A forme of Christian pollicie drawne out of French by Geffray Fenton. A worke very necessary to al sorts of people generally, as wherein is contayned doctrine, both vniuersall, and special touching the institution of al Christian profession: and also conuenient perticularly for all magistrates and gouernours of common weales, for their more happy regiment according to God.

¶ A continuance of the praise of science: exhortation too builde Colledges in Townes. The 9. Chapter.

BVt now let vs returne to our Sci∣ence, which, séeing it is as the soule or spirit of a man, it makes him rea∣sonable: and if it bée diuine, it ma∣kes him altogither celestiall: if the man be corrupt, it corrects him, and purgeth all his wicked affections, whereuppon in good reason it is named the medcine of the soule: if the man be poore, it enritcheth him: if he be low borne, it makes him noble: if he be contemned, it honoreth him, if he be little it makes him great, & ray∣seth him into dignitie: and of a mortall and miserable man, it giueth him immortalitie and makes him hap∣pie. Then if learning be one of the most excellent be∣nefites, yea a treasure aboue all ritches, comprehen∣ding in it selfe all that man can wishe for the content∣ment of all his desires, and perfection of all humane felicities, and séeing it is gotten in a colledge, the per∣manent mansion of science, yea the pallace of the Mu∣ses and their Helicon: how much ought we to be affected to erect stately Colledges in euery Cathedrall Town, and indue them honorably? whereunto the learned mē getting there the meane of their honour and dignitie, ought to beare speciall fauour, and the vertuouse sorte to contribute franckly, séeing by them they haue recey∣ued theyr vertues: yea and all others haue interest therein, for respect of common benefite, as doctrine for their children, and correction of manners, and to them selues exampes of all vertues? Parentes (being Col∣ledges in the towne where they dwell) shall alwaies be

assured of the certain discipline and institution of their children, and vnderstanding from one time to another, what aduauncement they haue in their Colledge, they shall not loase their money vpon credit, and much lesse put it to hazarde and fortune, as they should if they sent them further, where they are also vncertaine of their profit and successe in learning. For being farre from them, they heare but opinions & vntrue prayses of the learning of their children, who in the meane while run foorth their time in playe and pasing the streates, loo∣king (as the prouerbe is) who hath the longest nose, and liue altogither as lost children: wherein for the most part, they are little holpen though they bee in the charge of Maisters. For that if they bee not learned, their schollers will holde no great reckoning of them, and giue lesse héede to their councelles, lessons, or repe∣titions. If the maisters (not learned) haue speciall tymes to goe studie in some Vniuersitie, what scope hath the scholler to abuse his absence in all insolent li∣bertie: the maister occupied in his priuat studies, hath neyther care nor leasure to administer teaching to hys scholler: for that it is to much for one bodye to beare two burdens, and one man to applie well two trades. But if he be corrupte, what example giues hee to the poore children if he be giuen to sectes, what shal bee his doctrine? had it not ben better (in this deprauation) for the infortunate father to haue had no childe at all? yea, if there had bin in his Towne a schoole, there had bin no such daungers, withall it had not cost him so much, and yet the money he spente had remayned in the Towne, where he had suertie of the principall and Regents for the institution of his childe, which he could not haue, sending him farre of. I meane not heare, but when the scholler is in capacitie to be receyued into any Court of artes or graue doctrines, as of the Mathematikes, Phisicke, Law, and Diuinitie, that he be sent to more

famouse Vniuersities. But at the least afore his de∣parture from the schoole, let him know the partes of cō¦position in Orations, and be resolute in Verses and hi∣stories, and ready in the partes and rules of Philoso∣phie, wherein let all Fathers remember the admoniti∣on of Plutarche, and not suffer young men alone to goe to any frée studie, vntill they be so prepared and confir∣med in vertue, that they néede no further censure of their life and manners. This being not obserued of fa∣thers, bréedes many inconueniences in their youth, spe¦cially to giue libertie to children, when they haue néede of good instructors, for that they begin to féele the fume of fyer in their head, finde their owne stomacke, & ryse into wéening by their wittes and knowledge, but more by their houses and ritches, which make them aspire to the reputation and title of Maisters: And (which is more to feare) they assubiect them selues to their affec∣tions and fleshly desires, wherewith they are more so∣licited in that age, then in any other: Besides, in the ge∣nerall consideration of publike profite, there bee three cōmon commodities: there is first a great reuenue for the towne where y^e schoole is, séeing the money and vit∣tels which else should be caried elswhether, remayne there to the reliefe of many. Marchauntes sell better their marchandise: Artificers haue more vente of their worke and labor: and Phisicions, Apoticaries, & such necessary sortes, finde more liberall vse and gaine of their science: yea, ther is no kinde of people in a town which in some sorte tasteth not of the commoditie of a Colledge: lastly, the whole youth of a Towne findes by the presence of a schoole, a helpe to learninge, and a readie way to good manners, and so by such institution and discipline they are prepared to vertue: wherin this ought to be a special care to Gouernours, that after the erection of their schoole, there bee not so poore a younge childe in the towne, which is not constrayned to goe to

the schoole to learne the principles of fayth & command∣mentes of God: so prouiding that the poore maye bee taught by almes till they haue age to trauell, or if their inclination draw them to learning, let there be proui∣dence by the contribution of the best. And being risen to abilitie in learning to take in charge children of good houses: it is the best acte of charitie to preferre them a∣fore others, not the least conuenient for suche charge by their diligence which necessarily they muste vse aboue others in consideration of their pouertie and hope of aduauncement: and so from the estate of maisters in priuat houses they may in tyme become seruiceable to their common weale: which is all in effect I will saye now touching the cōmodities and benefites growinge by schooles, wherein young wittes, doe as it were, but playe their prize to a greater excellencie. For if they as∣pire to profit, ritches, eternall pleasures, honoures, dig∣nities, to know God, and séeke their saluation, let them haue learning, as the principall meane to leade them thereunto. And if men suffer so many cares, and toiles of body and minde to compasse those benefites, muche more ought we to suffer to reache to this liberall doc∣trine by the which are to bee obtayned the infinite and perpetuall felicities? if doctrine be the nurse of vertue and honor, if we loue vertue and honor, ought wée not with the same affection to séeke and followe the meane by the which we aspire thereunto? It is not possible to haue true honor without vertue: for whiche cause the Romaines erected two temples ioyned togither, the one dedicated to vertue, and the other to honour: but none could enter into the temple of honor, but he must first passe thorough the sacred house of vertue. Honor and glorie follow the man of vertue, as the shadow doth his body: but if the ignorant or man of vices pursue honor, it fléeeth from him as from his aduersarie, and can hold no conuersation with him.