in teaching them what is good, as in keping them from that,
that is ill.
Therefore, if wise fathers, be not as well waare in weeding
_Ignoratio_ // from their Children ill thinges, and ill companie,
_mali._ // as they were before, in graftinge in them
learninge, and prouiding for them good schole-
masters, what frute, they shall reape of all their coste & care,
common experience doth tell.
Here is the place, in yougthe is the time whan som
Some // ignorance is as necessarie, as moch knowledge,
ignorance, // and not in matters of our dewtie towardes God,
as good as // as som wilful wittes willinglie against their owne
knowledge. // knowledge, perniciouslie againste their owne
conscience, haue of late openlie taught. In deede _S. Chryso-_
_Chrisost. de_ // _stome_, that noble and eloquent Doctor, in a
_Fato._ // sermon _contra fatum_, and the curious serchinge of
natiuities, doth wiselie saie, that ignorance therein,
is better than knowledge: But to wring this sentence, to
wreste thereby out of mens handes, the knowledge of Goddes
doctrine, is without all reason, against common sence, contrarie
to the iudgement also of them, which be the discretest men, and
_Iulia. Apo-_ // best learned, on their own side. I know, _Iulianus_
_stat._ // _Apostata_ did so, but I neuer hard or red, that any
auncyent father of the primitiue chirch, either
thought or wrote so.
But this ignorance in yougthe, which I spake on, or rather
Innocency // this simplicitie, or most trewlie, this innocencie,
in youth. // is that, which the noble _Persians_, as wise _Xenophon_
doth testifie, were so carefull, to breede vp their
yougth in. But Christian fathers commonlie do not so. And
I will tell you a tale, as moch to be misliked, as the _Persians_
example is to be folowed.
This last somer, I was in a Ientlemans house: where
A childe ill // a yong childe, somewhat past fower yeare olde,
brought // cold in no wise frame his tongue, to saie, a litle
vp. // shorte grace: and yet he could roundlie rap out,
so manie vgle othes, and those of the newest facion, as som
good man of fourescore yeare olde hath neuer hard named
Ill Pa- // before: and that which was most detestable of
rentes. // all, his father and mother wold laughe at it. I
_the brynging vp of youth._ 211
moche doubte, what comforte, an other daie, this childe shall
bring vnto them. This Childe vsing moche the companie of
seruinge men, and geuing good eare to their taulke, did easelie
learne, which he shall hardlie forget, all daies of his life here-
after: So likewise, in the Courte, if a yong Ientleman will
ventur him self into the companie of Ruffians, it is ouer greate
a ieopardie, lest, their facions, maners, thoughtes, taulke, and
deedes, will verie sone, be euer like. The confounding of
companies, breedeth confusion of good maners // Ill compa-
both in the Courte, and euerie where else. // nie.
And it maie be a great wonder, but a greater shame, to vs
Christian men, to vnderstand, what a heithen writer, _Isocrates_,
doth leaue in memorie of writing, concerning the // _Isocrates._
care, that the noble Citie of _Athens_ had, to bring
vp their yougthe, in honest companie, and vertuous discipline,
whose taulke in Greke, is, to this effect, in Englishe.
"The Citie, was not more carefull, to see their Children
"well taughte, than to see their yong men well // In Orat.
"gouerned: which they brought to passe, not so // Ariopag.
"much by common lawe, as by priuate discipline.
"For, they had more regard, that their yougthe, by good order
"shold not offend, than how, by lawe, they might be punished:
"And if offense were committed, there was, neither waie to
"hide it, neither hope of pardon for it. Good natures, were
"not so moche openlie praised as they were secretlie marked,
"and watchfullie regarded, lest they should lease the goodnes
"they had. Therefore in scholes of singing and dauncing, and
"other honest exercises, gouernours were appointed, more
"diligent to ouersee their good maners, than their masters were,
"to teach them anie learning. It was som shame to a yong
"man, to be seene in the open market: and if for businesse, he
"passed throughe it, he did it, with a meruelous modestie, and
"bashefull facion. To eate, or drinke in a Tauerne, was not
"onelie a shame, but also punishable, in a yong man. To
"contrarie, or to stand in termes with an old man, was more
"heinous, than in som place, to rebuke and scolde with his
"owne father: with manie other mo good orders, and faire
disciplines, which I referre to their reading, that haue lust
to looke vpon the description of such a worthie common
welthe.