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Chapter 2. Wherfore these positions serue, 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 Gram∣marian, and what shall follow afterward, but also the Elemen∣tarie, 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 presi∣dent 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 mat∣ter be of most credit, & for the maner of best accompt, kepeth alwaie such a currant, as they at the first laie downe certaine groundes, wherin both they & 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 borow their order, and way in teaching well, care he passe to any either probleme or theoreme, setts downe certaine definitions, certaine de∣maundes, 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 freindes, do verie wel know. Wil the naturall philosopher medle with his maine subiect, before he haue handled his first principles, matter, forme, priuatiō, 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 him∣selfe, marcheth on of this foote & groundeth his religion vpon