Cap. 1.

The entrie to the Positions, conteining the occasion of this present discourse, and the causes why it was penned in English. (P. 1.)

Cap. 2.

Wherfore these Positions serue, what they be, and how necessarie it was to begin at them. (P. 4.)

Cap. 3.

Of what force circunstance is in matters of action, and how warily authorities be to be vsed, where the contemplatiue reason receiues the check of the actiue circunstance, if they be not well applyed. Of the alledging of authours. (P. 8.)

Cap. 4.

What time were best for the childe to begin to learne. What matters some of the best writers handle eare they determine this question. Of letes and libertie, whervnto the parentes are subiect in setting their children to schoole. Of the difference of wittes and bodies in children. That exercise must be ioyned with the booke, as the schooling of the bodie. (P. 14.)

Cap. 5.

What thinges they be, wherein children are to be trained, eare they passe to the Grammar. That parentes, and maisters ought to examine the naturall abilities in children, whereby they become either fit, or vnfit, to this, or that kinde of life. The three naturall powers in children, Witte to conceiue by, Memorie to retaine by, Discretion to discerne by. That the training vp to good manners, and nurture, doth not belong to the teacher alone, though most to him, next after the parent, whose charge that is most, bycause his commaundement is greatest, ouer his owne childe, and beyond appeale. Of Reading, Writing, Drawing, Musicke by voice, and instrument: and that they be the principall principles, to traine vp the minde in. A generall aunswere to all obiections, which arise against any, or all of these. (P. 25.)

Cap. 6.

Of exercises and training the body. How necessarie a thing exercise is. What health is, and how it is maintained: what sicknesse is, how it commeth, and how it is preuented. What a parte exercise playeth in the maintenaunce of health. Of the student and his health. That all exercises though they stirre some one parte most, yet helpe the whole bodie. (P. 40.)

Cap. 7.

The braunching, order, and methode, kept in this discourse of exercises. (P. 49.)

Cap. 8.

Of exercise in generall, and what it is. And that it is Athleticall for games, Martiall for the fielde, Physicall for health, preparatiue before, postparatiue after the standing exercise: some within dores, for foule whether, some without for faire. (P. 51.)

Cap. 9.

Of the particular exercises. Why I do appoint so manie, and how to iudge of them, or to deuise the like. (P. 54.)

Cap. 10.

Of lowd speaking. How necessarie, and how proper an exercise it is for a scholer. (P. 55.)

Cap. 11.

Of lowd singing, and in what degree it commeth to be one of the exercises. (P. 59.)

Cap. 12.

Of lowde, and soft reading. (P. 60.)

Cap. 13.

Of much talking and silence. (P. 62.)

Cap. 14.

Of laughing, and weeping. And whether children be to be forced toward vertue and learning. (P. 63.)

Cap. 15.

Of holding the breath. (P. 68.)

Cap. 16.

Of daunsing, why it is blamed, and how deliuered from blame. (P. 72.)

Cap. 17.

Of wrastling. (P. 76.)

Cap. 18.

Of fensing, or the vse of the weapon. (P. 78.)

Cap. 19.

Of the Top, and scourge. (P. 80.)

Cap. 20.

Of walking. (P. 82.)

Cap. 21.

Of running. (P. 89.)

Cap. 22.

Of leaping. (P. 92.)

Cap. 23.

Of swimming. (P. 94.)

Cap. 24.

Of riding. (P. 96.)

Cap. 25.

Of hunting. (P. 98.)

Cap. 26.

Of shooting. (P. 101.)

Cap. 27.

Of the ball. (P. 103.)

Cap. 28.

Of the circumstances, which are to be considered in exercise. (P. 108.)

Cap. 29.

The nature and qualitie of the exercise. (P. 109.)

Cap. 30.

Of the bodies which are to be exercised. (P. 110.)

Cap. 31.

Of the exercising places. (P. 114.)

Cap. 32.

Of the exercising time. (P. 115.)

Cap. 33.

Of the quantitie that is to be kept in exercise. (P. 118.)

Cap. 34.

Of the manner of exercising. (P. 122.)

Cap. 35.

An aduertisement to the training master. Why both the teaching of the minde and the training of the bodie be assigned to the same master. The inconueniences which ensue, where the bodie and the soule be made particular subiectes to seuerall professions. That who so will execute any thing well, must of force be fully resolued, in the excellencie of his owne subiect. Out of what kinde of writers the exercising maister maie store himselfe with cunning. That the first groundes would be laide by the cunningest workeman. That priuate discretion in any executour is of more efficacie, then his skill. (P. 124.)

Cap. 36.

That both yong boyes, and yong maidens are to be put to learne. Whether all boyes be to be set to schoole. That to many learned be burdenous: to few to bare: wittes well sorted ciuill: missorted seditious. That all may learne to write and reade without daunger. The good of choice, the ill of confusion. The children which are set to learne hauing either rich or poore freindes, what order and choice is to be vsed in admitting either of them to learne. Of the time to chuse. (P. 133.)

Cap. 37.

The meanes to restraine the ouerflowing multitude of scholers. The cause why euery one desireth, to haue his childe learned, and yet must yeilde ouer his owne desire to the disposition of his countrie. That necessitie and choice be the best restrainers. That necessitie restraineth by lacke and law. Why it may be admitted that all may learne to writ and reade that can, but no further. What is to be thought of the speaking and vnderstanding of latine, and in what degree of learning that is. That considering our time, and the state of religion in our time law must needes helpe this restraint, with the aunswere to such obiections as are made to the contrarie. That in choice of wittes, which must deale with learning, that wit is fittest for our state which aunswereth best the monarchie, and how such a wit is to be knowne. That choice is to helpe in schooling, in admission into colledges, in proceding to degrees, in preferring to liuings, where the right and wrong of all the foure pointes be handled at full. (P. 142.)

Cap. 38.

That yong maindens are to be set to learning, which is proued by the custome of our countrie, by our duetie towardes them, by their naturall abilitie, and by the worthie effectes of such, as haue bene well trained. The ende whereunto their education serueth, which is the cause why and how much they learne. Which of them are to learne. When they are to beginne to learne: What and how much they may learne. Of whom and where they ought to be taught. (P. 166.)

Cap. 39.

Of the training vp of yong gentlemen. Of priuate and publike education, with their generall goodes and illes. That there is no better way for gentlemen to be trained by in any respect, then the common is, being well appointed. Of rich mens children, which be no gentlemen. Of nobilitie in generall. Of gentlemanly exercises. What it is to be a nobleman or a gentleman. That infirmities in noble houses be not to be triumphed ouer. The causes and groundes of nobilitie. Why so many desire to be gentlemen. That gentlemen ought to professe learning, and liberall sciences for many good and honorable effectes. Of trauelin into forraine contries, with all the braunches, allowance and disallowance thereof: and that it were to be wished that gentlemen would professe, to make sciences liberall in vse, which are liberall in name. Of the training vp of a yong prince. (P. 183.)

Cap. 40.

Of the generall place and time of education. Publike places elementarie, grammaticall, collegiat. Of bourding of children abroad from their parentes howses: and whether that be the best. The vse and commoditie of a large and well situate training place. Observations to be kept in the generall time. (P. 222.)

Cap. 41.

Of teachers and trainers in generall: and that they be either Elementarie, Grammatticall, or Academicall. Of the elementarie teachers abilitie and entertainement: of the grammer maisters abilitie and his entertainement. A meane to haue both excellent teachers and cunning professours in all kindes of learning: by the diuision of colledges according to professions: by sorting like yeares into the same rowmes: by bettering the studentes allowance and liuing: by prouiding and maintaining notable well learned readers. That for bringing learning forward in her right and best course, there would be seuen ordinarie ascending colledges for tounges, for mathematikes, for philosophie, for teachers, for physicians, for lawyers, for diuines. And that the generall studie of law, would be but one studie. Euery of these pointes with his particular proufes sufficient for a position. Of the admission of teachers. (P. 232.)

Cap. 42.

How long the childe is to continew in the elementarie, eare he passe to the toungues and grammer. The incurable infirmities which posting haste maketh in the whole course of studie. How necessarie a thing sufficient time is for a scholer. (P. 256.)

Cap. 43.

How to cut of most inconueniences wherewith schooles and scholers, masters and parentes be in our schooling now most troubled: whereof there be too meanes, vniformitie in teaching and publishing of schoole orders. That vniformitie in teaching hath for companions dispatch in learning and sparing of expenses. Of the abbridging of the number of bookes. Of curtesie and correction. Of schoole faultes. Of friendlines betwene parentes and maisters. (P. 262.)

Cap. 44.

That conference betwene those which haue interest in children: Certaintie of direction in places where children vse most: and Constancie in well keeping that, which is certainely appointed, be the most profitable circunstances both for vertuous mannering and cunning schooling. (P. 281.)

Cap. 45.

The peroration, wherein the summe of the whole booke is recapitulated and proofes vsed, that this enterprise was first to be begon by Positions, and that these be the most proper to this purpose. A request concerning the well taking of that which is so well meant. (P. 292.)