Positions vvherin those primitiue circumstances be examined, which are necessarie for the training vp of children, either for skill in their booke, or health in their bodie. VVritten by Richard Mulcaster, master of the schoole erected in London anno. 1561. in the parish of Sainct Laurence Povvntneie, by the vvorshipfull companie of the merchaunt tailers of the said citie

Chapter 35. An aduertisement to the training maister. Why both the tea∣ching of the minde, and the training of the bodie be assigned to the same maister. The inconueniences which ensue, where the bodie and soule be made particular subiectes to seuerall professions. That who so will execute any thing well, must of force be fully resolued of the excellency of his owne subiect. Out of what kinde of writers the exercising maister may store himselfe with cunning. That the first groundes would be laid by the cunningest workeman. That priuate discretion in any executor is of more efficacie then his skill.

I Haue already spoken of the parties, which are to be exerci∣sed, and what they are to obserue: nowe must I saye som∣what of him, and to him, which is to direct the exercise, and how he may procure sufficient knowledge, wherby to do it exceeding well. And yet the trainers person is but a parcell of

that person, whom I do charge with the whole. For I do as∣signe both the framing of the minde, and the training of the bodie to one mans charge, whose sufficiencie may verie well satisfie both, being so neare companions in linke, and not to be vncoupled in learning. The causes why I medle in this place with the training maister, or rather the training parte of the common maister, be these: first I did promise in my methode of exercises so to do: secondly the late discours of exercise will somwhat lighten this matter, and whatsoeuer shall be said here, may easely be reuiued there, where I deale with the ge∣nerall maister. Beside this, exercise being so great a braunche of education as the sole traine of the whole bodie, maye well commaunde such a particular labour, though in deede I seuer not the persons, where I ioine the properties. For in appointing seuerall executions, where the knowledge is vnited, and the successe followeth by the continuall comparing of the partes, how they both maye, or how they both do best proceede in their best way, how can that man iudge wel of the soule, whose trauell consisteth in the bodie alone? or how shall he perceiue what is the bodies best, which hauing the soule onely commit∣ted to his care, posteth ouer the bodie as to an other mans reckening? In these cases both fantsie workes affection, and af∣fection ouerweyneth, either best liking where it fantsieth most, or most following, where it affecteth best, as it doth appeare in Diuines, who punish the bodie, to haue the soule better, and in Physicians, who looke a side at the soule, bycause the bodie is there best. Where by the way I obserue, the different effectes which these two subiectes, being seuered in charge, do offer vnto their professours. For the health of the soule is the Diuines best, both for his honest delite, that it doth so well, and for his best ease, that himselfe faires so well. For an honest, vertuous, godly and well disposed soule, doth highly esteeme and hono∣rably thinke of the professour of diuinitie, and teacher of his religion, bycause vertuous dealinges, godly meditations, hea∣uently thoughtes, which the one importeth, be the others por∣tion, and the best food, to a well affected minde: Whervpon in such a healthy disposition of a well both informed and re∣formed soule, the Diuine can neither lacke honor for his per∣son,

nor substance for his purse.

Now to the contrarie the health of the bodie, which is the Physicians subiect, is generally his worst, though it be the ende of his profession, which though he be glad of his owne good nature, as he is a man, or of his good conscience, as he is a Chri∣stian, that the bodie doth wel, yet his chymny doth not smoke where no pacient smartes. For the healthfull bodie commonly careth not for the Physician, it is neede that makes him sought. And as the Philosopher sayeth, if all men were freindes, then iu∣stice should not neede, bycause no wrong would be offered: so if all bodies were whole that no distemperature enforced: or if the Diuine were well and duetifully heard, that no intempe∣rance distempered, Physick should haue small place: Now the contrary dealinges, bycause the diuine is not heard, and distem∣perature not auoided, do enforce Physick, for the healing parte of it, as the mother of the professours gaine: where as the pre∣seruing part neither will be kept by the one, neither enricheth the other. In these two professions we do generally see, what the seuering of such neare neighbours doth bring to passe, like two tenantes in one house belonging to seuerall lordes. And yet the affections of the one so tuch the other, as they cause sometimes, both the Diuine to thinke of the body, for the bet∣ter support of the soule▪ and the Physician to thinke of the soule to helpe him in his cure with comfort and courage. The seue∣ring of those two, sometime shew vs verie pitifull conclusions, when the Diuine diliuers the desperate sicke soule, ouer to the secular magistrate, and a forcible death by waye of punishe∣ment: and the Physician deliuereth the desperate sicke bodie, to the Diuines care, and a forced ende by extremitie of disease. I dare not saye that these professions might ioyne in one per∣son, and yet Galene examining the force which a good or ill soule hath to imprint the like affections in the bodie, would not haue the Physiciā to tarie for the Phylosopher but to play the parte himselfe. Where to much distraction is, and subalterne professions be made seuerall heads, there the professions make the most of their subiectes, & the subiectes receiue least good, though they parte from most. And seuerall professing makes the seuerall trades to swell beyond proportion, euerie one

seeking to make the most of his owne, nay rather vanting his owne, as simply the highest, though it creepe very low. And therefore in this my traine I couch both the partes vnder one maisters care. For while the bodie is committed to one, and the soule commended to an other, it falleth out most times, that the poore bodie is miserably neglected, while nothing is cared for but onely the soule, as it proueth true in very zealous Diuines: and that the soule it selfe is but sillyly looked to, while the bodie is in price, and to much borne with, as is generally seene: and that in this conflicte the diligent scholer in great strength of soule, beares most what about him, but a feeble, weake, and a sickish bodie. Wherefore to haue the care e∣qually distributed which is due to both the partes, I make him but one, which dealeth with both. For I finde no such difficul∣tie, but that either for the cunning he may compasse it: or for the trauell he maye beare it, hauing all circunstances free by succession in houres. Moreouer as the temperature of the soule smelleth of the temperature of the bodie, so the soule being well affected, will draw on the bodie to her bent. For will a modest and a moderate soule but cause the body obey the rule of her temperance? or if the soule it selfe be reclaymed from follie, doth it not constraine the bodie forth with to follow? So that it were to much to sunder them in charge, whose dis∣positions be so ioyned, and the skill of such facilitie, as may easely be attained, and so much the sooner, bycause it is the preseruing parte, which requireth most care in the partie, and but small in the trainer, as the healinge part of Physicke re∣quireth most cunning in the professour, and some obedience in the patient.

I do make great account of the parties skill, that is to exe∣cute matters which besides diligence require skill: for if he be skilfull himselfe, it almost needes not to giue precept. If he be not, it altogither bootes not. If he be skillfull he will exe∣cute well, bycause he can helpe the thing, which he must exe∣cute if particuler occurrence pray aide at the sudden: if he want skill he will lightly mangle that, which is wel set downe, if he be a medler. Wherefore seing I wish the executors cun∣ning, and yet must be content to take him as I finde him: I

will do my best both to instruct infirmitie, and to content cun∣ning. I must therefore haue him to thinke, that there be two properties which he must take to be of most efficacie to make a cunning executor. The one is to be rauished with the excel∣lencie & worthynes of the thing which he is to execute. The o∣ther is, if he may very easily attaine vnto some singuler know∣ledge in so noble a subiect, which both concur in this present execution.

1For graunting the soule simply the preheminēce both in sub∣stance of being, and in traine to be bettered, can there be any other single subiect, (which I say in respect of a communitie directed by diuine and humaine law, that is compound, and the principall subiect of any mans dealing,) can there be any single subiect I say of greater nobilitie, and more worthy to be in loue with, either by the partie, that is to finde it, or by him that is to frame it, then healthfullnes of body? which so toucheth the soule as it shakes it withall, if it selfe be not sownd?

What a treasure health is, they that haue it do finde, though they feele it not till it faile, when want bewrayes what a iewell they haue lost, and their cost discouers how they mynde the recouerie. The ende of our being here is to serue God and our country, in obedience to persons, and perfourmance of duties: If that may be done with health of bodie, it is effectuall & pi∣thie: if not, thē with sorow we must shift the soner, & let other succede, with no more assurance of life, then we had made vs, without this healthful misterie: in perpetuall change to let the world see, that multitude doth supply with number the de∣fect of a great deale better, but to sone decaying paucity.

To liue and that long of whom is it not longed for, as Gods blessing if he know God: as the benefit of nature, if he be but a naturall man.

The state of our bodie, when we are in good health, so liuely and lusty, so comfortable and cleare, so quicke and chearie, in part and in hole, doth it not paint vs, and point vs the valew of so preciouse a iewell, as health is to be esteemed?

The pitifull grones, the lamentable shrikes, the lothsome lookes, the image of death, nay of a pyning death, yea in hope of recouery; the rufull heauines, the wringing handes, the way∣ling

friendes, all blacke before blacke, when health is in des∣paire, do they not crie and tell vs, what a goodly thing health is, themselues being so griefly?

So many monuments left by learned men, so much sumptu∣ousnes of the mightiest princes, so many inuentions of the no∣blest wittes bestowed vpō exercises to maintaine this diamōd, are they not sufficient to enflame the executour, being a parta∣ker him selfe, & a distributer to others, that the subiect wherein he dealeth is both massie, most worth, and most meruelous? let him thinke it to be so, bycause he seeth it is so, and vpon that presumption proceede to his so healthfull, and so honora∣ble an execution. In whom his owne iudgement is of speciall force to further his good speede. For being well resolued in the excellencie of his owne subiect he will both himselfe ex∣ecute the better, and perswade other sooner to embrace that with zeale, which he professeth with iudgement. If you will haue me weepe for you, saith the Poet, then weepe you first: he shall hardly perswade an other to like of that, which is his owne choice, who shall himselfe not seeme to set by it, where himselfe hath set his choise.

The knowledge wherewith, and how to deale therein is so much the easier,2 bycause it is so generall, and so many wayes to be wonne. I will not seeme to raise vp the memorie which can neuer dye, giuen to this traine by all both old and new histo∣ries: which prayse those vertues and valiances, which they found, but had neuer had matter to praise, nor vertues to finde, if exercises had not made the personages praiseworthy, where∣by they did such thinges, and of so great admiration, as had bene vnpossible to any not so trained as they were. What Philosopher describeth the fairest forme of the worthiest com∣mon weale, either by patterne of one person, as allowing that state best, where one styrres all: or by some greater multitude, as preferring that gouernment, where many make much stirre: but he doth alwaye, when he dealeth with the youth, and first trayning of that state, not onely make mention, but a most speciall matter of exercise for health?

Who is it in any language that handleth the Paedagogicall argument, how to bring vp youth, but he is arrested there,

where exercise is enfraunchised? As for the Physicians, it is a principall parcell of their fairest patrimonie, bycause it is natu∣rally subiect, and so learnedly proued to be by Galene in his booke intitled Thrasybulus, to that parte of their profession which seeketh to preserue health, and not to tarie till it come to ruine, with their gaine to repare it, though it still remaine ruinous and rotten, which is so repared. Therefore whensoeuer the maintenance of health, is the inscription of the booke, this title of exercise hath some euidence to shew. Further in the discours of Exercises we finde ech•• where the names of diet, of waking, of sleeping, of mouing, of resting, of distemperature, of temperature, of humours, of elementes, of places, of times, of partes of the bodie, of the vses therof, of frictions and chafings, of lassitude and wearinesse, and a number such, which when the training maister meeteth with among the Physicians, or na∣turall Philosophers, what els say they vnto him, but that where ye finde vs before the dore, ye may be bold to come in? As for naturall Philosophy the ground mistresse to Physik it must needes be the foundacion to this whole traine. Hence the causes be¦fet, which proue eche thing either good or bad, either noysome or needefull to health. All naturall problemataries, dipnosophi∣stes, symposiakes, antiquaries, warmaisters, and such as deale with any particular occurence of exercise, if ye appose them well: you shall finde them yours freindes. This terme Gymnastico, which emplyeth in name, and professeth in deede, the arte of exercise, is the verie seat, wheron the trainer must builde. And therefore all either whole bookes, or particular discourses in any writer by the waie, concerning this argument, do will him to rest there. In which kinde, for the professed argument of the whole booke, I know not any comparable to Hieronymus Mercurialis, a verie learned Italian Physician now in our time, which hath taken great paines to sift out of all writers, what so euer concerneth the whole Gymnasticall and exercising argu∣ment, whose aduice in this question I haue my selfe much v∣sed, where he did fit my purpose.

By these reasons I do see, and by some proofe I haue found, that the waye to be skilfull in the preseruatiue part of Physick and so consequently in exercises, as the greatest member ther∣of,

is very ready and direct, bycause it is so plaine, so large, and with all so pleasant: as it is also most honorable, bycause it seekes to saue vs from that, which desireth our spoile. And therefore this execution requireth a liberall courage, where the gaine is not great, but the disposition much praised. The repairers get the pence, the preseruers reason faire. And as the effect commendes the knowledge: so being of it selfe thus necessarie for all, a student may with great credit trauell in the cunning, if it were for no more but to helpe his owne health, and vpon better affection, or some gainfull offer to empart it with other. For to helpe himselfe he is bound in nature, and will do it in deede: to do good to all if he may, he is bound by dutie, and so sure he ought. But to helpe as many as he may, and himselfe to, what nature can but loue? what dutie can but like? chiefly where the thing which he must do, may be done with ease, and the good which he shall do, shall gaine him praise, besides the surplus of profit. Some will say perhaps to traine vp children, what needes so much cunning: or in so petie a matter what needes so much labour? Though I entreat of it here, where it first beginnes, yet it stretcheth vnto all, both ages and persons: neither is the matter so meane, which is the readiest meane to so great a good, but if it were meane, the meanest matter requireth not the meanest maister, to haue it well done: and the first groundworke would be layd by the best workeman. For who can better teach to reade, then he which for skill can commaund the language? And what had more neede to be exactly done then that principle, which ei∣ther marreth the whole sequele, with insufficiencie, or ma∣keth all sound, being it selfe well layd? The thing you will graunt to be of such efficacie, such an excutor you despaire of: such a man may be had, nay a number of such may be had, if recompence be prouided to answere such sufficiencie. The common not opinion but error is, he hath cunning enough for such a small trifle. It is not that small which he hath, that can do the thing well, but your skill is small, to thinke that any small skill, can do any thing well. He must know a great deale more then he doth, which must do that well, which he doth: bycause store is the deliuerer of the best effectes, neede 〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

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which sheweth all at once, is but a sorie steward, and must put in band, that he hath some credit, though verie smal substance.

For the skill of the trayner I take it to be verie euident, both whence it may be had, and how plentiful a store house he hath for his prouision. Thence he may haue the generall groundes, and causes of his cunning.

3But there is a third thing yet besides these two, which is pro∣per to his owne person, which if he haue not, his cunning is worth nought. For though he see and embrace the worthines of his subiect, though he haue gathered in his whole haruest from out of all writers, yet if he want discretion how to apply it according vnto that, which is most fit to the verie meanest not bowghes & branches, but euen the twigges and sprigges of the pe••••est circumstances, he is no skillfull trayner: but so much the more daungerous, the more helpe of learning he hath, which will bolden him to much. Therefore of these two other pointes, the one being throughly resolued on, the other perfitly obtained, and all the contemplatiue reasons well vn∣derstoode, he must bend his wittes to wey the particularities, whereby both the generall conclusions be brought to be pro∣fitable, and his owne iudgement to be thought discrete. The want of this is the cause of such a number of discoursers, which swarm ech where, and both like their owne choice, and can say pretily well to the generall position, which is not denyed to any toward youthe, but they shew themselues altogither lame in the particuler applying, which is a thing that atten∣deth onely vpon experience and yeares. The hauing of it will prouide vs notable store of excellent executours, to all their profites, vpon whom they shall execute. Aristotle the great phi∣losopher in all his morall discourses tieth all those vertues which make mens maners praiseworthie, and be subiect to circumstances, to the rule of foresight and discretion, whose commendation he placeth in skill of speciallities to direct mens doinges. Therefore it is no dishonour to the trayner, to be reclaymed vnto discretion, which hath all those so many and so manerly vertues to attend vpon her traine. Is not death commendable, and ascribed to valiancie, when it is voluntary, for the common good, by reason of the circumstance? and

the sauing of life is it not basely thought of, when it had bene better spent, considering the circumstance? Which circum∣stance is the line to liue by, the guide to all our doinges, the tuchestone to try a contemplatiue creature from an actiue courage.

In the course of training, a thousand difficulties not possi∣ble to be forseene by the generall direction, will offer them∣selues, and appose the maister, and at the sudden must be sal∣ued. What will the trainer do? runne to his booke? nay to his braines. He must remember his rule, that indiuisibles and cir∣cunstances be beyond the reach of arte: and are committed to the Artificer whose discretion must helpe, where arte is to weake: though she giue him great light, by fitting this to that, when he hath found wherfore. Arte setteth downe the exer∣cise and all the knowen circunstances. The person bringes with it some difficultie in execution, where is the succour? Arte will not relent, she can not make curtsie, her knees be groune stiffe, and her iointes fast knit, and yet curtsie there must be. The Artificer must make it, and assist his ladie, which if she had not had a man to be her meane, she her selfe would haue done all, and trusting to man whom she hath made her meane, why should she be deceyued, and her clyentes be abused, where she commendes them of trust? Children that come to schoole dwel not in one house, not in the same streate, nay not in the same towne, they cannot lightly come at one houre, they be not of one age, nor fit for one exercise, and yet they must haue some. The arte knoweth my child no more then my neighbours, but the trainer must, and stay those vncertainties vpon the arrest of discretion: being enstructed afore hand in the generall skill though bound but of voluntarie: as the like cause shall lead the like case.

The rule is, no noysome sauour neare the newly exercised: how shall the poore boye do, that is to go home thorough stinking streates, and filthy lanes.

The rule is, change apparell after sweat: what if he haue none other? or not there where he sweateth? Here must the trainers discretion shew it selfe, either to chuse exercises that be not subiect to any such extremities, or to vse them with the

fewest. But I am to long, neither neede I to doubt of mens discretion, though I say thus much of it, which many haue and moe wishe for, I shall haue occasion to supplie the rest in the generall teacher.

Thus haue I runne thorough the whole argument of exer∣cises, and shewed not onely what I thinke of them in generall, but also what be the cheife particulars, and the circunstances belonging thereunto: & according to my promise I haue delt with the training maister, and ouertreated him to thinke ho∣norably of his profession, to gather knowledge where it is a∣bundantly to be got: and last of all to ioine discretion as a third companion to his owne admiration and sufficiency.

Notes

• 1. De san tu.
• 1

  The liking of the exe∣cutors sub∣iect.
• 2

  How to become a skilfull ex∣ercising maister.
• 3

  Discretion in the trayner.