counsell, yet I lacke not good will to wisshe, that the yougthe
How expe- // in England, speciallie Ientlemen, and namelie no-
rience may // bilitie, shold be by good bringing vp, so grounded
proffet. // in iudgement of learninge, so founded in loue of
honestie, as, whan they shold be called forthe to the execution
of great affaires, in seruice of their Prince and contrie, they
might be hable, to vse and to order, all experiences, were they
good were they bad, and that, according to the square, rule, and
line, of wisdom learning and vertue.
And, I do not meene, by all this my taulke, that yong
Diligent // Ientlemen, should alwaies be poring on a booke,
learninge // and by vsing good studies, shold lease honest
ought to be // pleasure, and haunt no good pastime, I meene
ioyned with // nothing lesse: For it is well knowne, that I both
pleasant // like and loue, and haue alwaies, and do yet still
pastimes, // vse, all exercises and pastimes, that be fitte for my
namelie in a // nature and habilitie. And beside naturall dispo-
ientleman. // sition, in iudgement also, I was neuer, either Stoick in doctrine,
or Anabaptist in Religion, to mislike a merie, pleasant, and
plaifull nature, if no outrage be committed, against lawe,
mesure, and good order.
Therefore, I wold wishe, that, beside some good time, fitlie
appointed, and constantlie kepte, to encrease by readinge, the
knowledge of the tonges and learning, yong ientlemen shold
Learnyng // vse, and delite in all Courtelie exercises, and
ioyned with // Ientlemanlike pastimes. And good cause whie:
pastimes. // For the self same noble Citie of Athenes, iustlie
commended of me before, did wiselie and vpon great considera-
tion, appoint, the Muses, _Apollo_, and _Pallas_, to be patrones of
_Musæ._ // learninge to their yougthe. For the Muses,
besides learning, were also Ladies of dauncinge,
_Apollo._ // mirthe and ministrelsie: _Apollo_, was god of shooting,
and Author of cunning playing vpon Instrumentes:
_Pallas._ // _Pallas_ also was Laidie mistres in warres. Wher-
bie was nothing else ment, but that learninge shold be alwaise
mingled, with honest mirthe, and cumlie exercises: and that
warre also shold be gouerned by learning, and moderated by
wisdom, as did well appeare in those Capitaines of _Athenes_
named by me before, and also in _Scipio_ & _Cæsar_, the two
Diamondes of Rome.
_the brynging vp of youth._ 217
And _Pallas_, was no more feared, in weering _ægida_, than she
was praised, for chosing _Oliva_: whereby shineth // Learning
the glory of learning, which thus, was Gouernour // rewleth
& Mistres, in the noble Citie of _Athenes_, both of // both warre
warre and peace. // and peace.
Therefore, to ride cumlie: to run faire at the tilte or ring:
to plaie at all weapones: to shote faire in bow, or surelie in gon:
to vaut lustely: to runne: to leape: to wrestle: // The pas-
to swimme: To daunce cumlie: to sing, and playe // times that
of instrumentes cunnyngly: to Hawke: to hunte: // be fitte for
to playe at tennes, & all pastimes generally, which // Courtlie
be ioyned with labor, vsed in open place, and on // Ientlemen.
the day light, conteining either some fitte exercise for warre, or
some pleasant pastime for peace, be not onelie cumlie and decent,
but also verie necessarie, for a Courtlie Ientleman to vse.
But, of all kinde of pastimes, fitte for a Ientleman, I will,
godwilling, in fitter place, more at large, declare fullie, in my
booke of the Cockpitte: which I do write, to // The Cok-
satisfie som, I trust, with som reason, that be // pitte.
more curious, in marking other mens doinges, than
carefull in mendying their owne faultes. And som also will
nedes busie them selues in merueling, and adding thereunto
vnfrendlie taulke, why I, a man of good yeares, and of no ill
place, I thanke God and my Prince, do make choise to spend
soch tyme in writyng of trifles, as the schole of shoting, the
Cockpitte, and this booke of the first Principles of Grammer,
rather, than to take some weightie matter in hand, either of
Religion, or Ciuill discipline.
Wise men I know, will well allow of my choise herein: and
as for such, who haue not witte of them selues, but must learne
of others, to iudge right of mens doynges, let them // A booke of
read that wise Poet _Horace_ in his _Arte Poetica_, // a lofty title,
who willeth wisemen to beware, of hie and loftie // beareth the
Titles. For, great shippes, require costlie tack- // brag of o-
ling, and also afterward dangerous gouernment: // uergreat a
Small boates, be neither verie chargeable in // promise.
makyng, nor verie oft in great ieoperdie: and yet they cary
many tymes, as good and costlie ware, as greater vessels do.
A meane Argument, may easelie beare, the light burden of
a small faute, and haue alwaise at hand, a ready excuse for