Virgils Eclogues, vvith his booke De apibus, concerning the gouernment and ordering of bees, translated grammatically, and also according to the proprietie of our English tongue, so farre as grammar and the verse will well permit. Written chiefly for the good of schooles, to be vsed according to the directions in the preface to the painfull schoole maister, and more fully in the booke called Ludus literarius, or the grammar-schoole, chap. 8

A plaine Direction to the painfull Schoolemaister and others, for the most profitable vse of this and the like Gram∣maticall translations.

TO the end that all Schollers may find the seuerall benefites of these translations mentioned in my Grammar-schoole, not onely for sound vnder∣standing, true construing, parsing, getting with∣out booke, making and prouing the same Latin, speedy turning either into prose or verse, but also for growth in our English tongue together with the Latin; and prin∣cipally for causing Schollers to study of themselues, and to prepare their lectures at home, to bring them more perfectly, and keep them more surely; and all this with very much certaintie, pleasure and ease both to maister and scholler, I finde this course most readie.

1. Cause euery one to be well acquainted with their Grammar rules, and especially to be perfect in the rule of construing, that they may euer follow that direction.

2. Because the greatest part in euery Forme are commonly of the duller sort of wits and more negligent, and also hardlier drawne to take paines at home, vnlesse they euidently see the way how they may do it with some delight; cause some pregnant scholler of their owne Forme, or of some higher, to reade them their lecture ouer∣night, onely construing it ouer once or twice, and shewing them the hard words and phrases briefly.

3. Direct them either to trie first how they are able to construe of themselues, and finde out a reason of euery thing, why it must be so construed; and after to compare and trie that which they haue done, by the translation. On else if they haue not sufficient leisure, and that they would do it speedily, or be not so well able to do it of them∣selues, direct them to reade ouer the translation once or twice; first, that they may fully vnderstand the matter whereby all the constru∣ing will be made most easie, and then aduise them to examine care∣fully by themselues the reason of the whole construction. And so for parsing euery thing in the same order as they construe: for these two

so depend one vpon another, that they cannot be separated. In a word, cause them so to studie their lectures out of the Latine books and the translation together, that they may be able with their book vnder their arme, to deliuer and pronounce the whole lecture either Latine or English alone, so also to construe and parse without booke to deliuer their lectures either in the plaine Grammar order, or more elegantly, and so to giue varietie of phrase, and whatsoeuer is obserued in the translation.

4. Be carefull that they take not ouermuch at a time, and then so many of them as are apt and painful, wil the next day at any time, within an houres space giuen them to meditate, be able to deliuer their lecture (so as I said) viz. pronouncing it without booke both in Latine and English▪ construe and parse without booke, giue va∣rietie of English phrase, and whatsoeuer can be required for the vnderstanding and knowledge of euery word. Hereby also they will be able to keepe all that they haue learned, not onely to repeate each weekes worke most perfectly vpon the friday, but also their whole quarters worke at each quarters end, if they vse to repeate it now and then, and so to keepe their authors for euery vse, far more per∣fectly then by any other meanes.

For these Eclogues and the booke de Apibus, I haue made choise of them to translate thus, as being the most familiar of all Virgils workes, and fittest for childrens capacities: and in some of them I haue made a plaine Analysis or resolution, for the more easie and full vnderstanding thereof, as namely of the first and last Eclogues, and so of that excellent booke of the gouernment and ordering of Bees, which is able to draw the very wisest into an admiration, for their policie, and the rare workes of God apparent in them. The re∣solution of the rest I haue omitted, as being for the most part but heardmens talke, or the matter not so fit, and so the translation of the latter part of the sixi Eclogue. In the first Eclogue I haue giuen a litle taste of the Rhetoricke in Tropes and figures: for the rest I referre to M. Butlers Rhetoricke, M. Far••abies tropes and figures, and to R••mus Commentarie. The Eclogues being select Poemes, I would haue pronounced most exactly, as namely the 1. 3. 5. 7. &c. (like as Tullies Paradoxes, and some choise Orations for patternes of Theames and Orations) for that they may be most not able helps to an excellent pro••ciation, which is a principall ornament to all

learning, and will bring the schollers much estimation with others, and delight in themselues.

I haue onely proceeded thus farre in translating, being fully assu∣red vpon certaine experience, that children first entred well in Grammar, and hauing gone through but those parts of the authors which I haue thus translated, will be able by Gods blessing (if they proceed in a right order) to take their lectures of themselues, at least with very litle assistance, in all the rest of Virgil and the higher Latin authors; by the meanes of the worthy Commentaries and o∣ther helpes, which the Lord hath in this last age prouided aboue all former times.

As for that feare of making truants by these translations, which conceit arose meerly vpon the abuse of other translations, neuer in∣tended for this end; I hope that happie experience in this kind, will in time driue it, and all like to it, vtterly out of schooles and out of the minds of all. Sith for my selfe, by the meanes hereof I finde the cleane contrary, in causing my schollers to giue a reason of euery thing why it must be so, and also almost double profit to that which I could otherwise. And finally for that I can hereby teach many•• then I could without, and cause euery one of them which are any thing diligent and apt, to render an account of that which he learnes from quarter to quarter continually; and all with much ease and pleasure to my selfe, delight and contention among themselues, and great contentation to their friends. Trie aright, and then giue your sentence. The comforts which my selfe haue found herein, without any of the furnised inconueniences, and the same approued and con∣firmed by many learned, do make me confident to desire to commend them to all. For all other obiections I haue answered thē at 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in my Grammar schoole. Experience, I trust, will fully satisfie all sorts in time. Though the slips in this as in the rest, be very many, the dif∣ficultie of the labour to obserue duly all the directions, both for Grā∣mar, proprietie, puritie and otherwise, (as whos••euer makes triall will soone perceiue) and also my continuall employment may pleade for me, desiring, if the Lord vouchsafe that fauour, to refine them all; like as I hope that he who hath thus far proceeded, will for his owne glory and the good of his people, perfect the whole worke in his due time. Whereunto crauing thy loue and prayers, I 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thee 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his grace, and rest thi••, in what his goodnes shal v••chsafe vnto me▪

I. B.