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 45. The peroration, wherin the summe of the whole kooke is reca∣pitulated 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 ment.

THvs bold haue I bene, with you (my good and curteous countriemen) and troubled your time with a number of wordes of what force I know not, to what ende I know. For my ende is, to shew mine opinion how the great varietie in teaching, which is now generally vsed, maye be reduced to some vniformnesse, and the cause why I haue vsed so long a preface, as this whole booke, is, for that such as deale in the like argumēts do likewise determine before, what they thinke concerning such generall accidentes, which are to be rid out of the waye at once, and not alwaye to be left running about to trouble the house, when more important matters shall come to handling. Wherin I haue vttered my conceit, liking well of that which we haue, though oftimes I wishe for that which we haue not, as much better in mine opinion, then that which we haue, and so much the rather to be wished, bycause the way to winne it is of it selfe so plaine & ready. I haue vttered my sentence for these pointes thus, wherin if my cunning haue de∣ceiued me, my good will must warrant me: and I haue vttered it in plaine wordes, which kinde of vtterance in this teaching kinde, as it is best to be vnderstood, so it letteth euery one see, that if I haue missed, they may wel moane me, which meaning all so much good haue vnhappily missed in so good a purpose. Vpon the stearnesse of resolute and reasonable perswasions, I might haue set downe my Positions aphorismelike, and left both the commenting, and the commending of them to triall and time: but neither deserue I so much credit, as that my bare word may stand for a warrant: neither thought I it good with precisenesse to aliene, where I might winne with discourse. Whervpon I haue writen in euery one of those argumentes enough I thinke for any reader, whom reason will content: to much I feare for so euident a matter, as these Positions be, not affailable, I suppose, by any substantiall contradiction. For I haue grounded them vpon reading, and some reasonable ex∣perience: I haue applied them to the vse, and custome of my

countrey, no where enforcing her to any forreine, or straunge deuise. Moreouer I haue conferred them with common sense wherein lōg teaching hath not left me quite senselesse. And be∣sides these, some reason doth lead me very probable to my selfe, in mine owne collection, what to others I know not, to whom I haue deliuered it, but I must rest vpon their iudgemēt. Hereof I am certaine that my countrey is already very well ac∣quainted with them, bycause I did but marke where vpon par∣ticular neede, she her selfe hath made her owne choice, and by embrasing much to satisfie her owne vse, hath recommended the residue vnto my care, to be brought by direction vnder some fourme of statarie discipline. Now then can I but thinke that my countreymen will ioyne with me in consent, with whom my countrey doth communicate such fauour? Seeing her fauour is for their furtheraunce, and my labour is to bring them to that, which she doth most allow.

And what conclusion haue I set downe wherin they maye not very well agree with me, either for the first impression which set me on worke, or for the proofe, which confirmeth the impression? My first meaning was to procure a generall good, so farre as my abilitie would reach, I do not saye that such a conceit, deserueth no discourtesie for the very motion, how soeuer the effect do aunswere in rate: but this I may well thinke, that my countreymen ought of common courtesie to countenaunce an affection so well qualified, till the euent ei∣ther shrine it with praise, or shoulder it with repulse. I do not herein take vpon me dictatorlike to pronounce peremptorily, but in waye of counsell, as one of that robe, to shew that, which long teaching hath taught me to saye, by reading somwhat, and obseruing more. And I must pray my good countrymen so to construe my meaning, for being these many yeares by some my freindes prouoked to publish something, and neuer hi∣therto daring to venture vpon the print, I might seeme to haue let the raine of all modesty runne to lowse, if at my first onset I should seeme like a Caesar to offerre to make lawes. Howbeit in very deede my yeares growing downward, and some mine obseruations seeming to some folkes to craue some vtteraunce, vpon shew to do some good: I thought rather to hasard my

selfe in hope of some mens fauour, then to burie my conceit with most mens wonder. But before I do passe to mine Ele∣mentarie, which I meane to publish next after this booke, I must for mine owne contentation examine what I haue done in this, to see whether I haue hit right, or written any thing that [ 1] may call repentaunce. Was I not to cut this course, & to begin [ 2] at Positions? And are not these the cheife & onely groundes in [ 3] this argument? And in speking of these haue I in any point pas∣sed [ 1] beyond my best beseeming? For the first. Whether I ought to begin at Positions, or no, that is not in doubte now I hope, bycause I made that pointe very plaine in the beginning of my booke: but whether I haue done well to dwell so long in them, that may seeme to deserue some excuse, if I mislike it my selfe: or else some cause, to satisfie other.

If I had had to do with either Romain, or Grecian, in their owne language, where these thinges be familiarly knowen, I would not haue taryed in them any long while, but dealing with my countrymen in my countrey toungue, in an argument not so familiar to my countrey, and yet desiring to become fa∣miliar vnto her: I thought it good rather to saye more then enough, to leaue some chippinges: then by saying to litle, to cause a new cruste, where none should be: and to referre the rest of my suppressed meaning to my learneddest reader, to whose vse as I needed not to write, so in deede I do not, though I wish him well, and pray the like againe. They that frame happy men, absolute oratours, perfit wisedome, paragonne Princes, faultelesse states, as they haue their subiect at com∣maundement, which they breede in the commentarie of their owne braines: so their circūstāces being without errour, where their maine is without match, neede very few wordes, as being in daunger of very few faultes. But I deale with a subiect, which is subiect to all vncertainties: with circunstances, which are checkt with many obiections, lying open, to much disturbance, cauilled at by euery occasion: where one sillie errour, is of strength enough, to ouerthrow a mans whole labour. I thought it good therefore to declare at large, what my meaning was, to satisfie therby euen the meanest vnderstandinges, that waye to procure mine opinion the freer passage; when it should passe

by none, which vnderstood it not. I could not but begin with them, bycause herafter I shall haue so many occasions to make mention of them, to directe the traine by them, to referre my selfe vnto them, which if they had not bene handled here, they might and would haue troubled me there. Besides this, I would gladly (if I could obtaine so much at their handes) that all my countrymen did thinke, as I do in these same pointes, that by their consent my good speede might go on, with the readier & rounder currant, so that I cannot conceiue, but that I was both to begin my treatise at Positions, as the primitiue in such dis∣courses, & to dwell long in them, to satisfie my most readers.

Now whether these be the cheife groundes in preparatiue [ 2] to that, which I entend to deale in, I thinke there is none, but may very easily iudge. For what is it whervnto my trauell to come hath promised her endeuour? to helpe children to be well taught for learning: to tell their maisters, how to exer∣cise them for health: to aide the common course of studie in what I can for the common good. And what accidentes be∣long vnto such an argument, if these which I haue quoated out do not? Must there not be a time to begin, to continue, to ende the course of schoole learning? Then time must needes come in consideration. Must there not be somthing, wherin this time must be bestowed, both to haue the minde learned, and the body healthfull? Then the matter of traine, and the kinde of exercises could not haue bene passed ouer. Must there not be some vpon whom these thinges are to be imployed in these times, of both the sexes, and of all degrees? Then the generall schooling of all young ones, and the particular training of young maidens, and bringing vp of young gentlemen must needes haue their handling. Could these thinges be done with out conuenient place? cunning teachers? and good schoole orders? I thinke no. And therefore I picked these out, as the onely circunstances, that were proper to mine argument, and that were to be handled eare I entred my argument, if I had neuer seene any writer before vse the same choice.

But how haue I delt in them. For the time to begin I haue [ 3] measured it by strenght of body and minde that may well a∣waye with the trauell in learning without emparing of the

good of either parte. For the continuing time in euery degree of studie, I haue limited it by sufficiencie and perfitnesse of habit, before the studēt remoue. For the ending time, the boun∣der of it is abilitie to serue the common countrey, and the pri∣uate student in euery particular calling. In this distinction and sorting of time, I thinke I haue so dealt, as no reason will gair∣saye [ 2] me. For pointing so many thinges to be learned in the Ele∣mentarie schoole, as I do it vpon good warrant, so is no man iniuried by it, and euery man may be helpt by it. For though neither all men deale with all, nor all men can obtaine all, it is no reason but that those which will and may, shall know what is best to get: and that those which neither will nor can, yet maye see, what they maye and ought to get, if circunstances serue. For the traine is to be framed after the height, which freedome in circunstance maye well attaine vnto. A poore mans purse will not stretch so farre: must abilitie therfore be to much restrained? Some mans time will not dispense with all: must therfore the libertie of leasure be forced to the fetter? Some parente makes light of that, which some other esteemeth greatly: must he therefore be disapointed of his liking, which alloweth, to serue his humour, which misliketh? Some maime in some circunstance may be some particular let: must there∣fore parciality in not pointing the best proue the generall losse?

The best being set downe, without euident dispaire to come by it, or manifest noueltie to disgrace it, why should it not be sought for by them, which are willing to haue it, and know the meanes how? It is no noueltie for some to towre a∣boue the clowdes though other in the same flight do but flut∣ter about the ground, and yet with commendation. For where the whole is good, and partible by degrees, euerie ascent hath his praise, though the prerogatiue be his that mounteth highest. And therefore my plat is to satisfie those which will medle with the most, and yet so left at libertie, as it may serue [ 3] euen thē, which seeke but for the least. For the choice of wittes and restraint of number, not to pesture learning with to great [ 4] a multitude, no wisedome will blame me. For the helpe and health of body, that the doinges of the soule may be both strong and long, to ioine ordinarie exercise in forme of traine,

who so shall mislike, I will match him with melancholie, with fleame, with reumes, with catarres, & all needelesse residences, to see how they will musle him. The limitation of certaineties in maisters for their securitie, and parentes for their assurance, if it be well wayed is worth the wishing. For the places [ 5] and personall circumstances, who so will cauill, neither de∣serues such a place to be trained in, nor such a maister to be trained by, nor such parentes to prouide him such a traine. For the good bringing vp of yong gentlemen, he that taketh [ 6] no care, is more then a foole considering their place and ser∣uice in our countrie: and so of all the rest. But did any [ 7] man thinke that I would not mention my dealing in tray∣ning vp of yong maidens, whether that be to be admitted in such sort as I haue appointed it? That is such a bulwarke for me, as who so shall seeme to pinch me for dealing liberally with them, had neede to arme himselfe against them. For they will translate the crime, and becomming parties themselues discharge me from daunger for vsing them so curteously. Is that point in suspition of any noueltie or fantasticallnes to haue wymen learned? Then is nature fantasticall for giuing them abilitie to learne: custome for putting them to it: pollicie for placing them where to vse it▪ in all ages in all degrees, in all countries, both at home and abroad. Innouation it is not, for I reade it, I see it, I finde it, it is not my deuise. I put the case, that it were one of my wishes, that wymen might learne, if they did not. Assuredly the proufe that we see, the profit that we feele, the comfort that we haue, the care that we haue not, the happi∣nes we enjoy, the mishap we auoide, the religion we liue by & like, the superstition we fly from and hate, the clemencie we finde, the cruelitie we feare, by the meere benefit of our lear∣ned princesse, whom God hath so rarely endewed and endow∣ed, giue me leaue to wish that sexe most successe in learning, and her maiesties person all successe in liuing: all the residew, all the best, and her highnes alone all aboue the best: as wish can aspire, where nothing else can come. In generall I do not re∣member any thing, that I haue dealt in, but it may be very well digested by any stomake, if it be not to farre distempered.

My wishes perhaps may seeme sometimes to be nouelties,

Nouelties perhappes, as all amendementes be to the thing that needeth redresse, but not fantasticall, as hauing their seat in the cloudes. If no man did euer wish, then were I alone. If my wish were vnpossible though it made shew of very great profit, im∣possibilitie in deede, would desire profit in wish to be content with repulse: but where the thing is both profitable, and possi∣ble to, why should not profitable possibilitie haue rowme, if wishing may procure it? I wish commodious situation and rowmh in places for learning and exercise. Our countrie hath it not echwhere, nay scant any where as yet. Euen by wishing that it had, I graūt that it hath not: but I would not haue wished it, if the meane had bene hard: and the motion naturally goeth before the effect. I wish that the colledges in the vniuersities were deuided by professions: I wish graue and learned readers: I wish repetition to the same readers, yea euen for the best graduate, that is yet an hearer. I wish neither heresie nor harme, ne yet any thing, but that may very well be wrought, and deserues endlesse wishing till it be brought to an ende. I wish restraint to stop ouerflush, & such other things whereto I dare stand, & assuredly beleeue, that I wish my countrie very great good, as I hope many wilbe partakers with me in wish, to be partakers of the good. But some wil say what neede you to medle with so much, or so high matters your selfe creeping so low? Syr, I did professe in the beginning vnder ech title to deale in the generall argument, for all my professing the elementarie example. And by the way I do thinke, that I may deserue some more equitie in construction, bycause I do entend to my great paines to helpe my wish forward, and to trauell for the helping, and healthing of all studentes. Wherfore I con∣clude thus, that seeing my dealing in those positions was occasioned of so good a ground, and hath so pas∣sed through them, as I hope it may abide the tuch▪ I must craue of my good and curteouse coun∣triemen to laie vp allouance in hope, and misliking in pardon, till the euent dis∣chardge both, and make me bound to all, and some benefi∣ted by me.

Notes

• The exa∣mining of all the contentes of this booke.