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POSITIONS CONCERNING

THE

TRAINING VP OF CHILDREN.

FIRST CHAPTER.
THE ENTRIE TO THE POSITIONS,

Table of Contents

Conteining the occasion of this present discourse, and the causes why it was penned in english.

Whosoever shall consider with any iudgement the maner of training vp children, which we vse generally within this Realme cannot but wish, that the thing were bettered, as I my selfe do: though I do not thinke it good here to displaie the particular defectes, bycause I am in hope to see them healed, without any so sharp a rehersall, (“for the error being once graunted and well knowen straight way craueth helpe without aggrauation, and that way in helping must needes be most gracious, which the partie helped confesseth least greiuouse.”) If I should discouer all those inconueniences, wherby parentes and maisters, teachers and learners, do but enterchaunge displeasures, if I should rip vp those difficulties, wherby the traine it selfe, and bringing vp of children is maruellously empeached, I might reuiue great gaules, and euen therby worse remedie the greifes. And though I remedied them yet the partie pacient might beare in minde, how churlishly he was cured, and though he payed well for the healing, yet be ill apayd for the handling. Wherefore in helping thinges, that be amisse I do take that to be the aduisedest way, which saueth the man, and sowreth not the meane. If without quoting the quarrelles, I set down that right, whervnto I am led, vpon reasonable grounds, that it is both the best, and most within compasse, the wrong by comparison is furthwith bewraied, and the chek giuen without anie chiding.

The occasion of this discourse.

I haue taught in publike without interrupting my course, now two and twentie yeares, and haue alwaie had a very great charge vnder my hand, which how I haue discharged, they can best iudge of me, which will iudge without me. During which time both by that, which I haue seene in teaching so long, and by that which I haue tryed, in training vp so many, I do well perceiue, vpon such lettes, as both my selfe am subiect vnto, and other teachers no lesse then I, that neither I haue don so much as I might, neither any of them so much as they could. Which lettes me thinke I haue both learned, what they be, and withall conceiued the meane, how to get them remoued. Wherby both I and all other maie do much more good, then either I or anie other heretofore haue don. Wherin as I meane to deale for the common good, so must I appeal to the common curtesie, that my good will maie be well thought of, though my good hope do not hit right. For I do but that, which is set free to all, to vtter in publike a priuate conceit, and to claime kindnes of all, for good will ment vnto all: as I my selfe am ready both freindly and fauorably, to esteme of others, who shall enterprise the like, requiring euery one, which shall vse my trauell, either as a reader, to peruse, or as a reaper to profit, that he will think well of me, which may cause him allow: or if he do not, that yet he will be sorie for me, that so good a meaning had so meane an issue.

Why it is penned in English.

I do write in my naturall English toungue, bycause though I make the learned my iudges, which vnderstand Latin, yet I meane good to the vnlearned, which vnderstand but English. And better it is for the learned to forbeare Latin, which they neede not then for the vnlearned to haue it, which they know not. By the English both shall see, what I say, by Latin but the one, which were some wrong, where both haue great interest, and the vnlearned the greater, bycause the vnlearned haue not any but only such English helpes, the learned can fetch theirs from the same fountaines, whence I fetch mine. My meaning is principally to helpe mine owne countrie, whose language will helpe me, to be vnderstood of them, whom I would perswade: to get some thankes of them, for my good will to do well: to purchace pardon of them, if my good will do not well. The parentes and freindes with whom I haue to deale, be mostwhat no latinistes: and if they were, yet we vnderstand that tongue best, whervnto we are first borne, as our first impression is alwaie in English, before we do deliuer it in Latin. And in perswading a knowen good by an vnknowen waie, are we not to cal vnto vs, all the helpes that we can, to be thoroughly vnderstood? He that vnderstands no Latin can vnderstand English, and he that vnderstands Latin very well, can vnderstand English farre better, if he will confesse the trueth, though he thinke he haue the habite and can Latin it exceading well. When mine argument shall require Latin, as it will eare long, I will not then spare it, in the degree, that I haue it, but till it do, I will serue my countrie that waie, which I do surely thinke will proue most intelligible vnto her. For though the argument, which is dedicate to learning, and must therfore of force vse the termes of learning: which be mysteries to the multitude, maie seeme to offer some darkness and difficultie in that point: yet it is to be construed, that the thing it selfe must be presented in her owne colours, which the learned can discry, at the first blush, as of their acquaintance, who must be spoken to in their owne kinde: as the vnlearned must be content to enquire, bycause we straine our termes to haue them intitled. And yet, in all my drift, for all my faire promise, I dare warrant my countrie no more, then probabilitie doth me, which if it deceiue me, yet I haue it to leane vnto, and perhaps of such pith, as might easely haue beguiled a wiser man then me. But till I proue beguiled, I will dwell in hope, that I am not, to deliuer my minde with the better courage, and therby to shew that I thinke my selfe right. For the greatest enemy, that can be to any wel meaning conceit is, to mistrust his own power, and to dispaire of his good speede where happy fortune makes euident shew.