which gaue authoritie to founders to do the other, with reseruation of prerogatiue to alter vpon cause? or is not this question as worthy the debating to mend the vniuersities, and to plant sownd learning: as to deuise the taking away landes from colleges, and put the studentes to pension, bycause they cannot vse them without iarring among themselues? Were there any way better to cut away all the misliking, wherewith the vniuersities be now charged, and to bring in a new face of thinges both rarer and fayrer?

In the first erection of schooles and colleges, priuat zeale enflamed good founders: in altering to the better, publicke consideration may cause a commoner good, and yet keepe the good founders meaning, who would very gladly embrace any auauncement to the better in any their buildinges. The nature of time is vpon sting of necessitie, to enfourme what were best: and the dutie of pollicie is, aduisedly to consider how to bring that about which time doth aduertise. And if time do his dutie to tell, can pollicie auoide blame in sparing to trie? And why should not publike consideration be as carefull to thinke of altering to fortifie the state now, as priuat zeale was hoat then to strengthen that which was then in liking?

But I will open these foure interrogations better, that the considerations which leade me, may winne others vnto me, or at the least let them see, that it is no meere noueltie which moueth me thus farre.

Touching the diuision of colleges by professions and faculties, I alleege no president from other nations, though I could do diuerse, begining euen at LycÆum, Stoa, Academia, themselues, and so downeward, and in other nations east and southeast ascending vpwarde, where studentes cloystured them selues together, as their choice in learning lay: but priuate examples in their applying to our country may be controuled by generall exception. If there were one college, where nothing should be professed, but languages onely, (as there be some people which will proceede no further) to serue the realme abroad, and studies in the vniuersitie, in that point excellently and absolutelie, were it not conuenient? nay were it not most profitable? That being the ende of their profession, and nothing dealt withall there but that, would not sufficiencie be discried by witnes of a number? and would not dayly conference and continuall applying in the same thing procure sufficiencie? Wheras now euery one dealing with euery thing confusedly none can assuredly say, thus much can such a one do in any one thing, but either vpon coniecture which oftentimes deceiueth euen him that affirmes: or else vpon curtesie which as oft beguiles euen him that beleueth. These reasons hold not in this point for toungues onely: but in all other distributions, where the like matter and the like men be likewise to be matched. For where all exercises, all conferences, all both priuate and publike, colloquies, be of the same argument, bycause the soile bringeth foorth no other stuffe, there must needes follow great perfection. When toungues, and learning be so seuered, it will soone appeare, what ods there is betwene one that can but speake, and him that can do more, whereas now some few finish wordes, will beare away the glorie from knowledge without consideration, that the gate is without the towne as dismantling bewraies, though it be the entrie into it.

If an other colledge were for the Mathematicall sciences, I dare say it were good, I will not say it were best, for that some good wittes, and in some thinges not vnseene, not knowing the force of these faculties bycause they neuer thought them worthey their studie as being without preferment, and within contempt, do vse to abase them, and to mocke at mathematicall heades, bycause in deede the studie thereof requireth attentiuenes, and such a minde, as will not be soone caried to any publike shew, before his full ripenes, but will rest in solitarie contemplation, till he finde himselfe flidge. Now this their meditation if they be studentes in deede: or the shadow of meditation, if they be but counterfettes, do these men plaie with all, and mocke such mathematicall heades, to solace themselues with.

Wherein they haue some reason to mocke at mathematicall heades, as they do tearme them, though they should haue greater reason, why to cherish, and make much of the mathematicall sciences, if they will not discredit Socrates his authoritie, and wisedome in Plato,68 which in the same booke auaunceth these sciences aboue the moone, whence some learned men fetch his opinion, and force his iudgement, as the wisest maister against such as allow of correction in schooles: which they would seeme to banishe, till their owne rod beat them. The very end of that booke is the course that is to be kept in learning in the perfitest kinde, which beginneth at the mathematikes, and it dealeth more with the necessitie of them, then with the whole argument besides: as it is no noueltie to heare that Plato esteemed of them, who forbad any to enter his Academie, which was not a Geometrician, whereunder he contained the other, but specially her sister Arithmetike.

For the men which professe these sciences, and giue cause to their discountenaunce, they be either meere ignorant, and maintaine their credit with the vse of some tearmes, propositions, and particularities which be in ordinarie courses that way, and neuer came nigh the kernell: or hauing some knowledge in them in deede, rather employe their time, and knowledge aboute the degenerate, and sophisticall partes of them, applyed by vaine heades to meere collusions though they promise great consequences: then to the true vse, and auauncement of art. Howbeit in the meane time, though the one disgrace them with contempt, and the other make them contemptible, by both their leaues I do thinke thus of them: but what a poore thing is my thought? yet some thing it is where it shalbe beleeued. In time all learning may be brought into one toungue, and that naturall to the inhabitant, so that schooling for toungues, may proue nedeles, as once they were not needed: but it can neuer fall out, that artes and sciences in their right nature, shalbe but most necessarie for any common weale, that is not giuen ouer vnto to to much barbarousnes. We do attribute to much to toungues, which do minde them more then we do matter chiefly in a monarchie: and esteeme it more honorable to speake finely, then to reason wisely: where wordes be but praised for the time, and wisedom winnes at length. For while the Athenian, and Romaine popular gouernementes, did yeald so much vnto eloquence, as one mans perswasion might make the whole assembly to sway with him, it was no meruell if the thing were in price, which commaunded: if wordes were of weight, which did rauish: if force of sentence were in credit, which ruled the fantsie, and bridled the hearer. Then was the toungue imperiall bycause it dealt with the people: now must it obey, bycause it deales with a prince, and be seruaunt vnto learned matter, acknowledging it to be her liege, and mistresse. All those great obseruations of eloquence, are either halfe drowned, for want of a democratie: or halfe douted of for discredit of diuinitie: which following the substance of matter, commendeth vnto vs the like in all studies.

For the credit of these mathematicall sciences, I must needes vse one authoritie of great, and well deserued countenaunce among vs, and so much the rather, bycause his iudgement is so often, and so plausibly vouched by the curteouse maister Askam in his booke, which I wish he had not himselfe, neither any other for him entitled the scoolemaister, bycause myselfe dealing in that argument must needes sometime dissent to farre from him, with some hasard of myne owne credit, seeing his is hallowed. The worthy, and well learned gentleman Sir Iohn Cheeke69 in the middest of all his great learning, his rare eloquence, his sownd iudgement, his graue modestie, feared the blame of a mathematicall head so litle in himselfe, and thought the profession to be so farre from any such taint, being soundly and sadly studied by others, as he bewraid his great affection towards them most euidently in this his doing. Being himselfe prouost of the kings colledge in Cambridge, in the time of his most honored prince, and his best hoped pupill, the good king Edward, brother to our gracious soueraine Queene Elizabeth, he sent downe from the court one maister Bukley somtime fellow of the saide colledge, and very well studyed in the mathematicalls to reade Arithmeticke, and Geometrie to the youth of the colledge: and for the better encouraging of them to that studie gaue them a number of Euclides of his owne coast. Maister Bukley had drawne the rules of Arithmeticke into verses, and gaue the copies abroad to his hearers. My selfe am to honour the memorie of that learned knight, being partaker my selfe of his liberall distribution of those Euclides, with whom he ioyned Xenophon, which booke he wished, and caused to be red in the same house, and gaue them to the studentes, to encourage them aswell to the greeke toungue, as he did to the mathematikes. He did I take it as much for the studentes in S. Iohns colledge, whose pupill he had once bene, as he did for vs of the kinges colledge whose prouost he then was. Can he then mislike the mathematicall sciences, which will seeme to honour Syr Iohn Cheeke, and reuerence his iudgement? can he but thinke the opinion to proceede from wisedom, which counteth Socrates the wisest maister? Nay how dare he take vpon him to be a maister, not of art, but of artes (for so is the name,) which hath not studyed them, ear he proceeded? Are not the proceeders to reade in any of those sciences publickely, by the vice chauncelours appointment, after they haue commenced? and do they not promise, and professe the things, when they seeke to procure the titles? And with what face dare ignorance open her mouth, or but vtter some sounde of words, where she hath professed the weight of matter? So that the very vniuersity her selfe doth highly esteeme of them if she could entreat her people to esteeme of their mothers iudgement. These sciences bewray them selues in many professions and trades which beare not the titles of learning, whereby it is well seene, that they are no prating, but profitable grounds: not gay to the shew, but good to be shewed, and such meanes of vse, as the vse of our life were quite maimed without them. Then gather I, if bare experience, and ordinarie imitation do cause so great thinges to be done by the meere shadow, and roat of these sciences, what would iudiciall cunning do, being ioyned with so well affected experience? Neither is it any obiection of account to say what should marchauntes, carpentars, masons, shippmaisters, maryners, deuisours, architectes, and a number such do with latin, and learning? do they not well enough without, to serue the turne in our countrie? If they do well with out might they not do better with? And why may not an English carpentar, and his companions speake that toungue to helpe their countrie the more, being gotten in youth, eare they can be set to other labour, which the Romaine artificer did naturally vse, seing it is more commendable in ours, where labour is the conquerour, then in the Romain where nature was commendour? As if none should haue Latin but those which were for further degrees in learning.

The tounges be helpes indifferent to all trades as well as to learning. Neither is the speaking of Latin any necessarie argument of deeper learning, as the Mathematicall sciences be the olde rudimentes of young children, and the certaine directours to all those artificers, which without them go by roate, and with them might shew cunning. I maye not at this time prosecute this position, as to fremd for this place: but after my Elementarie and toungue schoole, I meane to search it to the very bottom, with the whole profession of those faculties, if God send me life, and health. 1. For the while this shall suffise that these sciences, which we terme the Mathematicalles in their effectual nature, do worke still some good thing, sensible euen to the simple, by number, figure, sound, or motion: 2. In the manner of their teaching they do plant in the minde of the learner, an habite inexpungable by bare probabilities, and not to be brought to beleeue vpon light coniectures, in any other knowledge, being still drawne on by vnfallible demonstrations: 3. In their similitudinarie applications, they let one see by them in sense the like affection in contemplatiue, and intelligible thinges, and be the surest groundes to retourne vnto in replies and instances, either vpon defect in memorie, or in checke of aduersarie, contrarie to the common similitudes. For when ye compare the common weale to a ship, and the people to the passagers, the application being vnder saile, maye be out of sight, when ye seeke for your proofe. But in these sciences the similitudinarie teaching is so certain in applying, and so confirmed by effectes: as there is nothing so farre from sense, and so secret in vnderstanding, but it will make it palpable. They be taken from the sense, and trauell the thought, but they resolue the minde. And though such as vnderstand them not, do mislike them, which yet is no reason in them, nor any disgrace to the thing misliked by them, seeing ignoraunce misliketh: yet those that vnderstand them, may boldly mislike the mislikers, and oppose the whole auncient Philosophie, and all well appointed common weales against such mockmathematicalles, without whose helpe they could not liue, nor haue houses to hide their heades, though they thanke not their founders.

3. If Philosophie with her three kindes had the third colledge, were it thinke you vnproper? Then the naturall might afterward proceede to Physick, whom she fitteth: the Politicke to Lawe, whom she groundeth: the morall to Diuinitie, whom she helpeth in discourse. Which three professions, Diuinitie, Lawe, Physick should euery one be endowed with their particular colledges, and liuinges. 4. To haue the Physician thus learned, it were nothing to much, considering his absolutenesse is learning, and his ignoraunce butcherie, if he do but marke his owne maister Galene70 in his booke of the best profession. 5. For the Diuine to tarie time, and to haue the handmaiden sciences to attend vpon their mistres profession, were it any hindrance to his credit, where discretion the daughter of time is his fairest conusance, and if he come without her, what sternesse so euer he pretend in countenance, we will measure the man, though we marke his sayinges? 6. The Lawyers best note in the best iudgementes is contentment, not to couet to much, and for that desire not to striue to gaine to much: not beyond the extremitie of lawe, but farre on this side the extremitie of right. And can digesting time be but commodious in this case, and contempt of toyes eare he enter into them, be but mother to contentment? Time to bread sufficiencie, and sufficiencie to bring sound iudgement, cut of all matter of blame, and leaue all matter to praise. But in this distribution where is Logicke and Rethoricke, some will saye? Where is Grammer then will I saye? A directour to language. And so Logicke, for her demonstratiue part, plaieth the Grammer to the Mathematicalles, and naturall Philosophie: for her probabilitie to morall, and politike, and such other as depend not vpon necessitie of matter. Rhetoricke for puritie without passion doth ioyne with the writer in any kinde, for perswasion with passion, with the speaker in all kindes, and yet both the speaker dealeth sometime quietly, and the plaine writer waxeth very hoate.

1. Of these colledges, that which is for toungues is so necessary as scant any thing more. For the toungues being receites for matter, without the perfect vnderstanding of them, what hope is there to vnderstand matter? and seeing wordes be names of thinges applyed and giuen according to their properties, how can thinges be properly vnderstood by vs, which vse the ministrie and seruice of wordes to know them by, onelesse the force of speeche be thoroughly knowen? And do you not thinke that euery profession hath neede to haue a title of the signification of wordes, as well as the ciuill lawyer? I do see in writers, and I do heare in speakers great defectes in the mistaking of meaninges: and euident errours thorough insufficiencie herin. And as toungues cannot be better perfitted, then streight after their entrie by the grammer schoole: so they must be more perfitted, then they can be there. And what if some will neuer proceede any further, but rest in those pleasaunt kinde of writers, which delite most in gaing of their language as poetes, histories, discourses, and such, as will be counted generall men?

2. As for the Mathematicalles, they had the place before the toungues were taught, which though they be now some necessarie helpes, bycause we vse forreine language for conueaunce of knowledge: yet they push vs one degree further of from knowledge. That the Mathematicalles had the place, and were proposed still to children, he that hath read any thing in Philosophie cannot be ignorant. Plato is full of it, and termeth them commonly the childrens entrance, but cheifly in the seuenth booke of his common weale. So is his scholer though long after his death Philo the Iewe (whom euen his countrieman Iosephus, a man somewhat parciall in praising other, yet calleth a singular man for eloquence and wisedome, speaking of his embassage to Caius the Emperour) but specially in that treatise, which he maketh of the foretraine, for so I turne Platoes p??pa?de?a, and Philoes p??pa?de?a.71 There he deuiseth, as he is a perpetuall allegoriser, Sara to be the image of Diuinitie, and Agar the figure of all other handmaiden sciences, wherein he wisheth a young man to deale very long, or he venture vpon Sara, which will not be fertil but in late, and ripe yeares. He construeth both in that place, and in Moses his life also, those wordes of the bringing vp of Moses in all the doctrine of the Ægyptians, to be meant in the Mathematicalles, which was the traine of that time, and the brood of that soile, or there about. And to saye the trueth let any man marke the course of all auncient learning, and he shall finde, that it could not be possibly otherwise, but that the Mathematicall was their rudiment, though no historie, no describer of common weale, no setter forth of Philosophers life, no Philosopher himselfe had tolde it vs? Is not Aristotles first booke of all in course of his teaching, his Organum, which conteineth his whole Logicke? and in his proofes for the piking out of his syllogismes doth he not bewraie, wherin he was brought vp? I vse Aristotle alone for example, bycause our studentes be best acquainted with him: whom yet they cannot vnderstand without these helpes, as one Brauardine espied well, though not he alone, who tooke the paines to gather out of Euclide two bookes purposely for the vnderstanding of Aristotle. Can his bookes of Demonstration, the Analytica prosteriora be vnderstood without this helpe? His whole treatise of Motion wheresoeuer, commonly fetcht from the verie forme of the thing moued: His confutation of others by the nature of Motion, and site: His Mathematicall discriptions in many places: His naturall Theoremes echwhere can they be conceiued, much lesse vnderstood by any ignorant in this pointe? Wherin Aristotle sheweth vs his owne education, to whom he commendeth the like, if we like of him, whose liking will not fall, though fooles oftimes shake it. It were to infinite to vse proofes in so generall, and so knowne a case, which the whole antiquitie still allowed of, and the famous Athenian common weale vsed euen then, when she had the great brood of the most excellent persons, for her ordinary traine to her youth as Socrates still alledgeth in Plato: or rather Plato fathering the speach vpon Socrates sayth so himselfe. Aristippus after his shipwrake found releise thorough that train, and encoraged his companions vpon sight of Geometricall figures in the sande. He that will iudge of these sciences in generall, what degree they haue in the course of learning, and wherin they be profitable to all other studies whatsoever, let him read but either Proclus his foure bookes vpon Euclides first in Greeke, or bycause the greeke is ill, and corruptly printed: Io. Barocius, a young gentleman of Venice which hath turned them into Latin, and corrected the copie. Though many haue delt in the argument they be but secondarie to Proclus. For he handleth euery question that either makes for them, or against them cheifly in his first booke. It were to much for me to stand vpon enumeration of testimonies in this place, that the auncient schoole did begin at the Mathematicall after the first Elementarie, while they minded sound learning in deede, and sequestred their thoughtes from other dealinges in the world. He that marketh but the ordinary metaphores in the eloquentest Greeke writers of that time, whence we prescribe, shall easily bewray, where in the auncient discipline trauelled. To alledge the Romain for learning is to alledge nothing, whose cunning Virgile72 describeth to lye in gouernement, and conquests, remitting other faculties to other people. For till the forreine learning in latter yeares, was translated into their toungue, of themselues they had litle. Rhetoricke, poetrie, historie, ciuill lawe, and some petie treatises of Philosophie, and Physicke were the Romaines learning. Some one, or two as Gallus, and Figulus were noted for the Mathematicalles, as many yeares after them Iulius Firmicus, and some architecture Mathematicke in Vitruuius. But their owne stories can tell, what an afterdeale in the wynning of SyracusÆ Archimedes by those faculties put Marcellus their generall vnto, which yet was as carefull to haue saued Archimedes, if the rashnesse of a rude soldiar had not preuented his proclamation: as Demetrius p???????t?? was to saue Protogenes at Rhodes. After the state was brought to a monarchie, the Greekes ouerlaid their learning, as it appeareth, from Dionysius of Halycarnassus, and Strabo, which were in Augustus CÆsars time, downe still in a number of most notable Grecians, which serued that state continually both for training vp their young Emperours, and for all other kinde of learning: so that the authoritie of the Mathematicall must be fetcht from the Grekes, though they themselues borrowed the matter of other nations, and were founders onely to language, methode, and those faculties, which serue for the direction of language.

3. For Philosophie to haue the third place it will be easily obtained, though there be some pretended doubt in the order of the partes for the training. We vse to set young ones to the morall and politike first and reason against Aristotles conclusion, that a young stripling is a fit hearer of morall Philosophie. But Aristotle himselfe being well brought vp in the Mathematicalles placeth naturall Philosophie next vnto them, as very intelligible vnto very young heades, by reason of their necessarie consequence, and Theoreticall consideration. Wheras the other partes being subiect to particular circunstance in life are to be reserued for elder yeares. For not onely the Philosophicall resolution, but also the very religious was in the best, and eldest time to cause youth abide long in study, and to forbeare publike shew, till it were very late. To make Logicke, and Rhetoricke serue to those vses, and in those places, where I appointed them, was no absurdity. For Rhetoricke, there will be small contradiction, though declamations, and such exercises seeme to make some further claime. Pythagoras his fiue yeares silence, hath a meaning that ye heare sufficiently, eare ye speake boldly. And Socrates that great maister in Plato calleth Logicke the ridge, or toppe of the Mathematicalles, as then to succeede, when they were gotten: and good reason, why, bycause their methode in teaching, and order in prouing did bring forth Logicke. As he that will make Plato the example to Aristotles preceptes shall easily perceaue.

3, 4, 5. For Diuinitie, Lawe, and Physicke to haue their owne colledges, for their full exercises, and better learning, then now thus to haue their studentes scattered, it is a thing that implyeth no great repugnaunce with any reason, and is not without president. As for the Lawe, if the whole studie were made one and whatsoeuer appertaineth to that profession, for either Ecclesiasticall, or Temporall vse were reduced into one body, had our countrey any cause to complaine? or but great cause to be very glad? wheras now three seuerall professions in lawe, bewraye a three headed state, one English and French, an other, Romish Imperiall, the third Romish ecclesiasticall, where meere English were simply our best. I shall not neede to say any more herein, but onely giue occasion to those which can iudge, and helpe it, to thinke of the position: the distraction of temporall, ciuill, and Canon lawe being in many pointes very offensiue to our countrey.

6. Some difficultie there will be to winne a colledge for such as shall afterward passe to teach in schooles.

7. There is no diuerting to any profession till the student depart from the colledge of Philosophie, thence he that will go to Diuinitie, to Lawe, to Physicke, may, yet with great choise, to haue the fittest according to the subiect. He that will to the schoole is then to diuert. In whom I require so much learning to do so much good, as none of the other three, (honour alway reserued to the worthinesse of the subiect which they professe,) can chalenge to himselfe more: either for paines which is great: or for profit which is sure: or for helpe to the professions: which haue their passage so much the pleasaunter, the forwarder studentes be sent vnto them, and the better subiects be made to obay them: as the scholing traine is the trak to obedience. And why should not these men haue both this sufficiencie in learning, and such roome to rest in, thence to be chosen and set forth for the common seruice? be either children, or schooles so small a portion of our multitude? or is the framing of young mindes, and the training of their bodies so meane a point of cunning? be schoolemaisters in this Realme such a paucitie, as they are not euen in good sadnesse to be soundly thought on? If the chancell haue a minister, the belfray hath a maister: and where youth is, as it is eachwhere, there must be trainers, or there will be worse. He that will not allow of this carefull prouision for such a seminarie of maisters, is most vnworthy either to haue had a good maister him selfe, or herafter to haue a good one for his. Why should not teachers be well prouided for, to continue their whole life in the schoole, as Diuines, Lawyers, Physicians do in their seuerall professions? Thereby iudgement, cunning, and discretion will grow in them: and maisters would proue olde men, and such as Xenophon setteth ouer children in the schooling of Cyrus. Wheras now, the schoole being vsed but for a shift, afterward to passe thence to the other professions, though it send out very sufficient men to them, it selfe remaineth too too naked, considering the necessitie of the thing. I conclude therfore that this trade requireth a particular college, for these foure causes. 1. First for the subiect being the meane to make or mar the whole frye of our state. 2. Secondly for the number, whether of them that are to learne, or of them that are to teache. 3. Thirdly for the necessitie of the profession which maye not be spared. 4. Fourthly for the matter of their studie which is comparable to the greatest professions, for language, for iudgement, for skil how to traine, for varietie in all pointes of learning, wherin the framing of the minde, and the exercising of the bodie craueth exquisite consideration, beside the staidnes of the person.

1. These seuen colledges being so set vp, and bearing the names of the thinges which they professe, for Toungues, for Mathematickes, for Philosophie, for Traine, for Physicke, for Lawe, for Diuinitie were there any great absurditie committed either in the thing if it were so, or in me for wishing it so? If it had bene thus appointed at the first, as he might, if the whole building had bene made at once, which is scant possible where thinges grow by degrees, and buildinges by patches: it would haue bene liked very well, and the Vniuersities in their commencementes, and publike actes would haue commended their pollicy, and wisedome, which first did appoint it. And maye not that be now toucht without blame, which if it had bene then done, had deserued great honour, and when soeuer it shall be done will deserue euerlasting memorie? and maye now be well done, seeing we haue all thinges needful for the well doing redie: And why should it seeme straunge to wish such an alteration, seeing greater chaunges haue bene both wished, and wrought within this our time? Sad, and lingring thoughts, which measure common weales as buildinges grounded vpon some rocke of marble, finde many, and sober difficulties: resolute mindes make no bones: there is stuffe enough, the places be ready, the landes be neither to be begd, ne yet to be purchased, they be got, and giuen already: they maye be easily brought into order, seeing our time is the time of reformation. Before my wish be condemned, I desire my reader to consider it well, and marke if it maye take place, and whether it maye not with great facilitie.

2. For sorting like yeares into one roome, which was my second interrogatorie, it is no new deuice, nor mine: All good common weales not fained by fantsie, but being in deede such haue vsed it both for likenes of education in like yeares, and for trying out where most excellencie lodged, to bestow prefermentes vpon apparent desert, besides that it is most fit, and emulation to the better doth best beseeme like yeares. The greeke poet saith, that God draweth allway the like to the like, and therefore men may well follow the president.

3. For vniting of colledges, enlarging of the vnited, and bettering studentes liuinges, I dare say none of them wilbe against me, which for a better liuing will chaung his colledge. Neither will he thinke it any great losse to leaue his old poore place, for a fatter rowme, which for such a one will abandon the vniuersitie and all. Sure the liuings in colledges be now to to leane, and of necessitie force good wittes to fly ear they be well feathered. More sufficiencie of liuing will yeald more conuenient time and furniture to studie, which two be the onely meanes to procure more sufficiencie in learning, more ripenes in iudgement, more stay in maners. The necessitie of studentes may thus be supplyed of their owne, and they not forced by accepting of exhibition at some handes to admit some bondage vnder hand. Restraint will ridde needelesse number: sufficient liuinges will maintaine, and make the nedefull number sufficiently well learned. I neede not staie any longer here. For methinke all those good studentes ioyne with me in this fourme of the vniuersitie, whom want, and barenes of liuing will not suffer to tarie long enough there, and better it were for our countrie to haue some smaller meane well trayned, and sufficiently prouided, then a loose number, and an vnlearned multitude. And there were two questions more worthy the resolution, then all Iohannes Picus the erle of Mirandula his nine hundred propounded at Rome: the one whether it were agreable to the nature of learning, being liberall in condition to be elemosinarie in maintenaunce: the other whether it were for a common weale to haue the conceit bound to respectes, bycause of priuate exhibition, which ought to direct simply, without respect, sauing to the state alone. For sure where learning growes vp by props, it leaseth her propertie: where the stocke of it selfe will beare vp the bowes, there it must be best, if choice be made leader, and fit wittes bestowed on bookes. My three forraine pointes for the furtheraunce of learning be, choice for wittes, time for furniture, maintenaunce for direction: what shalbe peculiar to the partie, himselfe must tender, as therein being detter to God, and his countrie. Diligence to apply his wit, continuaunce to store his time, discretion to set furth his maintenaunce, are required at his handes.

4. For readers of yeares, of sufficiencie, of continuance, methinke I durst enter into some combat that it were beyonde all crie profitable, and necessarie, to haue whom to follow, and of whom to learne how to direct our studies, for yeares auncient fathers: for sufficiencie most able to enstruct: for continuance cunning to discerne persons, and circumstaunces: for aduise skillfull to rule rash heades, which runne on to fast, being armed with some priuate opinion of their owne petie learning. What was Plato to the Academikes? Aristotle to the Peripatetikes? Xeno to the Stoiks? Epicure to the Epicurians? Aristippus to the Anicerian and Cyrenaike? and other such fathers to the famulies of their professions, but readers? It is a meruell to thinke on, how longe those fellowes continued in their profession as Diogenes Laertius doth note. It should seeme that Plato taught aboue fiftie yeares, reckening the time that he left Speusippus his deputie during his trauell into Ægypt and that way: whereby both himselfe proued an excellent maister, and his hearers proued most excellent scholers. They that haue bene acquainted with cunning readers any where will subscribe to this I know.

Priuate studie tied to one booke led by one braine: not alway the best (as what counsellour is commonly worse to ones selfe, then himselfe?) so proceeding as the first impression leads, be it what it can be, cannot compare for iudiciall learning with the benefit of hearing one, nay of repeating to one vpon interrogatories after reading, to trie his iudgement, his keeping, and remembrance: which one hath red, and digested all the best bookes, or at the least all the best bookes in that kinde, whereof he maketh profession: which hath a iudgement settled and resolute by the helpe of all those good braines: which hath dealte with thousandes of the pregnantest wittes, whom experience hath taught stay, whom the common weale by sufferance commendes as sufficient. He that is not acquainted with such an excellent reader or teacher (for both the names import one thing) and that with repetition, but pleaseth himselfe with his owne priuate studie, as he taketh more paines vndoutedly, so getteth he lesse gaine I dare assure him, hauing in one lecture the benefit of his readers vniuersall studie, and that so fitted to his hand, as he may streight way vse it, without further thinking on: wheras when he hath beaten his owne braines priuatly about a litle, for want of time to digest, being to forward to put foorth, he vttereth that which he must either amend vpon better aduice, or quite reuoke when he findes he is ouer shot. Wherfore such readers, or rather such nurses to studie must needes be maintained with great allowance, to make their heauen there, where ye meane to vse them. Whose seruice, for the benefit that comes from them will saue their whole hier in very bookes, which the student shall not so much neede, when his reader is his librarie: neither must they be soules, as we tearme them, though of great reading, neither is it enough to haue read much, but they must be of great gouernment withall, which are to bring vp such a frie of gouerners. And therefore that great sufficiencie doth still call for great recompence to be tyed to a stake for it all ones life time.

But now I pray you by this wish of mine be the vniuersities in common sence any whit endammaged? if they were, so the harme were but some litle, and the good exceeding great, the dammage might be consumed by the greatnes of the good. I finde not any harme offered them, they lease no landes studentes be not put to pensions, they that be thought fit, finde better and fuller maintenaunce, better meane is made to proue learned, by such excellent readers, which the cunninger they be, the more affable they be, and thereby the fitter to satisfie any studentes dout in that which they professe. And where yong men may staie vntill they be singular, and haue good meanes to make them singular, is not the thing to be wished, and he that wisheth it, not to be thought to wish the vniuersitie harme, where it is vniuersally holpen? If this transposing of houses to this vse were commaunded by authoritie, and by some helpe of wealthy patrones for the common good sake, were happily accomplished, the vniuersitie should lease nothing, though they breake vp for a time, and the studentes gaue place, to masons, and carpenters, nay though the whole reuenew of all the colledges were for that time bestowed vpon the alteration. And yet all that trouble should not neede, if the first were first begune, and so particularly in order, neither should any student now well placed complaine of the chaunge if he would set himselfe to any certaine profession. This is but my conceit which the effect will confirme, and wise considerations will finde, that it carieth a good ground: besides that it is all ready in verie neare possibilitie, without any great charge, and with verie great good, as also certainetie, and greatnes of annuitie would streight way raise vp readers, and afterward continew them. How good, and how easie a thing this were, the attempt by so many particular readers would shew, which being themselues excellently well learned in those argumentes, that I do appoint to colledges, and professing them in conuenient houses of their owne, would vndoutedly drawe as many into their priuate hostelles, as there be now studentes in publicke colledges. All this my wish offereth greater difficulty, in the maner, how to worke it: then dout of profit, in the thing, if we had it. Howbeit harder thinges haue bene easily accomplished, but any more profitable was neuer compassed: neither doth it repent me to wish that, which I would reioyce to see. If the hindring lie in cost, it is somwhat, and yet but small, considering what is ready: if in good will: that is all, and yet but ill, considering what it hindereth. For no learning is so well got, where her helping meanes be seuered, as where all be vnited, which those colledges would cause: a thing neither of nouelty, as of an old ground and elswhere practised: neither iniuriouse, to any offering profit to all. I do finde my selfe so armed in the point, as if there were any hope in the thing to be effected, I could answeare any obiection of difficultie, which might arise against it, either from without the vniuersitie, or from within, eitther for any communitie, or for any priuate, that it would be best for all, neither any breach of good now well laied, nor any hindraunce to any, which findes himselfe at ease, as the present is now appointed. But will ye haue euerie one rise through all these degrees of learning, ear he become a professour? yea surely I. but who moueth the question? either he that cannot iudge, who is therefore to be pardoned: or he that would be doing, who is therefore to be blamed: or he that doth not way it, which would be desired to do: or he whom neede hasteneth, whose case is to be pitied. And yet of all these foure, only he, that desireth to shew him selfe ripe in his owne, though raw in other mens opinion, will contrarie the conclusion: for ignoraunce, will yeeld vpon better instruction: iust consideration, wil relent after waing: good wittes oppressed with want, and yet waing the truth, will wish for more wealth to tarie their full time, and the cariage of their cunning: but the hastie heades, to whom any delaie is present death, which will be doing, eare they can do well, but in their owne conceites they will stand against it, and scrape all defences, though while they do scrape, they descrie them selues to be extreme ignorant. For if sufficiencie be the onely meane to perfit the professour, and to profit the publike, insufficiencie ouerthrowes both. And as he that meaneth to turne before, may lymit his ascent: so he that will be perfit in the end and last profession ought at the least to haue the contemplatiue knowledge of all that goeth before, though he practise but at pleasure. The generall gaine thereby is this, that while the studentes youth is wedded to honest, and learned meditation, the heat of that stirring age is cooled which might harme in publicke, and set all on fire: ripe iudgement is got, to stay, not to stirre: and all ambitiouse passions meruellously daunted through resolutenes of iudgement. It is no reason, where see ye the like? but it is a great reason, the like is worth seeing, and who so comes neare, is still better liked, then he that dowteth of it. The want of triall, is some shift for a time, but the triall that hath bene, may lead vs to the like, and procure good allowance. And sure till the yong professours be made to tarie longer, and studie sounder, neither shall learning haue credit, nor our countrie be but sicke. It is not my complaint, though I ioyne with the complainantes. If ye meane to take learning before you, you will neuer moue the question. It is not he that hath, and knoweth, which moueth the question, but he that knoweth not and should. What should a diuine do with the mathematikes? why was Moses trained in all the Ægyptians learning? Nay in one reason for all, why will ye condemne in diuinitie, or execute in lawe, the sciences which ye know not, but finde the name condemned? and I pray you with what warrant? what if that be not the name? or what if the thing be not such? a condemnation without euidence where the iudge presumeth, and knoweth not the skill, which he saith is naught. The Physician should haue all, and if he haue not, he is most to be blamed, bycause the parentes of his profession durst not professe without them, and make them vnder meanes. To be short I wish they had them, which mislike that they haue not, and giue ignorance the raigne. For if they had them, we should heare no speach, but praise and proufe, admiration and honour.

But to turne to my byace againe which was the mother, and matter to my wish, this colledge for teachers, might prooue an excellent nurserie for good schoolemaisters, and vpon good testimonie being knowne to so many before, which would vpon their owne knowledge assure him, whom they would send abroad. In the meane time till this come to passe, the best that we can haue, is best worthy the hauing, and if we prouide well for good teachers, that prouision will prouide vs good teachers.

There remaineth now one consideration in the admitting not of these, whom I admit without any exception, for all sufficiencie in religion, in learning, in discretion, in behauiour: but of such as we daily vse, and must vse, till circumstances be bettered, which are in compasse of many exceptions. The admitter or chuser considering what the place requireth, must exact that cunning, which the place calleth for: the partie himselfe must bring testimonie of his owne behauiour, if he be altogither vnknowen: and the admission would be lymited to such a schoole in such a degree of learning, as he is found to be fit for. For many vpon admission and licence to teach in generall, ouerreach to farre, and marre to much, being vnsufficient at randon, though seruing well for certaine by way of restraint. Thus much for the trainer, which I know will better my patterne if preferment better him: with whom I shall haue occasion to deale againe in my grammer schoole: where I will note vnto him what my opinion is in the particularities of teaching.