The ordre of lernynge, that a noble man shulde be trayned in, before he come to thaige of seuen yeres. Cap. v.

SOme olde auctours hold o∣pinion, that before the age of seuen yeres, a chylde shulde not be instructed in letters, but those wryters were ey∣ther grekes or latines: amōg whom all doctryne and scyences were in theyr maternall tonges, by reason wherof they saued all that longe tyme, whiche at this dayes is spente in vnderstandyng per∣fectely the greke or latyn. Wherfore it re∣quireth nowe a longer tyme to the vnder∣standynge of bothe. Therfore that infely∣citie, of our tyme and countrey compelleth vs to encroche somwhat vpon the yeres of Page  [unnumbered] chyldren, and specially of noble men, that they maye soner attayne to wysedowe and grauitie, than priuate persones: consyde∣rynge, as I haue sayde, theyr charge and example, whiche aboue al thynges is most to be estemed. Not withstandynge I wold not haue them inforced by violēce to lerne, but accordynge to the counsayle of Quin∣tilian, to be swetely allured therto, with prayses, and suche pratye gyftes as chyl∣dren delyte in. And theyr fyrste letters to be paynted or lymned in a pleasaunt maner: wherein chyldren of gentyll courage haue moche delectation. And also there is noo better allectiue to noble wyttes, thanne to induce theym in to a contention with theyr inferiour companions: they somtyme pur∣posely suffrynge the more noble chyldren to vainquy she, and as it were gyuynge to them place and soueraintie, though in dede the inferiour chyldren haue more lernyng. But there can be nothyng more conueniēt, than by lytel and lyttel to trayne and exer∣cyse them in spekynge of latin: infourming them to knowe first the names in latin of al thynges that come in syghte, and to name all the parties of theyr bodyes: and giuing them some what that they couete or desire in moste gentyll maner, to teache theym to aske it agayne in latin. And if by this mea∣nes Page  18 they maye be induced to vnderstande and speake latyne, it shall afterwarde be lesse grefe to them in a maner, to lerne any thing, where they vnderstand the langage, wherin it is wrytten. And as touchynge grammer, there is at this day better intro∣ductions, and more facile, than euer before were made, concernynge as well greke as latine, if they be wysely chosen.

¶ And it is no reproche to a noble manne, * to instructe his owne chyldren, or at the leaste wayes, to examine them by the waye of dalyaunce or solace, consyderynge that the emperoure Octauius Augustus, dys∣dayned not to rede the warkes of Cicero, and Uirgile, to his chyldren and neuewes. And why shulde nat noble men rather soo do, thanne teache theyr chyldren howe at dyse and cardes they maye connyngly lese and consume theyr owne treasure and sub∣staunce?

¶ More ouer, teachyng representeth the auctorytie of a pyrnce. wherfore Dionyse, * king of Cicile, whan he was for tiranny ex∣pelled by his people, he came in to Italy, and there, in a commune schole taught grā mer: where with whan he was of his ene∣mies embraided, & called a schole mayster, he answered them, That although Sicili∣ans had exiled hym, yet in despite of them Page  [unnumbered] all he reigned: notynge therby the aucto∣ritie that he hadde ouer his scholers. Also whan it was of hym demanded, what auai∣led hym Plato, or philosophy, wherin he had ben studious, he answered, That they caused hym to susteyne aduersitie pacient∣ly, and made his exile to be to hym more fa¦cile and easye. whiche courage and wyse∣dome considered of his peoble, they efte∣sones restored him vnto his realme and a∣state royal, where if he hadde procured a∣gayne them hostilitie, or warres, or hadde returned into Sicile with any violence, I suppose the people wolde alway haue resi∣sted and kepte hym in perpetuall exile: as the Romaynes dyd the proude kinge Tar∣quine, whose sonne rauished Lucrece. But to retourne to my purpose.

¶ It shall be expedient, that a noble man∣nes sonne, in his infancye, haue with hym continually, only suche, as may accustome hym by lyttel and lyttel to speake pure and elegant latyn. Semblably the nourises and other women aboute hym, if it be possyble, to do the same: or at the leaste waye, that they speke none englishe, but that, whiche is cleane, polite, perfectly, and articulate∣ly pronounced, omittynge no letter or syl∣lable, as folyshe women often tymes do of a wantonnes, wherby diuers noble menne, Page  19 and gentylmens chyldren (as I do at this daye knowe) haue atteyned corrupte and foule pronuntiation. This industry vsed in fourmynge lyttell infantes, who shall dout, but that they (not lackynge natural wytte) shall be apt to receyue lerninge, whan they come to mo yeres? And in this wyse maye they be instructed, without any violence or inforsynge: vsynge the more parte of the tyme, vntyll they come to the aege of .vii. yeres, in suche dy sportes as do apperteine to chyldren, wherin is no resemblaunce or similitude of vice.