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 English works:ToxophJlus; Report of the 
 
 3 1924 013 117 407 
 
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CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH CLASSICS 
 
 English Works 
 of 
 
 Roger Ascham 
 
ROGER ASCHAM 
 
 Born 1515 
 Died 1568 
 
ROGER ASCHAM 
 
 ENGLISH WORKS 
 
 TOXOPHILUS 
 
 REPORT OF THE AFFAIRES AND STATE OF GERMANY 
 
 THE SCHOLEMASTER 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 WILLIAM ALDIS WRIGHT, M.A., 
 
 VICE-MASTER OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE 
 
 Cambridge : 
 
 at the University Press 
 
 1904 
 
r 
 
 
 \> 
 
 ' -: 
 
 /z- 
 
 /i/,^ 
 
 ffionaon: C. J. CLAY and SONS, 
 
 CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS WAREHOUSE, 
 
 AVE MARIA LANE. 
 
 (SlBBBOin: so, WELLINGTON STREET. 
 
 Eeipjis: F. A. BROCKHAUS. 
 
 J^ttoHotft: THE MACMILLAN COMPANY. 
 
 JSomiaH anB Ctalmtta: MACMILLAN AND CO., Ltd. 
 
 [Ali Rights reserved] 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 OF the three English Works by Ascham printed in this 
 volume, the Toxophilus is probably the only one which 
 appeared in his lifetime. It was first published in 1545 by 
 Edward Whitchurch. A second edition printed by Thomas 
 Marshe appeared in 157 1, and a third in 1589 printed by Abell 
 lefFes. As copies of the first edition vary slightly, it is as well 
 to state that I have followed one in the Library of Jesus 
 College, Cambridge, for which I have been indebted to the 
 kindness of Mr Arthur Gray, with occasional reference to the 
 Capell copy in Trinity Library. There are some readings in 
 one of the copies in the British JVluseum (C. 31. c. 27) which 
 I have found nowhere else. Mr Arber in his reprint appears 
 to have followed this. 
 
 The Report and Discourse of the affairs and state of Germany 
 was written in 1553, about the time of the death of Edward 
 the Sixth (see p. 138), but it was apparently not printed till 
 after Ascham's death hy John Daye, without date but probably 
 about 1570. In Bohn's edition of Lowndes's Bibliographer's 
 Manual it is said that 'there are two other editions, one 1570, 
 the other without date,' but I can find no other record of 
 them. In the Dictionary of National Biography it is said 
 to have been republished in 1572, but I do not know on what 
 authority. 
 
 The Scholemaster first appeared in 1570, two years after 
 Ascham's death, and was printed by John Daye. A second 
 edition, also printed by Daye, was issued in 1571, and a third 
 in 1589, printed by Abell leffes. Other editions in 1572, 
 1573, 1579, and 1583, 'according to the bibliographers,' are 
 mentioned in the Dictionary of National Biography. I have 
 not been able to discover any trace of them, except that in the 
 edition of 1571, although 1571 is on the title-page, we find 
 1573 in the colophon. 
 
 In giving the list of Errata in the early copies, I have not 
 thought.it necessary to record any but those which are mis- 
 leading, nor have I mentioned the many printer's errors in 
 Greek which have been silently corrected. On pages 72 and 
 
vi Preface 
 
 1 68 I have substituted 'leste' for 'lesse,' supposing it to be a 
 misprint, but not feeling certain that it might not be a pro- 
 vincialism if not an archaism, I have allowed * lesse ' to stand 
 on pages 215 and 258, though it is altered in the edition of 
 1571. In the curious Italian Pasquinade in the Report (p. 136) 
 I have been assisted by the kindness of Count della Rocchetta, 
 Mr Arthur Tilley, and Mr E. G. W. Braunholtz, to wrhom are 
 due the corrections which have brought it to its present form. 
 It originally stood as follows : 
 
 Interlocutor! Pasquillo et Romano. 
 
 Pasq. T T Anno vn hel gioco il Re, et Plmperatore 
 X_ X p^^ terzo el Papa, e giocano a Primera. 
 Rom. che v' e d' in vito ? Pasq. Italia tutta intera. 
 Rom. Chi vi /' ha messa P Pasq. il coglion del pastore. 
 Rom. Che tien in mano il Re ? Pasq. Ponto magiere 
 
 el Papa hacinquanf vno, e se despera. 
 Rom. Ceesar che Ponto sa ? Pasq. lui sta a Primera 
 Rom. che gli mama ? Pasq. danari a far sauore 
 
 II Papa dice a voi, e voll Partita : 
 
 Casar Pensoso sta Sopra di questo, 
 
 teme a Scropir di trouar moneta 
 
 II Re dico, no, no, Scoprite Presto, 
 
 che io tengo Ponto, a guadagnar V in vito 
 
 V ho li danari, et Ceesar se gli aspeta. 
 
 IT Tutti stanno a vedetta. 
 
 Chi di lor dui guadagni. Rom. il Papa ? Pas. e fuora 
 vinca chi vol, lui Perda, in sua maV hora. 
 
 IT Le Jmperatore anchora. 
 
 Teme, kien stretto, h Scopre Piau le carte, 
 e qui, la sorte gioca, pin che V Arte. 
 
 IT Metra questi indisparte. 
 
 Stahilito e nel Ciel quelle, che esserdi, 
 
 ne giona al nostra die, questo Sara questo e. 
 
 W. A. W. 
 
 ao October 1904. 
 
i*> Reioyfe'Englattde,he gkdde ini merie, 
 TR O T H E outTcommnh thynetnemyes aU, 
 The Scot,th< Frenchfman-,the Pope,tind hcfejie, 
 OVERCOMMED hy TTOthe,ha»r had a fall: 
 Sttckrfo ibe Trothe,itnd eufrmoretbou Drill 
 Through Chril},King Henry ^the Bohetnd the BoWf 
 Altmaner ofenemies,quite OHerthro^c . 
 
Gualterus Haddonus 
 Cantabrigien. 
 
 Mittere qui celeres summa uelit arte sagittas, 
 
 Ars erit ex isto summa profeSla libra. 
 Quicquid habent arcus rigidi, nerui^ rotundi, 
 
 Sumere si libet, hoc sumere fonte licet. 
 Aschamus est author^ magnu que fecit Apollo 
 
 Arte sua, magnum Pallas & arte sua. 
 DoSfa marr' dedit hue, dedit hue mis doSla libellu . 
 
 Qua uidet Ars Vsus uisa, parata facit. 
 Optimus hac author quia tradidit optima scripta, 
 
 Conuenit hec uobis optima uelle sequi. 
 
To the moste graciouse, and our most drad Soueraigne lord, 
 
 Kyng Henrie the .viii, by the grace of God, kyng 
 
 of Englande, Fraunce and Irelande, Defen 
 
 der of the faythe, and of the churche 
 
 of Englande & also of Irelande 
 
 in earth supreme head, next vn 
 
 der Christ, be al health 
 
 'vi£lorie, and fe- 
 
 licitie. 
 
 WHAT tyme as, moste gracious Prince, your highnes this 
 last year past, tooke that your moost honorable and 
 viftorious iourney into Fraunce, accompanied with such a porte 
 of the Nobilitie and yeomanrie of Englande, as neyther hath 
 bene lyke knovven by experience, nor yet red of in Historic : 
 accompanied also with the daylie prayers, good hartes, and 
 willes of all and euery one your graces subieftes, lefte behinde 
 you here at home in Englande : the same tyme, I beinge at my 
 booke in Cambrige, sorie that my litle habilitie could stretche 
 out no better, to heipe forward so noble an enterprice, yet with 
 my good vvylle, prayer, and harte, nothinge behynde hym that 
 was formoste of all, conceyued a wonderful desire, bi the praier, 
 wishing, talking, & communicatio that was in euery mas 
 mouth, for your Graces moost viftoriouse retourne, to offer vp 
 sumthinge, at your home cumming to your Highnesse, which 
 shuld both be a token of mi loue and deutie toward your 
 
 «5 
 
Maiestie, & also a signe of my good minde and zeale tovvarde 
 mi countrie. 
 
 This occasion geuen to me at that time, caused me to take 
 in hand againe, this litle purpose of shoting, begon of me before, 
 yet not ended tha, for other studies more mete for that trade of 
 liuinge, vvhiche God and mi frendes had set me vnto. But 
 when your Graces moste ioifull & happie viftorie preueted mi 
 dailie and spedie diligencie to perforrtie this matter, I was com- 
 pelled to vvaite an other time to prepare & offer vp this litle 
 boke vnto your Maiestie. And whan it hath pleased youre 
 Highenesse of your infinit goodnesse, & also your most honor- 
 able Counsel to know and pervse ouer the contentes, & some 
 parte of this boke, and so to alow; it, that other me might rede 
 it, throughe the furderaunce and setting forthe of the right 
 worshipfuU and mi Singuler good Master sir Vvilliam Pagette 
 Knight, moost worthie Secretarie to your highnes, & most 
 open & redie succoure to al poore honest learned mes sutes, I 
 moost humblie beseche your Grace to take in good worthe this 
 litle treatise purposed, bego, and ended of me onelie for this 
 intent, that Labour, Honest pastime & Vertu, might recouer 
 againe that place and right, that Idlenesse, Vnthriftie gamning 
 and Vice hath put them fro. 
 
 And althoughe to haue written this boke either in latin or 
 Greke (which thing I wold be verie glad yet to do, if 1 might 
 surelie know your Graces pleasure there in) had bene more 
 easier & fit for mi trade in study, yet neuerthelesse, I supposinge 
 it no point of honestie, that mi commodite should stop & 
 hinder ani parte either of the pleasure or profite of manie, haue 
 written this Englishe matter in the Englishe tongue, for 
 Englishe men : where in this I trust that your Grace (if it 
 shall please your Highnesse to rede it) shal perceaue it to be a 
 thinge Honeste for me to write, pleasaunt for some to rede, and 
 profitable for manie to folow, contening a pastime, honest for 
 the minde, holsome for the body, fit for eueri man, vile for no 
 man, vsing the day & ope place for Honestie to rule it, not 
 lurking in corners for misorder to abuse it. Therfore I trust 
 it shal apere, to be bothe a sure token of my zeele to set forwarde 
 shootinge, and some signe of my minde, towardes honestie and 
 learninge. 
 
XI 
 
 Thus I vvil trouble your Grace no longer, but 
 
 with my daylie praier, I vvil beseche God to 
 
 preserue your Grace, in al health and feli- 
 
 citie : to the feare and ouerthrovve 
 
 of all your ennemies : to the 
 
 pleasure, ioyfulnesse and 
 
 succour of al your sub- 
 
 ieftes : to the vtter 
 
 destruftion 
 
 of papi- 
 
 strie and heresie : to the con- 
 
 tinuall setting forth of 
 
 Goddes vvorde 
 
 and his glo 
 
 rye. 
 
 Your Graces most 
 bounden Scholer, 
 
 Roger Ascham. 
 
»- TO ALL GENTLE MEN AND YOMEN OF 
 ENGLANDE. 
 
 Bias the wyse man came to Cresus the ryche kyng, on a 
 tyme, when he was makynge newe shyppes, purposyng to 
 haue subdued by water the out yles lying betwixt Grece and 
 Asia minor : What newes now in Grece, saith the king to 
 Bias ? None other newes, but these, sayeth Bias : that the 
 yles of Grece haue prepared a wonderful companye of horsemen, 
 to ouerrun Lydia withall. There is nothyng vnder heauen, 
 sayth the kynge, that I woulde so soone wisshe, as that they 
 durst be so bolde, to mete vs on the lande with horse. And 
 thinke you sayeth Bias, that there is anye thyng which they 
 wolde sooner wysshe, then that you shulde be so fonde, to mete 
 them on the water with shyppes ? And so Cresus hearyng not 
 the true newes, but perceyuyng the wise mannes mynde and 
 counsell, both gaue then ouer makyng of his shyppes, and left 
 also behynde him a wonderful example for all commune wealthes 
 to folowe : that is euermore to regarde and set most by that 
 thing whervnto nature hath made them moost apt, and vse hath 
 made them moost fitte. 
 
 By this matter I meane the shotyng in the long bowe, for 
 English men : which thyng with all my hert I do wysh, and if 
 I were of authoritie, I wolde counsel all the gentlemen and 
 yomen of Englande, not to chaunge it with any other thyng, 
 how good soeuer it seme to be : but that styll, accordyng to the 
 oulde wont of England, youth shulde vse it for the moost 
 honest pastyme in peace, that men myght handle it as a mooste 
 sure weapon in warre. Other stronge weapons whiche bothe 
 
XI n 
 
 experience doth proue to be good, and the wysdom of the 
 kinges Maiestie & his counsel prouydes to be had, are not 
 ordeyned to take away shotyng : but yt both, not compared 
 togither, whether shuld be better then the other, but so ioyned 
 togither that the one shoulde be alwayes an ayde and helpe for 
 the other, myght so strengthen the Realme on all sydes, that no 
 kynde of enemy in any kynde of weapon, myght passe and go 
 beyonde vs. 
 
 For this purpose I, partelye prouoked by the counsell of 
 some gentlemen, partly moued by the loue whiche I haue 
 alwayes borne towarde shotyng, haue wrytten this lytle treatise, 
 wherin if I haue not satisfyed any man, I trust he wyll the 
 rather be content w' my doyng, bycause I am (I suppose) the 
 firste, whiche hath sayde any thynge in this matter (and fewe 
 begynnynges be perfect, sayth wyse men) And also bycause 
 yf I haue sayed a misse, I am content that any man amende it, 
 or yf I haue sayd to lytle, any man that wyl to adde what hym 
 pleaseth to it. 
 
 My minde is, in profitynge and pleasynge euery man, to 
 hurte or displease no man, intendyng none other purpose, but 
 that youthe myght be styrred to labour, honest pastyme, and 
 vertue, and as much- as laye in me, plucked from ydlenes, 
 vnthriftie games, and vice : whyche thing I haue laboured 
 onlye in this booke, shewynge howe fit shootyng is for all 
 kyndes of men, howe honest a pastyme for the mynde, howe 
 holsome an excercise for the bodye, not vile for great men to 
 vse, not costlye for poore men to susteyne, not lurking in holes 
 and corners for ill men at theyr pleasure, to misvse it, but 
 abiding in the open sight & face of the worlde, for good men if 
 it fault by theyr wisdome to correft it. 
 
 And here I woulde desire all gentlemen and yomen, to vse 
 this pastime in suche a mean, that the outragiousnes of great 
 gamyng, shuld not hurte the honestie of shotyng, which of his 
 owne nature is alwayes ioyned with honestie : yet for mennes 
 faultes oftentymes blamed vnworthely, as all good thynges haue 
 ben, and euermore shall be. 
 
 If any man woulde blame me, eyther for takynge such 
 a matter in hande, or els for writing it in the Englyshe tongue, 
 this answere I maye make hym, that whan the beste of the 
 
XIV 
 
 realtne thinke it honest for them to vse, I one of the meanest 
 sorte, ought not to suppose it vile for me to write : And though 
 to haue written it in an other tonge, had bene bothe more 
 profitable for my study, and also more honest for my name, yet 
 I can thinke my labour wel bestowed, yf w* a little hynder- 
 aunce of my profyt and name, maye come any fourther- 
 aunce, to the pleasure or commoditie, of the gentlemen and 
 yeomen of Englande, for whose sake I tooke this matter in 
 hande. And as for y^ Latin or greke tonge, euery thyng is so 
 excellently done in them, that none can do better : In the 
 Englysh tonge contrary, euery thinge in a maner so meanly, 
 bothe for the matter and handelynge, that no man can do 
 worse. For therin the least learned for the moste parte, haue 
 ben alwayes moost redye to wryte. And they whiche had 
 leaste hope in latin, haue bene moste boulde in englyshe : when 
 surelye euery man that is moste ready to taulke, is not moost 
 able to wryte. He that wyll wryte well in any tongue, muste 
 folowe thys councel of Aristotle, to speake as the comon people 
 do, to thinke as wise men do : and so shoulde euery man vnder- 
 stande hym, and the iudgement of wyse men alowe hym. 
 Many English writers haue not done so, but vsinge straunge 
 wordes as latin, french and Italian, do make all thinges darke 
 and harde. vOnes I communed with a man whiche reasoned 
 the englyshe tongue to be enryched and encreased therby, 
 sayinge : Who wyll not prayse that feaste, where a man shall 
 drinke at a diner, bothe wyne, ale and beere ? Truely quod I, 
 they be all good, euery one taken by hym selfe alone, but if you 
 putte Maluesye and sacke, read wyne and white, ale and beere, 
 and al in one pot, you shall make a drynke, neyther easie to be 
 knowen, nor yet holsom for the bodye.J Cicero in folowyng 
 Isocrates, Plato and Demosthenes, increased the latine tounge 
 after an other sorte. This waye, bycause dyuers men y* write, 
 do not know, they can neyther folowe it, bycause of theyr 
 ignorauncie, nor yet will prayse it, for verye arrogauncie, ii. 
 faultes, seldome the one out of the others companye. 
 
 Englysh writers by diuersitie of tyme, haue taken diuerse 
 matters in hande. In our fathers tyme nothing was red, but 
 bookes of fayned cheualrie, wherin a man by redinge, shuld be 
 led to none other ende, but onely to manslaughter and baudrye. 
 
XV 
 
 Yf any man suppose they were good ynough to passe the time 
 with al, he is deceyued. For surelye vayne woordes doo woorke 
 no smal thinge in vayne, ignoraunt, and younge mindes, specially 
 yf they be gyuen any thynge thervnto of theyr owne nature. 
 These bokes (as I haue heard say) were made the moste parte 
 in Abbayes, and Monasteries, a very lickely and fit fruite of 
 suche an ydle and blynde kinde of lyuynge. 
 
 In our tyme nowe, whan euery manne is gyuen to knowe 
 muche rather than to Hue wel, very many do write, but after 
 suche a fashion, as very many do shoote. Some shooters take 
 in hande stronger bowes, than they be able to mayntayne. 
 This thyng maketh them sumtyme, to outshoote the marke, 
 sumtyme to shote far wyde, and perchaunce hurte sume that 
 looke on. Other that neuer learned to shote, nor yet knoweth 
 good shafte nor bowe, wyll be as busie as the best, but suche 
 one comonly plucketh doune a syde, and crafty archers which 
 be agaynst him, will be bothe glad of hym, and also euer ready 
 to laye and bet with him : it were better for suche one to sit 
 doune than shote. Other there be, whiche haue verye good 
 bowe and shaftes, and good knowlege in shootinge, but they 
 haue bene brought vp in suche euyl fauoured shootynge, that 
 they can neyther shoote fayre, nor yet nere. Yf any man wyll 
 applye these thynges togyther, [he] shal not se the one farre 
 differ from the other. 
 
 And I also amonges all other, in writinge this lytle treatise, 
 haue folowed sume yonge shooters, whiche bothe wyll begyn to 
 shoote, for a lytle moneye, and also wyll vse to shote ones or 
 twise about the marke for nought, afore they beginne a good. 
 And therfore did I take this little matter in hande, to assaye my 
 selfe, and hereafter by the grace of God, if the iudgement of 
 wyse men, that looke on, thinke that I can do any good, I maye 
 perchaunce caste my shafte amonge other, for better game. 
 
 Yet in writing this booke, some man wyll maruayle per- 
 chaunce, why that I beyng an vnperfyte shoter, shoulde take in 
 hande to write of makyng a perfyte archer : the same man 
 peraduenture wyll maruayle, howe a whettestone whiche is 
 blunte, can make the edge of a knife sharpe : I woulde y« same 
 man shulde consider also, that in goyng about anye matter, there 
 be .iiii. thinges to be considered, doyng, saying, thinking and 
 
XVI 
 
 perfeftnesse : Firste there is no man that doth so wel, but he 
 can saye better, or elles summe men, whiche be now starke 
 nought, shuld be to good : Agayne no man can vtter wyth his 
 tong, so wel as he is able to imagin with his minde, & yet 
 perfeftnesse it selfe is farre aboue all thinking. Than seing 
 that saying is one steppe nerer perfe£i:enesse than doyng, let 
 euery man leue maruaylyng why my woorde shall rather 
 expresse, than my dede shall perfourme perfedte shootinge. 
 
 I truste no man will be offended with this litle booke 
 excepte it be sume fletchers and bowiers, thinking hereby that 
 manye that loue shootynge shall be taughte to refuse suche 
 noughtie wares as they woulde vtter. Honest fletchers and 
 bowyers do not so, and they that be vnhonest, oughte rather to 
 amende them selues for doinge ill, than be angrie with me for 
 sayinge wel. A fletcher hath euen as good a quarell to be 
 angry w* an archer that refuseth an ill shaft, as a bladesmith 
 hath to a fletcher y' forsaketh to bye of him a noughtie knyfe : 
 For as an archer must be content that a fletcher know a good 
 shafte in euery poynte for the perfedler makynge of it, So an 
 honeste fletcher will also be content that a shooter knowe a good 
 shafte in euery poynt for the perfiter vsing of it : bicause the 
 one knoweth like a fletcher how to make it, the other knoweth 
 lyke an archer howe to vse it. And seyng the knowlege is one 
 in them bothe, yet the ende diuerse, surely that fletcher is an 
 enemye to archers and artillery, whiche can not be content that 
 an archer knowe a shafte as well for his vse in shotynge, as he 
 hym selfe shoulde knowe a shafte, for hys aduauntage in sellynge. 
 And the rather bycause shaftes be not made so muche to be 
 solde, but chefely to 'be vsed. And seynge that vse and 
 occupiyng is the ende why a shafte is made, the making as it 
 were a meane for occupying, surely the knowelege in euery 
 poynte of a good shafte, is more to be required in a shooter than 
 a fletcher. 
 
 Yet as I sayde before no honest fletcher wil be angry with 
 me, seinge I do not teache howe to make a shafte whiche 
 belongeth onelye to a good fletcher, but to knowe and handle a 
 shafte, which belongeth to an archer. And this lytle booke 
 I truste, shall please and profite both partes : For good bowes 
 and shaftes shall be better knowen to the comoditie of al shoters, 
 
XVll 
 
 and good shotyng may perchaunce be the more occupied to 
 the profite of all bowyers and fletchers. And thus I praye 
 God that all fletchers getting theyr lyuynge truly, and al 
 archers vsynge shootynge honestly, and all maner of men 
 that fauour artillery, maye lyue continuallye in 
 healthe and merinesse, obeying theyr 
 prince as they shulde, and louing 
 God as they ought, to whom 
 for al thinges be al ho- 
 nour and glorye for 
 euer. Amen 
 
TOXOPHILVS, 
 
 The schole of shootinge 
 
 conteyned in two 
 
 bookes. 
 
 To all Gentlemen and yomen of Englande, 
 
 pleasaunte for theyr pastyme to rede, 
 
 and profitable for theyr use 
 
 to folow, both in war 
 
 and peace. 
 
 The contentes of the first booke. 
 
 !i^%9 Earnest businesse ought to be refreshed wyth ho- 
 neste pastyme. " 
 
 Shootyng moost honest pastyme. 
 
 The inuention of shootinge. 
 
 Shootynge fit for princes and greate men. 
 
 Shootyng, fit for Scholars and studentes. 
 
 Shootynge fitter for studentes than any musike 
 or Instrumentes. 
 
 Youthe ought to learne to singe. 
 
 . I. 
 
 [p. I.] 
 
 3- 
 
 [ 4-] 
 
 5- 
 
 [ 6.] 
 
 5- 
 
 [ 70 
 
 8. 
 
 [ TO.J 
 
 sike 
 9- 
 
 [ 12.J 
 
 II. 
 
 [ T4.] 
 
XIX 
 
 No maner of man doth or canvse to muche shoo- 
 tynge. 14. [p. 18.] 
 
 Agaynste vnlawfiill gammes and namelye car- 
 des and disc. 16. 
 
 Shootyng in war. 24. 
 
 Obedience the best propertie of a Souldyar. 25. 
 
 Reasons and authorites agaynste shootynge in 
 war with the confutacion of the same. 26. 
 
 God is pleased with stronge wepons and valy- 
 aunt feates of war. 28. 
 
 The commoditie of Shootyng in war throughe 
 the Histories Greke and Latin, & all nations Chri- 
 sten and Hethen. 29. 
 
 Vse of shootynge at home causethe stronge shoo- 
 tinge in warre. 41. 
 
 Vse of shootyngeat home, except men be apte by 
 nature, and connynge by teachyng, doth litle good 
 at all. 43. 
 
 Lacke of learnynge to shoote causethe Englande 
 lacke many a good archer. 46. 
 
 In learnyng any thyng, a man must couete to be 
 best, or els he shal neuer attayne to be meane. 47. [ 63.] 
 
 
 21.] 
 
 
 32-] 
 
 
 33-J 
 
 
 35-] 
 
 
 39-] 
 
 
 41.] 
 
 
 55-J 
 
 
 58.] 
 
 
 62.J 
 
XX 
 
 A Table conteyning 
 the seconde booke. 
 
 By knowing 
 - thinges belo- 
 ging to shoo- 
 tyng. 
 
 Proper for 
 euerye sere- 
 manes vse 
 
 Hittyng the 
 marke, by 
 
 /'Eraser 
 Shotingloue 
 Strynge 
 Bowe 
 Shaftes 
 
 General to I 
 ^''^^"- Warke. 
 
 By hande- 
 linge thyn- 
 ges beloging "* 
 to shotyng. 
 
 without 
 a man. 
 
 within 
 a man. 
 
 /Standinge 
 Nockynge 
 Drawinge 
 Holdynge 
 Xowsinge. 
 
 
 Bolde corage 
 
 I Auoydynge 
 iall affeftion. 
 
TOXOPHILVS, 
 
 A, 
 
 Cfte firsft ijofee of tfie &d)olt of sfeoting* 
 
 Philologus. Toxophilus. 
 
 PHILOLOGUS. YoustudietosoreToxophile. TOX. I 
 wil not hurt my self ouermoche I warraut you. PHI. - 
 Take hede you do not, for we Physicions saye, that it is 
 nether good for the eyes in so cleare a Sunne, nor yet holsome 
 for ys bodie, so soone after meate, to looke vpon a mans 
 boke. TOX. In eatinge and studyinge I will neuer folowe anye 
 Physike, for yf I dyd, I am sure I shoulde haue small pleasure in 
 the one, and lesse courage in the other. But what newes draue 
 you hyther I praye you ? PHI. Small newes trulie, but that as 
 I came on walkynge, I fortuned to come w' thre or foure that 
 went to shote at the pryckes : And when I sawe not you amonges 
 them, but at the last espyed you lokynge on your booke here 
 so sadlye, I thought to come and holde you with some com 
 munication, lest your boke shoulde runne awaye with you. 
 For me thought by your waueryng pace & earnest lokying, 
 your boke led you, not you it. TOX. In dede as it chaunced, 
 my mynde went faster then my feete, for I happened here to 
 reade in Phedro Platonis, a place that entretes wonderfullie of 
 the nature of soules, which place (whether it were t pi, j 
 for the passynge eloquence of Plato, and the 
 Greke tongue, or for the hyghe and godlie description of 
 the matter) kept my mynde so occupied, that it had no leisure 
 to loke to my feete. For I was reding howe some soules being 
 well fethered, flewe alwayes about heaue and heauenlie matters, 
 other some hauinge their fethers mowted awaye, and droupinge, 
 sanke downe into earthlie thinges. PHI. I remebre the place 
 verie wel, and it is \vonderfullie sayd of Plato, & now I se it 
 
2 'Toxophilus. A. 
 
 was no maruell though your fete fayled you, seing your minde 
 flewe so fast. TOX. I am gladde now that you letted me, 
 for my head akes w' loking on it, and bycause you tell me so, 
 I am verye sorie y' I was not with those good feloes you spake 
 vpon, for it is a verie faire day for a ma to shote in. PHI. And 
 me thinke you were a great dele better occupied & in better 
 copanie, for it is a very faire daye for a ma to go to his boke 
 in. TOX. Al dayes and wethers wil serue for that purpose, 
 and surelie this occasio was ill lost. PHI. Yea but clere 
 wether maketh clere mindes, and it is best as I suppose, to 
 spend ye best time vpon the best thinges : And me thought you 
 shot verie wel, and at that marke, at which euery good scoler 
 shoulde moste busilie shote at. And I suppose it be a great 
 dele more pleasure also, to se a soule flye in Plato, then a shafte 
 flye at the prickes. I graunte you, shoting is not the worst 
 thing in the world, yet if we shote, and time shote, we ar not 
 like to be great winners at the length. And you know also we 
 scholers haue more ernest & weightie matters in hand, nor 
 we be not borne to pastime & pley, as you know wel ynough 
 M Cic toff. ^^° sayth. TOX. Yet the same man in the 
 
 same place Philologe, by your leue, doth admitte 
 holsome, honest and manerlie pastimes to be as necessarie 
 to be migled with sad matters of the minde, as eating 
 & sleping is for the health of the body, and yet we be borne 
 
 for neither of bothe. And Aristotle him selfe 
 rSus. lo^e. sayth, yt although it were a fonde & a chyldish 
 
 thing to be to ernest in pastime & play, yet doth 
 he afSrme by the authoritie of the oulde Poet Epicharmus, 
 
 Arist Pol ^^^^ ^ '"^^ ^^^ ^^^ P^^y ^^^ ernest matter sake. 
 
 8. 3. ' ' And in an other place, yt as rest is for labour, & 
 medicines for helth, so is pastime at tymes for 
 sad & weightie studie. PHI. How moche in this matter is to 
 be giuen to ye auftoritie either of Aristotle or Tullie, I ca not 
 tel, seing sad me may wel ynough speke merily for a merie 
 matter, this I am sure, whiche thing this faire wheat (god saue 
 it) maketh me remebre, yt those husbadmen which rise erliest, 
 and come latest home, and are content to haue their diner and 
 other drinckinges, broughte into the fielde to them, for feare ot 
 losing of time, haue fatter barnes in haruest, than they whiche 
 will either slepe at none time of the daye, or els make merie 
 
'The schole of shoting. 3 
 
 wt their neighbours at the ale. And so a scholer y' purposeth 
 to be a good husband, and desireth to repe and enioy much 
 fruite, of learninge, muste tylle and sowe thereafter. Our 
 beste seede tyme, whiche be scholers, as it is verie tymelye, and 
 whan we be yonge : so it endureth not ouerlonge, and therfore 
 it maye not be let slippe one houre, oure grounde is verye 
 harde, and full of wedes, our horse wherw' we be drawen very 
 wylde as Plato sayth. And infinite other mo t pi. j 
 lettes whiche wil make a thriftie scholer take 
 hede how he spedeth his tyme in sporte and pleye. TOX. That 
 Aristotle and Tullie spake ernestlie, and as they thought, the 
 ernest matter which they entreate vpon, doth plainlye proue. 
 And as for your husbandrie, it was more probablie tolde with 
 apt wordes propre to y^ thing, then throughly proued with 
 reasons belongynge to our matter. For contrariwise I herd my 
 selfe a good husbande at his boke ones saye, that to omit studie 
 somtime of the daye, and sometime of the yere, made asmoche 
 for the encrease of learning, as to let the lad lye sometime 
 falloe, maketh for the better encrease of corne. This we se, 
 yf the lande be plowed euerye yere, the corne commeth thinne 
 vp : the eare is short, the grayne is small, and when it is brought 
 into the barne and threshed, gyueth very euill faul. So those 
 which neuer leaue poring on their bokes, haue oftetimes as 
 thinne inuention, as other poore me haue, and as smal wit and 
 weight in it as in other mens. And thus youre husbandrie me 
 thinke, is more like the life of a couetouse snudge that oft very 
 euill preues, then the labour of a good husbad that knoweth 
 wel what he doth. And surelie the best wittes to lerning must 
 nedes haue moche recreation and ceasing from their boke, or 
 els they marre them selues, whe base and dompysshe wittes 
 can neuer be hurte with continuall studie, as ye se in luting, 
 that a treble minikin string must alwayes be. let down, but at 
 suche time as when a man must nedes playe : when y^ base 
 and dull stryng nedeth neuer to be moued out of his place. 
 The same reason I finde true in two bowes that I haue, wherof 
 the one is quicke of cast, tricke, and trime both for pleasure 
 and profyte : the other is a lugge slowe of cast, folowing the 
 string, more sure for to last, then pleasaunt for to vse. Now 
 sir it chauced this other night, one in my chabre wolde nedes 
 bende them to proue their strength, but I can not tel how, 
 
 A 2 
 
4 Toxophilus. A. 
 
 they were both left bente tyll the nexte daye at after dyner : 
 and when I came to them, purposing to haue gone on shoting, 
 I found my good bowe clene cast on the one side, and as 
 weake as water, that surelie (if I were a riche man) I had 
 rather haue spent a crowne : and as for my lugge, it was not 
 one whyt the worse : but shotte by and by as wel and as farre 
 as euer it dyd. And euen so I am sure that good wittes, 
 except they be let downe like a treble string, and vnbent like 
 a good casting bowe, they wil neuer last and be able to cotinue 
 in studie. And I know where I speake this Philologe, for I 
 wolde not saye thus moche afore yong men, for they wil take 
 soone occasion to studie litle ynough. But I saye it therfore 
 bicause I knowe, as litle studie getteth litle learninge or none 
 at all, so the moost studie getteth not ye moost learning of all. 
 For a mans witte sore occupied in ernest studie, must be as wel 
 recreated with some honest pastime, as the body sore laboured, 
 must be refreshed with slepe and quietnesse, or els it can not 
 endure very longe, as the noble poete sayeth. 
 
 Outd. What thlg watf quiet & meri rest endures but a smal while. 
 
 And I promise you shoting by my iudgement, is ye moost 
 B honest pastime of al, & suche one I am sure, of all other, that 
 hindreth learning litle or nothing at all, whatsoeuer you & 
 some other saye, whiche are a gret dele sorer against it 
 alwaies tha you nede to be. PHI. Hindereth learninge litle or 
 nothinge at all ? that were a meruayle to me truelie, and I am 
 sure seing you saye so, you haue some reason wherewith you 
 can defende shooting w'all, and as for wyl (for the loue that 
 you beare towarde shotinge) I thinke there shall lacke none in 
 you. Therfore seinge we haue so good leysure bothe, and no 
 bodie by to trouble vs : and you so willinge & able to defende 
 it, and I so redy and glad to heare what may be sayde of it 
 I suppose we canne not passe the tyme better ouer, neyther 
 you for ye honestie of your shoting, nor I for myne owne 
 mindsake, than to se what can be sayed with it, or agaynste it 
 and speciallie in these dayes, whan so many doeth vse it, and 
 euerie man in a maner doeth common of it. TOX. To speake 
 of shootinge Philologe, trulye I woulde I were so able, either 
 as 1 my selfe am willing o,r yet as the matter deserueth, but 
 seing with wisshing we can not haue one nowe worthie, whiche 
 
The schole of shoting. 5 
 
 so worthie a thinge can worthilie praise, and although I had 
 rather haue anie other to do it than my selfe, yet my selfe 
 rather then no other. I wil not fail to saye in it what I can 
 wherin if I saye litle, laye that of my litle habilitie, not of the 
 matter it selfe whiche deserueth no lyttle thinge to be sayde 
 of it. PHI. If it deserue no little thinge to be sayde of it 
 Toxophile, I maruell howe it chaunceth than, that no man 
 hitherto, hath written any thinge of it : wherin you must 
 graunte me, that eyther the matter is noughte, vnworthye, and 
 barren to be written vppon, or els some men are to blame, 
 whiche both loue it and vse it, and yet could neuer finde in 
 theyr heart, to saye one good woorde of it, seinge that very 
 triflinge matters hath not lacked great learned men to sette 
 them out, as gnattes and nuttes, & many other mo like thinges, 
 wherfore eyther you may honestlie laye verie great faut vpo 
 men bycause they neuer yet praysed it, or els I may iustlie take 
 awaye no litle thinge from shooting, bycause it neuer yet 
 deserued it. TOX. Trulye herein Philologe, you take not so 
 muche from it, as you giue to it. For great and commodious 
 thynges are neuer greatlie praysed, not bycause they be not 
 worthie, but bicause their excellencie nedeth no man hys prayse, 
 hauinge all theyr comendation of them selfe not borowed of 
 other men his lippes, which rather prayse them selfe, in 
 spekynge much of a litle thynge than that matter whiche they 
 entreat vpon. Great & good thinges be not praysed. For who 
 euer praysed Hercules (sayeth the Greke prouerbe) And that 
 no man hitherto hath written any booke of shoting the fault is 
 not to be layed in the thyng whiche was worthie to be written 
 vpon, but of men which were negligent in doyng it, and this 
 was the cause therof as I suppose. Menne that vsed shootyng 
 moste and knewe it best, were not learned : men that were 
 lerned, vsed litle shooting, and were ignorant in the nature 
 of the thynge, and so fewe menne hath bene that hitherto were 
 able to wryte vpon it. Yet howe longe shotying hath con- 
 tinued, what common wealthes hath moste vsed it, howe honeste 
 a thynge it is for all men, what kynde of liuing so euer they 
 folow, what pleasure and profit cometh of it, both in peace and 
 warre, all maner of tongues & writers, Hebrue, Greke and 
 Latine, hath so plentifullie spoken of it, as of iew^ other thinges 
 like. So what shooting is howe many kindes there is of it, 
 
6 T'oxophilus. A. 
 
 what goodnesse is ioyned with it, is tolde : onelye howe it is to 
 be learned and brought to a perfecStnesse amonges men, is not 
 toulde. PHI. Than Toxophile, if it be so as you do saye, let 
 vs go forwarde and examin howe plentifullie this is done that 
 you speke, and firste of the inuention of it, than what honestie 
 & profit is in the vse of it, bothe for warre & peace, more than 
 in other pastimes, laste of all howe it ought to be learned 
 amonges men for the encrease of it, whiche thinge if you do, 
 not onelye I nowe for youre comunication but many other mo, 
 when they shall knowe of it, for your labour, & shotying it 
 selfe also (if it coulde speke) for your kyndnesse, wyll can you 
 very moche thanke. TO!^OPH. What good thynges me 
 speake of shoting & what good thinges shooting bringes to men 
 as my wit & knowlege will serue me, gladly shall I say my 
 mind. But how the thing is to be learned I will surely leue to 
 some other which bothe for greater experience in it, & also for 
 their lerninge, can set it out better than I. PHI. Well as 
 for that I knowe both what you can do in shooting by ex- 
 perience, & y' you ca also speke well ynough of shooting, for 
 youre learning, but go on with the first part. And I do not 
 doubt, but what my desyre, what your loue toward it, the 
 honestie of shoting, the profite that may come therby to many 
 other, shall get the seconde parte out of you at the last. 
 ■ TOXOPH. Of the first finders out of shoting, diuers 
 men diuerslye doo wryte. Claudiane the poete 
 inhisM^^ sayth that nature gaue example of shotyng first, 
 by the Porpentine, whiche doth shote his prickes, 
 and will hitte any thinge that fightes with it : whereby 
 , men learned afterwarde to immitate the same in 
 findyng out both bowe and shaftes. Plinie re- 
 ferreth it to Schythes the sonne of lupiter. Better and more 
 noble wryters bringe shoting from a more noble inuentour : as 
 Insympo. Plato, Calimachus, and Galene from Apollo. 
 
 In hynk- Yet longe afore those dayes do we reade in the 
 
 Apolt. bible of shotinge expreslye. And also if we shall 
 
 ^'"- "■ beleue Nicholas de Lyra, Lamech killed Cain 
 
 Nic.de lyra. ^j^j, ^ shafte. So this great continuaunce of 
 shoting doth not a lytle praise shotinge : nor that neither doth 
 not a litle set it oute, that it is referred to thinuention of 
 Apollo, for the which poynt shoting is highlye praised of 
 
J. iLC M-riuic 
 
 uj inuimv . ■/ 
 
 Galene : where he sayth, y' mean craftes be first foud out 
 by men or beastes, as weauing by a spider, and c;«/«« in ex- 
 suche other : but high and comendable sciences by hor. ad bo- 
 goddes, as shotinge and musicke by Apollo. And '^"■^ artes. 
 thus shotynge for the necessitie of it vsed in Adams dayes, for 
 the noblenesse of it referred to Apollo, hath not ben onelie 
 comended in all tunges and writers, but also had in greate price, 
 both in the best comune wealthes in warre tyme for the defece 
 of their countrie, and of all degrees of men in peace tyme, 
 bothe for the honestie that is ioyned with it, and the profyte 
 that foloweth of it. PHILOL. Well, as concerning the 
 fyndinge oute of it, litle prayse is gotten to shotinge therby, 
 seinge good wittes maye mooste easelye of all fynde oute a 
 trifelynge matter. But where as you saye that mooste com- 
 mune wealthes haue vsed it in warre tyme, and all degrees of 
 men maye verye honestlye vse it in peace tyme : I thynke you 
 can neither sheWe by authoritie, nor yet proue by reason. 
 TOXOPHI. The vse of it in warre tyme, I wyll declare here- 
 after. And firste howe all kindes and sortes of men (what degree 
 soeuer they be) hath at all tymes afore, and nowe maye honestlye 
 vse it : the example of mooste noble men verye well doeth proue. 
 Cyaxares the kynge of the Medees, and greate graunde- 
 father to Cyrus, kepte a sorte of Sythians with „ , ,. 
 
 1 • 1 r /u • i i i. L • Herod, icho. 
 
 him onely tor this purpose, to teache his sonne 
 
 Astyages to shote. Cyr^ being a childe was brought vp in 
 
 shoting, which thinge Xenophon wolde neuer 
 
 haue made mention on, except it had ben fitte ^^"^ '" ''"^*'' 
 
 for all princes to haue vsed : seing that 
 
 Xenopho wrote Cyrus lyfe (as Tullie sayth) not to shewe 
 
 what Cyrus did, but what all maner of princes 
 
 both in pastimes and ernest matters ought to do. ^^^ Qumt. 
 
 Darius the first of that name, and king of 
 Persie shewed plainly howe fit it is for a kinge to loue and 
 vse shotynge, whiche commaunded this sentence to be grauen 
 in his tombe, for a Princelie memorie and prayse. 
 
 Darius the King lieth buried here Strabo. 15. 
 
 That in shoting and riding had neuer pere. 
 
 Agayne, Domitian the Emperour was so cuning in 
 shoting that he coulde shote betwixte a mans Tranq.suet. 
 
8 'Toxophilus. A. 
 
 fingers standing afarre of, and neuer hurt him. Comodus also 
 „ ,. was so excellent, and had so sure a hande in it, 
 
 that there was nothing within his retche & shote, 
 but he wolde hit it in what place he wolde : as beastes runninge, 
 either in the heed, or in the herte, and neuer mysse, as Hero- 
 diane sayeth he sawe him selfe, or els he coulde neuer haue 
 beleued it. PHI, In dede you praise shoting very wel, in y' 
 you shewe that Domitian and Commodus loue shotinge, suche 
 an vngracious couple I am sure as a man shall not fynde agayne, 
 if he raked all hell for them. TOXOPH. Wel euen as I 
 wyll not commende their ilnesse, so ought not you to dispraise 
 their goodnesse, and in dede, the iudgement of Herodian vpon 
 Commodus is true of them bothe, and that was this : that 
 beside strength of bodie and good shotinge, they hadde no 
 princelie thing in them, which saying me thinke commendes 
 shoting wonderfullie, callinge it a princelie thinge. 
 
 Furthermore howe commendable shotinge is for princes : 
 
 Themistius the noble philosopher sheweth in a 
 iit "oraf'e. certayne oration made to Theodosius themperoure, 
 
 wherein he doeth commende him for .iii. thinges, 
 that he vsed of a childe. For shotinge, for rydinge of an horse 
 well, and for feates of armes. 
 
 Moreouer, not onelye kinges and emperours haue ben brought 
 vp in shoting, but also the best comune wealthes that euer were, 
 haue made goodlie adles & lawes for it, as the Persians which 
 Herod iclio ^"'^^'' ^yrus coquered in a maner all the worlde, 
 
 had a lawe that their children shulde learne thre 
 thinges onelie, from v. yeare oulde vnto .xx. to ryde an horse 
 
 Leo d t a ^^^^' *^° *''°*'^ ^^'^' *° ^peake truthe alwayes & 
 til. ■1°- '^^ neuer lye. The Romaines (as Leo themperour 
 in his boke of sleightes of warre telleth) had a lawe 
 that euery man shoulde vse shoting in peace tyme, while he 
 was .xl. yere olde and that euerye house shoulde haue a bowe 
 and .xl. shaftes ready for all nedes, the omittinge of whiche lawe 
 (sayth Leo) amonges the youthe, hath ben the onely occasion 
 why the Romaynes lost a great dele of their empire. But more 
 of this I wil speake whe I come to the profite of shoting in 
 warre. If I shuld rehearse the statutes made of noble princes 
 of Englande in parliamentes for the settyng forwarde of shoting, 
 through this realme, and specially that acte made for shoting 
 
"The schole of shoting. 9 
 
 the thyrde yere of the reygne of our moost drad soueraygne lorde 
 king Henry the .viii. I could be very long. But these fewe 
 exaples specially of so great men & noble comon wealthes, 
 shall stand in stede of many. PHI. That suche princes and 
 suche comune welthes haue moche regarded shoting, you haue 
 well declared. But why shotinge ought so of it selfe to be 
 regarded, you haue scarcelye yet proued. TOX. Examples '^ 
 I graunt out of histories do shew a thing to be so, not proue 
 a thing why it shuld be so. Yet this I suppose, y' neither 
 great mens qualities being comedable be without great 
 authoritie, for other men honestly to folow them : nor yet 
 those great learned men that wrote suche thinges, laclce good 
 reaso iustly at al tymes for any other to approue the. Princes 
 beinge children oughte to be brought vp in shoting: both by- 
 cause it is an exercise moost holsom, and also a pastyme moost 
 honest : wherin labour prepareth the body to hardnesse, the 
 minde to couragiousnesse, sufFeryng neither the one to be marde 
 with tendernesse, nor yet the other to be hurte with ydlenesse : 
 as we reade how Sardanapalus and suche other were, bycause 
 they were not brought vp w' outwarde honest payneful pastymes 
 to be men : but cockerde vp with inwarde noughtie ydle 
 wantonnfsse to be women. For how fit labour is for al 
 youth, lupiter or else Minos amonges them of Grece, and 
 Lycurgus amonges the Lacedemonians, do shewe 
 by their lawes, which neuer ordeyned any thing ^^ *" "^' 
 for ye bringyng vp of youth that was not ioyned 
 with labour. And the labour which is in shoting of al other 
 is best, both bycause it encreaseth strength, and preserueth 
 health moost, beinge not vehement, but moderate, not ouerlay- 
 ing any one part with werysomnesse, but softly exercisynge 
 euery parte with equalnesse, as the armes and breastes with 
 drawinge, the other parties with going, being not so paynfull 
 for the labour as pleasaunt for the pastyme, which exercise by 
 the iudgement of the best physicions, is most alowable. By 
 shoting also is the mynde honestly exercised where 
 a ma alwaies desireth to be best (which is a worde ^^' '^^^^ 
 of honestie) and that by the same waye, that 
 vertue it selfe doeth, couetinge to come nighest a moost perfite 
 ende or meane standing betwixte .ii. extremes, eschewinge 
 shorte, or gone, or eithersyde wide, for the which causes 
 
I o 'Toxophilus. A. 
 
 Aristotle him selfe sayth that shoting and vertue be very like. 
 
 Moreouer that shoting of all other is the moost 
 
 Arist. I. de honest pastyme, and hath leest occasion to 
 
 "*" ■ noughtinesse ioyned with it .ii. thinges very 
 
 playnelye do proue, w^hich be as a man w^olde saye, the tutours 
 
 and ouerseers to shotinge ; Daye light and open place where 
 
 euerye man doeth come, the maynteyners and kepers of shoting, 
 
 from all vnhonest doing. If shotinge faulte at any tyme, it 
 
 hydes it not, it lurkes not in corners and huddermother : but 
 
 openly accuseth & bewrayeth it selfe, which is the nexte waye 
 
 to amendement, as wyse men do saye. And these thinges 
 
 I suppose be signes, not of noughtinesse, for any man to 
 
 disalowe it: but rather verye playne tokens of honestie, for 
 
 euerye man to prayse it. 
 
 The vse of shotinge also in greate mennes chyldren shall 
 greatlye encrease the loue and vse of shotinge in all the residue 
 of youth. For meane mennes myndes loue to be lyke greate 
 menne, as Plato and Isocrates do saye. And that 
 euerye bodye shoulde learne to shote when they be 
 yonge, defence of the comune wealth, doth require whe they 
 be olde, which thing can not be done mightelye when they be 
 men, excepte they learne it perfitelye when they be boyes. 
 And therfore shotinge of all pastymes is moost fitte to be vsed 
 in childhode : bycause it is an imitation of moost ernest 
 thinges to be done in manhode. 
 
 Wherfore, shoting is fitte for great mens children, both 
 bycause it strengthneth the body with holsome labour, and 
 pleaseth the mynde with honest pastime and also encourageth 
 all other youth ernestlye to folowe the same. And these 
 reasons (as I suppose) stirred vp both great men to bring vp 
 their chyldren in shotinge, and also noble commune wealthes so 
 straytelye to commaunde shoting. Therfore seinge Princes 
 moued by honest occasions, hath in al commune wealthes vsed 
 shotynge, I suppose there is none other degree of men, neither 
 D lowe nor hye, learned nor leude, yonge nor oulde. PHIL. You 
 shal nede wade no further in this matter ToxophUe, but if 
 you can proue me that scholers and men gyuen to learning 
 maye honestlie vse shoting, I wyll soone graut you that 
 all other sortes of men maye not onelye lefullie, but ought of 
 dutie to vse it. But I thinke you can not proue but that all 
 
The schole of shoting. 1 1 
 
 these examples of shotinge brought from so longe a tyme, vsed 
 of so noble princes, confirmed by so wyse mennes lawes and 
 iudgementes, are sette afore temporall men, onelye to followe 
 them: whereby they may the better and stroglyer defende thel 
 commune wealth withall. And nothing belongeth to scholers 
 and learned men, which haue an other parte of the commune 
 wealth, quiete and peaceable put to their cure and charge, whose 
 ende as it is diuerse fro the other, so there is no one waye that 
 leadeth to them both. TOXO. I graunte Philologe, that 
 scholers and lay men haue diuerse offices and charges in the 
 comune wealth, whiche requires diuerse briging vp in their 
 youth, if they shal do them as they ought to do in their age. 
 Yet as temporall men of necessitie are compelled to take some- 
 what of learning to do their office the better withal : So scholers 
 maye the boldlyer borowe somewhat of laye mennes pastimes, 
 to maynteyne their health in studie withall. And surelie of 
 al other thinges shoting is necessary for both sortes to learne. 
 Whiche thing, when it hath ben euermore vsed in Englande 
 how moche good it hath done, both oulde men and Chronicles 
 doo tell : and also our enemies can beare vs recorde. For if it 
 be true (as I haue hearde saye) when the kynge of Englande 
 hath ben in Fraunce, the preestes at home bicause they were 
 archers, haue ben able to ouerthrowe all Scotlande. Agayne 
 ther is an other thing which aboue all other doeth moue me, 
 not onely to loue shotinge, to prayse shoting, to exhorte all other 
 to shotinge, but also to vse shoting my selfe : and that is our 
 kyng his moost royall purpose and wyll, whiche in all his 
 statutes generallye doth commaunde men, and with his owne 
 mouthe moost gentlie doeth exhorte men, and by his greate 
 gyftes and rewardes, greatly doth encourage men, and with his 
 moost princelie example very oft doth prouoke all other me 
 to the same. But here you wyll come in w' teporal man and 
 scholer : I tell you plainlye, scholer or vnscholer, yea if I were 
 .XX. scholers, I wolde thinke it were my dutie, bothe with 
 exhortinge men to shote, and also with shoting my selfe to 
 helpe to set forwarde that thing which the kinge his wisdome, 
 and his counsell, so greatlye laboureth to go forwarde: whiche 
 thinge surelye they do, bycause they knowe it to be in warrej 
 the defence and wal of our countrie, in peace, an exercise 
 moost holsome for the body, a pastime moost honest for the 
 
12 
 
 'Toxophilus. 
 
 mynde, and as I ani able to proue my selfe, of al other moste 
 fit and aereable with learninge and learned men. 
 
 phi: If you can proue this thing so playnly, as you speake 
 it ernestly, the wil I, not only thinke as you do, but become 
 a shooter and do as you do. But yet beware I saye, lest you 
 for the great loue you bear towarde shotinge, blindlie iudge of 
 shootinge. For loue & al other to ernest afFeftions be not for 
 nought paynted blinde. Take hede (I saye) least you prefer 
 shootinge afore other pastimes, as one Balbinus through blinde 
 affedtion, preferred his louer before all other wemen, although 
 she were deformed with a polypus in her nose. And although 
 shooting maye be mete sometyme for some scholers, and so 
 forthe: yet the fittest alwayes is to be preferred. Therefore 
 if you will nedes graunt scholers pastime and recreation of their 
 mindes, let them vse (as many of the doth) Musyke, and playing 
 on instrumentes, thinges moste semely for all scholers, and 
 moste regarded alwayes of Apollo & the Muses. TOX. Euen 
 as I can not deny, but some musike is fit for lerning so I trust 
 you can not chose but graunt, that shoting is fit also, as 
 Calimach^ doth signifie in this verse. 
 
 Cal. hym. 2. Both merie songes and good shoting deliteth Appollo. 
 
 But as concerning whether of them is moste fit for learning, 
 E and scholers to vse, you may saye what you will for your 
 pleasure, this I am sure that Plato and Aristotle bothe, in 
 their bookes entreatinge of the comon welthe, where they shew 
 howe youthe shoulde be brought vp in .iiii. thinges, in redinge, 
 in writing, in exercise of bodye, and singing, do make mention 
 of Musicke & all kindes of it, wherein they both agre, that 
 Musike vsed amonges the Lydians is verie ill for yong men, 
 which be studentes for vertue and learning, for a certain nice, 
 softe, and smoth swetnesse of it, whiche woulde rather entice 
 the to noughtines, than stirre them to honestie. 
 
 An other kinde of Musicke inuented by the Dorians, they 
 both wonderfully prayse, alowing it to be verie fyt for the 
 studie of vertue & learning, because of a manlye, rough and 
 stoute sounde in it, whyche shulde encourage yong stomakes, 
 to attempte manlye matters. Nowe whether these balades & 
 roundes, these galiardes, pauanes and daunces, so nicelye fingered, 
 so swetely tuned, be lyker the Musike of the Lydians or the 
 
'itie sctiQie oj sfiottng. 13 
 
 Dorians, you that be learned iudge. And what so euer ye 
 
 iudge, this I am sure, y' lutes, harpes, all maner of pypes, 
 
 barbitons, sambukes, with other instrumentes euery one, 
 
 whyche standeth by fine and quicke fingeringe, 
 
 be codemned of Aristotle, as not to be brought ^"^*'''- M 
 
 in & vsed amonge them, whiche studie for 
 
 learning and vertue. 
 
 Pallas when she had inuented a pipe, cast it away, not so 
 muche sayeth Aristotle, because it deformed her face, but 
 muche rather bycause suche an Instrumente belonged nothing 
 to learnynge. Howe suche Instrumentes agree with learning, 
 the goodlye agrement betwixt Apollo god of learninge, & 
 Marsyas the Satyr, defender of pipinge, doth well declare, 
 where Marsyas had his skine quite pulled ouer his head for 
 his labour. 
 
 Muche musike marreth mennes maners, sayth Galen, 
 although some man wil saye that it doth not so, but rather 
 recreateth and maketh quycke a mannes mynde, yet me thinke 
 by reason it doth as hony doth to a mannes stomacke, whiche 
 at the first receyueth it well, but afterwarde it maketh it vnfit, 
 to abyde any good stronge norishynge meate, orels anye 
 holsome sharpe and quicke drinke. And euen so in a maner 
 these Instrumentes make a mannes wit so softe and smoothe 
 so tender and quaisie, that they be lesse able to brooke, stronge 
 and tough studie. Wittes be not sharpened, but rather dulled, 
 and made blunte, wyth suche sweete softenesse, euen as good 
 edges be blonter, whiche menne whette vpon sofi:e chalke 
 stones. 
 
 And these thinges to be true, not onely Plato Aristotle & 
 Galen, proue by authoritie of reason, but also 
 Herodotus and other writers, shewe by playne ^cHo"' 
 and euident example, as that of Cyrus, whiche 
 after he had ouercome the Lydians, and taken their kinge 
 Cresus prisoner, yet after by the meane of one Pactyas a verye 
 headie manne amonges the Lydians, they rebelled agaynste 
 Cyrus agayne, then Cyrus had by an by, broughte them to 
 vtter destruction, yf Cresus being in good fauour with Cyrus 
 had not hertelie desyred him, not to reuenge Pactyas faulte, in 
 shedynge theyr blood. But if he would folowe his counsell, he 
 myght brynge to passe, that they shoulde neuer more rebel 
 
1 4 T'oxophilus. A. 
 
 agaynst hym, And y' was this, to make them weare log 
 kyrtils, to ye foot lyke woomen, and that euerye one of them 
 siioulde haue a harpe or a lute, and learne to playe and sing 
 whyche thinge if you do sayth Cresus (as he dyd in dede) you 
 shall se them quickelye of men, made women. And thus 
 lutinge and singinge take awaye a manlye stomake, whiche 
 shulde enter & pearce depe and harde studye. 
 
 Euen suche an other storie doeth Nymphodorus an olde 
 
 N m-bh d gt'^ke Historiographer write, of one Sesostris kinge 
 
 ymp . ^^ Egypte, whiche storie because it is somewhat 
 
 longe, and very lyke in al poyntes to the other and also you do 
 
 well ynoughe remembre it, seynge you read it so 
 
 Comment. j^^g j^^ Sophoclis commentaries, I wyll nowe passe 
 
 n tg. ^^^^ Therefore eyther Aristotle and Plato knowe 
 
 not what was good and euyll for learninge and vertue, and the 
 
 example of wyse histories be vainlie set afore vs or els the 
 
 minstrelsie of lutes, pipes, harpes, and all other that standeth 
 
 by suche nice, fine, minikin fingering (suche as the mooste 
 
 parte of scholers whom I knowe vse, if they vse any) is farre 
 
 more fitte for the womannishnesse of it to dwell in the courte 
 
 among ladies, than for any great thing in it, whiche shoulde 
 
 helpe good and sad studie, to abide in the vniuersitie amonges 
 
 scholers. But perhaps you knowe_ some great goodnesse of 
 
 suche musicke and suche instrumentes, whervnto Plato & 
 
 Aristotle his brayne coulde neuer attayne, and therfore I will 
 
 saye no more agaynst it. PHI. Well Toxophile is it not 
 
 ynoughe for you to rayle vpon Musike, excepte you mocke me 
 
 to .? but to say the truth I neuer thought my selfe these kindes 
 
 of musicke fit for learninge, but that whyche I sayde was rather 
 
 to proue you, than to defende the matter. But yet as I woulde 
 
 haue this sorte of musicke decaye amonge scholers, euen so do 
 
 I wysshe from the bottome of my heart, that the laudable 
 
 custome of Englande to teache chyldren their plainesong and 
 
 priksong, were not so decayed throughout all the realme as it is. 
 
 Whiche thing howe profitable it was for all sortes of men, those 
 
 knewe not so wel than whiche had it most, as they do nowe 
 
 whiche lacke it moste. And therfore it is true that Teucer 
 
 sayeth in Sophocles. 
 
 Sophocles Seldome at all good thinges be Knoiven how good to he 
 
 tn Atace. Before a man suche thinges do misse out of his handes. 
 
'The schole of shoting. 1 5 
 
 That milke is no fitter nor more natural! for the bringing 
 vp of children than musike is, both Gallen proueth by authoritie, 
 and dayly vse teacheth by experience. For euen the litle 
 babes lacking the vse of reason, are scarse so well stilled in 
 suckyng theyr mothers pap, as in hearynge theyr mother syng. 
 Agayne how fit youth is made, by learning to sing, for 
 grammar and other sciences, bothe we dayly do see, and 
 Plutarch learnedly doth proue, and Plato wiselie did alowe, 
 whiche receyued no scholer in to his schole, that had not learned 
 his songe before. The godlie vse of praysing God, by singinge 
 in the churche, nedeth not my prayse, seing it is so praysed 
 through al the scripture, therfore nowe I wil speke nothing of 
 it, rather than I shuld speke to litle of it. 
 
 Besyde al these commodities, truly .ii. degrees of mene, which 
 haue the highest offices vnder the king in all this realme, shal 
 greatly lacke the vse of Singinge, preachers and lawiers, bycause 
 they shal not without this, be able to rule their brestes, for euery 
 purpose. Foi- where is no distinftion in telling glad thinges and 
 fearfull thinges, gentilnes & cruelnes, softenes and vehementnes, 
 and suche lyke matters, there can be no great perswasion. 
 
 For the hearers, as Tullie sayeth, be muche afFeftioned, as he 
 is that speaketh. At his wordes be they drawen, yf he stande still 
 in one iacion, their mindes stande still with hym : If he thundre, 
 they quake : If he chyde, they feare : If he coplayne, they sory 
 with hym : and finally, where a matter is spoken, with an apte 
 voyce, for euerye afFedlion, the hearers for the moste parte, are 
 moued as the speaker woulde. But when a man is alwaye in 
 one tune, lyke an Humble bee, or els nowe vp in the top of the 
 churche, nowe downe that no manne knoweth where to haue 
 hym : or piping lyke a reede, or roring lyke a bull, as some 
 lawyers do, whiche thinke they do best, when they crye 
 lowdest, these shall neuer greatly mooue, as I haue knowen 
 many wel learned, haue done, bicause theyr voyce was not 
 stayed afore, with learnyng to synge. For all voyces, great 
 and small, base & shril, weke or softe, may be holpen and 
 brought to a good poynt, by learnyng to synge. 
 
 Whether this be true or not, they that stand mooste in nede, 
 can tell best, whereof some I haue knowen, whiche, because they 
 learned not to sing, whan they were boyes, were fayne to take 
 peyne in it, wha they were men. If any man shulde heare me 
 
1 6 'Toxophilus. A. 
 
 Toxophile, that woulde thinlce I did but fondly, to suppose 
 that a voice were so necessarie to be loked vpon, I would aske 
 him if he thought not nature a foole, for makig such goodly 
 instrumentes in a man, for wel vttring his woordes, or els if 
 the .ii. noble orators Demosthenes & Cicero were not fooles, 
 wherof the one dyd not onelie learne to sing of a man : But 
 also was not ashamed to learne howe he shoulde vtter his soudes 
 aptly of a dogge, the other setteth oute no poynte of rhetorike, 
 so fullie in all his bookes, as howe a man shoulde order his 
 voyce for all kynde of matters. Therfore seinge men by 
 speaking, differ and be better than beastes, by speakyng wel, 
 better than other men, and that singing is an helpe towarde the 
 same as dayly experiece doth teache, example of wyseme doth 
 alowe, authoritie of learned men doth approue wherwith the 
 foundacion of youth in all good common wealthes alwayes hath 
 bene tempered ; surelye if I were one of the parliament house, 
 I woulde not fayle, to put vp a bill for the amendment of this 
 thynge, but because I am lyke to be none this yeare, I wil 
 speake no more of it, at this time. TOX. It were pitie truly 
 Philologe., that the thinge shoulde be neglefted, but I trust it is 
 not as you say. PHI. The thing is to true, for of them that 
 come daylye to y^ vniuersitie, where one hath learned to singe, 
 vi. hath not. But nowe to oure shotinge Toxophile agayne, 
 wherin I suppose you can not say so muche for shotyng to be fitte 
 for learninge, as you haue spoken agaynste Musicke for the same. 
 Therfore as concerning Musike, I can be content to graunt 
 you your mynde : But as for shooting, surely I suppose 
 that you can not perswade me, by no meanes, that a man can 
 be earnest in it, and earnest at his booke to : but rather I thynke 
 that a man w* a bowe on his backe, and shaftes vnder hys 
 girdell, is more fit to wayte vpon Robin Hoode, than vpon 
 Apollo or the Muses. TOX. Ouer ernest shooting surely I 
 will not ouer ernestlye defende, for I euer thought shooting 
 shoulde be a wayter vpon lerning not a mastres ouer learning. 
 Yet this I maruell not a litle at, that ye thinke a man with a 
 bowe on hys backe is more like Robin Hoode seruaut, than 
 Apollose, seing that Apollo him selfe in Alcestis of Euripides, 
 whiche tragidie you red openly not long ago, in a maner glorieth 
 saying this verse. 
 
 Alceft^ ' *" ^' " ''y ^""^ alwaies my hovje with me to beare 
 
T^he schole of shoting. ij 
 
 Therfore a learned man ought not to much to be ashamed to 
 beare that some tyme, whiche Apollo god of lerning him selfe 
 was not ashamed always to beare. And bycause ye woulde 
 haue a man wayt vpon the Muses, and not at all medle with 
 shotyng I maruell that you do not remembre howe that the ix. 
 muses their selfe as sone as they were borne, wer put to norse 
 to a lady called Euphemis whiche had a son named Erotus with 
 whome the nine Muses for his excellent shootinge, kepte euer 
 more companie w'all, & vsed dayly to shoote togither in y^ 
 mount Pernasus : and at last it chauced this Erotus to dye, 
 whose death the Muses lamented greatly, and fell all vpon theyr 
 knees afore lupiter theyr father, and at theyr request, Erotus 
 for shooting with the Muses in earth was made a signe, and 
 called Sagittarius in heauen. Therfore you se, that if Apollo 
 and the Muses either were examples in dede, or onelye fayned 
 of wise men to be examples of learninge, honest shoting maye 
 well ynough be companion with honest studie. PHI. Well 
 Toxophile, if you haue no stronger defence of shotinge then 
 Poetes, I feare yf your companions which loue shotinge, hearde 
 you, they wolde thinke you made it but a triflyng and fabling 
 matter, rather then any other man that loueth not shotinge 
 coulde be persuaded by this reason to loue it. TOXO. Euen 
 as I am not so fonde but I knowe that these be fables, so I am 
 sure you be not so ignoraunt, but you knowe what suche noble 
 wittes as the Poetes had, ment by such matters : which often- 
 tymes vnder the couering of a fable, do hyde & wrappe in goodlie 
 preceptes of philosophie, with the true iudgement of thinges. 
 Whiche to be true speciallye in Homer and Euripides, Plato, 
 Aristotle and Galene playnelye do shewe : when through all 
 tLeir workes (in a maner) they determine all cotrouersies, by 
 these .ii. Poetes and suche lyke authorities. Therfore if in this 
 matter I seme to fable, and nothynge proue, I am content you 
 iudge so on me : seinge the same iudgement shal condemne 
 with me Plato, Aristotle, and Galene, whom in that errour I 
 am wel content to folowe. If these oulde examples proue 
 nothing for shoting, what saye you to this ? that the best learned 
 and sagest men in this Realme, whiche be nowe alyue, both loue 
 shoting and vse shoting, as the best learned bisshoppes that be : 
 amonges whome Philologe, you your selfe knowe .iiii. or .v. 
 which as in all good learning, vertue and sagenesse they gyue 
 
1 8 'Toxophilus. A. 
 
 other men example what thing they shoulde do, euen so by 
 their shoting, they playnely shewe what honest pastime, other 
 me giue to learning, may honestly vse. That ernest studie 
 must be recreated with honest pastime sufEcientlye I haue 
 proued afore, both by reason and authoritie of the best learned 
 men that euer wrote. Then seing pastymes be lefull, the 
 moost fittest for learning, is to be sought for. A pastyme, 
 . . saith Aristotle, must be lyke a medicine. Medi- 
 
 .A'KlSt "DO *7 
 
 cines stande by contraries, therfore the nature of 
 studying considered, the fittest pastyme shal soone appeare. In 
 studie euery parte of the body is ydle, which thing causeth grosse 
 and colde humours, to gather togyther & vexe scholers verye 
 moche, the mynde is altogyther bent and set on worke. A 
 pastyme then must be had where euery parte of the bodye must 
 be laboured to separate and lessen suche humours withal : the 
 mind must be vnbent, to gather & fetche againe his quicknesse 
 withall. Thus pastymes for the mynde onelye, be nothing fit 
 for studentes, bycause the body which is moost hurte by studie, 
 shulde take away no profyte at all thereat. This knewe Erasmus 
 verye well, when he was here in Cambrige : which when he 
 had ben sore at his boke (as Garret our bookebynder hath verye 
 ofte tolde me) for lacke of better exercise, wolde take his horse, 
 and ryde about the markette hill, and come agayne. If a 
 scholer shoulde vse bowles or tennies, the laboure is to vehe- 
 ment and vnequall, whiche is codempned of Galene : the 
 example very ill for other men, when by so manye actes they 
 be made vnlawfull. 
 
 Running, leaping, and coyting be to vile for scholers, and 
 so not fit by Aristotle his iudgement : walking alone into the 
 
 felde, hath no token of courage in it, a pastyme 
 tol'T'i-l ^y'^^ ^ simple man which is neither flesh nor fisshe. 
 
 Therfore if a man woulde haue a pastyme hole- 
 some and equall for euerye parte of the bodye, pleasaunt and full 
 of courage for the mynde, not vile and vnhoneste to gyue ill 
 example to laye men, not kepte in gardynes and corners, not 
 lurkynge on the nyght and in holes, but euermore in the face 
 of men, either to rebuke it when it doeth ill, or els to testifye 
 on it when it doth well ; let him seke chefelye of all other for 
 shotynge. PHILOL. Suche commune pastymes as men com- 
 menlye do vse, I wyll not greatlye allowe to be fit for scholers : 
 
T^he schole of shoting. 19 
 
 seinge they maye vse suche exercises verye well (I suppose) 
 as Galene him selfe doth allowe. TOXOPH. 
 Those exercises I remembre verye well, for I t-^e^ .''^"' 
 read them within these two dayes, of the whiche, 
 some be these : to runne vp and downe an hyll, to clyme vp a 
 longe powle, or a rope, and there hange a while, to holde a man 
 by his armes and waue with his heeles, moche lyke the pastyme 
 that boyes vse in the churche whe their master is awaye, to 
 swinge and totter in a belrope: to make a fiste, and stretche out 
 bothe his armes, and so stande lyke a roode. To go on a man 
 his tiptoes, stretching out thone of his armes forwarde, the 
 other backewarde, which if he blered out his tunge also, myght 
 be thought to daunce Anticke verye properlye. To tuble ouer 
 and ouer, to toppe ouer tayle : To set backe to backe, and se 
 who ca heaue an other his heles highest, with other moche like : 
 whiche exercises surelye muste nedes be naturall, bycause they 
 be so childisshe, and they may be also holesome for the body : 
 but surely as for pleasure to the minde or honestie in the doinge 
 of them, they be as lyke shotinge as Yorke is foule Sutton. 
 Therfore to loke on aJ pastyhies and exercises holsome for the 
 bodye, pleasaunt for the mynde, comlye for euery man to do, 
 honest for all other to loke on, profitable to be sette by of 
 euerye man, worthie to be rebuked of no man, fit for al ages 
 persos and places, onely shoting shal appeare, wherin all these 
 commodities maye be founde. 
 
 PHIL. To graunt Toxophile, that studentes may at tymes 
 conuenient vse shoting as moost holsome and honest pastyme : 
 yet to do as some do, to shote hourly daylie, wekelye, and in 
 a maner the hole yere, neither I can prayse, nor any wyse 
 man wyl alowe, nor you your selfe can honestlye defende. 
 TOXOPH. Surely Philologe, I am very glad to se you come 
 to that poynte that moost lieth in your stomake, and greueth 
 you and other so*, moche. But I truste after I haue sayd my 
 mynde in this matter, you shal cofesse your selfe that you do 
 rebuke this thing more tha ye nede, rather then you shal fynde 
 that any man may spende by anye possibilittie, more tyme in 
 shotinge then he ought. For first and formoost the hole tyme 
 is deuyded into .ii. partes, the daye and the night : whereof the 
 night maye be both occupyed in many honest businesses, and 
 also spent in moche vnthriftinesse, but in no wise it can be 
 
 B 2 
 
20 'Toxophilus. A. 
 
 applyed to shoting. And here you se that halfe oure tyme, 
 graunted to all other thinges in a maner both good and ill, is at 
 one swappe quite taken awaye from shoting. Now let vs go 
 forward, and se how moche of halfe this tyme of ours is spet in 
 shoting. The hole yere is deuided into .iiii. partes. Spring 
 tyme, Somer, faule of the leafe, and winter wherof the whole 
 winter, for the roughnesse of it, is cleane taken away from 
 shoting : except it be one day amonges .xx. or one yeare 
 amonges .xl. In Somer, for the feruent heate, a man maye 
 saye likewyse : except it be somtyme agaynst night. Now 
 then spring tyme and faule of the leafe be those which we 
 abuse in shoting. But if we consider how mutable & chaunge- 
 able the wether is in those seasons, and howe that Aristotle him 
 selfe sayth, that mooste parte of rayne fauleth in these two 
 tymes : we shall well perceyue, that where a man wolde shote 
 one daye, he shall be fayne to leaue of .iiii. Now when tyme 
 it selfe grauteth vs but a litle space to shote in, lette vs se if 
 shoting be not hindered amonges all kyndes of men as moche 
 otherwayes. First, yong childre vse not, yong men for feare of 
 them whom they be vnder to moche dare not : sage men for 
 other greater businesses, wyll not : aged men for lacke of 
 strengthe, can not : Ryche men for couetousnesse sake, care 
 not : poore men for cost and charge, may not : masters for their 
 housholde keping, hede not : seruautes kept in by their maisters 
 very oft, shall not : craftes men for getting of their lyuing, verye 
 moche leysure haue not : and many there be that oft beginnes, 
 but for vnaptnesse proues not : and moost of all, whiche when 
 they be shoters gyue it ouer and lyste not, so that generallye 
 men euerye where for one or other consideration moche shoting 
 vse not. Therfore these two thinges, straytenesse of tyme, 
 and euery man his trade of liuing, are the causes that so fewe 
 men shotes : as you maye se in this greate towne, where as 
 there be a thousande good mens bodies, yet scarse .x. y' vseth 
 any great shoting. And those whome you se shote the moost, 
 with how many thinges are the[y] drawen, or rather driuen, fro 
 shoting. For first, as it is many a yere or they begyn to be 
 greate shoters, euen so the greate heate of shotinge is gone 
 within a yere or two : as you knowe diuerse Philologe your 
 selfe, which were sometyme the best shoters, and now they be 
 the best studentes. 
 
'The schole of shoting. 2 1 
 
 If a man faule sycke, farewell shoting, maye fortune as 
 long as he lyueth. If he haue a wrentche, or haue take colde 
 in his arme, he may hang vp his bowe (I warraunt you) for 
 one season. A litle blayne, a small cutte, yea a silie poore 
 worme in his finger, may kepe him from shoting wel ynough. 
 Breaking and ill luck in bowes I wyll passe ouer, with an 
 hudred mo sere thinges, whiche chaunceth euerye daye to them 
 that shote moost, wherof the leest of them may compell a man 
 to leaue shoting. And these thinges be so trewe and euident, 
 that it is impossible either for me craftelye to fayne them, or 
 els for you iustly to deny the. Tha seing how many hundred 
 thinges are required altogyther to giue a man leaue to shote, 
 and any one of the denied, a ma can not shote : and seing 
 euery one of them maye chaunce, and doth chaunce euery 
 day, I meruayle anye wyse man wyll thynke it possible, that 
 any greate tyme can be spent in shoting at all. 
 
 PHI. If this be true that you saye Toxophile, and F 
 in very dede I can denye nothinge of it, I meruayle greatly 
 how it chaunceth, that those, whiche vse shoting be so 
 moche marked of men, and ofttymes blamed for it, and y* in 
 a maner as moche as those which pleye at cardes 
 and dise. And I shal tell you what I hearde spoken andd 
 of the same matter. A man no shoter, (not 
 longe agoo) wolde defende playing at cardes & dise, if it were 
 honestly vsed, to be as honest a pastime as youre shotinge : 
 For he layed for him, that a man might pleye for a litle at 
 cardes and dyse, and also a man wiight shote away all that euer 
 he had. He sayd a payre of cardes cost not past .ii.d. and that 
 they neded not so moche reparation as bowe and shaftes, they 
 wolde neuer hurte a man his hande, nor neuer weare his gere. 
 A man shulde neuer slee a man with shoting wyde at the cardes. 
 In wete and drye, bote and coulde, they woulde neuer forsake 
 a man, he shewed what great varietie there is in them for 
 euerye mans capacitie : if one game were harde, he myght 
 easelye learne an other : if a man haue a good game, there is 
 greate pleasure in it : if he haue an ill game, the payne is shorte, 
 for he maye soone gyue it ouer, and hope for a better : with 
 many other mo reasons. But at the last he concluded, that 
 betwixt playinge and shoting, well vsed or ill vsed, there was 
 no difference : but that there was lesse coste and trouble, and 
 a greate deale more pleasure in playing, then in shotynge. 
 
22 Toxophilus. A. 
 
 TOX. I can not deny, but shoting (as all other good thinges) 
 may be abused. And good thinges vngoodlye vsed, are not 
 good, sayeth an 'honorable bishoppe in an ernester matter then 
 this is : yet we muste beware that we laye not mennes faultes 
 vpo the thing which is not worthie, for so nothing shulde be 
 good. And as for shoting, it is blamed and marked of men for 
 that thing (as I sayde before) which shoulde be rather a token 
 of honestie to prayse it, then any signe of noughtinesse to 
 disalowe it, and that is bycause it is in euerye man his sight, 
 it seketh no corners, it hydeth it not : if there be neuer so litle 
 fault in it, euerye man seeth it, it accuseth it selfe. For one 
 houre spente in shoting is more sene and further talked of, then 
 .XX. nightes spent in dysing, euen as a litle white stone is sene 
 amonges .iii. hundred blacke. Of those that blame shotinge 
 and shoters, I wyll saye nomore at this tyme but this, that 
 beside that they stoppe and hinder shoting, which the kinges 
 grace wolde haue forwarde, they be not moche vnlyke in this 
 poynt to Wyir Somer the king his foole, which smiteth him 
 that standeth alwayes before his face, be he neuer so worshipful! 
 a man, and neuer greatly lokes for him whiche lurkes behinde 
 an other man his backe, that hurte him in dede. 
 
 But to him that compared gamning with shoting somewhat 
 wyll I answere, and bycause he went afore me in a coparison : 
 and comparisons sayth learned men, make playne matters : I 
 wyl surely folowe him in the same. Honest thynges (sayeth 
 Plato) be knowen from vnhonest thinges, by this 
 np ' ro. difference, vnhonestie hath euer present pleasure 
 in it, hauing neyther good pretence going before, nor yet any 
 profit folowing after ; which saying descrybeth generallye, bothe 
 the nature of shooting & gamning whiche is good, and which 
 is euyl, verie well. 
 
 Gamninge hath ioyned with it, a vayne presente pleasure, 
 but there foloweth, losse of name, losse of goodes, and winning 
 of an hundred gowtie, dropsy diseases, as euery man can tell. 
 Shoting is a peynfull pastime, wherof foloweth health of body 
 quiknes of witte, habilitie to defende oure countrye, as our 
 enemies can beare recorde. 
 
 Loth I am to compare these thinges togyther, & yet I do 
 it not bicause there is any comparison at al betwixte them, but 
 therby a man shal se how good the one is, howe euil the other. 
 
Hhe schole of shoting. 23 
 
 For 1 thinke ther is scarse so muche contrariousnes, betwixte 
 hotte and colde, vertue & vice, as is betwixte these .ii. thinges: 
 For what so euer is in the one, the cleane contrarye is in the 
 other, as shall playnlye appere, if we consider, bothe theyr 
 beginnynges, theyr encreasynges, theyr fructes, and theyr endes, 
 whiche I wyl soone rydde ouer. 
 
 C The fyrste brynger in to the worlde of shootynge, was 
 Apollo, whiche for his wisdome, & great com- 
 modities, brought amonges men by him, was estemed "" ^ ^^'"i'' 
 
 worthie, to be counted as a God in heauen. Disyng surely is 
 a bastarde borne, because it is said to haue .ii. fathers, and yet 
 bothe noughte: The one was an vngracious God, 
 called Theuth, which for his noughtines, came inPhedro 
 neuer in other goddes companyes, and therfore 
 Homer doth despise onse to name him, in all his workes. The 
 other father was a Lydian borne, whiche people 
 for suche gamnes, and other vnthriftines, as ^^y° °*' '" 
 boowlyng and hauntyng of tauernes, haue bene 
 euer had in most vile reputation, in all storyes and writers. 
 
 The Fosterer vp of shoting is Labour, y^ companion of 
 vertue, the maynteyner of honestie, the encreaser of health and 
 welthinesse, whiche admytteth nothinge in a maner in to his 
 companye, that standeth not, with vertue and honestie, and 
 therefore sayeth the oulde poete Epicharmus very pretelye in 
 Xenophon, that God selleth vertue, & all other 
 good thinges to men for labour. The Nource of ^"fjt'soc' 
 dise and cardes, is werisom Ydlenesse, enemy of 
 vertue, y^ drowner of youthe, that tarieth in it, and as Chauser 
 doth saye verie well in the Parsons tale, the greene path waye 
 to hel, hauinge this thing appropriat vnto it, that where as 
 other vices haue some cloke of honestie, onely ydlenes can 
 neyther do wel, nor yet thinke wel. Agayne, shooting hath 
 two Tutours to looke vpon it, out of whose companie, shooting 
 neuer stirreth, the one called Daye light, y^ other Open place, 
 whyche .ii. keepe shooting from euyl companye, and suiFers 
 it not to haue to much swinge, but euermore kepes it vnder 
 awe, that it darre do nothyng in the open face of the worlde, 
 but that which is good and honest. Lykewyse, dysinge and 
 cardynge, haue .ii. Tutours, the one named Solitariousenes, 
 whyche lurketh in holes and corners, the other called Night an 
 
24 'Toxophilus. A. 
 
 vngratiouse couer of noughtynesse, whyche two thynges be very 
 Inkepers & receyuers of all noughtynesse and noughtye thinges, 
 and therto they be in a maner, ordeyned by Nature. For on 
 the nighte tyme & in corners, Spirites and theues, rattes and mise, 
 toodes and oules, nyghtecrowes and poulcattes, foxes and 
 foumerdes, with all other vermine, and noysome beastes, vse 
 mooste styrringe, when in the daye lyght, and in open places 
 whiche be ordeyned of God for honeste thynges, they darre not 
 ones come, whiche thinge Euripides noted verye well, sayenge. 
 
 // thinges the nighty good thinges the daye doth haunt isf vse. 
 Jphi. I Tau. 
 
 Companions of shoting, be prouidens, good heed giuing, 
 true meatinge, honest comparison, whyche thinges agree with 
 vertue very well. Cardinge and dysinge, haue a sorte of good 
 felowes also, goynge commonly in theyr companye, as blynde 
 Fortune, stumbling chaunce, spittle lucke, false dealyng, crafty 
 conueyaunce, braynlesse brawlynge, false forswerynge, whiche 
 good feloes wyll sone take a man by the sleue, and cause him 
 take his Inne, some w' beggerye, some wyth goute & dropsie, 
 some with thefte and robbery, & seldome they wyl leaue a man 
 before he comme eyther to hangyng or els somme other 
 extreme misery. To make an ende, howe shoting by al mennes 
 lawes hath bene alowed, cardyng and dysing by al mennes 
 iudgementes condemned, I nede not shewe the matter is so 
 playne. 
 
 Therfore, whan the Lydians shall inuent better thinges 
 than Apollo, when slothe and ydlenes shall encrease vertue 
 more than labour, whan the nyghte and lurking corners, giueth 
 lesse occasion^ to vnthriftinesse, than lyght daye and opennes, 
 than shal shotynge and suche gamninge, be in sume comparison 
 lyke. Yet euen as I do not shewe all the goodnes, whiche is in 
 shotynge, whan I proue it standeth by the same thinges that 
 vertue it selfe standeth by, as brought in by God, or Godlyelyke 
 men, fostered by labour, committed to the sauegarde of lyght 
 and opennes, accompanied with prouision and diligens, loued 
 and allowed by euery good mannes sentence, Euen lykewyse 
 do I not open halfe the noughtines whiche is in cardyng & 
 dising, whan I shewe howe they are borne of a desperate mother, 
 norished in ydlenes, encresed by licence of nyght and corners. 
 
'The schole of shoting. 25 
 
 accompanied wyth Fortune, chaunce, deceyte, & craftines : 
 condemned and banished, by all lawes & iudgementes. 
 
 For if I woulde enter, to descrybe the monstruousenes of 
 it, I shoulde rather wander in it, it is so brode, than haue any 
 readye passage to the ende of the matter : whose horriblenes is 
 so large, that it passed the eloquence of oure Englyshe Homer, 
 to compasse it : yet because I euer thought hys sayinges to haue 
 as muche authoritie, as eyther Sophocles or Euripides in Greke, 
 therfore gladly do I remembre these verses of hys. 
 
 Hasardry is Very mother of lesinges. 
 And of deceyte^ and cursed sweringes, 
 Blasphemie of Ch\f]ist^ manslaughter^ and waste also. 
 Of catel of tyme, of other thynges mo. 
 
 ff Mother of lesinges) trulye it maye well be called so, if a 
 man consydre howe manye wayes, and how many thinges, he 
 loseth thereby, for firste he loseth his goodes, he loseth his 
 tyme, he loseth quycknes of wyt, and all good lust to other 
 thinges, he loseth honest companye, he loseth his good name 
 and estimation, and at laste, yf he leaue it not, loseth God, & 
 heauen and all : and in stede of these thinges winneth at length, 
 eyther hangyng or hell. 
 
 *fi And of deceyte') I trowe if I shoulde not lye, there is not 
 halfe so muche crafte vsed in no one thinge in the worlde, as in 
 this cursed thynge. What false disc vse they? as dise stopped 
 with quicksiluer and heares, dise of a vauntage, flattes, gourdes 
 to chop and chaunge whan they lyste, to lette the trew dise fall 
 vnder the table, & so take vp the false, and if they be true dise, 
 what shyfte wil they make to set y^ one of them with slyding, 
 with cogging, with foysting, with coytinge as they call it. 
 Howe wyll they vse these shiftes, whan they get a playne man 
 that can no skyll of them ? Howe will they go about, yf they 
 perceyue an honest man haue money, which list not playe, to 
 prouoke him to playe ? They wyl seke his company, they wil 
 let hym paye nought, yea and as I hearde a man ones saye that 
 he dyd, they wil send for hym to some house & spend 
 perchaunce, a crown on him, and at last wyll one begin to saye : 
 what my masters, what shall we do? shall euerye man playe his 
 .xii. d. whyles an apple roste in the fyre, and than we wyll 
 drinke & departe : Naye wyl an other saye, as false as he, you 
 
26 Toxophilus. A. 
 
 can not leaue whan you begyn, and therfore I wyll not playe : 
 but yet yf you wyll gage, that euery man as he hath lost his 
 .xii. d. shall sit downe, I am content, for surely I woulde winne 
 no mannes money here, but euen as much as wolde paye for 
 mye supper. Than speketh the thyrde, to the honest man that 
 thought not to playe, what wylle you playe your .xii. pence if 
 he excuse hym, tush man wyll the other saye, sticke not in 
 honest company for xii. d. I wyll beare your halfe, and here 
 is my mony. 
 
 Nowe al this is to make him to beginne, for they knowe if 
 he be ones in, and be a looser, y' he wyl not sticke at his .xii. 
 d. but hopeth euer to gette it agayne, whiles perhaps, he loose 
 all. Than euery one of them setteth his shiftes abroche, some 
 w' false disc, some wyth settynge of dyse, some with hauinge 
 outelandishe syluer coynes guylded, to put away at a tyme for 
 good gold. Than yf ther come a thing in controuersie, muste 
 you be iudged by the table, and than farewell the honest man 
 hys parte, for he is borne downe on euerye syde. 
 
 Nowe sir, besyde all these thinges they haue certayne 
 termes, as a man woulde saye, appropriate to theyr playing : 
 wherby they wyl drawe a mannes money, but paye none, 
 whiche they cal barres, that surely he that knoweth them not, 
 maye soone be debarred of all that euer he hath, afore he lerne 
 them. Yf a playne man lose, as he shall do euer, or els it is a 
 wonder, than the game is so deuilysh, that he can neuer leaue : 
 For vayn hope (which hope sayth Euripides, destroyeth many 
 . ^^,. a man and Citie) dryueth hym on so farre, that 
 
 In suppli. , \ ■\ ' 111 1 ■ 
 
 he can neuer retourne backe, vntyl he be so lyght, 
 that he nede feare no theues by the waye. Nowe if a simple 
 man happen onse in his lyfe, to win of suche players, than will 
 they eyther entreate him to kepe them company whyles he 
 hath lost all agayne, or els they will vse the moste dyuellyshe 
 fashion of all. For one of the players that standeth nexte him, 
 shall haue a payre of false disc, and cast them out vpon the 
 bourde, the honest man shall take them & cast them, as he did 
 the other, the thirde shall espye them to be false dise, and shall 
 crye oute, haroe, wyth all the othes vnder God, that he hath 
 falselye wonne theyr moneye, and than there is nothynge but 
 houlde thy throte from my dagger, than euery man layeth 
 hande on the simple man, and taketh all theyr moneye from 
 
'The schole of s hating. 27 
 
 him, and his owne also, thinking himselfe wel, that he scapeth 
 with his lyfe. 
 
 Cursed swerying, hlasphemie of Chrhte.) These halfe verses 
 Chaucer in an other place, more at large doth well set out, and 
 verye liuely expresse, sayinge. 
 
 Ey by goddes precious hert and his nayles 
 And by the blood of Christe, that is in Hales, 
 Seuen is my chaunce, and thine is sinke and treye, 
 Ey goddes armes, if thou falsly playe. 
 This dagger shall thorough thine herte go 
 This frute commeth of the beched boones twoo 
 Forsweringe, Ire, falsnes and Homicide, ^c. 
 
 Thoughe these verses be very ernestlie wrytten, yet they do 
 not halfe so grisely sette out the horyblenes of blasphemy, which 
 suche gamners vse, as it is in»dede, and as I haue hearde my 
 selfe. For no man can wryte a thing so earnestlye, as whan it 
 is spoke wyth iesture, as learned men you knowe do saye. 
 Howe will you thinke that suche furiousenes wyth woode 
 countenaunces, and brenning eyes, with staringe and bragging, 
 with heart redie to leape out of the belly for swelling, can be 
 expressed y^ tenth part, to the vttermost. Two men, I herd 
 my selfe, whose sayinges be far more grisely, than Chaucers 
 verses. One, whan he had lost his moneye, sware me God, 
 from top to toe with one breath, that he had lost al his money 
 for lacke of sweringe : The other, losyng his money, and 
 heaping othes vpon othes, one in a nothers necke, moost 
 horrible & not spekeable, was rebuked of an honest man whiche 
 stode, by for so doynge, he by and by starynge him in the face, 
 and clappyng his fiste with all his moneye he had, vpon the 
 boorde, sware me by the flesshe of God, that yf sweryng woulde 
 helpe him but one ace, he woulde not leue one pece of god 
 vnsworne, neyther wythin nor without. The remembrauce of 
 this blasphemy Philologe, doth make me quake at the hart, 
 & therefore I wyll speake no more of it. 
 
 And so to conclude wyth suche gamnying, I thynke there 
 is no vngraciousenes in all thys worlde, that carieth so far from 
 god, as thys faulte doth. And yf there were anye so desperate 
 a persone, that woulde begynne his hell here in earth, I trowe 
 he shoulde not fynde hell more lyke hell it selfe, then the lyfe 
 
28 I'oxophilus. A. 
 
 of those men is which dayly haunt and vse suche vngracious 
 games. PHIL. You handle this gere in dede : And I suppose 
 if ye had ben a prentice at suche games, you coulde not haue 
 sayd more of them then you haue done, and by lyke you haue had 
 somwhat to do with them. TOX. In dede, you may 
 honestlye gather that I hate them greatly, jn that I speake 
 agaynst them : not that I haue vsed them greatlye, in that 
 I speake of them. For thynges be knowen dyuerse wayes, as 
 Socrates (you knowe) doeth proue in Alcibiades. And if euery 
 man shulde be that, that he speaketh or wryteth vpo, then 
 shulde Homer haue bene the best capitayne, moost cowarde, 
 hardye, hasty, wyse and woode, sage and simple : And Terence 
 an ouldeman & a yong, an honest man and a bawde : with 
 suche lyke. Surelye euerye man ought to praye to God dayly, 
 to kepe them fro suche unthriftynesse, and speciallye all the 
 youth of Englande : for what youth doth begynne, a man wyll 
 
 folowe comonlye, euen to his dyinge daye : 
 fn^uMii whiche thinge Adrastus in Euripides pretelye 
 
 doth expresse, sayinge. 
 
 What thing a man in tender age hath most in vre 
 That same to death alwayes to kepe he shal be sure 
 Therfore in age who greatly longes good frute to mowe 
 In youth he must him selfe aplye good seede to sowe. 
 
 For the foundation of youth well sette (as Plato doth saye) 
 the whole bodye of the commune wealth shal floryshe therafter. 
 If the yonge tree growe croked, when it is oulde, a man shal 
 rather breake it tha streyght it. And I thinke there is no one 
 thinge y' crokes youth more then suche vnlefull games. Nor 
 let no ma say, if they be honestly vsed they do no harme. For 
 how can that pastyme whiche neither exerciseth the bodye with 
 any honest labour, nor yet the minde with any honest thinking, 
 haue any honestie ioyned with it. Nor let noman assure hym 
 selfe that he can vse it honestlye : for if he stande therein, he 
 may fortune haue a faule, the thing is more slipperye then he 
 knoweth of A man maye (I graunt) syt on a brante hyll syde, 
 but if he gyueneuer so lytle forwarde, he can not stoppe though 
 he woulde neuer so fayne, but he must nedes runne heedling, 
 he knoweth not how farre. What honest pretences, vayne 
 pleasure layeth dayly (as it were entisemetes or baytes, to pull 
 
T'he schole of shoting. 29 
 
 men fonvarde withall) Homer doeth well shewe, by the Sirenes, 
 and Circes. And amonges all in that shyp there was but one 
 Vlysses, and yet he hadde done to as the other dyd, yf a 
 goddesse had not taught hym : And so lykewyse I thinke, they 
 be easye to numbre, whiche passe by playing honestlye, excepte 
 the grace of God saue and kepe them. Therfore they that 
 wyll not go to farre in playing, let them folowe this cousell of 
 the Poete. 
 
 Stoppe the hegynninges . 
 
 PHILOLO. Well, or you go any further, I pray you tell me 
 this one thing : Doo ye speake agaynste meane mennes playinge 
 onelye, or agaynste greate mennes playinge to, or put you anye 
 difference betwixte them ? TOXOPHI. If I shulde excuse 
 my selfe herein, and saye that I spake of the one, and not of 
 the other, I feare leaste I shoulde as fondlye excuse my selfe, as 
 a cerfayne preacher dyd, whome I hearde vpon a tyme speake 
 agaynste manye abuses, (as he sayde) and at last he spake 
 agaynst candelles, and then he fearynge, least some men woulde 
 haue bene angrye and offended with him, naye sayeth he, you 
 must take me as I meane : I speake not agajmst greate candelles, 
 but agaynst lytle candels, for they be not all one (q'he) I promyse 
 you: And so euerye man laughed him to scorne. 
 
 In dede as for greate men, and greate mennes matters, I lyst 
 not greatlye to meddle. Yet this I woulde wysshe that all 
 great men in Englande had red ouer diligentlye the Pardoners 
 tale in Chaucer, and there they shoulde perceyue and se, howe 
 moche suche games stande with theyr worshyppe, howe great 
 soeuer they be. What great men do, be it good or yll, meane 
 men communelye loue to followe, as many learned men in many 
 places do saye, and daylye experience doth playnelye shewe, in 
 costlye apparell and other lyke matters. 
 
 Therfore, seing that Lordes be lanternes to leade the lyfe 
 of meane men, by their example, eyther to goodnesse or 
 badnesse, to whether soeuer they liste : and seinge also they 
 haue libertie to lyste what they will, I pray God they haue will 
 to list that which is good, and as for their playing, I wyll make 
 an ende with this saying of Chaucer. 
 
 Lordes might finde them other maner of pleye 
 Honest ynough to driue the daye awaye. 
 
30 'Toxophilus. A. 
 
 But to be shorte, the best medicine for all sortes of men 
 both high and lowe, yonge and oulde, to put awaye suche 
 vnlawfull games is by the contrarye, lykewyse as all physicions 
 do alowe in physike. So let youthe in steade of suche vnlefiill 
 games, whiche stande by ydlenesse, by solitarinesse, and corners, 
 by night and darkenesse, by fortune & chaunce, by crafte and 
 subtiltie, vse suche pastimes as stand by labour : vpon the daye 
 light, in open syght of men, hauynge suche an ende as is come 
 to by coning, rather then by crafte : and so shulde vertue 
 encrease, and vice decaye. For contrarye pastimes, must nedes 
 worke contrary mindes in men, as all other contrary thinges 
 doo. 
 
 And thus we se Philologe, that shoting is not onely the 
 moost holesome exercise for the bodye, the moost honest pastime 
 for the mynde, and that for all sortes of men : But also it is a 
 moost redy medicine, to purge the hole realme of suche pestilent 
 gamning, wherw' many tymes it is sore troubled and ill at 
 ease. 
 
 PHI. The more honestie you haue proued by shoting 
 Toxophile, and the more you haue perswaded me to loue it, so 
 moche truly the soryer haue you made me with this last sentence 
 of yours, wherby you plainly proue that a man maye not 
 greatly vse it. For if shoting be a medicine (as you saye that 
 it is) it maye not be vsed very oft, lest a man shuld hurt him 
 selfe with all, as medicines moche occupyed doo. For Aristotle 
 him selfe sayeth, that medicines be no meate to lyue withall : and 
 thus shoting by the same reason, maye not be moche occupyed. 
 TOX. You playe your oulde wontes Philologe, in dalying 
 with other mens wittes, not so moche to proue youre owne 
 matter, as to proue what other me can say. But where you 
 thinke that I take awaye moche vse of shoting, in lykening it 
 to a medicine : bycause men vse not medicines euery daye, for 
 so shoulde their bodyes be hurt : I rather proue daylye vse of 
 shoting therby. For although Aristotle sayeth that some 
 medicines be no meate to lyue withall, whiche is true : Yet 
 Hippocrates sayth that our daylye meates be 
 medfpurg. medicines, to withstande euyll withall, whiche is 
 as true. For he maketh two kyndes of medicines, 
 one our meate that we vse dailye, whiche purgeth softlye and 
 slowlye, and in this similitude maye shoting be called a medicine, 
 
'The schole of shoting. 3 1 
 
 wherwith dayly a man maye purge and take away al vnlefull de- 
 syres to other vnlefull pastymes, as I proued before. The other is 
 a quicke purging medicine, and seldomer to be occupyed, excepte 
 the matter be greater, and I coulde describe the nature of a quicke 
 medicine, which shoulde within a whyle purge and plucke oute all 
 the vnthriftie games in the Realme, through which the commune 
 wealth oftentymes is sycke. For not onely good quicke wittes 
 to learnyng be thereby brought out of frame, and quite marred : 
 but also manlye wittes, either to attempt matters of high courage 
 in warre tyme, or els to atcheue matters of weyght and wisdome 
 in peace tyme, be made therby very quaisie and faynt. For 
 loke throughoute all histories written in Greke, Latyne, or other 
 language, and you shal neuer finde that realme prosper in the 
 whiche suche ydle pastymes are vsed. As concerning the 
 medicyne, although some wolde be miscontent, if they hearde 
 me meddle anye thynge with it : Yet betwixte you and me 
 here alone, I maye the boldlyer saye my fantasie, and the rather 
 bycause I wyll onelye wysh for it, whiche standeth with 
 honestie, not determyne of it which belongeth to authoritie. 
 The medicine is this, that wolde to God and the kynge, all 
 these vnthriftie ydle pastymes, whiche be very bugges, that the 
 Psalme meaneth on, walking on the nyght and in 
 corners, were made felonye, and some of that ' 
 
 punyshment ordeyned for them, which is appoynted for the 
 forgers and falsifyers of the kynges coyne. Which punishment 
 is not by me now inuented, but longe agoo, by 
 the mooste noble oratour Demosthenes : which t"'L*lf°'- 
 meruayleth greatly that deathe is appoynted for 
 falsifyers and forgers of the coyne, and not as greate punysh- 
 mente ordeyned for them, whiche by theyr meanes forges and 
 falsifyes the commune wealthe. And I suppose that there is 
 no one thyng that chaungeth sooner the golden and syluer 
 wyttes of men into copperye & brassye wayes then dising and 
 suche vnlefull pastymes. 
 
 And this quicke medicine I beleue wolde so throwlye pourge 
 them, that the daylye medicines, as shoting and other pastymes 
 ioyned with honest labour shoulde easelyer withstande them. 
 PHIL. The excellent commodityes of shotynge in peace tyme, 
 Toxophile, you haue very wel and sufficiently declared. Wherby 
 you haue so persuaded me, that God wyllyng hereafter I wyll 
 
32 T'oxophilus. A. 
 
 both loue it the better, and also vse it the ofter. For as moche 
 as I can gather of all this communication of ours, the tunge, 
 the nose, the handes and the feete be no fytter membres, or 
 instrumentes for the body of a man, then is shotinge for the 
 hole bodye of the realme. God hath made the partes of men 
 which be best and moost neccessarye, to serue, not for one 
 purpose onelye, but for manye : as the tungue for speaking and 
 tasting, the nose for smelling, and also for auoyding of all 
 excremetes, which faule oute of the heed, the handes for 
 receyuynge of good thinges, and for puttyng of all harmefull 
 thinges, from the bodye. So shotinge is an exercyse of healthe, 
 a pastyme of honest pleasure, and suche one also that stoppeth 
 or auoydeth all noysome games gathered and encreased by ill 
 rule, as noughtye humours be, whiche hurte and corrupte sore 
 that parte of the realme, wherin they do remayne. 
 
 But now if you can shewe but halfe so moche profyte in 
 
 warre of shotynge, as you haue proued pleasure in peace, then 
 
 wyll I surelye iudge that there be fewe thinges that haue so 
 
 manifolde commodities, and vses ioyned vnto them as it hath. 
 
 Q TOX. The vpperhande in warre, nexte the goodnesse of 
 
 God (of whome aJ viftorie commeth, as scripture sayth) 
 
 standeth chefelye in thre thinges : in the wysedome of the 
 
 Prince, in the sleyghtes and pollicies of the 
 
 ■ '■ 3- capitaynes, and in the strength and cherefiill 
 
 forwardnesse of the souldyers. A Prince in his herte must 
 
 be full of mercy and peace, a vertue moost pleasaunt to Christ,, 
 
 moost agreable to mans nature, moost profytable for ryche 
 
 and poore. 
 
 For tha the riche man enioyeth with great pleasure that 
 which he hath : the poore may obtayne with his labour, that 
 which he lacketh. And although there is nothing worse then 
 war, wherof it taketh his name, through the which great men 
 be in daunger, meane men without succoure, ryche men in 
 feare, bycause they haue somwhat : poore men in care, bycause 
 they haue nothing : And so euery man in thought and miserie : 
 Yet it is a ciuill medicine, wherewith a prince maye from the 
 bodye of his commune wealth, put of that daunger whiche maye 
 faule: or elles recouer agayne, whatsoeuer it hath lost. And 
 therfore as Isocrates doth saye, a prince must be 
 a warriour in two thinges, in conninge and know- 
 
The schole of shoting. 33 
 
 ledge of all sleyghtes and feates of warre, and in hauing a) 
 necessarye habilimentes belongyng to the same. Whiche matter 
 to entreate at large, were ouerlonge at this tyme to declare, & 
 ouermoche for my learning to perfourme. 
 
 After the wisdome of the prince, are valiaunt capitaynes 
 moost necessary in warre, whose office and dutye is to knowe 
 all sleightes and pollicies for all kyndes of warre, which they 
 maye learne .ii. wayes, either in daylye folowing and haunting 
 the warres or els bicause wisdome bought with strypes, is many 
 tymes ouercostlye : they maye bestowe some tyme in Vegetius, 
 which entreateth suche matters in Latin metelye well, or rather 
 in Polyf nus, and Leo the Emperour, which setteth out al pollicies 
 and duties of capitaynes in the Greke tunge very excellentlye. 
 But chefely I wolde wisshe and (if I were of authoritie) I wolde 
 counsel al the yong gentlemen of this realme, neuer to lay out 
 of theyr handes .ii. authors Xenophon in Greke, and Cgsar in 
 Latyn, where in they shulde folowe noble Scipio 
 Africanus, as TuUie doeth saye: In whiche .ii. 
 authours, besydes eloquence a thing moste necessary of all 
 other, for a captayne, they shulde learne the hole course of 
 warre, whiche those .ii. noble menne dyd not more wyselye 
 wryte for other men to learne, than they dyd manfully excercise 
 in the fyelde, for other jn&n to folowe. 
 
 The strengthe of war lyeth in the souldier, whose chyefe 
 prayse and vertue, is obedience towarde his 
 captayne, sayth Plato. And Xenophon being a °piat"i"' ^^ 
 gentyle authour, moste christianlye doeth saye, Xen. Ages. 
 euen by these woordes, that that souldyer whiche 
 firste serueth god, & than obeyeth hys captayne, maye boldelie 
 with all courage, hope to ouerthrowe his enemy. Agayne, w'out 
 obedience, neither valiant man, stout horse, nor 
 goodly harnes doth any good at al. Which obedi- ' 
 
 ence of ye souldier toward his captane, brought the hole empyre 
 of y« worlde, into the Romanes hades, & whan it was brought, 
 kepte it lenger, than euer it was kept in any comon welth 
 before or after. 
 
 And this to be true, Scipio Africanus, the moste noble 
 captayne that euer was amonge the Romaynes, piutarchus 
 shewed very playnly, what tyme as he went in to 
 Afryke, to destroye Cartage. For he restinge hys hooste by 
 
34 'Toxophilus. A. 
 
 the waye in Sicilie, a daye or twoo, and at a tyme standing 
 
 with a great man of Sicilie, and looking on his souldiers howe 
 
 they exercised them selues in kepyng of araye, and other feates, 
 
 the gentleman of Sicilie asked Scipio, wherein laye hys chyefe 
 
 hope to ouercome Cartage: He answered, in yonder feloes of 
 
 myne, whom you se play: And why sayth the other, bycause 
 
 sayeth Scipio, that if I comaunded them to runne in to the 
 
 toppe of this high castel, and cast them selues doune backeward 
 
 vpon these rockes, I am sure the[y] woulde do it. 
 
 Salust also doth write, y' there were mo Romanes put to 
 
 death of theyr captaynes for setting on theyr 
 Sal. tn. Cat. t. r ^u i. j t ..u r 
 
 enemyes before they had licence, than were for 
 
 running away out of the fyelde, before they had foughten. 
 
 These two examples do proue, that amonges the Romaynes, 
 
 the obedience of the souldyer was wonderfuU great, and the 
 
 seueritie of the Captaynes, to se the same kepte wonderful! 
 
 strayte. For they wel perceyued that an hoste full of obedyence, 
 
 falleth as seldome into the handes of theyr enemies as that 
 
 bodye fawleth into Jeoperdye, the whiche is ruled by reason. 
 
 Reason and Rulers beynge lyke in offyce, (for the one ruleth 
 
 the body of man, the other ruleth the bodye of the comon 
 
 wealthe) ought to be lyke of condicions, and oughte to be 
 
 obeyed in all maner of matters. Obedience is nourysshed by 
 
 feare and loue, Feare is kepte in by true iustice and equitie, 
 
 Loue is gotten by wisdome, ioyned w' liberalitie : For where 
 
 a souldyer seeth ryghteousenesse so rule, that a man can neyther 
 
 do wronge nor yet take wronge, and that his capitayne for his 
 
 wysedome, can mayntayne hym, & for his liberalitie will 
 
 mayntayne him, he must nedes both loue him & feare him, 
 
 of the whiche procedeth true & vnfayned obedience. After ;' 
 
 this inwarde vertue, the nexte good poynt in a souldier, is to 
 
 haue and to handle his weapo wel, whereof the one must be at 
 
 the appoyntment of the captayne, the other lyeth in the courage 
 
 and exercise of the souldier : yet of al weapos the best is, as 
 
 In Here fu. Eurip'^es doth say, wherw' with leest dauger of 
 
 our self we maye hurt our enemye moost. And 
 
 that is (as I suppose) artillarie. Artillarie now a dayes is taken 
 
 for .ii. thinges : Gunnes & Bowes, which how moch they do in 
 
 war, both dayly experience doeth teache, and also Peter Nanius 
 
 a learned man of Louayn, in a certayne dialoge doth very well 
 
T!he schole of shoting. 35 
 
 set out, wherin this is most notable, that when he hath shewed 
 excedyng commodities of both, and some discomodities " of 
 gunnes, as infinite cost and charge, combersome carriage : and 
 yf they be greate, the vncertayne leuelyng, the peryll of them 
 that stand by them, the esyer auoydyng by them that stande far 
 of: & yf they be lytle, the lesse both feare and ieoperdy is in 
 them, besyde all contrary wether and wynde, whiche hyndereth 
 them not a lytle : yet of all shotyng he can not reherse one 
 discommoditie. PHI. That I meruayle greatly at, seing 
 Nannius is so well learned, & so exercised in the authours 
 of both the tuges : for I my selfe do remembre that shotying 
 in war is but smally praysed, and that of diuers captaynes in 
 dyuers authors. For first in Euripides (whom you so highly 
 prayse) and very well, for Tullie thynketh euerye verse in him 
 to be an authoritie, what I praye you, doth Lycus that ouer- 
 came Thebes, say as concernyng shoting ? whose words as farre 
 as I remembre, be these, or not muche vnlyke. 
 
 What prayse hath he at al, whiche neuer durst abide. 
 The dint of a speares poynt thrust against his side 
 Nor neuer bouldlie buckeler bare yet in his lefte hande 
 Face to face his enemies bront stiffelie to wythstande, Eunp.tn 
 But alwaye trusteth to a bowe and to a f ether ed sticke 
 Homes euer most fit for him which to fie is quicke, 
 Bowe and shafte is Armour e metest for a cowarde 
 Which dare not ones abide the hronte of battel sharpe is" harde. 
 
 But he a man of manhode most is by mine assent 
 Which with harte and corage boulde, fullie hath him bent. 
 His enemies looke in euery stoure floutelie to a hide, 
 'Face to face, and fate to fote, tide what maye be tide. 
 
 Agayne Teucer the best Archer amonges all the Grecians, 
 in Sophocles is called of Menelaus, a boweman, & 
 a shooter as in villaynie and reproche, to be a ^-^^ 
 thing of no price in warre. Moreouer Pandar^ 
 the best shooter in the worlde, whome Apollo hym selfe 
 taught to shoote, bothe he and his shotynge is 
 quyte contemned in Homer, in so much that 
 Homer (which vnder a made fable doth alwayes hyde hys 
 lodgement of thinges) doeth make Pandarus him selfe crye out 
 of shooting, and cast his bowe awaye, and take him to a speare, 
 
 c 2 
 
36 'Toxophilus. A. 
 
 makynge a vowe that if euer he came home, he woulde breake 
 his shaftes, & burne his bowe, lamentyng greatly, that he was 
 so fonde to leaue at home his horse and charyot wyth other 
 weapons, for the trust y' he had in his bowe. Homer signifieng 
 therby, that men shoulde leue shoting out of warre, and take 
 them to other wepons more fitte and able for the same, and I 
 trowe Pandarus woordes be muche what after thys sorte. 
 
 /// chaunce ill lucke me hyther broughte 
 III fortune me that daye befell^ 
 Whan first my bowe fro the pynne I roughte 
 For HeSfors sake, the Grekes to quell. 
 
 But yf that God so for me shap 
 That home agayne I maye ones come. 
 Let me neuer inioye that hap. 
 Nor euer tivyse looke on the sonne. 
 If bowe and shaftes 1 do not burne 
 Whyche nowe so euel doth serue my turne. 
 
 But to let passe al Poetes, what can be sorer said agaynst 
 
 any thing, than the iudgement of Cyrus is agaynst shotynge, 
 
 . whiche doth cause his Persians beyng the best 
 
 Inst 6^" shooters to laye awaye theyr bowes and take them 
 
 to sweardes and buckelers, speares and dartes, and 
 
 other lyke hande weapons. The which thing Xenophon so 
 
 wyse a philosopher, so experte a captayne in warre hym selfe, 
 
 woulde neuer haue written, and specially in that booke wherin 
 
 he purposed to shewe, as Tullie sayeth in dede, not the true 
 
 historic, but the example of a perfite wise prince 
 
 ff'^' '■ '^ and comon welthe, excepte that iudgement of 
 
 chaugyng Artillerie, in to other wepons, he had 
 
 alwayes thought best to be folowed, in all warre. Whose 
 
 counsell the Parthians dyd folowe, whan they 
 
 ^M^Ant chased Antonie ouer the moutaines of Media, 
 
 whiche being the best shoters of the worlde, lefte 
 
 theyr bowes, and toke them to speares and morispikes. 
 
 And these fewe examples I trowe, of the best shooters, do 
 well proue that the best shotinge is not the best thinge as you 
 call it in warre. TOX. As concernynge your first example, 
 taken oute of Euripides, I maruayle you wyl bring it for y« 
 
'The schole of shoting. 37 
 
 disprayse of shotyng, seyng Euripides doth make those verses, 
 not bicause he thinlceth the true, but bicause he thinketh them 
 fit for the person that spake them. For in dede his true iudge- 
 ment of shoting, he doth expresse by & by after in the oratio of 
 the noble captaine Amphytrio agaynste Lycus, wherein a man 
 maye doubte, whether he hath more eloquentlye confuted 
 Lycus sayenge, or more worthelye sette oute the prayse of 
 shootynge. And as I am aduised, his woordes be muche 
 hereafter as I shall saye. 
 
 Against the w'ttt'te gifte of shotinge in a boive , . 
 
 Fonde and leude woordes thou leudlie doest out throwe. Here fur 
 Whiche, if thou wilte heare of me a woorde or twayne 
 ^uicklie thou mayst learne hoiue fondlie thou doest blame, 
 
 Firste he that with his harneis him selfe doth wal about. 
 That scarce is lefte one hole through which he may pepe out., 
 Such bondmen to their harneis to fight are nothinge mete 
 But sonest of al other are troden vnder fete. 
 Yf he be stronge, his felovves faynt, in whome he putteth his trust, 
 So loded with his harneis must nedes lie in the dust, 
 Nor yet fro death he can not starte, if ones his weapon breke, 
 Howe stoute, howe strong, howe great, howe longe, 
 
 so euer be suche a freke. 
 But who so euer can handle a howe 
 
 sturdie stiffe and stronge 
 Wherijuith lyke hayle manie shaftes he shootes 
 
 into the thickest thronge : 
 This profite he takes, that standing a far 
 
 his enemie he maye spill 
 Whan he and his full safe shall stande 
 
 out of all daunger and ill. 
 And this in War is wisedome moste, which 
 
 workes our enemies woo. 
 Whan we shal be far from all feare 
 
 and ieoperdie of our foo. 
 
 Secondarily euen as I do not greatlye regarde what Menelaus 
 doth say in Sophocles to Teucer, bycause he spake it bothe in 
 anger, and also to hym that he hated, euen so doo I remembre 
 very well in Homer, that when Heitor and the Troians woulde 
 
38 T'oxophilus. A. 
 
 haue set fyre on the greke shippes, Teucer with his bowe made 
 them recule backe agayne, when Menelaus tooke 
 
 niad. 8. , , u ■ r ^ J 
 
 hym to his feete, and ranne awaye. 
 
 Thirdlye as concerning Pandarus, Homer doth not disprayse 
 the noble gyfte of shotynge, but therby euery man is taught, 
 that whatsoeuer, and how good soeuer a weapon a man doth 
 vse in war, yf he be hym selfe a couetouse wretche, 
 om. . 5. ^ foole wythoute counsell, a peacebreaker as Pan- 
 darus was, at last he shall throughe the punishment of God fall 
 into his enemyes handes, as Pandarus dydde, whome Diomedes 
 throughe the helpe of Minerua miserablye slue. 
 
 And bycause you make mencion of Homer, & Troye 
 matters, what can be more prayse for anye thynge, I praye 
 you, than that is for shootyng, that Troye coulde neuer be 
 destroyed without the helpe of Hercules shaftes, whiche thinge 
 doeth signifie, that although al the worlde were gathered in an 
 army togyther, yet without shotinge they can neuer come to 
 theyr purpose, as Vlysses in Sophocles very plainlye doth saye 
 vnto Pyrrhus, as concernyng Hercules shaftes to be caried vnto 
 Troye. 
 
 Soph. phil. If or you without them., nor without you they do ought. 
 
 Fourthlye where as Cyrus dyd chaunge parte of his bowe- 
 
 men, wherof he had plentie, into other me of 
 
 Inskt e" warre, wherof he lacked, I will not greatlye 
 
 dispute whether Cyrus did well in that poynt in 
 
 those dayes or no, bycause it is not playne in Xenophon howe 
 
 strong shooters the Persians were, what bowes they had, what 
 
 shaftes and heades they occupyed, what kynde of warre theyr 
 
 enemies vsed. 
 
 But trulye as for the Parthians, it is playne, in Plutarche, 
 
 . that in chaungyng theyr bowes in to speares, they 
 
 Ariton. ' brought theyr selfe into vtter destrudtion. For 
 
 when they had chased the Romaynes many a 
 
 myle, through reason of theyr bowes, at the last the Romaynes 
 
 ashamed of their fleing, and remembrynge theyr owlde noble- 
 
 nesse and courage, ymagined thys waye, that they woulde 
 
 kneele downe on theyr knees, and so couer all theyr body wyth 
 
 theyr shyldes and targattes, that the Parthians shaftes might 
 
 slyde ouer them, & do them no harme, whiche thing when the 
 
The schole of shoting. 39 
 
 Partias perceyued, thinking that y^ Romaynes were forweryed 
 with laboure, watche, and hugre : they layed downe their bowes, 
 and toke spares in their handes, and so ranne vpon them : but 
 the Romaynes perceyuinge them without their bowes, rose vp 
 manfully, and slewe them euery mother son, saue a fewe that 
 saued them selues with runnyng awaye. And herein our 
 archers of Englande far passe the Parthians, which for suche 
 a purpose, whe they shall come to hande strokes, hath euer 
 redy, eyther at his backe hangyng, or els in his next felowes 
 hande a leade maule, or suche lyke weapon, to beate downe his 
 enemyes withall. PHI. Well Toxophile, seinge that those 
 examples whiche I had thought to haue ben cleane agaynst 
 shoting, you haue thus turned to the hygh prayse of shotinge : 
 and all this prayse that you haue now sayd on it, is rather come 
 in by me tha sought for of you : let me heare I praye you nowe, 
 those examples whiche you haue marked of shotyng your selfe : 
 whereby you are, and thinke to persuade other, yt shoting is so 
 good in warre. TOX. Exaples surely I haue marked very 
 many : fro the begynning of tyme had in memorie of wrytyng, 
 throughout all comune wealthes, & Empires of the worlde : 
 wherof the mooste part I wyll passe ouer, lest I shoulde be 
 tediouse : yet some I wyll touche, bycause they be notable, 
 bothe for me to tell and you to heare. 
 
 And bycause the storye of the lewes is for the tyme moost 
 auncient, for the truthe mooste credible, it shalbe moost fitte to 
 begynne with them. And although I knowe that God is the 
 onely gyuer of viftorie, and not the weapons, for all strength 
 and viftorie (sayth ludas Machabeus) cometh from „ 
 
 heauen: Yet surely strong weapons be the instru- "' ' "" ^' 
 mentes wherwith god doth ouercome y' parte, which he wil 
 haue ouerthrowen. For God is well pleased wyth wyse and 
 wittie feates of warre : As in metinge of enemies, for truse 
 takyng, to haue priuiiye in a bushment harnest men layd for 
 feare of treason, as ludas Machabeus dyd wyth ^^^ ^ 
 Nicanor Demetrius capitayne : And to haue 
 engines of warre to beat downe cities with all : and to haue 
 scoutwatche amoges our enemyes to knowe their counsayles, 
 as the noble captaine lonathas brother to ludas ^^^^ ^ ^^ 
 Machabeus did in the countrie of Amathie against 
 the mighty hoste of Deme.trius. And besyde al this, god 
 
40 'Toxophilus. A. 
 
 is pleased to haue goodly tombes for them which do noble 
 feates in warre, and to haue their ymages made, and also their 
 j^ cote Armours to be set aboue theyr tombes, to 
 
 ■ '^' their perpetual laude and memorie : as the valiaunt 
 capitayne Symon, dyd cause to be made for his brethren ludas 
 Machabeus and lonathas, whe they were slayne of the Getiles. 
 And thus of what authoritie feates of warre, and strong 
 weapons be, shortly and playnelye we maye learne : But 
 amonges the lewes as I began to tell, I am sure there was 
 nothing so occupyed, or dydde so moche good as bowes dyd : 
 insomoche that when the lewes had any great vpperhande ouer 
 the Gentiles, the fyrste thinge alwayes that the captayne dyd,- 
 was to exhort the people to gyue all the thankes to God for 
 
 the viftorye, & not to theyr bowes, wherwith they 
 
 ■^ ' had slayne their enemyes : as it is playne that 
 
 the noble losue dyd after so many kynges thrust downe by hym. 
 
 God, when he promyseth helpe to the lewes, he vseth no 
 
 kynde of speakyng so moche as this, that he wyll bende his 
 
 bowe, and die his shaftes in the Gentiles blood : 
 
 eu era. ^i. thereby it is manifest, that eyther God wyll 
 
 make the lewes shoote stronge shotes to ouerthrowe their 
 
 enemies : or at leeste that shotinge is a woderfiil mightie thing 
 
 in warre, whervnto y^ hygh power of God is lykened. Dauid 
 
 in the Psalmes calleth bowes the vessels of death, 
 Psal. 7. 63. ^ bytter thinge, & in an other place a myghty 
 
 power, and other wayes mo, which I wyll let 
 passe, bycause euerye man readeth them daylye : But yet one 
 place of scripture I must nedes remembre, which is more 
 notable for y^ prayse of shoting, then any yt euer I red in any 
 
 other storie, and that is, when Saul was slayne of 
 
 egum. 1. 31. ^g Philistians being mightie bowmen, and lonathas 
 
 his Sonne with him, that was so good a shoter, as y^ scripture 
 
 sayth, that he neuer shot shafte in vayne, and yt the kyngdome 
 
 after Saules deathe came vnto Dauid : the first statute & lawe 
 
 that euer Dauid made after he was king, was this, 
 egum. i. 1. ^j^^^ ^j ^g children of Israel shulde learne to shote, 
 according to a lawe made many a daye before y' tyme for the 
 setting out of shoting as it is written (sayeth Scripture) in libro 
 lustorum., whiche booke we haue not nowe : And thus we se 
 plainelye what greate vse of shoting, and what prouision euen 
 
The schole of shoting. 4 1 
 
 from the begynnynge of the worlde for shotyng, was amonge 
 the lewes. 
 
 The Ethiopians which inhabite the furthest part South in 
 the worlde, were wonderfull bowmen : in somoche that when 
 Cambyses king of Persie being in Egipt, sent 
 certayne ambassadours into Ethiope to the kynge Thdia ^" 
 there, with many great gyftes : the king of 
 Ethiop perceyuinge them to be espyes, toke them vp sharpely, 
 and blamed Cambyses greatly for such vniust enterprises : but 
 after that he had princely entertayned them, he sent for a bowe, 
 and bente it and drewe it, and then vnbent it agayne, and 
 sayde vnto the ambassadours, you shall comende me to Cam- 
 byses, and gyue him this bowe fro me, and byd him when any 
 Persian can shote in this bowe, let him set vpon the Ethiopians : 
 In the meane whyle let hym gyue thankes vnto God, whiche 
 doth not put in the Ethiopias mynde to coquere any other 
 mans lande. This bowe, when it came amonge the Persians, 
 neuer one man in suche an infinite host (as Herodotus doth 
 saye) could styrre the stryng, saue onely Smerdis the brother of 
 Cambyses, whiche styrred'it two fingers, and no further : for the 
 which a<3: Cambyses had suche enuy at him, that he afterward 
 slewe him : as doth appeare in the storye. 
 
 Sesostris the moost'mightie king that euer was in Egipt, ouer- 
 came a great parte of the worlde, and that by archers : he subdued 
 the Arabians, the lues, the Assyrians : he wet farther into Scythia 
 then any man els : he ouercame Thracia, euen to the borders of 
 Germanie. And in token how he ouercame al men he set vp in 
 many places great ymages to his owne lykenesse, hauynge in the 
 one hande a bowe, in the other a sharpe heeded Herod, in 
 shafte :• that men myght knowe, what weapon Euterpe. 
 his hooste vsed, in conqueryng so manye people. Diod. Sic. -i 
 
 Cyrus, counted as a god amonges the Gentyles, for his 
 noblenesse and felicitie in warre : yet at the last rj ^ - ■ 
 when he set vpon the Massagetanes (which people ""o ■ f <: ^o. 
 neuer went without their bowe nor their quiuer, nether in 
 warre nor peace) he and all his were slayne, and that by 
 shotyng, as appeareth in the storye. 
 
 Poly crates the prince of Samos (a very little yle) was lorde ouer 
 all the Greke sees, and withstode the power of the 
 Persians, onely by the helpe of a thousande archers. ^"''"'- ' ''^"^ 
 
42 Toxophilus. A. 
 
 The people of Scythia, of all other men loued, and vsed 
 moost shotyng, the hole rychesse and househoulde stufFe of a 
 man in Scythia, was a yocke of oxen, a plough, his nagge and 
 his dogge, his bowe and his quiuer : which quiuer was couered 
 with the skynne of a man, which he toke or slewe fyrste in 
 battayle. The Scythians to be inuincible by reason of their 
 shotyng, the greate voyages of so manye noble conquerours 
 spent in that countrie in vayne, doeth well proue : But 
 specially that of Darius the myghtie kyng of Persia, which 
 when he had taryed there a great space, and done no good, but 
 had forweryed his hoste with trauayle and hunger : At last the 
 men of Scythia sent an ambassadour with .iiii. 
 Mdfomm. gyfte«= a byrde, a frogge, a mouse, and .v. 
 shaftes. Darius meruaylyng at the straungenesse 
 of the gyftes, asked the messenger what they signifyed : the 
 messenger answered, that he had no further comaundement, 
 but onely to delyuer his gyftes, and retourne agayne with 
 all spede : but I am sure (sayeth he) you Persians for your 
 great wysdome, can soone boult out what they meane. When 
 the messenger was gone, euery man began to say his verdite. 
 Darius Judgement was this, that ye Scythians gaue ouer into the 
 Persians handes, their lyues, theyr hole power, both by lande 
 and see, signifyinge by the mouse the earthe, by the frogge the 
 water, in which they both Hue, by y^ birde their lyues which 
 lyue in the ayer, by the shaft their hole power and Empire, that 
 was maynteyned alwayes by shotinge. Gobryas a noble and 
 wyse captayne amonges the Persians, was of a cleane cotrary 
 minde, saying, nay not so, but the Sythias meane thus by their 
 gyftes, that except we get vs wynges, and flye into the ayer 
 lyke birdes, or run into y« holes of the earth lyke myse, or els 
 lye lurkyng in fennes & marisses lyke frogges, we shall neuer 
 returne home agayne, before we be vtterly vndone with their 
 shaftes : which sentence sanke so sore into their hertes, y' 
 Darius with all spede possible, brake vp his campe, and gat hym 
 Herod.iclio. selfe homewarde. Yet howe moche the Persians 
 Xenoph. in them selues set by shotinge, wherby they en- 
 cyrop. creased their empire so moche, doth appeare by 
 
 Strab. II. .iii. manifest reasons: firste that they brought 
 vppe theyr youth in the schole of shoting, vnto .xx. yere of 
 age, as dyuerse noble Greke authours do saye. 
 
"The schole of shoting. 43 
 
 Agayne, bycause the noble kyng Darius thought hym selfe 
 to be praysed by nothyng so moch, as to be counted a good 
 shoter, as doth appeare by his sepulchre, wherin he caused to be 
 written this sentence : 
 
 Darius the King lieth buried here Strab. 15. 
 
 That in shoting and riding had neuer pere. 
 
 Thirdlye the coyne of the Persians, both golde & siluer had 
 the Armes of Persie vpon it, as is customably vsed 
 in other realmes, and that was bow and arowes : Plutarch, in 
 by the which feate they declared, how moch they Agesila. 
 set by them. 
 
 The Grecians also, but specially the noble Athenienses, had 
 all their strength lyinge in Artillarie : and for . , 
 
 y* purpose the citie of Athes had a m. men which 
 were onely archers, in dayly wages, to watche and kepe the 
 citie fro al ieoperdie & sodein dauger : which archers also 
 shuld cary to priso & warde any misdoer at y^ comaundemet 
 of the hygh officers, as playnlye doth appeare in Plato. And 
 surely the bowmen of Athens did woderful feates 
 in many battels, but specially when Demosthenes ta^Za" ^^''' 
 the valiaut captayne slue and toke prisoners all 
 the Lacedemonians besyde y^ citie of Pylos, where Nestor 
 somtyme was lord : the shaftes went so thicke 
 that daye (sayth Thucydides) that no man could ""^^ ' " *' 
 
 se theyr enemies. A Lacedemonian taken prisoner, was asked 
 of one at Athens, whether they were stoute fellowes that were 
 slayne or no, of the Lacedemonians : he answered nothing els 
 but this : make moche of those shaftes of youres, for they 
 knowe neyther stoute nor vnstoute : meanynge therby, that no 
 man (though he were neuer so stout) came in their walke, that 
 escaped without death. 
 
 Herodotus descrybing the mighty hoost of Xerxes especially 
 doth marke out, what bowes and shaftes they vsed, 
 signifying y* therin lay their chefe stregth. And p^iym. '" 
 at the same tyme Attossa, mother of Xerxes, wyfe 
 to Darius, and doughter of Cyrus, doeth enquire r h ' P s 
 (as Aeschylus sheweth in a Tragedie) of a cer- 
 tayne messenger that came from Xerxes hoste, what stronge and 
 fearfuU bowes the Grecians vsed : wherby it is playne, that 
 
44 T'oxophilus. A. 
 
 Artillarie was the thing, wherin both Europe and Asia at those 
 dayes trusted moost vppon. 
 
 The best parte of Alexanders hoste were archers as playnelye 
 
 doth appeare by Arianus, and other y* wrote his life : and those 
 
 so stronge archers, that they onely, sundrye tymes ouercame 
 
 . . - their enemies, afore any other neded to fyght : as 
 
 was sene in the battayl which Nearchus one of 
 Alexanders capitaynes had besyde the ryuer of Thomeron. 
 And therfore as concerning all these kyngdomes and comune 
 wealthes, I maye coclude with this sentence of Plinie, whose 
 
 wordes be, as I suppose thus : If any man woulde 
 Coil' ^6 ' remebre the Ethiopians, Egyptians, Arabians, 
 
 the men of Inde, of Scythia, so many people 
 in ye east of the Sarmatianes, and all the kyngdomes of the 
 Parthians, he shall well perceyue halfe the parte of the worlde, 
 to lyue in subiedtion, ouercome by the myght and power of 
 shotinge. 
 
 In the commune wealth of Rome, which exceded all other 
 in vertue, noblenesse, and dominion litle metion is made of 
 shoting, not bycause it was litle vsed amonges them, but rather 
 bycause it was bothe so necessarye and comune, that it was 
 thought a thing not necessarye or requyred of anye man to be 
 spoken vpon, as if a man shoulde describe a greate feaste, 
 he woulde not ones name bread, although it be mooste common 
 and necessarye of all : but surely yf a feaste beynge neuer 
 so great, lacked bread, or had fewsty and noughty bread, all the 
 other daynties shulde be vnsauery, and litle regarded, and than 
 woulde men talke of the commodity of bread, whan they lacke 
 it, that would not ones name it afore, whan they had it : And 
 euen so dyd the Romaynes as concernynge shootyng. Seldome 
 is shootinge named, and yet it dyd the moste good in warre, 
 as didde appere, verye playnlye in that battell, whiche 
 Scipio Aphrican^ had with the Numantines in Spayne, 
 whome he coulde neuer ouercome, before he sette bowemen 
 amonges his horse men, by whose myght they were clean van- 
 quished. 
 
 Agayne, Tiberius fyghtynge with Armenius and Ing- 
 r f ,^ uiomerus princis of Germanic, had one wing of 
 
 archers on horseback, an other of archers on foot, 
 by whose might the Germanes were slayne downe ryghte, and 
 
'The schole of shoting. 45 
 
 so scattered and beate oute of the feelde, that the chase lasted 
 .X. myles, the Germanes clame vp in to trees for feare, but the 
 Romanes dyd fetche them downe with theyr shaftes as they had 
 be birdes, in whyche battell the Romaynes lost fewe or none, as 
 dothe appeare in the historic. 
 
 But as I began to saye, the Romaynes dyd not so muche 
 prayse the goodnesse of shootinge, whan they had it, as they 
 dyd lament the lacke of it, whan they wanted it, as Leo the .v. 
 the noble Emperour doth playnly testifie in sundrie places in 
 those bokes whiche he wrote in Greke, of the sleyghtes and 
 pollicies of warre. PHIL. Surelie of that booke I Ijaue not 
 heard before, and howe came you to the syghte of it.^TOX. 
 The booke is rare trulie, but this laste yeare when 'master 
 Cheke translated the sayd booke out of greke in to Latin, to ye 
 kinges maiestie, he of his gentlenesse, wolde haue me very ofte 
 in hys chaber, and for the familiaritie that I had wyth hym, 
 more than manye other, woulde suffer me to reade of it, whan 
 I woulde, the whiche thinge to do, surelye I was very desirous 
 and glad, because of the excellent handelynge of all thynges, 
 that euer he taketh in hande. And verily Philologe, as ofte as 
 I remembre the departynge of that man from the vniuersitie, 
 (whiche thinge I do not seldome) so ofte do 1 well perceyue our 
 moste helpe and furtheraunce to learnynge, to haue gon awaye 
 with him. For by y^ great comoditie y' we toke in hearyng 
 hym reade priuatly in his chambre, all Homer, Sophocles, and 
 Euripides, Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, Isocrates and 
 Plato, we feele the great discommoditie in not hearynge of 
 hym, Aristotle & Demosthenes, whiche ii. authours with all 
 diligence last of all he thought to haue redde vnto us. And 
 when I consider howe manye men he succoured with his helpe, 
 & hys ayde to abyde here for learninge, and howe all men were 
 prouoked and styrred vp, by his councell and daylye example, 
 howe they shulde come to learning, surely I perceyue that 
 sentence of Plato to be true, which sayeth that there is nothyng 
 better in any common wealthe, than that there shoulde be 
 alwayes one or other, excellent passyng man, whose lyfe and 
 vertue, shoulde plucke forwarde the will, diligence, laboure and 
 hope of all other, that folowyng his footesteppes, they myght 
 comme to the same ende, wherevnto labour, lerning & vertue, 
 had coueied him before. The great hinderance of learning, in 
 
46 'Toxophilus. A. 
 
 lackinge thys man greatly I shulde lament, if this discomoditie 
 of oures, were not ioyned with the comoditie & welth, of y^ hole 
 realme, for which purpose, our noble king full of wysedome 
 hath called vp this excellent man full of learnynge, to teache 
 noble prince Edwarde, an office ful of hope, comforte & solace 
 to al true hertes of England : For whome al England dayly 
 doth praye, yt he passing his Tutour in learnyng & know- 
 ledge, folowynge his father in wisedome & felicitie, accordyng 
 to yt example which is set afore his eyes, may so set out and 
 mayntayne goddes worde to the abolishment of al papistry, 
 the confusion of al heresie, that therby he feared of his en- 
 nemies, loued of al his subieftes, maye bring to his own glory, 
 immortal fame & memorie, to this realme, welthe, honour 
 & felicitie, to true and vnfayned religion perpetuall peace, 
 Concorde and vnitie. 
 
 But to retourne to shootynge agayne, what Leo sayeth of 
 shootynge amonges the Romaynes, hys woordes, be so muche for 
 the prayse of shootynge, and the booke also so rare to be gotten, 
 , that I learned the places by harte, whyche be as I 
 
 suppose, euen thus. Fyrste in his sixte booke, 
 as concerning what barneys is best : Lette all the youth of' 
 Rome be compelled to vse shootyng, eyther more or lesse, & 
 alwayes to bear theyr bowe & theyr quiuer aboute with them, 
 untyll they be .xl. yeares oulde. 
 
 For sithens shootynge was necgledted and decayed among 
 the Romaynes, many a battayle and fyelde hath been loste. 
 Agayne in the 11. booke and .50. chapiter, (I call 
 that by bookes and chapiters, whyche the greke 
 booke deuideth by chapiters and paragraphes) Let your soul- 
 dyers haue theyr weapons wel appoynted and trimmed, but 
 aboue all other thynges regarde moste shootinge, and therfore 
 lette men when there is no warre, vse shootynge at home : For 
 the leauynge of, onely of shotynge, hath broughte in ruyne and 
 decaye, the hole Empire of Rome. Afterwarde he commaund- 
 eth agayne, hys capitayne by these wordes : Arme your hoste 
 as I haue appoynted you, but specially with bowe 
 and arrowes plentie. For shootynge is a thinge 
 of muche myghte and power in warre, and chyefely agaynst the 
 Sarracenes and Turkes, whiche people hath all their hope of 
 vi(Sorie in theyr bowe and shaftes : Besydes, all this, in an other 
 
The schole of shoting. 47 
 
 place, he wryteth thus to his Captayne : Artillerie is easie to be 
 prepared, and in time of great nede, a thing moste profitable, 
 therfore we straytlye commaunde you to make proclamation to 
 al men vnder our dominion, which be eyther in war or peace, 
 to all cities, borowes and townes, and fynally to all 
 maner of men, that euerye seare persone haue ^°' ^^' 
 
 bowe and shaftes of his owne, & euerye house besyde this, to 
 haue a standing bearyng bowe, and xl. shaftes for all nedes, and 
 that they exercise them selues in holtes, hilles, and dales, playnes 
 and wodes, for all maner of chaunces in warre. 
 
 Howe muche shooting was vsed among the olde Romanes 
 and what meanes noble captaynes and Emperou[r]s made, to 
 haue it encrease amonge them, and what hurte came by the 
 decaye of it, these wordes, of Leo the emperour, which in a 
 maner I haue rehersed woorde for woorde, playnly doth declare. 
 And yet shotynge, although they set neuer so muche by it, 
 was neuer so good than, as it is nowe in Englande, whiche 
 thing to be true, is very probable, in that Leo doth saye, that 
 he woulde haue his souldiers take of theyr arrowe 
 heads, and one shote at an other, for theyr ""' '^' ' 
 
 exercise, whiche playe yf Englyshe archers vsed, 1 thinke they 
 shoulde fynde smal play and lesse pleasure in it at all. 
 
 The great vpperhande maynteyned alwayes in warre by 
 artillery, doeth appeare verye playnlye by this reason also, 
 that whan the spanyardes, franchmen, and germanes, grekes, 
 macedonians, and egyptians, eche contry vsing one singuler 
 weapon, for whyche they were greatelye feared in warre, as the 
 Spanyarde Lancea, the Francheman Gesa, the German Framea, 
 the Grecian Machera^ the Macedonian Sarissa, yet coulde they 
 not escape, but be subieftes to the Empire of Rome, whan the 
 Parthians hauyng all theyr hope in artillerie, gaue no place to 
 the, but ouercame the Romanes, ofter than the Romaynes 
 them, and kepte battel with them, many an hundred yeare, 
 and slue the ryche Crassus and hys son wyth piutarch t 
 many a stoute Romayne more, with their bowes. m. Crass. &• 
 They draue Marcus Antonius ouer the hylles of i M. Anto. 
 Media & Armenia, to his great shame and reproch. ■^«^- Spart. 
 They slue lulianus Apostata, and Antoninus Caracalla, they 
 helde in perpetual pryson, y« most noble emperour Valerian in 
 despite of all the Romaynes and many other princes, whiche 
 
48 'Toxophilus. A. 
 
 wrote for his delyueraunce, as Bel soHs called kynge of kynges, 
 Valerius kynge of Cadusia, Arthabesdes kyng of Armenia, and 
 many other princes more, whom y^ Parthians by reason of 
 theyr artillerie, regarded neuer one whitte, and thus with the 
 Romaynes, I maye conclude, that the borders of theyr empyre 
 were not at the sunne rysinge and sunne settynge, as Tullye 
 sayeth : but so farre they went, as artillarie woulde gyue them 
 leaue. For I thinke all the grounde that they had, eyther 
 northewarde, farther than the borders of Scythia, or Easte- 
 warde, farther than the borders of Parthia, a man myght haue 
 boughte w' a small deale of money, of whiche thynge surely 
 shotyng was the cause. 
 
 From the same contrie of Scythia the Gothians Hunnes, 
 and Wandalians came wyth the same wepons of 
 artillarie, as Paulus Diaconus doth saye, & so 
 berafte Rome of her empyre wyth fyre, spoyle, & waste, so yt 
 in suche a learned citie was lefte scarce one man behynde, that 
 had learnynge or leysoure to leue in writinge to them whiche 
 shoulde come after howe so noble an Empyre, in so shorte a 
 whyle, by a rable of banyshed bondemen, wythoute all order 
 and poUicie, saue onelye theyr naturalle and daylye excercise in 
 artillarye, was broughte to suche thraldome and ruine. 
 
 After them the Turkes hauing an other name, but yet the 
 same people, borne in Scythia, brought vp onely 
 in artillarie, by the same weapon haue subdued 
 and beraft from the Christen men all Asia and Aphrike (to 
 speake vpon,) and the moost noble countries of Europe, to the 
 greate diminishing of Christe his religion, to the great reproche 
 of cowardyse of al christianitie, a manifest token of gods high 
 wrath & displeasure ouer the synne of the worlde, but 
 speciallye amonges Christen men, which be on slepe made 
 drunke with the frutes of the flesh, as infidelitie, disobedience 
 to Goddes worde, and heresie, grudge, euelwyll, stryfe, con- 
 tention, and priuie enuye, couefytousnesse, oppression, vn- 
 mercifulnesse, with innumerable sortes of vnspeakeable daylye 
 bawdrye : which thinges surely, yf God holde not his holy 
 hande ouer vs, and plucke vs from them, wyl bryng vs to a 
 more Turkishnesse and more beastlye blynde barbarousnesse : 
 as callyng ill thinges good, and good thynges ill, contemnyng 
 of knowledge & learnynge, settynge at nought, and hauyng for 
 
'The schole of shoting. 49 
 
 a fable, God and his high prouidence, wyll bring vs (I say) to 
 a more vngracious Turkishnesse (if more Turkishnesse can be 
 then this) tha if the Turkes had sworne, to bring al Turkye 
 agaynst vs. For these frutes surelye must neades sprynge of 
 suche seede, and suche effect nedes folowe of suche a cause : if 
 reason, truthe, and God, be not altered, but as they are wont 
 to be. For surely no Turkyshe power can ouerthrowe vs, if 
 Turkysshe lyfe do not cast vs downe before. 
 
 If god were wyth vs, it buted not the turke to be agaynst 
 vs, but our vnfaythful sinfuU lyuyng, which is the Turkes 
 moder, and hath brought hym vp hitherto, muste nedes turne 
 god from vs, because syn and he hath no felowshyp togither. 
 If we banished ill liuyng out of christendome, I am sure the 
 Turke*shulde not onelye, not ouercome vs, but scarce haue an 
 hole to runne in to, in his own countrye. 
 
 But Christendome nowe I may tell you Philologe is muche 
 lyke a man that hath an ytche on him, and lyeth droke also in 
 his bed, and though a thefe come to the dore, and heaueth at 
 it, to come in, and sleye hym, yet he lyeth in his bed, hauinge 
 more pleasure to lye in a slumber and scratche him selfe wher 
 it ytcheth euen to the harde bone, than he hath redynes to 
 ryse up lustelye, & dryue him awaye that woulde robbe hym 
 and sleye hym. But I truste Christe wyl so lyghten and lyfte 
 vp Christen mennes eyes, that they shall not slepe to death, 
 nor that the turke Christes open enemy, shall euer boste that 
 he hath quyte ouerthrowen vs. But as I began to tell you, 
 shootynge is the chefe thinge, wherewith God sufFereth the 
 turke to punysh our noughtie liuinge wyth all : 
 The youthe there is brought vp in shotyng, his bu?Turc^' 
 priuie garde for his own person, is bowmen, the 
 might of theyr shootynge is wel knowen of the Spanyardes, 
 whiche at the towne called Newecastell in lUirica, were quyte 
 slayne vp, of the turkes arrowes : whan the Spanyardes had no 
 vse of theyr gunnes, by reason of the rayne. And nowe last 
 of all, the emperour his maiestie him selfe, at the Citie of 
 Argier in Aphricke had his hooste sore handeled wyth the 
 Turkes arrowes, when his gonnes were quite dispatched and 
 stode him in no seruice, bycause of the raine that fell, where 
 as in suche a chaunce of raine, yf he had had bowmen, 
 surelye there shoote myghte peraduenture haue bene a litle 
 
50 'Toxophilus, A. 
 
 hindred, but quite dispatched and marde, it coulde neuer haue 
 bene. 
 
 But as for the Turkes I am werie to taike of them partlye 
 because I hate them, and partlye bycause I am now affeftioned 
 euen as it were a man that had bene longe wanderyng in 
 strauge contries & would fayne be at home to se howe well his 
 owne frendes prosper and leade theyr lyfe, and surely me 
 thincke I am verie merye at my harte to remember how I shal 
 finde at home in Englande amonges Englysh men, partlye 
 by hystories, of them that haue gone afore vs, agayne by 
 experience of the whych we knowe, & lyue with vs as 
 greate noble feates of warre doone by Artillarye, as euer was 
 done at any tyme in any other common welthe. And here I 
 must nedes remeber a certaine Frechmaif called 
 Textor, that writeth a boke whiche he nameth 
 Officina, wherin he weueth vp many brokenended matters 
 and settes out much rifraffe, pelfery, trumpery, baggage & 
 beggerie ware clamparde vp of one that would seme to be fitter 
 for a shop in dede than to write any boke. And amonges all 
 other yll packed vp matters, he thrustes vp in a hepe togyther 
 all the good shoters that euer hathe bene in the worlde as he 
 saythe hymselfe, and yet I trow Philologe that of all the 
 examples whiche I now by chauce haue rehersed out of the 
 best Authors both in greke and latin, Textor hath but .ii. of 
 them, which .ii. surely yf they were to reke agayne, I wold not 
 ones name the, partly bycause they were noughtie persons, and 
 shoting somoche the worse, bycause they loued it, as Domitian 
 and Commodus the emperours : partelye bycause Textor hath 
 them in his boke, on whom I loked on bychaunce in the 
 bookebynders shope, thynkynge of no suche matter. And one 
 thing I wyl say to you Philologe^ that if I were disposed to do 
 it, and you hadde leysure to heare it, I coulde soone do as 
 Textor doth, and refcen vp suche a table of shoters that be 
 named here and there in poetes, as wolde holde vs talkyng 
 whyles tomorowe : but my purpose was not to make mention 
 of those which were feyned of Poetes for theyr pleasure, but of 
 suche as were proued in histories for a truthe : but why I 
 bringe in Textor was this : At laste when he hath rekened all 
 
 P Crin 10 ®'^°*^''^ ^'^^ ^^ '^^"j he sayeth thus, Petrus 
 rtn.i.io. Q^jj^jjyg wryteth, that the Scottes whiche dwell 
 
The schole of shoting. 5 1 
 
 beyonde Englande be verye excellent shoters, and the best 
 bowmen in warre. This sentence whether Crinitus wrote it 
 more leudly of ignoraunce, or Textor confirmeth it more 
 piuyshlye of enuye, may be called in question and doubte : but 
 this surelye do I knowe very well that Textor hath both red in 
 Gaguinus the Frenche hystorie, and also hath hearde his father 
 or graundfather taulke (except perchauce he was borne and 
 bred in a Cloyster) after that sort of the shotynge of Englisshe 
 men, that Textor neded not to haue gone so piuishlye beyonde 
 Englande for shoting, but myght very soone, eue in the first 
 towne of Kent, haue founde suche plentie of shotinge, as is not 
 in al the realme of Scotland agayne. The Scottes surely be 
 good men of warre in theyr owne feate as can be : but as for 
 shotinge, they neyther can vse it for any profyte, nor yet wil 
 chalege it for any prayse, although master Textor of his 
 getlenesse wold gyue it them. Textor neaded not to haue 
 fyUed vppe his booke with suche lyes, if he hadde read the 
 storye of Scotlande, whiche loannes Maior doeth m f. 
 
 wryte : wherein he myghte haue learned, that 
 when lames Stewart fyrst kyng of that name, at the Parliamet 
 holden at Saynt lohnnes towne or Perthie, commaunded vnder 
 payne of a greate forfyte, that euerye Scotte shoulde learne to 
 shote : yet neyther the loue of theyr coutrie, the feare of their 
 enemies, the auoydying of punishment, nor the receyuinge of 
 anye profyte that myght come by it, coulde make them to be 
 good Archers : whiche be vnapte and vnfytte therunto by Gods 
 prouidence and nature. 
 
 Therfore the Scottes them selues proue Textor a Iyer, 
 bothe with authoritie and also daily experience, and by a 
 certayne Prouerbe that they haue amonges them in theyr 
 comunication, wherby they gyue the whole prayse of shotynge 
 honestlye to Englysshe men, saying thus : that euery Englysshe 
 Archer beareth vnder hys gyrdle .xxiiii. Scottes. 
 
 But to lette Textor and the Scottes go : yet one thynge 
 woulde I wysshe for the Scottes, and that is this, that seinge 
 one God, one faythe, one compasse of the see, one lande and 
 countrie, one tungue in speakynge, one maner and trade in 
 lyuynge, lyke courage and stomake in war, lyke quicknesse of 
 witte to learning, hath made Englande and Scotlande bothe 
 one, they wolde sufFre them no longer to be two : but cleane 
 
 D 2 
 
52 'Toxophilus. A. 
 
 gyue ouer the Pope, which seketh none other thinge (as many 
 a noble and wyse Scottish man doth knowe) but to fede vp 
 dissention & parties betwixt them & vs, procuryng that thynge 
 to be two, which God, nature, and reason, wcJd haue one. 
 Howe profytable suche an attonement were for Scotlande, 
 John Ma- ^°*^ lohannes Maior, and Ector Boetius which 
 ior. 6. hist. wrote the Scottes Chronicles do tell, & also all 
 Sco^- the gentlemen of Scotlande with the poore 
 
 comunaltie, do wel knowe : So that there is nothing that 
 stoppeth this matter, saue onelye a fewe freers, and suche lyke, 
 whiche with the dregges of our Englysh Papistrie lurkyng now 
 amonges them, study nothing els but to brewe battell and 
 stryfe betwixte both the people : Wherby onely they hope to 
 maynetayne theyr Papisticall kyngdome, to the destrudtion of 
 the noble blood of Scotlande, that then they maye with 
 authoritie do that, whiche neither noble man nor poore man in 
 Scotlande yet doeth knowe. And as for Scottishe men and 
 Englishe men be not enemyes by nature, but by custome : not 
 by our good wyll, but by theyr owne follye : whiche shoulde 
 take more honour in being coupled to Englande, then we 
 shulde take profile in being ioyned to Scotlande. 
 
 Wales being headye, and rebelling many yeares agaynst vs, 
 laye wylde, vntylled, vnhabited, without lawe, iustice, ciuilitie 
 and ordre : and then was amoges them more stealing tha true 
 dealing, more suretie for them that studyed to be noughte, then 
 quyetnesse for them that laboured to be good : when nowe 
 thanked be God, and noble Englande, there is no countrie 
 better inhabited, more ciuile, more diligent in honest craftes, 
 to get bothe true and plentifull lyuynge withall. And this 
 felicitie (my mynde gyueth me) within these few dayes shal 
 chauce also to Scotlande, by the godly wysedome of oure 
 mooste noble Prince kynge Henrye the .viii. by whome God 
 hath wrought more wonderfull thynges then euer by any prince 
 before : as banishing the byshop of Rome and herisie, bringyng 
 to light god his worde and veritie, establishing suche iustice and 
 equitie, through euery parte of this his realme, as neuer was 
 sene afore. 
 
 To suche a Prince of suche a wysdome, God hath 
 reserued this mooste noble attonement : wherby neither we 
 shalbe any more troubled, nor the Scottes with their best 
 
T'he schole of shoting. 53 
 
 countries any more destroyed, nor ye see, whiche God or- 
 deyneth profytable for both, shall from eyther be any more 
 stopped : to the great quietnesse, wealth & felicitie of all the 
 people dwellynge in this He,' to the high renoume & prayse of 
 our moost noble kyng, to the feare of all maner of nacions that 
 owe ill wyll to either countrie, to the hygh pleasure of God, 
 which as he is one, and hateth al diuision, so is he best of all 
 pleased, to se thinges which be wyde and amysse, brought to 
 peace and attonement. But Textor (I beshrowe him) hath 
 almooste broughte vs from our comunicatio of shoting. Now 
 sir by my iudgement, the Artillarie of England farre excedeth 
 all other realmes : but yet one thing I doubt & longe haue 
 surely in that point doubted, whe, or by whom, shotyng was 
 first brought in to Englande, & for the same purpose as I was 
 ones in companye wyth syr Thomas Eliot knight, which 
 surelie for his lerning in all kynde of knowlege bringeth much 
 worshyp to all the nobilite of Englande, I was so bould to aske 
 hym, yf he at any tyme, had marked any thing, as cocernynge 
 the bryngynge in of shootynge in to Englande : he aunswered 
 me gentlye agayne, that he had a worcke in hand which he 
 nameth, De rebus memorabilibus Jnglif, which I trust we shal 
 se in print shortlye, and for the accomplyshmente of that boke, 
 he had read & perused ouer many olde monumetes of Englande, 
 and in seking for that purpose, he marked this of shootynge in 
 an excedyng olde cronicle, the which had no name, that what 
 tyme as the Saxons came first into this realme in kyng 
 Vortigers dayes, whe they had bene here a whyle and at last 
 began to fauU out with the Brittons, they troubled and 
 subdewed the Brittons wyth nothynge so much, as with theyr 
 bowe and shaftes, whiche wepon beynge straunge & not sene 
 here before, was wonderfull terrible vnto them, and this 
 beginninge I can thynke verie well to be true. But now as 
 concerning many exaples for the prayse of English archers in 
 warre, surely I wil not be long in a, matter yt no ma doubteth 
 in, & those few yt I wil name, shal either be proued by y« 
 histories of our enemies, or els done by men that now liue. 
 
 Kynge Edward the thirde at the battel of Cressie ageinst 
 Philip ye Freche king as Gaguinus the frech Historiographer 
 plainlye doeth tell, slewe that daye all the nobilite of Fraunce 
 onlye wyth hys archers. 
 
54 T'oxophilus. A. 
 
 Such lyke battel also fought y« noble black prince Edward 
 beside Poeters, where lohn y^ french king w' hys sonne & in 
 a maner al ye peres of Frauce were taken beside .xxx. m. which 
 that daye were slayne, & verie few Englyshe men, by reason of 
 theyr bowes. 
 
 Kynge Henrie the fifte a prince pereles and moste vyftori- 
 ouse conqueroure of all that euer dyed yet in this parte of the 
 world, at the battel of Dagin court with .vii. m. fyghtynge 
 men, and yet many of them sycke, beynge suche Archers as 
 the Cronycle sayeth that mooste parte of them drewe a yarde, 
 slewe all the Cheualrie of Fraunce to the nomber of .XL. M. 
 and moo, and lo§t not paste .xxvi. Englysshe men. 
 
 The bloudye Ciuil warre of England betwixt the house of 
 Yorke and Lancaster, where shaftes slewe of both sydes to the 
 destruction of mannye a yoman of Englande, whome foreine 
 battell coulde neuer haue subdewed bothe I wyll passe ouer for 
 the pyttyefulnesse of it, and yet maye we hyghelye prayse 
 GOD in the remembraunce of it, seynge he of hys prouydence 
 hath so knytte to gether those .ii. noble houses, with so noble 
 and pleasunte a flowre. 
 
 The excellent prince Thomas Hawarde nowe Duke of 
 Northfolk, for whose good prosperite w' al his noble familie 
 al English hertes dayly doth pray w' bowme of England slew 
 kyng lamie w' many a noble Scot eue brat agest Flodo hil, in 
 which battel y^ stoute archers of Cheshire & Lanchasshire for 
 one day bestowed to y^ death for their price & coutry sake, hath 
 gotten immortall name and prayse for euer. 
 
 The feare onely of Englysh Archers hathe done more 
 wonderfull thinges than euer I redde in anye historye greke 
 or latin, and moost wonderfull of all now of late beside Carlile 
 betwixt Eske and Leuen at Sandy sikes, where the hoole 
 nobilite of Scotlande for fere of the Archers of Englonde (next 
 the stroke of God) as both Englysh men and Scotyshe men 
 that were present hath toulde me were drowened and taken 
 prisoners. 
 
 Nor that noble a6te also, whyche althoughe it be almost 
 lost by tyme, commeth not behynd in worthinesse, whyche my 
 synguler good frende and Master Sir William Walgraue and 
 Sir George Somerset dyd with a few Archers to y^ number as 
 it is sayd of .xvi. at the Turne pike besyde Hames where they 
 
'The schole of shoting. 5 5 
 
 turned with so fewe Archers, so many Frenchemen to flight, 
 and turned so many oute of theyr lackes, whych turne turned 
 all fraunce to shame & reproche and those .ii. noble Knightes 
 to perpetuall prayse & fame. 
 
 And thus you se Philologe, in al contries Asia, Aphrike and 
 Europe, in Inde, Aethiop, Aegypt & lurie, Parthia, Persia, 
 Grece, and Italie, Schythia, Turky, and Englande, from the 
 begynninge of the world euen to thys daye, that shotynge hath 
 had the cheife stroke in warre. PHI. These examples surelye I 
 apte for the prayse of shotynge, not feyned by poetes, but/ 
 proued by trewe histories, distindl by tyme and order, hatl^ 
 delyted me excedyng muche, but yet me thynke that all 
 thys prayse belongeth to stronge shootynge and drawynge 
 of myghtye bowes not to prickyng and nere shotinge, for which 
 cause you and many other bothe loue & vse shootyng. 
 TOX. Euer more Philologe you wyl haue some ouertwhart 
 reson to drawe forthe more communication w*all, but neuerthe- 
 lesse you shall perceaue if you wyl, that vse of prickyng, and 
 desyre of nere shootynge at home, are the onelye causes of 
 stronge shootyng in warre, and why ? for you se, that the 
 strongest men, do not drawe alwayes the strongest shoote, 
 whiche thyng prouethe that drawinge stronge, liethe not so 
 muche in the strength of man, as in the vse of shotyng. And 
 experience teacheth the same in other thynges, for you shal se 
 a weake smithe, whiche wyl wyth a lipe and turnyng of his 
 arme, take vp a barre of yron, y' another man thrise as stronge, 
 can not stirre. And a strong man not vsed to shote, hath his 
 armes breste and shoulders, and other partes wherwith he shuld 
 drawe stronglye, one hindering and stoppmge an other, euen as 
 a dosen stronge horses not vsed to the carte, lettes & troubles one 
 another. And so the more stronge man not vsed to shote, 
 shootes moost vnhasumlye, but yet if a strong man with vse of 
 shooting coulde applye all the partes of hys bodye togyther to 
 theyr moost strengthe, than should he both drawe stronger than 
 other, and also shoote better than other. But nowe a stronge 
 man not vsed to shoote, at a girde, can heue vp & plucke in 
 suder many a good bowe, as wild horses at a brunte doth race 
 & ptuck in peces many a stronge carte. And thus strong me, 
 without vse, can do nothynge in shoting to any purpose, neither 
 in warre nor peace, but if they happen to shoote, yet they haue 
 
56 'Toxophilus. A. 
 
 done within a shoote or two when a weake man that is vsed to 
 shoote, shal serue for all tymes and purposes, and shall shoote 
 .X. shaftes, agaynst the others .iiii. & drawe them vp to the 
 poynte, euerye tyme, and shoote them to the mooste aduauntage, 
 drawyng and withdrawing his shafte when he list, markynge 
 at one man, yet let driuyng at an other man : which e thynges 
 in a set battayle, although a man, shal not alwayes vse, yet in 
 bickerynges, and at ouerthwarte meatinges, when fewe archers 
 be togyther, they do moste good of all. 
 
 Agayne he that is not vsed to shoote, shall euermore with 
 vntowardnesse of houldynge his bowe, & nockynge his shafte, 
 not lookyng to his stryng betyme, put his bowe alwayes in 
 ieoperdy of breakynge, & than he were better to be at home, 
 moreouer he shal shoote very fewe shaftes, and those full 
 vnhandsumlye, some not halfe drawen, some to hygh and some 
 to lowe, nor he can not driue a shoote at a tyme, nor stoppe 
 a shoote at a neede, but oute muste it, and verye ofte to euel 
 profe. PHI. And that is best I trow in war, to let it go, and 
 not to stoppe it. TOX. No not so, but somtyme to houlde 
 a shafte at the heade, whyche if they be but few archers, doth 
 more good with the feare of it, than it shoulde do if it were 
 shot, with the stroke of it. PHI. That is a wonder to me, y' 
 the feare of a displeasure, shoulde do more harme than the 
 displeasure it selfe. TOX. Yes, ye knowe that a man whiche 
 fereth to be banyshed, out of hys cuntrye, can neyther be mery, 
 eate, drynke nor sleape for feare, yet when he is banished in 
 dede, he slepeth and eateth, as well as any other. And many 
 menne doubtyng and fearyng whether they shoulde dye or no, 
 euen for verye feare of deathe, preuenteth them selfe with a 
 more bytter deathe then the other death shoulde haue bene in 
 deade. And thus feare is euer worse than the thynge feared, 
 „. . , as is pratelye proued, by the communication 
 
 of Cyrus and Tigranes, the kynges sunne of 
 Armenie, in Xenophon. 
 
 PHI. I grante Toxophile, that vse of shotyng maketh a 
 man drawe strong, to shoote at most aduauntage, to kepe his 
 gere, whiche is no small thinge in war, but yet me thinke, that 
 the customable shoting at home, speciallye at buttes and prickes, 
 make nothynge at all for stronge shooting which doth moste 
 good in war. Therfore I suppose yf men shulde vse to goo 
 
T'he schole of shoting. 57 
 
 into the feyldes, and learne to shote myghty stronge shootes, 
 and neuer care for any marke at al, they shulde do muche 
 better. TOX. The trouthe is, that fashion muche vsed, 
 woulde do muche good, but this is to be feared, least that waye 
 coulde not prouoke men to vse muche shotyng, bycause ther 
 shulde be lytle pleasure in it. And that in shoting is beste, yt 
 prouoketh a man to vse shotinge moste : For muche vse maketh 
 men shoote, bothe strong & well, w^hiche two thinges in 
 shootinge, euery man doeth desyre. And the chyefe mayn- 
 tayner of vse, in any thyng, is comparyson, and honeste 
 contention. For whan a manne stryueth to be better than 
 an other, he wyll gladly vse that thing, though it be neuer so 
 paynful wherein he woulde excell, whiche thynge Aristotle 
 verye pratelye doth note, sayenge. 
 
 Where is comparison, there is viftorie : where is viftorie, 
 there is pleasure : And where is pleasure, no man 
 careth what labour or payne he taketh, bycause aF'Theod'^^''' 
 of the prayse, and pleasure, that he shal haue, in 
 doynge better than other men. 
 
 Agayne, you knowe Hesiodus wryteth to hys brother 
 Perses, y* al craftes men, by contending one 
 honestly w' an other, do encrease theyr cunyng et^die'^ 
 w' theyr substance. And therfore in London, 
 and other great Cities, men of one crafte, moste commonly, 
 dwelle togyther, bycause in honest stryuyng togyther, who shall 
 do best, euery one maye waxe bothe cunninger and rycher, so 
 lykewyse in shootynge, to make matches to assemble archers 
 togyther, to contende who shall shoote best, and winne the 
 game, encreaseth y^ vse of shotynge wonderfully amonges men. 
 
 PHI. Of Vse you speake very much Toxophile but I am 
 sure in al other matters, Vse can do nothing, wythoute two 
 other thinges be ioyned wyth it, one is a natural Aptnesse to 
 a thinge, the other is a true waye or Knowledge, howe to do 
 the thing, to which ii. yf Vse be ioyned, as thirde felowe, of 
 them thre, procedeth perfe6tnesse and excellencie : If a manne 
 lacke the first two, Aptnesse and Cunnyng, Vse can do lytle 
 good, at all. For he yt woulde be an oratour and is nothinge 
 naturallye fitte for it, that is to saye lacketh a good wytte and 
 memorie, lacketh a good voyce, countenaunce and body, and 
 other suche like, ye[t] yf he had all these thinges, and knewe 
 
58 Toxophilus. A. 
 
 not what, howe, where, when nor to whome he shulde speake, 
 surelye the vse of spekynge, woulde brynge out none other 
 frute but playne follye and bablyng, so y' Vse is the laste and 
 the least neccessarye, of all thre, yet no thing can be done 
 excellently without them al thre. And therfore Toxophile 
 I my selfe bicause I neuer knewe, whether I was apte for 
 shooting or no, nor neuer knewe waye, howe I shulde learne 
 to shoote I haue not vsed to shoote : and so I thinke fiue 
 hundred more in Englande do besyde me. And surely yf I 
 knewe that I were apte, and yt you woulde teach me howe to 
 shoote, I woulde become an archer, and the rather, bycause of 
 the good communication, the whiche I haue had with you this 
 daye, of shotyng. TOX. Aptnesse, Knowlege, and Vse, 
 euen as you saye, make all thinges perfefte. Aptnesse is the 
 fyrst and chyefest thinge, without whiche the other two do no 
 good at all. Knowledge doeth encrease al maner of Aptnesse, 
 bothe lesse and more. Vse sayth Cicero, is farre aboue all 
 teachinge. And thus they all three muste be had, to do any 
 thinge very well, and yf anye one be awaye, what so euer is 
 done, is done verye meanly. Aptnesse is y^ gyfte of nature, 
 Knowlege, is gotten by y« helpe of other : Vse lyeth in our 
 owne diligence & labour. So that Aptnesse & vse be ours and 
 w'in vs, through nature & labour : Knowledge not ours, but 
 comynge by other : and therfore moost dilligently, of all men to 
 be sought for. Howe these three thinges stande with the 
 artillery of Englande, a woorde or twoo I will saye. 
 
 All Englishe men generally, be apte for shotyng, and howe? 
 Lyke as that grounde is plentifuU and frutefuU, whiche withoute 
 anye tyllynge, bryngeth out corne, as for example, yf a man 
 shoulde go to the, myll or market with corne, and happen to 
 spy] some in thg waye, yet it wolde take roote and growe, 
 bycause y^ soyle is so good : so Englad may be thought very 
 frutefull and apt to brynge oute shoters, where children euen 
 from the cradell, loue it : and yong men without any teachyng 
 so diligentlye vse it. Agayne, lykewyse as a good grounde, 
 well tylled, and well husbanded, bringeth out great plentie of 
 byg eared corne, and good to the faule : so if the youthe of 
 Englande being apte of it selfe to shote, were taught and 
 learned how to shote, the Archers of England shuld not be only 
 a great deale raker, and mo then they be : but also a good deale 
 
T!he schole of shoting. 59 
 
 bygger and stronger Archers then they be. This comoditie 
 shoulde folowe also yf the youth of Englande were taught to 
 shote, that euen as plowing of a good grounde for wheate, doth 
 not onely make it mete for the seede, but also riueth and 
 plucketh vp by the rootes, all thistles, brambles and weedes, 
 which growe of theyr owne accorde, to the destruction of 
 bothe come and grounde : Euen so shulde the teaching of youth 
 to shote, not only make them shote well, but also plucke 
 awaye by the rootes all other desyre to noughtye pastymes, as 
 disynge, cardyng, and boouling, which without any teaching 
 are vsed euery where, to the great harme of all youth of this 
 realme. And lykewise as burnyng of thistles and diligent 
 weding them oute of the corne, doth not halfe so moche ryd 
 them, as whe y^ ground is falloed and tilled for good grayne, as 
 I haue hearde many a good husbandman say: euen so, neither 
 bote punishment, nor yet diligent searching out of suche 
 vnthriftinesse by the officers, shal so throwly wede these 
 vngracious games out of the realme, as occupying and bringyng 
 vp youth in shotynge, and other honest pastyme. Thirdly, as 
 a grounde which is apt for corne and also wel tilled for corne : 
 yet if a man let it lye stil and do not occupye it .iii. or .iiii. yeare: 
 but then wyll sow it, if it be wheate (sayth Columella) it wil 
 turne into rye : so if a man be neuer so apte to shote, nor neuer 
 so wel taught in his youth to shote, yet if he giue it ouer, and 
 not vse to shote, truly when he shalbe eyther copelled in war 
 tyme for his countrye sake, or els prouoked at home for his 
 pleasure sake, to faule to his bowe : he shal become of a fayre 
 archer, a stark squyrter and dribber. Therefore in shotynge, 
 as in all other thinges, there can neyther be many in number, 
 nor excellent in dede : excepte these .iii. thynges, Aptnesse, 
 Knowledge, and Vse goo togyther. 
 
 PHIL. Very well sayde Toxophile, and I promyse you, I 
 agree to this iudgement of yours altogyther and therefore I can 
 not a lytle maruayle, why Englysshe men brynge nomore helpe 
 to shotynge, then nature it selfe gyueth them. For you se that 
 euen children be put to theyr owne shiftes in shotyng, hauing 
 nothynge taughte them : but that they maye chose, and chaunce 
 to shoote ill, rather then well, vnaptlye soner then fitlye, vnto- 
 wardlye, more easely then wel fauouredlye, whiche thynge 
 causeth manye neuer begynne to shoote : and moo to leaue it 
 
6o 'Toxophilus. A. 
 
 of when they haue begone, and moost of all to shote both worse 
 & weaker, then they might shote, if they were taught. But 
 peraduenture some men wyll saye, that wyth vse of shootynge 
 a man shall learne to shoote, true it is he shall learne, but what 
 shal he learne ? marye to shoote noughtly. For all Vse, in all 
 thynges, yf it be not stayed with Cunnyng, wyll verie easely 
 brynge a man to do y' thynge, what so euer he goeth aboute 
 with muche illfauorednes and deformitie. 
 
 Which thinge how much harme it doth in learning both 
 Crassus excellencie dothe proue in TuUie, and I 
 my selfe haue experiens in my lytle shootyng. 
 And therfore Toxophile, you must nedes graunt me that ether 
 Englishe men do il, in not ioynyng Knowlege of shooting to 
 Vse, or els there is no knowlege or cuninge, which can be 
 gathered of shooting. TOX. Learnyng to shoote is lytle 
 regarded in England, for this consideration, bycause men be so 
 apte by nature they haue a greate redy forwardnesse and wil to 
 vse it, al though no man teache them, al thoughe no man byd 
 them, & so of theyr owne corage they rune hedlynge on it, and 
 shoote they ill, shote they well, greate hede they take not. And 
 in verie dede Aptnesse w' Vse may do sumwhat without Know- 
 lege, but not the tenthe parte, if so be they were ioyned with 
 knowlege. 
 
 Whyche thre thynges be seperate as you se, not of theyr 
 owne kynde, but through the negligence of me whyche coupleth 
 them not to gyther. And where ye doubte whether there can 
 be gadered any knowlege or arte in shootyng or no, surely 
 I thynke that a ma being wel exercised in it and sumwhat 
 honestly learned with all, myght soone with diligent obseruynge 
 and markynge the hole nature of shootynge, find out as it were 
 an Arte of it, as Artes in other matters haue bene founde oute 
 afore, seynge that shootyng stadeth by those thinges, which 
 maye both be thorowlye perceued, and perfidy knowen, and 
 suche that neuer failes, but be euer certayne, belongynge to one 
 moost perfefl: ende, as shootyng streight, and keping of a lenght 
 bring a man to hit the marke, y^ chefe end in shootyng: which 
 two thynges a man may attaine vnto, by diligent vsynge, and 
 well handlynge those instrumentes, which belong vnto them. 
 Therfore I can not see, but there lieth hyd in the nature of 
 Shootynge, an Arte, whiche by notynge, and obseruynge of 
 
'The schole of shoting. 6i 
 
 him, that is exercised in it, yf he be any thyng learned at al, 
 maye be taught, to the greate forderaunce of Artillarie through 
 out al this Realme. And trewlye I meruell gretelye, that 
 Englysshe men woulde neuer yet, seke for the Arte of shootynge, 
 seinge they be so apte vnto it, so praysed of there frendes, so 
 feared of there ennemyes for it. Vegetius woulde 
 haue maysters appointed, whyche shoulde teache '^" '"^" 
 youthe to shoote faire. Leo the Emperour of Rome, sheweth 
 the same custome, to haue bene alwayes amongest 
 ye olde Romaynes : whych custome of teachyng "' ' ^' 
 
 youth to shoote (saythe he) after it was omitted, and litle hede 
 taken of, brought the hole Empire of Rome, to grete Ruine. 
 Schola Persica^ that is the Scole of the Persians, 
 appoynted to brynge vp youthe, whiles they were 
 .XX. yeres olde in shooting, is as notably knowne in Histories 
 as the Impire of y^ Persians : whych schole, as doth apere in 
 Cornelius Tacitus, as sone as they gaue ouer and 
 fell to other idle pastimes, brought bothe them ^'"'' ^"' ^" 
 and ye Parthians vnder ye subieilion of the Romaines. Plato 
 would haue common maisters and stipendes, for 
 to teache youthe to shoote, & for the same purpose ^ '^' 
 he would haue a brode feylde nere euery Citie, made common 
 for men to vse shotyng in, whyche sayeng the more reasonably 
 it is spoken of Plato, the more vnresonable is theyr dede 
 whiche woulde ditche vp those feeldes priuatly for ther owne 
 profyt, whyche lyeth open generallye for the commo vse : men 
 by suche goodes be made rycher not honester sayeth TuUie. 
 Yf men can be perswaded to haue shootynge 
 taughte, this audlhorite whyche foloweth will " -^' "'' 
 perswade them, or els none, and that is as I haue ones sayde 
 before, of Kynge Dauyd, whose fyrste afte and ordinaunce was 
 after he was kynge that all ludea should learne to shoote. Yf 
 shotyng could speake, she would accuse England of vnkyndnesse 
 and slouthfulnesse, of vnkyndnesse toward her bycause she 
 beyng left to a lytle blynd vse, lackes her best maintener which 
 is cunnynge : of slouthfulnesse towarde theyr owne selfe, bycause 
 they are content wyth that whych aptnesse and vse doth graunt 
 them in shootynge, and wyl seke for no knowlege as other 
 noble cdmon welthes haue done : and the iustlier shootynge 
 myght make thys complaynt, seynge that of fence and weapons 
 
62 Toxophilus. A. 
 
 there is made an Arte, a thyng in no wyse to be compared to 
 shootynge. 
 
 For of fence all mooste in euerye towne, there is not onely 
 Masters to teache it, wyth his Prouostes Vsshers Scholers and 
 other names of arte & Schole, but there hath not fayled also, 
 whyche hatha diligently and well fauouredly written it and is 
 set out in Printe that euery man maye rede it. 
 
 What discommoditie doeth comme by the lacke of know- 
 lege, in shootynge, it were ouer longe to rehearce. For manye 
 that haue bene apte, and loued shootynge, bycause they knewe 
 not whyche way to houlde to comme to shootynge, haue cleane 
 tourned them selues from shootynge. 
 
 And I maye telle you Philologe, the lacke of teachynge to 
 
 shoote in Englande, causeth very manye men, to playe with 
 
 the kynges Aftes, as a man dyd ones eyther with the Mayre of 
 
 London or Yorke I can not tel whether, whiche dyd commaund 
 
 by proclamation, euerye man in the Citie, to hange a lanterne 
 
 wyth a candell, afore his dore : whiche thynge the man dyd, 
 
 but he dyd not lyght it : And so many bye bowes bicause of 
 
 the afte, but yet they shote not : not of euyll wyll, but bycause 
 
 they knowe not howe to shoote. But to conclude of this 
 
 matter, in shoting as in all other thynges, Aptc- 
 
 / nesse. nesse is the fyrste, and chyefe thynge, whiche if it 
 
 be awaye, neyther Cunnynge or Vse, doeth anye good at all, 
 
 as the Scottes and Fraunce men, wyth knowledge and Vse 
 
 of shootynge, shall become good Archers, whan a cunynge 
 
 shypwright shall make a stronge shyppe, of a Salowe tree : or 
 
 whan a husbandman shall becom ryche, wyth sowyng wheat 
 
 on Newmarket heath. Cunnynge muste be had, 
 
 unnyng . boj-jje to set Out, & amende Nature, and also to 
 
 ouersee, and correfte vse : which vse yf it be not led, & gouerned 
 
 wyth cunnyng, shall sooner go amisse, than strayght. 
 
 Vse maketh perfitnesse, in doinge that thynge, whervnto 
 nature maketh a man apte, and knowlege maketh a man 
 cunninge before. So y' it is not so doubtful, which of them 
 three hath moost stroke in shoting as it is playne & euident, 
 that all thre must be had, in excellent shootynge. PHI. For 
 this communicacio Toxophile I am very glad, and y* for myn 
 owne sake bicause I trust now, to become a shoter. And in 
 dede I thought a fore, English me most apte for shoting, and 
 
The schole of shoting. 63 
 
 I sawe them dayelye vse shotyng, but yet I neuer founde none, 
 that woulde talke of anye knowlege whereby a man might 
 come to shotynge. Therfore I trust that you, by the vse you 
 haue had in shoting, haue so thorowly marked and noted the 
 nature of it, that you can teache me as it were by a trade or 
 waye how to come to it. TOX. I graunte, I haue vsed 
 shootinge meetly well, that I might haue marked it wel 
 ynoughe, yf I had bene diligent. But my much shootynge, 
 hath caused me studie litle, so that thereby I lacke learnynge, 
 whych shulde set out the Arte or waye in any thynge. And 
 you knowe that I was neuer so well sene, in the Posteriorums 
 of Aristotle as to inuent and searche out general Demonstra- 
 tions for the setting forth of any newe Science. Yet by my 
 trothe yf you wyll, I wyll goe with you into the fealdes at any 
 tyme and tel you as much as I can, or els you maye stande 
 some tyme at the prickes and looke on the which shoote best 
 and so learne. PHI. Howe lytle you haue looked of Aristotle, 
 and how muche learnynge, you haue lost by shotynge I can 
 not tell, but this I woulde saye and yf I loued you neuer so ill, 
 that you haue bene occupyed in sumwhat els besyde shotynge. 
 But to our purpose, as I wyll not requyre a trade in shotinge 
 to be taught me after the sutteltye of Aristotle, euen so do I 
 not agre with you in this poynt, that you wold haue me learne 
 to shoote with lokyng on them which shoote best, for so I 
 knowe I should neuer come to shote meanelye. For in shotyng : 
 as in aU other thynges which be gotten by teachynge, there 
 must be shewed a waye & a path which shal leade a man to y^ 
 best and cheifFest point whiche is in shootynge, whiche you do 
 marke youre selfe well ynough, and vttered it also in youre 
 communication, when you sayde there laye hyd in ye nature of 
 shootyng a certayne waye whych wel perceyued and thorowlye 
 knowen, woulde bring a ma wythout any wanderyng to y^ 
 beste ende in shotyng whych you called hitting of the pricke. 
 Therfore I would refer all my shootinge to that ende which is 
 best, and so shuld I come the soner to some meane. That 
 whiche is best hath no faulte, nor can not be amended. So 
 shew me beste shootynge, not the beste shoter, which yf he be 
 neuer so good, yet hath he many a faulte easelye of any man to 
 be espyed. And therfore meruell not yf I requyre to folowe 
 that example whych is without faulte, rather than that which 
 
64 'Toxophilus. A. 
 
 hath so manye iaultes. And thys waye euery wyse man doth 
 folow in teachynge any maner of thynge. As Aristotle when 
 he teacheth a man to be good he settes not before hym Socrates 
 lyfe whyche was y« best man, but chiefe goodnesse it selfe 
 accordynge to whych he would haue a man direfte his lyfe. 
 TOX. This waye which you requyre of me Philologe, is to 
 hard for me, and to hye for a shooter to taulke on, & take as 
 I suppose out of the middes of Philosophie, to serche out the 
 perfite ende of any thyng, ye which perfite ende to fynde out, 
 
 Ora ad Bru ^^7*^ TuUie, is the hardest thynge in the worlde, 
 the onely occasyon and cause, why so many seftes 
 of Philosophers hathe bene alwayse in learnynge. And 
 althbughe as Cicero saith a man maye ymagine and dreame in 
 his mynde of a perfite ende in any thynge, yet there is no 
 experience nor vse of it, nor was neuer sene yet amonges men, 
 as alwayes to heale the sycke, euer more to leade a shyppe 
 without daunger, at al times to hit the prick : shall no Physicion, 
 no shypmaster, no shoter euer do. And Aristotle saith that in 
 _ , all deades there are two pointes to be marked, 
 
 ns .po. . . pQggjijjjjjjg ^ excelecie, but chefely a wise ma 
 must folow & laye hand on possibilitie for feare he lease bothe. 
 Therfore seyng that which is moost perfed: and best in shoot- 
 yng as alwayes to hit y^ pricke, was neuer sene nor hard tel on 
 yet amoges men, but onelye ymagined and thought vpon in 
 a man his mynde, me thinck this is the wisest cousel & best 
 for vs to folow rather that which a man maye come to, than y' 
 whyche is vnpossible to be attained to, leste iustely that sayeng 
 of ys wyse mayde Ismene in Sophocles maye be verifyed on vs. 
 
 Soph. Anti. A foole he is that takes in hande he can not ende. 
 
 PHI. Well yi the perfite ende of other matters, had bene 
 as perfitlye knowne, as the perfite ende of shotynge is, there 
 had neuer bene so manye seftes of Philosophers as there be, for 
 in shoting both man & boye is in one opinion, that alwayes to 
 hit the pryck is mooste perfe<Ste end that can be imagyned, so 
 that we shal not nede gretly contend in this matter. But now 
 sir, whereas you thynke y' a man in learning to shoote or any 
 thyng els, shuld rather wyselye folow possibilitie, tha vainly 
 seice for perfite excellencie, surelye I wyl proue y* euery wyse 
 man, y* wisely wold learne any thyng, shal chiefly go aboute y' 
 
The schole of shoting. 65 
 
 whervnto he knoweth wel he shal neuer come. And you youre 
 selfe I suppose shal confesse y^ same to be y^ best way in 
 teachyng, yf you wyl answere me to those thinges whych I wyl 
 aske of you. TOX. And yt I wyl gladlye, both bycause I 
 thynke it is vnpossible for you to proue it, & also bycause 
 I desire to here what you ca saye in it. PHI. The studie of 
 a good Physicio Toxophile, I trow be to know al diseases & al 
 medicines fit for them. TOX. It is so in dede. PHI. 
 Bicause I suppose he would gladly at al tymes heale al diseases 
 of al men. TOX. Ye truely. PHI. A good purpose surely, 
 but was ther euer physicio yet among so many whyche hath 
 laboured in thys study, that at al times coulde heale all diseases ? 
 TOX. No trewly ; nor I thyncke neuer shalbe. PHI. Than 
 Physicions by lyke, studie for yt, whiche none of them cometh 
 vnto. But in learning of fence I pray you what is y' which 
 men moost labor for ? TOX. That they may hit a nother I 
 trow & neuer take blow theyr selfe. PHI. You say trothe, & 
 I am sure euery one of the would faine do so whe so euer he 
 playethe. But was there euer any of the so conning yet, which 
 at one tyme or other hath not be[n] touched ? TOX. The 
 best of them all is glad somtyme to escape with a blowe. 
 PHIL. Tha in fence also, men are taught to go aboute that 
 thing, whiche the best of them all knowethe he shall neuer 
 attayne vnto. Moreouer you that be shoters, I pray you, what 
 meane you, whan ye take so greate heade, to kepe youre stand- 
 ynge, to shoote compasse, to looke on your marke so diligently, 
 to cast vp grasse diuerse tymes and other thinges more, you 
 know better tha I. What would you do tha I pray you ? 
 TOX. Hit ye marke yf we could. PHIL. And doth euery 
 ma go about to hit the marke at euery shoote ? TOX. By 
 my trothe I trow so, and as for my selfe I am sure I do. 
 PHIL. But al men do not hit it at al tymes. TOX. No 
 trewlye for that were a wonder. PHIL. Can any man hit it 
 at all tymes ? TOX. No man verilie. PHIL. Than by 
 likely to hit the pricke alwayes, is vnpossible. For that is 
 called vnpossible whych is in no man his power to do. TOX. 
 Vnpossible in dede. PHIL. But to shoote wyde and far of 
 the marke is a thynge possyble. TOX. No man wyll denie 
 that. PHIL. But yet to hit the marke alwayse were an 
 excellent thyng. TOX. Excellent surelie. PHIL, tha I am 
 
66 Toxophilus. A. 
 
 sure those be wiser men, which couete to shoote wyde than 
 those whiche couete to hit the prycke. TOX. Why so 1 
 pray you. PHIL. Because to shote wyde is a thynge possyble, 
 and therfore as you saye youre selfe, of euery wyse ma to be 
 folowed. And as for hittinge y<= prick, bycause it is vnpossible, 
 it were a vaine thynge to go aboute it : but in good sadnesse 
 Toxophile thus you se that a man might go throghe all craftes 
 and sciences, and proue that anye man in his science coueteth 
 that which he shal neuer gette. TOX. By my trouth (as you 
 saye) I can not denye, but they do so : but why and wherfore 
 they shulde do so, I can not learne. PHILO. I wyll tell you, 
 euerye crafte arid science standeth in two thynges : in Knowing 
 of his crafte, & Working of his crafte : For perfyte knowlege 
 bringeth a man to perfyte workyng This knowe Paynters, 
 karuers, Taylours, shomakers, and all other craftes men, to be 
 true. Nowe, in euery crafte, there is a perfite excellencie, 
 which may be better knowen in a mannes mynde, then folowed 
 in a mannes dede : This perfytenesse, bycause it is generally 
 layed as a brode wyde example afore al me, no one particuler 
 man is able to compasse it : and as it is generall to al men, so it 
 is perpetuall for al time whiche proueth it a thynge for man 
 vnpossible : although not for the capacitie of our thinkyng 
 whiche is heauenly, yet surelye for the habilitie of our workyng 
 whyche is worldlye. 
 
 God gyueth not full perfytenesse to one man (sayth Tullie) 
 lest if one man had all in any one science, ther 
 shoulde be nothyng lefte for an other. Yet God 
 sufFereth vs to haue the perfyt knowledge of it, that such 
 a knowledge dilligently folowed, might bring forth accordyng 
 as a man doth labour, perfyte woorkyng. And who is he, that 
 in learnynge to wryte, woulde forsake an excellent example, 
 and folowe a worse ? Therfore seing perfytenesse it selfe is an 
 example for vs, let euerye man studye howe he maye come nye it, 
 which is a poynt of wysdome, not reason with God why he may 
 not attaine vnto it, which is vayne curosite. TOX. Surely 
 this is gaily said Philologe, but yet this one thinge I am afraide 
 of, lest this perfitnesse which you speke on wil discourage men 
 to take any thynge in hande, bycause afore they begin, they 
 know, they shal neuer come to an ende. And thus dispayre 
 shall dispatche, euen at the fyrste entrynge in, many a good 
 
'The schole of shoting. 67 
 
 man his purpose and intente. And I thinke both you your 
 selfe, & al other men to, woulde counte it mere folic for a man 
 to tell hym whome he teacheth, that he shal neuer optaine that, 
 whyche he would fainest learne. And therfore this same 
 hyghe and perfite waye of teachyng let vs leue it to hygher 
 matters, and as for shootynge it shalbe content with a meaner 
 waye well ynoughe. PHI. Where as you saye yt this hye 
 perfitnesse will discorage me, bycause they knowe, they shall 
 neuer attayne vnto it, I am sure cleane contrarie there is 
 nothynge in the world shall incourage men more than it. And 
 whye \ For where a man seith, that though a nother man be 
 neuer so excellente, yet it is possible for hym selfe to be better, 
 what payne or labour wyl that man refuse to take.? yf the game 
 be onse wonne, no ma wyl set forth hys foote to ronne. And 
 thus perfitnesse beynge so hyghe a thynge that men maye looke 
 at it, not come to it, and beynge so plentifull and indifferent to 
 euerye bodye that the plentifulnesse of it maye prouoke all men 
 to labor, bycause it hath ynoughe for all me, the indifferencye 
 of it shall encourage euerye one to take more paine than hys 
 fellowe, bycause euerye man is rewarded accordyng to his nye 
 comyng, and yet whych is moste meruel of al, y^ more men 
 take of it, the more they leue behynd for other, as Socrates dyd 
 in wysdome, and Cicero in eloquens, whereby other hath not 
 lacked, but bathe fared a greate deele y^ better. And thus 
 perfitnesse it selfe bycause it is neuer obteyned, euen therfore 
 only doth it cause so many men to be so well sene & perfite in 
 many matters, as they be. But where as you thynke y' it were 
 fondnesse to teache a man to shoote, in lokyng at the most 
 perfitnesse in it, but rather woulde haue a manne go some other 
 way to worke, I trust no wyse man wyl discomend that way, 
 except he thincke himselfe wyser than Tullye, whiche doeth 
 playnlye saye, that yf he teached any maner of 
 crafte as he dyd Rhetorike he would labor to ' ^' 
 
 bringe a man to the knowlege of the moost perfitnesse of it, 
 whyche knowlege should euer more leade and gyde a manne to 
 do that thynge well whiche he went aboute. Whych waye in 
 al maner of learnyng to be best, Plato dothe also declare in 
 Euthydemus, of whome Tullie learned it as he dyd many other 
 thynges mo. And thus you se Toxophile by what reasons and 
 by whose authorite I do require of you this waye in teachynge 
 
 E 2 
 
68 Toxophilus. A. 
 
 me to shoote, which waye I praye you withoute any more 
 delaye shew me as far forth as you haue noted and marked. 
 TOX. You cal me to a thyng Philologe which I am lothe to 
 do. And yet yf I do it not beinge but a smale matter as you 
 thynke, you wyll lacke frendeshyp in me, yf I take it in hande 
 and not bring it to passe as you woulde haue it, you myghte 
 thyncke great wat of wysdome in me. 
 
 But aduyse you, seing ye wyll nedes haue it so, the 
 blame shalbe yours, as well as myne : yours for puttynge vpon 
 me so instauntlye, myne in receyuynge so fondly a greater 
 burthen then I am able to beare. Therfore I, more wyllynge 
 to fulfyll your mynde, than hopyng to accomplysh that 
 which you loke for, shall speake of it, not as a master of 
 shotynge, but as one not altogyther ignoraunt in shotynge. 
 And one thynge I am glad of, the sunne drawinge downe 
 so fast into the west, shall compell me to drawe a pace 
 to the ende of our matter, so that his darkenesse shall 
 somethyng cloke myne ignoraunce. And bycause 
 you knowe the orderynge of a matter better 
 then I : Aske me generallye of it, and I 
 shall particularly answere to it. PHI. 
 Very gladly Toxophile: for so 
 by ordre, those thynges 
 whiche I woulde 
 knowe, you shal 
 tell the bet- 
 ter : and 
 
 those 
 
 thynges 
 
 whiche you shall tell, I 
 
 shall remembre 
 
 the better. 
 
TOXOPHI- 
 LVS. B. 
 
 THE SECONDE BOOKE OF 
 
 the schole of shotyng. 
 
 PHILOL. What is the cheyfe poynte in shootynge, that 
 euerye manne laboureth to come to ? TOX. To hyt 
 the marke. PHI. Howe manye thynges are required to make 
 a man euer more hyt the marke ? TOX. Twoo. PHI. 
 Whiche twoo ? TOX. Shotinge streyght and kepynge of 
 a lengthe. PHIL. Howe shoulde a manne shoote strayght, 
 & howe shulde a man kepe a length ? TOX. In knowynge 
 and hauynge thinges, belongynge to shootyng : and whan they 
 be knowen and had, in well handlynge of them : whereof some 
 belong to shotyng strayght, some to keping of a legth, some 
 commonly to them bothe, as shall be tolde seuerally of them, 
 in place conuenient. PHI. Thynges belongyng to shotyng, 
 whyche be they ? TOX. All thinges be outwarde, and some 
 be instrumentes for euery sere archer to brynge with him, 
 proper for his owne vse : other thynges be generall to euery 
 man, as the place and tyme serueth. PHI. which be instru- 
 metes ? TOX. Bracer, shotynggloue, stryng, bowe & shafte. 
 PHI. Whiche be general to all men ? TOX. The wether 
 and the marke, yet the marke is euer vnder the rule of the 
 wether. PHI. wherin standeth well handlynge of thynges ? 
 TOX. All togyther wythin a man him selfe, some handlynge 
 is- proper to instrumentes, some to the wether, somme to the 
 marke, some is within a man hym selfe. PHI. what handlyng 
 is proper to the Instrumentes. TOX. Standynge, nockyng, 
 drawyng, holdyng, lowsing, wherby cometh fayre shotynge, 
 whiche neyther belong to wynde nor wether, nor yet to the 
 marke, for in a rayne and at no marke, a man may shote a fayre 
 shoote. PHI. well sayde, what handlynge belongeth to the 
 
JO Toxophilus. B. 
 
 wether? TOX. Knowyng of his wynde, with hym, agaynst 
 hym, syde wynd, ful syde wind, syde wynde quarter with him, 
 syde wynde quarter agaynste hym, and so forthe. PHI. well 
 than go to, what handlynge belongeth to the marke ? TOX. To 
 marke his standyng, to shote compasse, to draw euermore lyke, 
 to lowse euermore lyke, to consyder the nature of the pricke, 
 in hylles & dales, in strayte planes and winding places, & also 
 to espy his marke. PHI. Very well done. And what is 
 onely within a man hym selfe ? TOX. Good heede gyuynge, 
 and auoydynge all afFeftions : whiche thynges oftentymes do 
 marre and make all. And these thynges spoken of me generally 
 and brefely, yf they be wel knowen, had, and handled, shall 
 brynge a man to suche shootynge, as fewe or none euer yet 
 came vnto, but surely yf he misse in any one of the, he can 
 neuer hyt the marke, and in the more he doth misse, the farther 
 he shoteth from his marke. But as in all other matters the 
 fyrst steppe or stayre to be good, is to know a mannes faulte, 
 and than to amende it, and he that wyl not knowe his faulte, 
 shall neuer amende it. PHI. You speake nowe Toxophile, 
 euen as I wold haue you to speake : But lette vs returne agayne 
 vnto our matter, and those thynges whyche you haue packed 
 vp, in so shorte a roume, we wyll lowse the forthe, and take 
 euery pyece as it were in our hande and looke .more narowlye 
 vpon it. TOX. I am content, but we wyll rydde them as 
 fast as we can, bycause the sunne goeth so faste downe, and 
 yet somewhat muste needes be sayde of euerye one of them. 
 PHI. well sayde, and I trowe we beganne wyth those thynges 
 whiche be instrumentes, whereof the fyrste, as I suppose, was 
 the Braser. TOX. Litle is to be sayd of the 
 braser. A bracer serueth for two causes, one to 
 saue his arme from the strype of the strynge, and his doublet 
 from wearynge, and the other is, that the strynge glydynge 
 sharpelye & quicklye of the bracer, maye make the sharper 
 shoote. For if the strynge shoulde lyght vpon the bare sleue, 
 the strengthe of the shoote shoulde stoppe and dye there. But 
 it is best by my iudgemente, to gyue the bowe so muche bent, 
 that the strynge neede neuer touche a mannes arme, and so 
 shoulde a man nede no bracer as I knowe manye good Archers, 
 whiche occupye none. In a bracer a man muste take hede of 
 .iii. thinges, y* it haue no nayles in it, that it haue no bucles, 
 
'The schole of shoting. 7 1 
 
 that it be fast on with laces wythout agglettes. For the nayles 
 wyll shere in sunder, a manes string, before he be ware, and so 
 put his bowe in ieoperdy: Buckles and agglettes at vn wares, 
 shall race hys bowe, a thinge bothe euyll to the syghte, & 
 perilous for freatynge. And thus a Bracer, is onely had for this 
 purpose, that the strynge maye haue redye passage. PHI. In 
 my Bracer I am cunnyng ynough, but what saye you of the 
 shootyng gloue. 
 
 TOX. A shootynge Gloue is chieflye, for to saue a mannes 
 fyngers from hurtynge, that he maye be able to beare the sharpe 
 stryng to the vttermost of his strengthe. And whan a man 
 shooteth, the might of his shoote lyeth on the formooste fynger, 
 and on the Ringman, for the myddle fynger whiche is the 
 longest, lyke a lubber starteth backe, and beareth no weyght of 
 the strynge in a maner at all, therfore the two other fyngers, 
 muste haue thicker lether, and that muste haue thickest of all, 
 where on a man lowseth moste, and for sure lowsyng, the 
 formoste finger is moste apte, bycause it holdeth best, & for y' 
 purpose nature hath as a man woulde saye, yocked it w' the 
 thoumbe. Ledder, if it be nexte a mans skynne, wyl sweat, 
 waxe hard and chafe, therefore scarlet for the softnes of it and 
 thicknesse wyth all, is good to sewe wythin a manes gloue. If 
 that wylle not serue, but yet youre finger hurteth, you muste 
 take a searynge cloth made of fine virgin waxe, and Deres 
 sewet, & put nexte your fynger, and so on wyth youre gloue. 
 If yet you fele your fynger pinched, leaue shootyng both 
 because than you shall shoote nought, & agayn by litle & lytle, 
 hurtynge your finger, ye shall make it longe and longe to or 
 you shoote agayne. A newe gloue pluckes many shootes 
 bycause the stringe goeth not freelye of, and therefore the 
 fingers muste be cut short, and trimmed with some ointment, 
 that the string maye glyd wel awaye. Some with holdynge in 
 the nocke of theyr shafte too harde, rub the skyn of there 
 fingers. For this there be .ii. remedyes, one to haue a goose 
 quyll splettyd and sewed againste the nockynge, betwixt the 
 lining and the ledder, whyche shall helpe the shoote muche to, 
 the other waye is to haue some roule of ledder sewed betwixt 
 his fingers at the setting on of the fingers, which shall kepe his 
 fingers so in sunder, that they shal not hold the nock so fast as 
 they did. The shootyng gloue hath a purse whych shall serue 
 
72 T'oxophilus. B. 
 
 to put fine linen cloth and wax in, twoo necessary thynges for 
 a shooter, some men vse gloues or other suche lyke thyng on 
 their bow had for chafyng, bycause they houlde so harde. But 
 that commeth commonlye, when a bowe is not rounde, but 
 somewhat square, fine waxe shall do verye well in such a case 
 to laye where a man holdeth his bow : and thus muche as 
 concernynge your gloue. And these thynges althoughe they be 
 trifles, yet bycause you be but a yonge shoter, I woulde not 
 leue them out. PHI. And so you shal do me moost pleasure : 
 The string I trow be the next. TOX. The next in dede. 
 „ . A thing though it be lytle, yet not a litle to be 
 
 regarded. But here in you muste be contente to 
 put youre truste in honest stringers. And surely stringers 
 ought more diligently to be looked vpon by the officers tha 
 ether bower or fletcher, bycause they may deceyue a simple 
 man the more easelyer. An ill stringe brekethe many a good 
 bowe, nor no other thynge halfe so many. In warre if a string 
 breke the man is loste and is no man, for his weapon is gone, 
 and althoughe he haue two stringes put one at once, yet he shall 
 haue small leasure & lesse roume to bend his bow, therfore god 
 send vs good stringers both for war and peace. Now what 
 a stringe ought to be made on, whether of good hempe as they 
 do now a dayes, or of flaxe or of silke, I leue that to the 
 
 iugemente of stringers, of whome we muste bye 
 us a lus. thg^ ojj Eustathius apon this verse of homere 
 
 Twag q the bow, iff twag q the string, out quicklie the shaft flue 
 
 Iliad. 4. 
 
 doeth tel, that in oulde tyme they made theyr bowe strynges of 
 bullox thermes, whiche they twyned togither as they do r6pes, 
 & therfore they made a great twange. Bowe strynges also hath 
 bene made of the heare of an horse tayle called for the matter 
 of them Hippias as dothe appeare in manye good authors of the 
 Greke tongue. Great stringes, and lytle strynges 
 be for dmerse purposes : the great strmg is more 
 surer for the bowe, more stable to pricke wythal, but slower for 
 the cast, the lytle stringe is cleane contrarye, not so sure, 
 therfore to be taken hede of, leste with longe tarienge on, it 
 breake your bowe, more fit to shoote farre, than apte to pricke 
 nere, therfore when you knowe the nature of bothe bigge and 
 
'The schole of shoting. 73 
 
 lytle, you must fit your bow, according to the occasion of your 
 shootinge. In stringinge of your bow (though this place belong 
 rather to the hadlyng than to the thyng it selfe, yet bycause the 
 thynge, and the handlynge of the thynge, be so ioyned together, 
 I must nede some tyme couple the one wyth the other,) you 
 must mark the fit length of youre bowe. For yf the stringe be 
 to short, the bending wyll gyue, and at the last slyp and so put 
 the bowe in ieopardye. Yf it be longe, the bendynge must 
 nedes be in the smal of the string, which beynge sore twined 
 muste nedes knap in sunder to y^ distruction of manye good 
 bowes. Moreouer you must looke that youre bowe be well 
 nocked for fere the sharpnesse of the borne shere a sunder the 
 strynge And that chaunceth ofte when in bending, the string 
 hath but one wap to strengthe it wyth all. You must marke 
 also to set youre stringe streygte on, or elles the one ende shall 
 wriethe contrary to the other, and so breke your bowe. When 
 the stringe begynnethe neuer so lytle to were, trust it not, but 
 a waye with it for it is an yll saued halpeny y' costes a man 
 a crowne Thus you se bowe many ieopardyes hangethe ouer 
 the selye poore bowe, by reason onlye of the strynge. As when 
 the stringe is shorte, when it is longe, whe eyther of the nockes 
 be nought, when it hath but one wap, and when it taryethe 
 ouer longe on. PHI. I se wel it is no meruell, though so 
 many bowes be broken. TOX. Bowes be broken twise as 
 many wayes besyde these. But a gayne in stringynge youre 
 bowe, you must loke for muche bende or lytle bende for they 
 be cleane contrarye. 
 
 The lytle bende hath but one commoditie, whyche is in 
 shootyng faster and farther shoote, and y^ cause therof is, 
 bycause the strynge hath so far a passage, or it parte wyth the 
 shafte. The greate bende hath many commodities : for it 
 maketh easyer shootynge the bowe beyng halfe drawen afore. 
 It needeth no bracer, for the strynge stoppeth before it come at 
 the arme. It wyl not so sone hit a mannes sleue or other 
 geare, by the same reason : It hurteth not the shaft fedder, as 
 the lowe bende doeth. It suffereth a man better to espye his 
 marke. Therfore lette youre bowe haue good byg bend, 
 a shaftemente and .ii. fyngers at the Ifeast, for these which 
 I haue spoken of. PHI. The braser, gloue, and 
 strynge, be done, nowe you muste come to the 
 
74 'Toxophilus. B. 
 
 bowe, the chefe instrument of all. TOX. Dyuers countryes and 
 tymes haue vsed alwayes dyuers bowes, and of dyuers fashions. 
 Home bowes are vsed in some places nowe, & were vsed also 
 ... , in Homerus dayes, for Pandarus bowe, the best 
 
 ' ^' shooter among al the Troianes, was made of two 
 
 Goete homes ioyned togyther, the lengthe wherof sayth Homer, 
 was .xvi handbredes, not far differing from the lengthe of our 
 bowes. 
 
 Scripture maketh mention of brasse bowes. Iron bowes, 
 
 _ . and style bowes, haue bene of longe tyme, and 
 
 also nowe are vsed among the Turkes, but yet they 
 
 must nedes be vnprofitable. For yf brasse, yron or style, haue 
 
 theyr owne strength and pith in them, they be farre aboue 
 
 manes strength : yf they be made meete for mannes strengthe, 
 
 theyr pithe is nothyng worth to shoote any shoote wyth all. 
 
 The Ethiopians had bowes of palme tre, whiche seemed to 
 
 .be very stronge, but we haue none experience of 
 
 '"^ ' them. The lengthe of them was .iiii. cubites 
 
 The men of Inde had theyr bowes made of a rede, whiche was 
 
 of a great strengthe. And no maruayle though bowe and 
 
 shaftes were made therof, for the redes be so great in Inde, as 
 
 Herodotus sayth, that of euery ioynte of a rede, 
 
 a man may make a fyshers bote. These bowes, 
 
 sayeth Arrianus in Alexanders lyfe, gaue so great a stroke, that 
 
 no barneys or buckler though it were neuer so 
 
 Amanus. 8. ^^^^^^^ ^^^jj ^^^^stand it. The length of suche 
 
 a bowe, was euen wyth the length of hym, that vsed it. The 
 Lycians- vsed bowes made of a tree, called in 
 n oym. L^ty^ Cornus, (as concernyng the name of it in 
 English, I can soner proue that other men call it false, than 
 I can tell the right name of it my selfe) this wood is as harde as 
 home and very fit for shaftes, as shall be toulde after. 
 
 Ouid sheweth that Syringa the Nymphe, and one of the 
 maydens of Diana, had a bowe of this wood 
 Metamor. i. ^j^erby the poete meaneth, that it was verye 
 excellent to make bowes of 
 
 As for brasell, Elme, Wych, and Asshe, experience doth 
 proue them to be but meane for bowes, and so to conclude Ewe 
 of all other thynges, is that, wherof perfite shootyng woulde 
 haue a bowe made. 
 
'The schole of shoting. 75 
 
 Thys woode as it is nowe generall and common amonges 
 Englyshe men, so hath it continewed from longe tyme and had 
 in moost price for bowes, amoges the Romaynes, as doth apere 
 in this halfe verse of Vyrgill. 
 
 Taxi torquentur in arcus. 
 
 j Virgilius. 
 
 Ewe fit for a bowe to he made on. '' 
 
 Nowe as I saye, a bowe of Ewe must be hadde for perfefte 
 shootinge at the priclces, whiche marke, bycause it is certayne, 
 & moste certaine rules may be gyuen of it, shall serue for our 
 comunication, at this time. A good bowe is Icnowen, much 
 what as good counsayle is knowen, by the ende and proofe of it, 
 & yet bothe a bowe and good counsell, maye be made bothe 
 better and worse, by well or yll handlynge of them : as often- 
 tymes chauceth. And as a man both muste and wyll take 
 counsell, of a wyse and honeste man, though he se not the ende 
 of it, so must a shooter of necessitie, truste an honest and good 
 bowyer for a bowe, afore he knowe the proofe of it. And as a 
 wyse man wyll take plentye of counsel afore hand what soeuer 
 need, so a shooter shulde haue alwayes .iii. or .iiii. bowes, in 
 store, what so euer chaunce. PHI. But if I truste bowyers 
 alwayes, sometyme I am lyke to be deceyued. TOX. There- 
 fore shall I tell you some tokens in a bowe, that you shal be 
 the seeldomer deceyued. If you come into a shoppe, and fynde 
 a bowe that is small, long, heauy and strong, lyinge st[r]eyght, 
 not windyng, not marred with knot gaule, wyndeshake, wem, 
 freat or pynche, bye that bowe of my warrant. The beste 
 colour of a bowe y* I fynde, is whan the backe and the bellye 
 in woorkynge, be muche what after one maner, for such often- 
 tymes in wearyng, do proue lyke virgin wax or golde, hauynge 
 a fine longe grayne, euen from the one ende of the bowe, to the 
 other : the short graine although suche proue well somtyme, are 
 for y^ most parte, very brittle. Of the makynge of the bowe, 
 I wyll not greatly meddle, leste I shoulde seeme to enter into an 
 other mannes occupation, whyche I can no skyll of. Yet I 
 woulde desyre all bowyers to season theyr staues well, to woorke 
 them and synke them well, to giue the heetes conuenient, and 
 tyllerynges plentye. For thereby they sTioulde bothe get them 
 selues a good name, (And a good name encreseth a mannes 
 
76 Toxophilus. B. 
 
 profyt muche) and also do greate cQmodite to the hole Realme. 
 If any men do offend in this poynte, I am afrayde they be those 
 iourny me whiche labour more spedily to make manye bowes 
 for theyr owne monye sake, than they woorke dilligently to 
 make good bowes, for the common welth sake, not layinge 
 before theyr eyes, thys wyse prouerbe. 
 
 Sone ynough, ifwelynough. 
 
 Wherwyth euere honest handye craftes man shuld measure, as 
 it were wyth a rule, his worke withal. He that is a iourney 
 man, and rydeth vpon an other mannes horse, yf he ryde an 
 honest pace, no manne wyll dysalowe hym : But yf he make 
 Poste haste, bothe he that oweth the horse, and he peraduenture 
 also that afterwarde shal bye the horse, may chauce to curse 
 hym. 
 
 Suche hastinesse I am afrayde, maye also be found amonges 
 some of the, whych through out y^ Realme in diuerse places 
 worke y« kinges Artillarie for war, thinkynge yf they get a 
 bowe or a sheafe of arrowes to some fashion, they be good 
 ynough for bearynge gere. And thus that weapon whiche is 
 the chiefe defence of the Realme, verye ofte doth lytle seruyce 
 to hym that shoulde vse it, bycause it is so negligentlye wrought 
 of him that shuld make it, when trewlye I suppose that nether 
 y« bowe can be to good and chefe woode, nor yet to well 
 seasoned or truly made, wyth hetynges and tillerynges, nether 
 that shafte to good wood or to thorowely wrought, with the 
 best pinion fedders that can be gotten, wherwith a man shal 
 serue his prince, defende his countrie, and saue hym selfe frome 
 his enemye. And I trust no man wyll be angrye wyth me for 
 spekynge thus, but those which finde them selfe touched 
 therin : which ought rather to be angrye wyth them selfe for 
 doynge so, than to be miscontent wyth me for saynge so. And 
 in no case they ought to be displeased wyth me, seinge this is 
 spoken also after that sorte, not for the notynge of anye person 
 seuerallye, but for the amendynge of euerye one generallye. 
 But turne we agayne to knowe a good shootynge bowe for 
 oure purpose. 
 
 Euerye bowe is made eyther of a boughe, of a plante or of 
 the boole of the tree. The boughe comonlye is verye knotty, 
 and fiill of pinnes, weak, of small pithe, and sone wyll folowe 
 
The schole of shoting. yy 
 
 the stringe, and seldome werith to anye fayre coloure, yet for 
 chyldren & yonge beginners it maye serue well ynoughe. The 
 plante proueth many times wel, yf it be of a good and clene 
 groweth, and for the pith of it is quicke ynoughe of cast, it wyl 
 plye and bow far afore it breake, as al other yoge thinges do. 
 The boole of y^ tree is clenest w^out knot or pin, hauinge 
 a faste and harde woode by reasonne of hys full groweth, stronge 
 and myghtye of cast, and best for a bow, yf the staues be euen 
 clouen, and be afterwarde wroughte not ouerwharte the 
 woode, but as the graine and streyght growyng of the woode 
 leadethe a man, or elles by all reason it must sone breake, & 
 that in many shiuers. This must be considered in the roughe 
 woode, & when the bow staues be ouerwrought and facioned. 
 For in dressing and pikynge it vp for a bow, it is to late to loke 
 for it But yet in these poyntes as I sayd before you muste 
 truste an honest bowyer, to put a good bow in youre hand, 
 somewhat lookinge your selfe to those tokens whyche I shewed 
 you. And you muste not sticke for a grote or .xii. d. more 
 than a nother man would giue yf it be a good bowe. For 
 a good bow twise paide for is better than an ill bowe once 
 broken. 
 
 Thus a shooter muste begyn not at the makynge of hys 
 bowe lyke a bower, but at the byinge of hys bow lyke an 
 Archere. And when his bow is bought and brought home, 
 afore he truste muche vpon it, let hym trye and trym it after 
 thys sorte. 
 
 Take your bow in to the feeld, shote in hym, sinke hym 
 wyth deade heauye shaftes, looke where he comethe moost, 
 prouyde for that place betymes, leste it pinche and so freate : 
 whe you haue thus shot in him, and perceyued good shootynge 
 woode in hym, you must haue hym agayne to a good cunnynge, 
 and trustie woorkeman, whyche shall cut hym shorter, and pike 
 hym and dresse hym fytter, make hym comme rounde compace 
 euery where, and whippyng at the endes, but with discretion, 
 lest he whyp in sunder or els freete, soner than he is ware of, 
 he must also lay hym streght, if he be caste or otherwise nede 
 require, and if he be flatte made, gather hym rounde, and so 
 shall he bothe shoote the faster, for farre shootynge, and also 
 the surer for nere pryckynge. PHI. What yf I come into 
 a shoppe, and «pye oute a bow, which shal both than please 
 
yS 1'oxophilus. B. 
 
 me very wel whan I by him, and be also very fit and meete for 
 me whan I shote in hym ; so that he be both weake ynoughe for 
 easye shootynge, and also quycke and spedye ynoughe for farre 
 castynge, than I woulde thynke I shall nede no more businesse 
 wyth him, but be contente wyth hym, and vse hym well ynoughe, 
 and so by that meanes, auoyde bothe great trouble, and also 
 some cost whiche you cunnynge archers very often put your 
 selues vnto, beynge verye Englyshe men, neuer ceasynge 
 piddelynge about your bowe & shaftes whan they be well, but 
 eyther with shorting and pikynge your bowes, or els with newe 
 fetheryng, peecynge and headinge your shaftes, can neuer haue 
 done vntyll they be starke nought. TOX. Wel Philologe, 
 surelye if I haue any iudgement at all in shootyng, it is no very 
 great good token in a bowe, whereof nothyng whan it is newe 
 and fresshe, nede be cutte away, euen as Cicero sayeth of a 
 yonge manes wit and style, which you knowe better than I. 
 For euerye newe thynge muste alwayes haue more than it 
 neadeth, or elles it wyll not waxe better and better, but euer 
 decaye, and be worse and worse. Newe ale if it runne not 
 ouer the barrell whan it is newe tunned, wil sone lease his pith, 
 and his head afore he be longe drawen on. 
 
 And lyke wyse as that colte whyche at the fyrste takynge 
 vp, nedeth lytle breakyng and handlyng, but is fitte and gentle 
 ynoughe for the saddle, seeldome or neuer proueth well, euen so 
 that bowe whyche at the fyrste byinge, wythout any more 
 proofe & trimmynge, is fit and easie to shoote in, shall neyther 
 be profitable to laste lohge, nor yet pleasaunt to shoote well. 
 And therfore as a younge horse full of corage, wyth handlynge 
 and breakinge, is brought vnto a sure pace and goynge, so shall 
 a newe bowe fresshe and quicke of caste, by sinkyng & 
 cuttyng, be brought to a stedfast shootyng. And an easie and 
 gentle bow whan it is newe, is not muche vnlyke a softe spirited 
 boye when he is younge. But yet as of an vnrulie boye with 
 right handlyng, proueth oftenest of al a well ordered man : so 
 of an vnfit and stafFysh bow with good trimming, muste nedes 
 folowe alwayes a stedfast shotynge bowe. 
 
 And suche a perfite bowe, whiche neuer wyll deceyue a 
 man, excepte a man deceyue it, muste be had for that perfefte 
 ende, whyche you looke for in shootinge. PHI. Well 
 Toxophile, I see wel you be cunninger in this gere than I : 
 
T'he schole of shoting. 79 
 
 but put case that I haue thre or fower suche good bowes, pyked 
 and dressed, as you nowe speke of, yet I do remembre y* manye 
 learned men do saye, that it is easier to gette a good thynge, 
 than to saue and keepe a good thyng, wherfore if you can teache 
 me as concernyng that poynte, you haue satisfyed me plentifullye, 
 as concernynge a bowe. TOX. Trulye it was the nexte 
 thyng that I woulde haue come vnto, for so the matter laye. 
 
 Whan you haue broughte youre bowe to suche a poynte, as 
 I spake of, than you must haue an herde or wullen cloth waxed, 
 wherwt euery day you must rubbe and chafe your bowe, tyll it 
 shyne and glytter withall. Whyche thynge shall cause it bothe 
 to be cleane, well fauoured, goodlye of coloure, and shall also 
 bryng as it were a cruste, ouer it, that is to say, shall make it 
 euery where on the outsyde, so slyppery and harde, that neyther 
 any weete or wether can enter to hurte it, nor yet any freat or 
 pynche, be able to byte vpon it : but that you shal do it great 
 wrong before you breake it. This must be done oftentimes but 
 specially when you come from shootynge. 
 
 Beware also whan you shoote, of youre shaft hedes, dagger, 
 knyues or agglettes, lest they race your bowe, a thing as I sayde 
 before, bothe vnsemely to looke on, and also daugerous for 
 freates. Take hede also of mistie and dankyshe dayes, whiche 
 shal hurte a bowe, more than any rayne. For then you muste 
 eyther alway rub it, or els leaue shootynge. 
 
 Your bowecase (this I dyd not promise to speake of, bycause 
 it is without the nature of shootynge, or els I „ 
 shoulde truble me wyth other thinges infinite 
 more : yet seing it is a sauegarde for the bowe, somthynge I wyll 
 saye of it) youre bowecase I saye, yf you ryde forthe, muste 
 neyther be to wyde for youre bowes, for so shall one clap vpon 
 an other, and hurt them, nor yet so strayte that scarse they 
 can be thrust in, for that woulde laye them on syde & wynde 
 them A bowecase of ledder, is not the best, for that is ofttymes 
 moyste which hurteth the bowes very much. Therfore I haue 
 sene good shooters which would haue for euerye bowe, a sere 
 case made of wollen clothe, and than you maye putte .iii. or .iiii. 
 of them so cased, in to a ledder case if you wyll. This wollen 
 case shall bothe kepe them in sunder, and also wylle kepe a 
 bowe in his full strengthe, that it neuer gyue for any wether. 
 At home these wood cases be verye good for bowes to stande in. 
 
8o Toxophilus. B. 
 
 But take hede yt youre bowe stande not to nere a stone wall, 
 for that wyll make hytn moyste and weke, nor yet to nere any 
 fier for that wyll make him shorte and brittle. And thus muche 
 as concernyng the sauyng and keping of [yjour bowe : nowe you 
 shall heare what thynges ye must auoyde, for feare of breakyng 
 your bowe. 
 
 A shooter chaunseth to breake his bowe commonly .iiii. 
 wayes, by the strynge, by the shafte, by drawyng to far, & by 
 freates : By the stryng as I sayde afore, whan the strynge is 
 eyther to shorte, to long, not surely put on, wyth one wap, or 
 put croked on, or shorne in sundre wyth an euell nocke, or 
 suffered to tarye ouer longe on. Whan the stryng fayles the 
 bowe muste nedes breake, and specially in the myddes; because 
 bothe the endes haue nothyng to stop them ; but whippes so far 
 backe, that the belly must nedes violentlye rise vp, the whyche 
 you shall well perceyue in bendyng of a bowe backward. 
 Therfore a bowe that foloweth the strynge is least hurt with 
 breakyng of strynges. By the shafte a bowe is broke ether 
 when it is to short, and so you set it in your bow or when the 
 nocke breakes for lytlenesse, or when the strynge slyppes 
 wythoute the nocke for wydenesse, than you poule it to your 
 eare and lettes it go, which must nedes breake the shafte at the 
 leaste, and putte stringe and bow & al in ieopardy, bycause the 
 strength of the bowe hath nothynge in it to stop the violence of it. 
 
 Thys kynde of breakynge is mooste perilouse for the standers 
 by, for in such a case you shall se some tyme the ende of a bow 
 flye a hoole score from a ma, and that moost commonly, as I 
 haue marked oft the vpper ende of the bowe. The bow is 
 drawne to far .ii. wayes. Eyther when you take a longer 
 shafte then your owne, or els when you shyfte your hand to 
 low or to hye for shootynge far. Thys waye pouleth the backe 
 in sunder, and then the bowe fleethe in manye peces. 
 
 So when you se a bowe broken, hauynge the bellye risen vp 
 both wayes or tone, the stringe brake it. When it is broken in 
 twoo peces in a maner euen of and specyallye in the vpper ende, 
 the shafte nocke brake it. 
 
 When the backe is pouled a sunder in manye peeces, to farre 
 drawynge brake it. 
 
 These tokens eyther alwayes be trewe or els verye seldome 
 mysse. 
 
'The schole of shoting. 8 i 
 
 The fourthe thyng that breketh a bow is fretes, whych 
 make a bowe redye and apte to breake by any of 
 the .iii. wayes afore sayde. Freetes be in a shaft 
 as well as in a bowe, and they be muche lyke a Canker, 
 crepynge and encreasynge in those places in a bowe, whyche 
 be weaker then other. And for thys purpose must your bowe 
 be well trymmed and piked of a coning man that it may come 
 rounde in trew compasse euery where. For freetes you must 
 beware, yf youre bow haue a knot in the backe, lest the places 
 whyche be nexte it, be not alowed strong ynoughe to here w' 
 the knotte, or elles the stronge knotte shall freate the weake 
 places nexte it. Freates be fyrst litle pinchese, the whych whe 
 you perceaue, pike the places about the pinches, to make them 
 somewhat weker, and as well commynge as where it pinched, 
 and so the pinches shall dye, and neuer encrease farther in to 
 great freates. 
 
 Freates begynne many tymes in a pin, for there the good 
 woode is corrupted, that it muste nedes be weke, and bycause 
 it is weake, therfore it freates. Good bowyers therfore do rayse 
 euery pyn & alowe it moore woode for feare of freatynge. 
 
 Agayne bowes moost commonlye freate vnder the hande, 
 not so muche as some men suppose for the moistnesse of the 
 hande, as for the heete of the hand : the nature of heate sayeth 
 Aristotle is to lowse, and not to knyt fast, and the more lowser 
 the more weaker, the weaker, the redier to freate. A bowe is 
 not well made, whych hath not wood plentye in the hande. 
 For yf the endes of the bowe be stafFyshe, or a mans hande any 
 thynge hoote the bellye must nedes sone frete. Remedie for 
 fretes to any purpose I neuer hard tell of any, but onelye to 
 make the freated place as stronge or stronger then any other. 
 To fill vp the freate with lytle sheuers of a quill and glewe (as 
 some saye wyll do wel) by reason must be starke nought. 
 
 For, put case the freete dyd cease then, yet the cause whiche 
 made it freate a fore (and that is weakenesse of the place) bicause 
 it is not taken away must nedes make it freate agayne. As for 
 cuttyng out of freates wythe all maner of pecynge of bowes 
 I wyll cleane exclude from perfite shootynge. For peced bowes 
 be muche lyke owlde housen, whyche be more chargeable to 
 repayre, than commodiouse to dwell in. Agayne to swadle 
 a bowe much about wyth bandes, verye seldome dothe anye 
 
82 'Toxophilus. B. 
 
 good, excepte it be to kepe downe a spel in the backe, otherwyse 
 bandes ether nede not when the bow is any thinge worthe, or 
 els boote not whe it is marde & past best. And although I 
 knowe meane and poore shooters, wyll vse peced and banded 
 bowes sometyme bycause they are not able to get better when 
 they woulde, yet I am sure yf they consyder it well, they shall 
 fynde it, bothe lesse charge and more pleasure to ware at any 
 tyme a couple of shyllynges of a new bowe than to bestowe 
 .X. d of peacynge an olde bowe. For better is coste vpon 
 somewhat worth, than spence vpon nothing worth. And thys 
 I speke also bycause you woulde haue me referre all to perfit- 
 nesse in shootynge. 
 
 Moreouer there is an other thynge, whyche wyl sone cause 
 a bowe be broken by one of the .iii. wayes whych be first 
 spoken of, and that is shotyng in winter, when there is any 
 froste. Froste is wheresoeuer is any waterish humour, as is in 
 al woodes, eyther more or lesse, and you knowe that al thynges 
 frosen and Isie, wyl rather brake than bende. Yet if a man 
 must nedes shoote at any suche tyme, lette hym take hys bowe, 
 and brynge it to the fyer, and there by litle and litle, rubbe and 
 chafe it with a waxed clothe, whiche shall bring it to that poynt, 
 y' he maye shote safelye ynough in it. This rubbyng with 
 waxe, as I sayde before^ is a great succour, agaynst all wete and 
 moystnesse. 
 
 In the fyeldes also, in goyng betwyxt the pricks eyther wyth 
 your hande, or elles wyth a clothe you muste keepe your bowe 
 in suche a temper. And thus muche as concernynge youre 
 bowe, howe fyrste to knowe what wood is best for a bowe, 
 than to chose a bowe, after to trim a bowe, agayne to keepe it 
 in goodnesse, laste of al, howe to saue it from al harm and 
 euylnesse. 
 
 And although many men can saye more of a bow yet I trust 
 these thynges be true, and almoste sufficient for the knowlege 
 of a perfeSle bowe. PHI. Surelye I beleue so, and yet I 
 coulde haue hearde you talke longer on it : althogh I can not 
 se, what maye be sayd more of it. Therfore excepte you wyll 
 pause a whyle, you may go forwarde to a shafte. 
 
 TOX. What shaftes were made of, in oulde tyme authours 
 
 „ . r 1 . do not so manifestlye shewe, as of bowes. Hero- 
 
 dotus doth tel, that in the flood of Nilus, ther 
 
'The schole of shoting. 83 
 
 was a beast, called a water horse, of whose skinne after it was 
 
 dried, the Egyptians made shaftes, and dartes on. The 
 
 tree called Cornus was so common to make 
 
 shaftes of, that in good authours of ye latyn tongue, ^"' ''^^' 
 
 Cornus is taken for a shafte, as in Seneca, and that place of 
 
 Virgin, 
 
 Volat Itala Cornus. Virg. end. 9 
 
 Yet of all thynges that euer I warked of olde authours, 
 either greke or latin, for shaftes to be made of, there is nothing 
 so comon as reedes. Herodotus in describynge the mightie 
 boost of Xerxes doth tell that thre great contries t p 1 
 vsed shaftes made of a rede, the Aethiopians, the " ''^'"' 
 Lycians (whose shaftes lacked fethers, where at I maruayle 
 moste of all) and the men of Inde. The shaftes in . . 
 Inde were verye longe, a yarde and an halfe, as 
 Arrianus doth saye, or at the least a yarde, as n r t 9. 
 Q. Curtius doth saye, and therfore they gaue y^ 
 greater strype, but yet bycause they were so long, they were the 
 more vnhansome, and lesse profitable to the men of Inde, as 
 Curtius doeth tell. 
 
 In Crete and Italie, they vsed to haue their shaftes of rede 
 also. The best reede for shaftes grewe in Inde, 
 and in Rhenus a flood of Italy. «. i • 3 • 
 
 But bycause suche shaftes be neyther easie for Englishe 
 men to get, and yf they were gotten scarse profitable for them 
 to vse, I wyll lette them passe, and speake of those shaftes 
 whyche Englysh men at this daye moste comonly do approue 
 and allowe. 
 
 A shaft hath three principall partes, the stele, the fethers, 
 and the head : whereof euerye one muste be seuerallye spoken of 
 
 C Steles be made of dyuerse woodes, as, 
 
 Brasell. 
 
 Turkie wood. ^ 
 
 Fusticke. 
 
 Sugercheste. 
 
 Hardbeame. 
 
 Byrche. 
 
 Asshe. 
 
 Ooke. 
 
 F 2 
 
84 'Toxophilus. B. 
 
 Semis tree. 
 
 Hulder. 
 
 Blackthorne. 
 
 Beche. 
 
 Elder. 
 
 Aspe. 
 
 Salow. 
 
 These wooddes as they be most commonly vsed, so they be 
 mooste fit to be vsed : yet some one fytter then an other for 
 diuers mennes shotinge, as shalbe toulde afterwarde. And in 
 this pointe as in a bowe you muste truste an honest fletcher. 
 Neuerthelesse al thoughe I can not teache you to make a bowe 
 or a shafte, whiche belongeth to a bowyer and a fletcher to 
 come to theyr lyuyng, yet wyll I shewe you some tokens to 
 knowe a bowe & a shafte, whiche pertayneth to an Archer to 
 come to good shootynge. 
 
 A stele muste be well seasoned for Castinge, and it must be 
 made as the grayne lieth & as it groweth or els it wyl neuer flye 
 clene, as clothe cut ouertwhart and agaynste the wuUe, can 
 neuer hoose a manne cleane. A knottye stele maye be suffered 
 in a bygge shafte, but for a lyde shafte it is nothynge fit, bothe 
 bycause it wyll neuer flye far, and besydes that it is euer in 
 danger of breakynge, it flieth not far bycause the strengthe of the 
 shoote is hindred and stopped at the knotte, euen as a stone 
 cast in to a plaine euen stil water, wyll make the water moue 
 a greate space, yet yf there be any whirlynge plat in the water, 
 the mouynge ceasethe when it commethe at the whyrlynge 
 plat, whyche is not muche vnlyke a knotte in a shafiie yf it be 
 cosidered wel. So euery thyng as it is plaine and streight of 
 hys owne nature so is it fittest for far mouynge. Therfore 
 a stele whyche is harde to stade in a bowe, without knotte, and 
 streighte (I meane not artificiallye streyghte as the fletcher dothe 
 make it, but naturally streight as it groweth in the wood) is best 
 to make a shaft of, eyther to go cleane, fly far or stand surely 
 in any wedder. Now howe big, how small, how heuye, how 
 lyght, how longe, how short, a shafte shoulde be particularlye 
 for euerye man (seynge we must taulke of the generall nature 
 of shootyng) can not be toulde no more than you Rhethoricians 
 can appoynt any one kynde of wordes, of sentences, of fygures 
 
'The schole of shoting. 85 
 
 fyt for euery matter, but euen as the man and the matter 
 requyreth so the fyttest to be vsed. Therfore as concernynge 
 those contraryes in a shafte, euery man muste auoyde them and 
 draw to the meane of them, whyche meane is best in al thynges. 
 Yet yf a man happen to ofFende in any of the extremes it is 
 better to offend in want and scantnesse, than in to muche and 
 outragiouse excedynge. As it is better to haue a shafte a lytle 
 to shorte than ouer longe, somewhat to lyght, than ouer 
 lumpysshe, a lytle to small, than a greate deale to big, whiche 
 thyng is not onely trewlye sayde in shootynge, but in all other 
 thynges that euer man goeth aboute, as in eatynge, taulkynge, 
 and all other thynges lyke, whych matter was onse excellentlye 
 disputed vpon, in the Scooles, you knowe when. 
 
 And to offend, in these contraryes cometh much yf men 
 take not hede, throughe the kynd of wood, wherof the shaft is 
 made : For somme wood beloges to y^ excedyng part, some to 
 ys scat part, some to y^ meane, as Brasell, Turkiewood, 
 Fusticke, Sugar cheste, & such lyke, make deade, heuy lupish, 
 hobblyng shaftes Againe Hulder, black thorne, Serues tree, 
 Beche, Elder, Aspe, and Salowe, eyther for theyr wekenes or 
 lyghtenesse, make holow, starting, scudding, gaddynge shaftes. 
 But Birche, Hardbeme, some Ooke, and some Asshe, beynge 
 bothe stronge ynoughe to stande in a bowe, and also lyght 
 ynoughe to flye far, are best for a meane, whiche is to be 
 soughte cute in euery thinge. And althoughe I knowe that 
 some me shoote so stronge, that the deade woodes be lyghte 
 ynoughe for them, and other some so weeke, that the lowse 
 woodes be lykewyse for them bigge ynoughe yet generally for 
 the moost parte of men, the meane is the best. And so to 
 conclude, that is alwayes beste for a man, whiche is metest for 
 him. Thus no wood of his owne nature, is eyther to lyght or 
 to heuy, but as the shooter is him selfe whyche dothe vse it. For 
 that shafte whiche one yeare for a man is to lyghte and scud- 
 dinge, for the same selfe man the next yeare may chaunce be to 
 heuy and hobblynge. Therfore can not I expresse, excepte 
 generally, what is best wood for a shaft, but let euery ma when 
 he knoweth his owne strength and the nature of euery wood, 
 prouyde and fyt himselfe thereafter. Yet as concerning sheaffe 
 Arrouse for war (as I suppose) it were better to make them of 
 good Asshe, and not of Aspe, as they be now a dayes. For of 
 
86 toxophilui. B. 
 
 all other woodes that euer I proued Asshe being big is swiftest 
 and agayne heuy to giue a greate stripe with all, whyche Aspe 
 shall not doo. What heuynes doth in a stripe euery man by 
 experience can tell, therfore Asshe being both swyfter and 
 heuier is more fit for sheafe Arroes the Aspe, & thus mache 
 for the best wood for shaftes. 
 
 Agayne lykewyse as no one wood can be greatlye meet for 
 all kynde of shaftes, no more can one facion of the stele be fit 
 for euery shooter. For those that be lytle brested and big 
 toward the hede called by theyr lykenesse taperfashio, reshe 
 growne, and of some merrye fellowes bobtayles, be fit for them 
 whiche shote vnder hande bycause they shoote wyth a softe 
 lowse, and stresses not a shaft muche in the breste where the 
 weyghte of the bowe lyethe as you maye perceyue by the 
 werynge of euery shafte. 
 
 Agayne the bygge brested shafte is fytte for hym, which 
 shoteth right afore him, or els the brest being weke shoulde 
 neuer wythstande that strong piththy kynde of shootynge, thus 
 the vnderhande must haue a small breste, to go deane awaye 
 oute of the bowe, the forehande muste haue a bigge breste to 
 here the great myghte of the bowe. The shafte must be made 
 rounde nothynge flat wyth out gal or wemme, for thys purpose. 
 For bycause roundnesse (whether you take example in heauen 
 or in earthe) is fittest shappe and forme both for fast mouing 
 and also for sone percynge of any thynge. And therfore 
 Aristotle saythe that nature hath made the raine to be round, 
 bycause it shoulde the easelyer enter throughe the ayre. 
 
 The nocke of the shafte is dyuersly made, for some be greate 
 and fiill, some hansome & lytle, some wyde, some narow, some 
 depe, some shalowe, some round, some longe, some wyth one 
 nocke, some wyth a double nocke, wherof euery one hathe hys 
 propertye. 
 
 The greate and full nocke, maye be well felte, and many 
 wayes they saue a shafte from brekynge. The hansome and 
 lytle nocke wyll go clene awaye frome the hand, the wyde 
 nocke is noughte, both for breakyng of the shafte and also for 
 soden slyppynge oute of the strynge when the narrowe nocke 
 doth auoyde bothe those harmes. The depe and longe nocke is 
 good in warre for sure kepyng in of the strynge. The shalow, 
 and rownde nocke is best for our purpose in prickyng for cleane 
 
'The schole of shoting. 87 
 
 delyueraunce of a shoote. And double nockyng is vsed for 
 double suerty of the shaft And thus far as concernynge a 
 hoole stele. 
 
 Peecynge of a shafte with brasell and holie, or other heauy 
 woodes, is to make y^ ende compasse heauy with the fethers in 
 fliyng, for the stedfaster shotyng. For if the ende were plumpe 
 heauy wyth lead and the wood nexte it lyghte, the head ende 
 woulde euer be downwardes, and neuer flye strayght. 
 
 Two poyntes in peecing be ynough, lest the moystnes of the 
 earthe enter to moche into the peecinge, & so leuse the glue. 
 Therfore many poyntes be more plesaunt to the eye, than 
 profitable for the vse. 
 
 Sume vse to peece theyr shaftes in the nocke wyth brasel, 
 or holye, to counterwey, with the head, and I haue sene sume 
 for the same purpose, bore an hole a lytle bineth the nocke, and 
 put leade in it. But yet none of these wayes be anye thing 
 needful at al, for y^ nature of a fether in flying, if a man marke 
 it w^el, is able to bear vp a wonderfiil weyght : and I thike 
 suche peecing came vp first, thus : whan a good Archer hath 
 broken a good shafte, in the fethers, & for the fantasie he hath 
 had to it, he is lothe to leese it, & therfore doeth he peece it. 
 And than by and by other eyther bycause it is gaye, or elles 
 because they wyll haue a shafte lyke a good archer, cutteth 
 theyre hole shaftes, and peeceth them agayne: A thynge by my 
 iudgement, more costlye than nedefull. 
 
 And thus haue you heard what wood, what fasshion, what 
 nockynge, what peecynge a stele muste haue : Nowe foloweth 
 the fetherynge. 
 
 PHI. I woulde neuer haue thought you could haue sayd 
 halfe so muche of a stele, and I thynke as concernyng the litle 
 fether and the playne head, there is but lytle to saye. TOX. 
 Lytle, yes trulye : for there is no one thing, in al shoting, so- 
 moche to be loked on as the fether. For fyrste a question maye 
 be asked, whether any other thing besyde a fether, be fit for 
 a shaft or no ? if a fether onelye be fit, whether a goose fether 
 onely, or no ? yf a goose fether be best, then whether there be 
 any difference, as concernynge the fether of an oulde goose, and 
 a younge goose : a gander, or a goose : a fennye goose, or an 
 vplandish goose. Againe which is best fether in any goose, the 
 ryght wing or the left wing, the pinion fether, or any other 
 
88 T'oxophilus. B. 
 
 fether : a whyte, blacke, or greye fether ? Thirdly, in settyng 
 on of your fether, whether it be pared or drawen wt a thicke 
 rybbe, or a thinne rybbe (the rybbe is y« hard quill whiche 
 deuydeth the fether) a long fether better or a shorte, set on nere 
 the nocke, or farre from, the nocke, set on streight, or som what 
 bowyng ? & whether one or two fethers runne on the bowe. 
 Fourthly in couling or sheryng, whether high or lowe, whether 
 somewhat swyne backed (I muste vse shoters wordes) or sadle 
 backed, whether rounde, or square shorne ? And whether a 
 shaft at any tyme ought to be plucked, and how to be plucked. 
 PHI. Surely Toxophile, I thynke manye fletchers (although 
 daylye they haue these thinges in vre) if they were asked 
 sodeynly, what they coulde saye of a fether, they could not 
 saye so moch. But I praye you let me heare you more at large, 
 expresse those thynges in a fether, the whiche you packed vp in 
 so narrowe a rowme. And fyrst whether any other thyng may 
 be vsed for a fether or not. TOX. That was y^ fyrste poynte 
 in dede, and bycause there foloweth many after, I wyll hye 
 apace ouer them, as one that had manye a myle to ride. Shaftes 
 
 to haue had alwayes fethers Plinius in Latin, and 
 /V/ ^^ lulius Pollux in Greke, do playnlye shewe, yet 
 
 ifer. Polym. onely the Lycians I reade in Herodotus to haue 
 
 vsed shaftes without fedders. Onelye a fedder is 
 fit for a shafte for .ii. causes, fyrste bycause it is leathe weake to 
 giue place to the bowe, than bycause it is of that nature, that it 
 wyll starte vp after y« bow So, Plate, wood or home can not 
 serue, bycause the[y] wil not gyue place. Againe, Cloth, Paper, 
 or Parchment can not serue, bycause they wyll not ryse after 
 the bowe, therfore a fedder is onely mete, bycause it onelye wyl 
 do bothe. Nowe to looke on the fedders of all maner of birdes, 
 you shal se some so lowe weke and shorte, some so course, stoore 
 and harde, and the rib so brickie, thin and narrow, that it can 
 nether be drawen, pared, nor yet well set on, that except it be 
 a swan for a dead shafte (as I knowe some good Archers haue 
 vsed) or a ducke for a flyghte whiche lastes but one shoote, there 
 is no fether but onelye of a goose that hath all commodities in 
 it. And trewelye at a short but, which some ma doth vse, y^^ 
 Pecock fether doth seldome kepe vp y^ shaft eyther ryght or 
 leuel, it is so roughe and heuy, so that many me which haue 
 taken them vp for gayenesse, hathe layde them downe agayne 
 
'The schole of shoting. 89 
 
 for profyte, thus for our purpose, the Goose is best fether, for 
 the best shoter. PHI. No that is not so, for the best shoter 
 that euer was vsed other fethers. TOX. Ye are you so cun- 
 ninge in shootynge I praye you who was that. PHI. Hercules 
 whyche had hys shaftes fethered with Egles fethers 
 as Hesiodus dothe saye. TOX. Well as for f/jf/^l-^ 
 Hercules, seynge nether water nor lande, heauen 
 nor hell, coulde scarse contente hym to abyde in, it was no 
 meruell thoughe a sely poore gouse fether could not plese him 
 to shoote wythal, and agayne as for Egles they flye so hye and 
 builde so far of, y' they be very hard to coe by. Yet welfare 
 the gentle gouse which bringeth to a man euen to 
 hys doore so manye excedynge commodities. For 
 the gouse is mas coforte in war & in peace slepynge and wakynge. 
 What prayse so euer is gyuen to shootynge the gouse may 
 chalenge the beste parte in it. How well dothe she make a 
 man fare at his table ? Howe easelye dothe she make a man lye 
 in hys bed ? How fit euen as her fethers be onelye for shootynge, 
 so be her quylles fytte onelye for wrytyng. PHlLO. In deade 
 Toxophyle that is the beste prayse you gaue to a gouse yet, and 
 surelye I would haue sayde you had bene to blame yf you had 
 ouerskypte it. TOX. The Romaynes I trowe Philologe not 
 so muche bycause a gouse wyth cryinge saued theyr Capitoliu 
 and head toure wyth their golden lupiter as Propertius doth say 
 very pretely in thys verse. 
 
 Amerh et tutum uoce fuisse louem. 
 
 Id est. Propemus. 
 
 Theues on a night had stolne lupiter., had a gouse not a kekede. 
 
 Dyd make a golden gouse and set hir in the top of y^ 
 Capitoliu, & appoynted also the Censores to alow 
 out of y^ common hutche yearly stipedes for y« j^"^ '' 
 findinge of certayne Geese, y^ Romaynes did not 
 I saye giue al thys honor to a gouse for y' good dede onely, but 
 for other infinit mo which come daylye to a man by Geese, and 
 surely yf I should declame in y^ prayse of any maner of beest 
 lyuyng, I would chose a gouse. But the gouse hath made vs flee 
 to farre from oure matter. Now sir ye haue hearde howe a 
 fether must be had, and that a goose fether onely. It foloweth 
 of a yong gose and an oulde, and the residue belonging to a fether: 
 
90 'Toxophilus. B. 
 
 which thing I wyll shortlye course ouer : wherof, when you 
 knowe the properties, you maye fitte your shaftes accordyng to 
 your shotyng, which rule you must obserue in all other thynges 
 too, bycause no one fashion or quantitie can be fitte for euery 
 man, nomore than a shooe or a cote can be. The oulde goose 
 fether is styffe and stronge, good for a wynde, and fyttest for 
 a deed shaft : the yonge goose fether is weake and fyne, best 
 for a swyfte shaft, and it must be couled at the first shering, 
 somewhat hye, for with shoting, it wyll sattle and faule very 
 moche. The same thing (although not so moche) is to be 
 cosydered in a goose and a gander. A fenny goose, euen as 
 her flesh is blacker, stoorer, vnholsomer, so is her fether for the 
 same cause courser stoorer & rougher, & therfore I haue heard 
 very good fletchers saye, that the seconde fether in some place 
 is better then the pinion in other some. Betwixt the winges is 
 lytle difFerece, but that you must haue diuerse shaftes of one 
 flight, fethered with diuerse winges, for diuerse windes : for if 
 the wynde and the fether go both one way the shaft wyl be 
 caryed to moche. The pinion fether as it hath the firste place 
 in the winge, so it hath the fyrst place in good fetheringe. You 
 maye knowe it afore it be pared, by a bought whiche is in it, 
 and agayne when it is colde, by the thinnesse aboue, and the 
 thicknesse at the grounde, and also by the stifnes and finesse 
 which wyll cary a shaft better, faster and further, euen as a fine 
 sayle cloth doth a shyppe. 
 
 The coulour of the fether is leste to be regarded, yet 
 som what to be looked on : lest for a good whyte you haue 
 sometyme an yll greye. Yet surelye it standeth with good 
 reaso to haue the cocke fether black or greye, as it were to gyue 
 a man warning to nocke ryght. The cocke fether is called that 
 which stadeth aboue in right nocking, which if you do not 
 obserue the other fethers must nedes run on the bowe, and so 
 marre your shote. And thus farre of the goodnesse and choyse 
 of your fether: now foloweth the setting on. Wherin you must 
 looke that your fethers be not drawen for hastinesse, but pared 
 euen and streyghte with diligence. The fletcher draweth a 
 fether when he hath but one swappe at it with his knyfe, and 
 then playneth it a lytle, with rubbynge it ouer his knyfe. He 
 pareth it when he taketh leysure and hede to make euery parte 
 of the ryb apt to stand streight, and euen on vpon the stele. 
 
'The schole of shoting. 9 1 
 
 This thing if a man take not heede on, he maye chaunce haue 
 cause to saye so of his fletcher, as in dressinge of meate is 
 communelye spoken of Cookes : and that is, that God sendeth 
 vs good fethers, but the deuyll noughtie Fletchers. Yf any 
 fletchers heard me saye thus, they wolde not be angrye with 
 me, except they were yll fletchers : and yet by reason, those 
 fletchers too, ought rather to amend them selues for doing yll, 
 then be angry with me for saying truth. The ribbe in a styfFe 
 fether may be thinner, for so it wyll stande cleaner on : but in 
 a weake fether you must leaue a thicker ribbe, or els yf the ryb 
 which is the foundacion and grounde, wherin nature hath set 
 euerye clefte of the fether, be taken to nere the fether, it muste 
 nedes folowe, that the fether shall faule, & droupe downe, euen 
 as any herbe doeth whyche hath his roote to nere taken on with 
 a spade. The lengthe and shortnesse of the fether, serueth for 
 diuers shaftes, as a long fether for a long heauy, or byg shafte, 
 the shorte fether for the contrary. Agayne the shorte may 
 stande farther, the longe nerer the nocke. Youre fether muste 
 stande almooste streyght on, but yet after that sorte, y' it maye 
 turne rounde in flyinge. And here I consider the wonderfull 
 nature of shootynge, whiche standeth all togyther by that 
 fashion, which is moste apte for quicke mouynge, and that is 
 by roundenesse. For firste the bowe must be gathered rounde, 
 in drawyng it must come rounde compasse, the strynge muste 
 be rounde, the stele rounde, the beste nocke rounde, the feather 
 shorne somwhat rounde, the shafte in flyenge, muste turne 
 rounde, and if it flye far, it flyeth a round compace. For 
 eyther aboue or benethe a rounde copace, hyndereth the flyinge. 
 Moreouer bothe the fletcher in makynge your shafte, and you 
 in nockynge your shafte, muste take heede that two fethers 
 equallye runne on the bowe. For yf one fether runne alone 
 on the bowe, it shal quickely be worne, and shall not be able to 
 matche with the other fethers, and agayne at the lowse, yf the 
 shafte be lyght, it wyl starte, if it be heuye, it wil hoble. And 
 thus as concernyng settyng on of your fether. Nowe of 
 coulynge. 
 
 To shere a shafte hyghe or lowe, muste be as the shafte is 
 heauy or lyght, great or lytle, long or short The swyne backed 
 fashion, maketh the shaft deader, for it gathereth more ayer than 
 the saddle backed, & therfore the saddle backe is surer for 
 
92 'Toxophilus. B. 
 
 daunger of wether, & fitter for smothe fliing. Agayn to shere 
 a shaft rounde, as they were wount somtime to do, or after the 
 triangle fashion, whyche is muche vsed nowe a dayes, bothe be 
 good. For roundnesse is apte for fliynge of his owne nature, 
 and all maner of triangle fashion, (the sharpe poynte goyng 
 before) is also naturally apte for quycke entrynge, and therfore 
 sayth Cicero, that cranes taught by nature, obserue 
 in flyinge a triangle fashion alwayes, bycause it is 
 so apt to perce and go thorowe the ayer wythall. Laste of all 
 pluckynge of fethers is noughte, for there is no suerty in it, 
 therfore let euery archer haue such shaftes, that he maye bothe 
 knowe them and trust them at euery chaunge of wether. Yet 
 if they must nedes be plucked, plucke them as litle as can be, for 
 so shal they be the lesse vnconstante. And thus I haue knit vp 
 in as shorte a roume as I coulde, the best fethers fetheringe and 
 coulinge of a shafte. PHI. I thynke surelye you haue so taken 
 vp the matter wyth you, yt you haue lefte nothynge behinde 
 you. Nowe you haue brought a shafte to the head, whiche if 
 it were on, we had done as concernyng all instrumentes be- 
 longyng to shootynge. 
 
 TOX. Necessitie, the inuentour of all goodnesse (as all 
 authours in a maner, doo saye) amonges all other thinges 
 inuented a shaft heed, firste to saue the ende from breakyng, 
 then it made it sharpe to stycke better, after it made it of strog 
 matter, to last better : Last of all experience and wysedome of 
 men, hathe brought it to suche a perfitnesse, that there is no 
 one thing so profitable, belongyng to artillarie, either to stryke 
 a mannes enemye sorer in warre, or to shoote nerer the marke 
 at home, then is a fitte heed for both purposes. For if a shaft 
 lacke a heed, it is worth nothynge for neither vse. Therfore 
 seinge heedes be so necessary, they must of necessitie, be wel 
 looked vpon Heedes for warre, of longe tyme haue ben made, 
 not onely of diuers matters, but also of diuers fashions The 
 Troians had heedes of yron, as this verse spoken of Pandarus, 
 sheweth : 
 
 Vp to thepappe his string did he pull^ his shaft to the harde yron. 
 Iliados. 4. 
 
 The Grecians had heedes of brasse, as Vlysses shaftes were 
 
The schole of shoting. 93 
 
 heeded, when he slewe Antinous, and the other wowers of 
 Penelope. 
 
 ^uite through a dore^ flewe a shafte with a brasse heed. 
 
 Odysse. 21. 
 
 It is playne in Homer, where Menelaus was wounded of 
 Pandarus shafte, y' the heedes were not glewed on, but tyed on 
 with a string, as the comentaries in Greke playne- 
 lye tell. And therfore shoters at that tyme to ' ^' 
 
 cary their shaftes withoute heedes, vntill they occupyed them, 
 and than set on an heade as it apereth in Homer the .xxi. booke 
 Odyssei, where Penelope brought Vlixes bowe downe amonges 
 the gentlemen, whiche came on wowing to her, that he whiche 
 was able to bende it and drawe it, might inioye 
 her, and after her folowed a mayde sayth Homer, ' ^'" 
 
 carienge a bagge fiill of heades, bothe of iron and brasse. 
 
 The men of Scythia, vsed heades of brasse. The men of 
 Inde vsed heades of yron The Ethiopians vsed heades of a 
 harde sharpe stone, as bothe Herodotus and Pollux 
 do tel. The Germanes as Cornelius Tacitus „ ^^"'■ 
 
 doeth saye, had theyr shaftes headed with bone, I'o/ym 
 
 and many countryes bothe of olde tyme and nowe, 
 vse heades of home, but of all other yro and style muste nedes 
 be the fittest for heades. 
 
 lulius Pollux calleth otherwyse than we doe, wherfe the 
 fethers be the head, and that whyche we call the 
 head, he calleth the poynte. 
 
 Fashion of heades is diuers and that of olde tyme : two 
 maner of arrowe heades sayeth Pollux, was vsed in olde tyme. 
 The one he calleth ojkivo<; descrybynge it thus, hauyng two 
 poyntes or barbes, lookyng backewarde to the stele and the 
 fethers, which surely we call in Englishe a brode arrowe head 
 or a swalowe tayle. The other he calleth 'y^m^j^t?, hauing .ii. 
 poyntes stretchyng forwarde, and this Englysh men do call 
 a forkehead : bothe these two kyndes of heades, were vsed in 
 Homers dayes, for Teucer vsed forked heades, sayinge thus to 
 Agamemnon. 
 
 Eighte good shaftes haue I shot sithe I came, eche one wyth a 
 forke heade. Iliad. 8. 
 
 P-andarus heades and Vlysses heades were broode arrow 
 
94 I'oxophilus. B. 
 
 heades, as a man maye learne in Homer that woulde be curiouse 
 in knowyng that matter. Hercules vsed forked heades, but yet 
 
 they had thre pointes or forkes, when other mennes 
 fnoZs"! had but twoo. The Parthyans at that great battell 
 
 where they slewe ritche Crassus and his sonne vsed 
 
 brode Arrowe heades, whyche stacke so sore that the Roraaynes 
 
 could not poule them out agayne. Commodus the Emperoure 
 
 „ . vsed forked heades, whose facion Herodiane doeth 
 
 lyuely and naturally describe, sayinge that they 
 were lyke the shap of a new mone wherewyth he would smite 
 of the heade of a birde and neuer misse, other facion of heades 
 haue not I red on. Our Englyshe heades be better in war than 
 eyther forked heades, or brode arrowe heades. For firste the 
 ende beynge lyghter they flee a great deele the faster, and by 
 the same reason gyueth a far sorer stripe. Yea & I suppose if 
 y« same lytle barbes which they haue, were clene put away, 
 they shuld be far better. For thys euery ma doth graunt, y' 
 a shaft as log as it flyeth, turnes, and wha it leueth turnyng it 
 leueth goyng any farther. And euery thynge that enters by 
 a turnynge and boring facion, the more flatter it is, the worse it 
 enters, as a knife thoughe it be sharpe yet because of the edges, 
 wil not bore so wel as a bodkin, for euery rounde thynge enters 
 beste & therefore nature, sayeth Aristotle, made the rayne 
 droppes rounde for quicke percynge the ayre. Thus, eyther 
 shaftes turne not in flyeng, or els our flatte arrowe heades stoppe 
 the shafte in entrynge. PHI. But yet Toxophile to holde your 
 communication a lytle I suppose the flat heade is better, bothe 
 bycause it maketh a greter hoole, and also bycause it stickes 
 faster in. TOX. These two reasons as they be bothe trewe, 
 so they be both nought. For fyrst the lesse hoole, yf it be depe, 
 is the worst to heale agayn : whe a man shoteth at hys enemy, 
 hfe desyreth rather y* it should enter far, than stick fast. For 
 what remedye is it I praye you for hym whych is smitten w' 
 a depe wounde to poull out the shaft quickely, except it be to 
 haste his death spedely ? thus heades whyche make a lytle hole 
 & depe, be better in war, than those which make a great hole 
 and sticke fast in. 
 
 lulius Pollux maketh mencion of certayne kindes of 
 D /; _ heades for war which bear fyre in them, and 
 
 Psal. 7'. scripture also speaketh somwhat of the same. 
 
'The schole of shoting. 95 
 
 Herodotus doth tell a wonderfull pollicy to be done by 
 Xerxses what tyme he beseged the great Toure in 
 Athenes : He made his Archers binde there shafte ^"^''' ^^"^ 
 heades aboute wyth towe, and than set it on fyre and shoote 
 the, whych thyng done by many Archers set all the places on 
 fyre, whych were of matter to burne : and besydes that dased 
 the men wythin, so y* they knewe not whyther to turne them. 
 But to make an ende of all heades for warre I woulde wyshe 
 that the head makers of Englande shoulde make their sheafe 
 arrowe heades more harder poynted then they be : for I my selfe 
 haue sene of late suche heades set vpo sheafe Arrowes, as y^ 
 officers yf they had sene them woulde not haue bene content 
 wyth all. 
 
 Now as concernyng heades for pryckyng, which is oure 
 purpose, there be dyuerse kyndes, some be blonte heades, some 
 sharpe, some bothe blonte and sharpe. The blont heades men 
 vse bycause they perceaue them to be good, to kepe a lengthe 
 wyth all, they kepe a good lengthe, bycause a man poulethe 
 them no ferder at one tyme than at another. For in felynge 
 the plompe ende alwayes equallye he may lowse them. Yet in 
 a winde, and agaynste the wynd the wether hath so much power 
 on the brode end, yt no man can kepe no sure lengthe, wyth 
 such a heade. Therfore a blont hede in a caulme or downe 
 a wind is very good, otherwyse none worse. 
 
 Sharpe heades at the ende wythout anye shoulders (I call 
 that the shoulder in a heade whyche a mans finger shall feele 
 afore it come to the poynte) wyll perche quycklye throughe 
 a wyndc, but yet it hath .ii. discommodities, the one that it 
 wyll kepe no lengthe, it kepeth no lengthe, bycause no manne 
 can poule it certaynly as far one tyme as at an other : it is not 
 drawen certaynlye so far one tyme as at an other, bycause it 
 lackethe shouldrynge wherwyth as wyth a sure token a man 
 myghte be warned when to lowse, and also bycause menne are 
 afrayde of the sharpe poynt for settyng it in y^ bow. The 
 seconde incomoditie is when it is lyghted on ye ground, y^ smal 
 poynte shall at euerye tyme be in ieopardye of hurtynge, whyche 
 thynge of all other wyll sonest make the shafte lese the lengthe. 
 Now when blonte heades be good to kepe a lengthe wythall, 
 yet noughte for a wynde, sharpe heades good to perche the 
 wether wyth al, yet nought for a length, certayne heademakers 
 
g6 Toxophi'/us. B. 
 
 dwellyng in London perceyuynge the commoditie of both kynde 
 of heades ioyned wyth a discommoditie, inuented newe files and 
 other instrumentes where wyth [t]he[y] broughte heades for 
 pryckynge to such a perfitnesse, that all the commodities of the 
 twoo other heades should be put in one heade wyth out anye 
 discommoditie at all. They made a certayne kynde of heades 
 whyche men call hie rigged, creased,, or shouldred heades, or 
 syluer spone heades, for a certayne lykenesse that suche heades 
 haue wyth the knob ende of some syluer spones. 
 
 These heades be good both to kepe a length withal and also 
 to perche a wynde wythal, to kepe a length wythall bycause a 
 man maye certaynly poule it to the shouldrynge euery shoote 
 and no farther, to perche a wynde wythall bycause the pointe 
 from the shoulder forwarde, breketh the wether as al other 
 sharpe thynges doo. So the blonte shoulder seruethe for a sure 
 lengthe kepynge, the poynte also is euer fit, for a roughe and 
 greate wether percyng. And thus much as shortlye as I could, 
 as concernyng heades both for war & peace. PHI. But is 
 there no cunning as concerning setting on of y^ head ? TOX. 
 Wei remebred. But that poynt belongeth to fletchers, yet you 
 may desyre hym to set youre heade, full on, and close on. Ful 
 on is whan the wood is be[n]t hard vp to the ende or stoppynge 
 of the heade, close on, is when there is lefte wood on euerye 
 syde the shafte, ynoughe to fyll the head withall, or when it is 
 neyther to little nor yet to greate. If there be any faulte in 
 anye of these poyntes, j^ head whan it lyghteth on any hard 
 stone or grounde wil be in ieoperdy, eyther of breakynge, or els 
 otherwyse hurtynge. Stoppynge of heades eyther wyth leade, 
 or any thynge els, shall not nede now, bycause euery siluer 
 spone, or showldred head is stopped of it selfe. Shorte heades 
 be better than longe : For firste the longe head is worse for the 
 maker to fyle strayght compace euery waye : agayne it is worse 
 for the fletcher to set strayght on: thyrdlye it is alwayes in 
 more ieoperdie of breakinge, whan it is on. And nowe I 
 trowe Philologe, we haue done as concernynge all Instrumentes 
 belongyng to shootynge, whiche euery sere archer ought to 
 prouyde for hym selfe. And there remayneth .ii. thynges 
 behinde, whiche be generall or comon to euery man the Wether 
 & the Marke, but bicause they be so knit wyth shootynge 
 strayght, or kepynge of a lengthe, I wyll deferre them to that 
 
'The schole of shoting. 97 
 
 place, and now we will come (God wyllyng) to handle oure 
 instrumentes, the thing that euery man desireth to do wel. 
 PHI. If you can teache me so well to handle these instrumetes 
 as you haue described them, I suppose I shalbe an archer good 
 ynough. TOX. To learne any thing (as you knowe better 
 than I Philologe) & speciallye to do a thing w' a mannes handes, 
 must be done if a man woulde be excellent, in his youthe. 
 Yonge trees in gardens, which lacke al senses, and beastes w^out 
 reson, when they be yong, may with handling and teaching, be 
 brought to wonderfull thynges. And this is not onely true in 
 natural thinges, but in artificiall thinges to, as the potter most 
 connyngly doth cast his pottes whan his claye is softe & work- 
 able, and waxe taketh printe whan it is warme, & leathie weke, 
 not whan claye and waxe be hard and oulde : and euen so, 
 euerye man in his youthe, bothe with witte and body is moste 
 apte and pliable to receyue any cunnyng that shulde be taught 
 hym. 
 
 This comunication of teaching youthe, maketh me to 
 remembre the right worshipfull and my singuler good mayster, 
 Sir Humfrey Wingfelde, to whom nexte God, I ought to refer 
 for his manifolde benefites bestowed on me, the poore talent of 
 learnyng, whiche god hath lent me : & for his sake do I owe 
 my seruice to all other of the name & noble house of the 
 Wyngfeldes, bothe in woord and dede. Thys worshypfull 
 man hath euer loued and vsed, to haue many children brought 
 vp in learnynge in his house amonges whome I my selfe was 
 one. For whom at terme tymes he woulde bryng downe from 
 Londo bothe bowe and shaftes. And when they shuld playe 
 he woulde go with them him selfe in to the fyelde, & se them 
 shoote, and he that shot fayrest, shulde haue the best bowe and 
 shaftes, and he that shot ilfauouredlye, shulde be mocked of his 
 felowes, til he shot better. 
 
 Woulde to god all Englande had vsed or wolde vse to lay 
 the foundacion of youth, after the example of this worshipful 
 man in bringyng vp chyldren in the Booke and the Bowe: by 
 whiche two thynges, the hole common welth both in peace and 
 warre is chefelye ruled and defended wythall. 
 
 But to our purpose, he that muste come to this high per- 
 fedtnes in shootyng whiche we speake of, muste nedes begin 
 to learne it in hys youthe, the omitting of whiche thinge in 
 
98 'Toxophilus. B. 
 
 Englande, bothe maketh fewer shooters, and also euery man 
 that is a shoter, shote warse than he myght, if he were taught. 
 PHI. Euen as I knowe that this is true, whiche you saye, 
 euen so Toxophile, haue you quyte discouraged me, and drawen 
 my minde cleane from shootynge, seinge by this reason, no man 
 yt hath not vsed it in his youthe can be excellent in it. And 
 I suppose the same reson woulde discourage many other mo, yf 
 they hearde you talke after this sorte. TOX. This thyng 
 Philologe, shall discourage no man that is wyse. For I wyll 
 proue yt wisdome maye worke the same thinge in a man, that 
 nature doth in a chylde. 
 
 A chylde by thre thinges, is brought to excellencie. By 
 Aptnesse, Desire, and Feare : Aptnesse maketh hym pliable 
 lyke waxe to be formed and fashioned, euen as a man woulde 
 haue hym. Desyre to be as good or better, than his felowes : 
 and Feare of them whome he is vnder, wyl cause hym take 
 great labour and payne with diligent hede, in learnynge any 
 thinge, wherof procedeth at the laste excellency and perfedt- 
 nesse. 
 
 A man maye by wisdome in learnyng any thing, and 
 specially to shoote, haue thre lyke commodities also, wherby he 
 maye, as it were become younge agayne, and so attayne to 
 excellencie. For as a childe is apte by naturall youth, so a 
 man by vsyng at the firste weake bowes, far vnderneth his 
 strength, shal be as pliable and readye to be taught fayre 
 shotyng as any chylde : and daylye vse of the same, shal both 
 kepe hym in fayer shotyng, and also at ye last bryng hym to 
 stronge shootynge. 
 
 And in stede of the feruente desyre, which prouoketh a 
 chylde to be better than hys felowe, lette a man be as muche 
 stirred vp with shamefastnes to be worse than all other. And 
 the same place that feare bathe in a chylde, to compell him to 
 take peyne, the same hath loue of shotyng in a man, to cause 
 hym forsake no labour, withoute whiche no man nor chylde 
 can be excellent. And thus whatsoeuer a chylde may be 
 taught by Aptnesse, Desire, & Feare, the same thing in 
 i shootynge, maye a man be taughte by weake bowes, Shame- 
 ifastnesse and Loue. 
 
 And hereby you may se that that is true whiche Cicero 
 sayeth, that a man by vse, may be broughte to a newe nature. 
 
The schole of shoting. 99 
 
 And this I dare be bould to saye, that any man whiche will 
 wisely begynne, and constantlye perseuer in this trade of 
 learnyng to shote, shall attayne to perfedtnesse therin. PHI. 
 This communication Toxophile, doeth please me verye well, 
 and nowe I perceyue that moste generally & chefly youthe 
 muste be taughte to shoote, and secondarilye no man is debarred 
 therfrom excepte it be more thorough his owne negligence for 
 bicause he wyll not learne, than any disabilitie, bicause he can 
 not lerne. Therfore seyng I wyll be glad to folowe your 
 cotisell in chosynge my bowe and other instrumentes, and also 
 am ashamed that I can shote no better tha I can, moreouer 
 hauynge suche a loue toward shotynge by your good reasons 
 to day, that I wyll forsake no labour in the exercise of the 
 same, I beseche you imagyn that we had bothe bowe and 
 shaftes here, and teache me how I should handle them, and 
 one thynge I desyre you, make me as fayre an Archer as you 
 can. 
 
 For thys I am sure in learnynge all other matters, nothynge 
 is broughte to the moost profytable vse, which is not handled 
 after the moost cumlye fasio. As masters of fece haue no 
 stroke fit ether to hit an other or els to defende hym selfe, 
 whyche is not ioyned wyth a wonderfull cumlinesse. A 
 Cooke ca not chop hys herbes neither quickelye nor hansomlye 
 excepte he kepe suche a mesure wyth hys choppynge kniues as 
 woulde delyte a manne bothe to se hym and heare hym. 
 
 Euerye hand craft man that workes best for hys owne 
 profyte, workes most semelye to other mens sight. Agayne 
 in buyldynge a house, in makynge a shyppe, euery parte the 
 more hansomely they be ioyned for profyt and laste, the more 
 cumlye they be fashioned to euery mans syght and eye. 
 Nature it selfe taught men to ioyne alwayes welfauourednesse 
 w' profytablenesse. As in man, that ioynt or pece which is by 
 anye chaunce depriued of hys cumlynesse the same is also 
 debarred of hys vse and profytablenesse. 
 
 As he that is gogle eyde and lokes a squinte hath both hys 
 countenaunce clene marred, and hys sight sore blemmyshed, 
 and so in all other members lyke. Moreouer what tyme of 
 the yeare bryngeth mooste profyte wyth it for mans vse, the 
 same also couereth and dekketh bothe earthe and trees wyth 
 moost culynesse for mans pleasure. And that tyme whych 
 
 G 2 
 
I oo 'Toxophilus. B. 
 
 takethe awaye the pleasure of the grounde, carieth w' hym also 
 the profyt of the grounde, as euery man by experience knoweth 
 in harde and roughe winters. Some thynges there be whych 
 haue no other ende, but onely cumlynesse, as payntyng, and 
 Daunsing. And wrtue it selfe is nothynge eles but cumly- 
 nesse, as al Philosophers do agree in opinion, therfore seynge 
 that whych is best done in anye matters, is alwayes moost 
 cumlye done as both Plato and Cicero in manye places do 
 proue, and daylye experience dothe teache in other thynges, I 
 praye you as I sayde before teatche me to shoote as fayre, and 
 welfauouredly as you can imagen. 
 
 TOX. Trewlye Philologe as you proue verye well in 
 other matters, the best shootynge, is alwayes the moost cumlye 
 shootynge but thys you know as well as I that Crassus shewethe 
 in Cicero that as cumlinesse is the chefe poynt, & most to be 
 sought for in all thynges, so cumlynesse onlye, can neuer be 
 taught by any Arte or craft. But may be perceyued well when 
 it is done, not described wel how it should be done. 
 
 Yet neuerthelesse to comme to it there be manye waye 
 whych wayes men haue assayde in other matters, as yf a man 
 would folowe in learnynge to shoote faire, the noble paynter 
 Zeuxes in payntyng Helena, whyche to make his Image bewti- 
 fiill dyd chose out .v. of the fayrest maydes in al the countrie 
 aboute, and in beholdynge them conceyued & drewe out suche 
 an Image that it far exceded al other, by cause the comelinesse 
 of them al was broughte in to one moost perfyte comelinesse : 
 So lykewyse in shotynge yf a man, woulde set before hys eyes 
 .V. or .vi. of the fayrest Archers that euer he saw shoote, and of 
 one learne to stande, of a nother to drawe, of an other to 
 lowse, and so take of euery man, what euery man coulde do 
 best, I dare saye he shoulde come to suche a comlynesse as 
 neuer man came to yet. As for an example, if the moost 
 comely poynte in shootynge that Hewe Prophete the Kynges 
 seruaunte hath and as my frendes Thomas and Raufe Cantrell 
 doth vse w' the moost semelye facyons that .iii. or iiii. 
 excellent Archers haue beside, were al ioyned in one, I am sure 
 all men woulde wonder at y^ excellencie of it. And this is one 
 waye to learne to shoote fayre. PHI. This is very wel truly, 
 but I praye you teache me somewhat of shootyng fayre youre 
 selfe. TOX. I can teache you to shoote fayre, euen as 
 
'The schole of shoting. i o i 
 
 Socrates taught a man ones to knowe God, for when he axed 
 hym what was God : naye sayeth he I can tell you better what 
 God is not, as God is not yll, God is vnspeakeable, vnsearche- 
 able and so forth : Euen lykewyse can I saye of fayre shootyng, 
 it hath not this discommodite with it nor that discommoditie, 
 and at last a man maye so shifte all the discommodities from 
 shootynge that there shall be left no thynge behynde but fayre 
 shootynge. And to do this the better you must remember 
 howe that I toulde you when I descrybed generally the hole 
 nature of shootyng that fayre shotyng came of these thynges, of 
 standynge, nocfcynge, drawynge, howldynge and lowsynge, the 
 whych I wyll go ouer as shortly as I can, describynge the dis- 
 commodities that men comonlye vse in all partes of theyr bodies, 
 that you yf you fkulte in any such maye knowe it & so go 
 about to amend it. Faultes in Archers do excede the number 
 of Archers, whyche come wyth vse of shootynge wythoute 
 teachynge. Vse and custome separated from knowlege and 
 learnynge, doth not onely hurt shootynge, but the moost 
 weyghtye thynges in the worlde beside : And therfore I maruayle 
 moche at those people whyche be the mayneteners of vses 
 w'oute knowledge hauynge no other worde in theyr mouthe but 
 thys vse, vse, custome, custome. Suche men more wylful than 
 wyse, beside other discommo[di]ties, take all place and occasion 
 from al amendmet. And thys I speake generally of vse and 
 custome. 
 
 Whych thynge yi a learned man had it in hande y' woulde 
 applye it to any one matter, he myght handle it wonderfullye. 
 But as for shootyng, vse is the onely cause of all fautes in it and 
 therfore chylderne more easly and soner.maye be taught to 
 shote excellentlye then men, bycause chylderne may be taught 
 to shoote well at the fyrste, men haue more payne to vnlearne 
 theyr yll vses, than they haue laboure afterwarde to come to 
 good shootynge. 
 
 All the discommodities whiche ill custome hath grafFed in 
 archers, can neyther be quycklye poulled out, nor yet sone 
 reckened of me, they be so manye. 
 
 Some shooteth, his head forwarde as though he woulde byte 
 the marke : an other stareth wyth hys eyes, as though they 
 shulde flye out : An other winketh with one eye, and loketh 
 with the other : Some make a face with writhing theyr mouthe 
 
1 02 Toxophilus. B. 
 
 and countenaunce so, as though they were doyng you wotte 
 what : An other blereth out his tongp : An other byteth his 
 lyppes : An other holdeth his necke a wrye. In drawyng some 
 fet suche a compasse, as thoughe they woulde tourne about, and 
 blysse all the feelde : Other heaue theyr hand nowe vp nowe 
 downe, that a man can not decerne wherat they wolde shote, 
 an other waggeth the vpper ende of his bow one way, the 
 neyther ende an other waye. An other wil stand poyntinge 
 his shafte at the marke a good whyle and by and by he wyll 
 gyue hym a whip, and awaye or a man wite. An other maketh 
 suche a wrestling with his gere, as thoughe he were able to 
 shoote no more as longe as he lyued. An other draweth softly 
 to ye middes, and by and by it is gon, you can not knowe 
 howe. 
 
 An other draweth his shafte lowe at the breaste, as thoughe 
 he woulde shoote at a rouynge marke, and by and hy he lifteth 
 his arme vp pricke heyghte. An other maketh a wrynchinge 
 with hys backe, as though a manne pynched hym behynde. 
 
 An other coureth downe, and layeth out his buttockes, as 
 though he shoulde shoote at crowes. 
 
 An other setteth forwarde hys lefte legge, and draweth 
 backe wyth head and showlders, as thoughe he pouled at a rope, 
 or els were afrayed of y^ marke. An other draweth his shafte 
 well, vntyll wythin .ii. fyngers of the head, and than he stayeth 
 a lyttle, to looke at hys marke, and that done, pouleth it vp to 
 the head, and lowseth : whych waye although sume excellent 
 shooters do vse, yet surely it is a faulte, and good mennes faultes 
 are not to be folowed. 
 
 Summe men drawe to farre, summe to shorte, sume to 
 slowlye, summe to quickely, summe holde ouer longe, summe 
 lette go ouer sone. 
 
 Summe sette theyr shafte on the grounde, and fetcheth him 
 vpwarde. An other poynteth vp towarde the skye, and so 
 bryngeth hym downewardes. 
 
 Ones I sawe a manne whyche vsed a brasar on his cheke, 
 or elles he had scratched all the skynne of the one syde, of his 
 face, with his drawynge hand. 
 
 An other I sawe, whiche at euerye shoote, after the loose, 
 lyfted vp his ryght legge so far, that he was euer in ieoperdye 
 of faulyng. 
 
'The schole of shoting. 103 
 
 Summe stampe forwarde, and summe leape backwarde. 
 All these faultes be eyther in the drawynge, or at the loose : 
 w* many other mo whiche you may easelye perceyue, and so go 
 about to auoyde them. 
 
 Nowe afterwarde whan the shafte is gone, men haue manye 
 faultes, whyche euell Custome hath broughte them to, and 
 specially in cryinge after the shafte, & speakynge woordes scarce 
 honest for suche an honest pastyme. 
 
 Suche woordes be verye tokens of an ill mynde, and 
 manifesto signes of a man that is subie6t:e to inmesurable 
 affedtions. Good mennes eares do abhor them, and an honest 
 man therfore wyl auoyde them. And besydes those whiche 
 muste nedes haue theyr tongue thus walkynge, other men vse 
 other fautes as some will take theyr bowe and writhe & wrinche 
 it, to poule in his shafte, when it flyeth wyde, as yf he draue 
 a carte. Some wyl gyue two or .iii. strydes forwarde, daunsing 
 and hoppynge after his shafte, as long as it flyeth, as though he 
 were a mad man. Some which feare to be to farre gone, runne 
 backewarde as it were to poule his shafte backe. Another 
 runneth forwarde, whan he feareth to be short, heauynge after 
 his armes, as though he woulde helpe his shafte to flye. An 
 other writhes or runneth a syde, to poule in his shafte strayght. 
 One lifteth vp his heele, and so holdeth his foote still, as longe 
 as his shafte flyeth. An other casteth his arme backewarde 
 after the lowse. And an other swynges hys bowe aboute hym, 
 as it were a man with a stafFe to make roume in a game place. 
 And manye other faultes there be, whiche nowe come not to 
 my remebraunce. Thus as you haue hearde, many archers 
 wyth marrynge theyr face and countenaunce, wyth other 
 partes, of theyr bodye, as it were menne that shoulde daunce 
 antiques, be farre from the comelye porte in shootynge, whiche 
 he that woulde be excellent muste looke for. 
 
 Of these faultes I haue verie many my selfe, but I talke 
 not of my shootynge, but of the generall nature of shootynge. 
 Nowe ymagin an Archer ■ that is cleane wythout al these 
 faultes & I am sure euerye man would be delyted to se hym 
 shoote. 
 
 And aithoughe suche a perfyte cumlynesse can not be 
 expressed wyth any precepte of teachyng, as Cicero and other 
 learned menne do saye, yet I wyll speake (accordyng to my 
 
1 04 Toxophilus. B. 
 
 lytle knowlege) that thing in it, whych yf you folowe, althoughe 
 you shall not be wythout fault, yet your fault shal neyther 
 quickly be perceued, nor yet greatly rebuked of them that 
 stande by. Standyng, nockyng, drawyng, holdyng, lowsyng, 
 done as they shoulde be done, make fayre shootynge. 
 
 The fyrste poynte is when a man shoulde shote, to take 
 suche footyng and standyng as shal be both cumlye 
 
 an ynge. ^^ ^.j^^ ^^^ ^^^ profytable to hys vse, settyng hys 
 countenaunce and al the other partes of hys bodye after suche 
 a behauiour and porte, that bothe al hys strengthe may be 
 employed to hys owne moost auautage, and hys shoot made and 
 handled to other mens pleasure and delyte. A man must not 
 go to hastely to it, for that is rashnesse, nor yet make to 
 much to do about it, for y' is curiositie, y^ one fote must not 
 stande to far from the other, leste he stoupe to muche whyche is 
 vnsemelye, nor yet to nere together, leste he stande to streyght 
 vp, for so a man shall neyther vse hys strengthe well, nor yet 
 stande stedfastlye. 
 
 The meane betwyxt bothe must be kept, a thing more 
 pleasaunte to behoulde when it is done, than easie to be taught 
 howe it shoulde be done. 
 
 To nocke well is the easiest poynte of all, and there in is 
 
 no cunninge, but onelye dylygente hede gyuyng, 
 
 Nockynge. ^^ ^^^ j^^^ ^j^^^ neyther to hye nor to lowe, but 
 
 euen streyght ouertwharte hys bowe. Vnconstante nockynge 
 maketh a man leese hys lengthe. 
 
 And besydes that, y{ the shafte hande be hye and the bowe 
 hande lowe, or contrarie, bothe the bowe is in ieopardye of 
 brekynge, and the shafte, yf it be lytle, wyll start : yf it be 
 great it wyll hobble. Nocke the cocke fether vpward alwayes 
 as I toulde you whe I described the fether. And be sure 
 alwayes y' your stringe slip not out of the nocke, for than al is 
 in ieopardye of breakynge. 
 
 Drawynge well is the best parte of shootyng. Men in 
 
 oulde tyme vsed other maner of drawynge than 
 
 Drawynge. ^^ ^^ -pj^^^ yg^j ^^ ^^^^^ j^^ ^t the brest, to 
 
 the ryght pap and no farther, and this to be trew is playne 
 Iliad. 4. in Homer, where he descrybeth Pandarus shootynge. 
 
 Vp to the pap his stringe dyd he pul, his shafte to the hard heed. 
 
T'he schole of shoting. 105 
 
 The noble women of Scythia vsed the same fashyon of 
 shootyng low at the brest, and bicause their lefte pap hindred 
 theyr shootynge at the lowse they cut it of when they were 
 yonge, and therfore be they called in lackynge theyr pap 
 Amazones. Nowe a dayes contrarye wyse we drawe to the 
 ryghte eare and not to the pap. Whether the olde waye in 
 drawynge low to the pap, or the new way to draw a loft 
 to the eare be better, an excellente wryter in 
 Greke called Procopius doth saye hys mynde, ^I'l'^pfrs 
 shewyng y' the oulde fashyon in drawing to y^ pap 
 was nought, of no pithe, and therfore saith Procopius : is 
 Artyllarye dispraysed in Homer whych calleth it ovrtBavov. I. 
 Weake and able to do no good. Drawyng to the eare he 
 prayseth greatly, whereby men shoote both stronger and 
 longer: drawynge therfore to the eare is better than to drawe 
 at the breste. And one thyng commeth into my remembraunce 
 nowe Philologe when I speake of drawyng, that I neuer red of 
 other kynde of shootyng, than drawing wyth a mas hand ether 
 to the breste or eare : This thyng haue I sought for in Homer 
 Herodotus and Plutarch, and therfore I meruayle how cros- 
 bowes came fyrst vp, of the which I am sure a _ , 
 man shall finde lytle mention made on in any 
 good Authour. Leo the Emperoure woulde haue hys souldyers 
 drawe quycklye in warre, for that maketh a shaft flie a pace. 
 In shootynge at the pryckes, hasty and quicke drawing is 
 neyther sure nor yet cumlye. Therfore to drawe easely and 
 vniformely, that is for to saye not waggyng your hand, now 
 vpwarde, now downewarde, but alwayes after one fashion vntil 
 you come to the rig or shouldring of y« head, is best both for 
 profit & semelinesse. Hold ynge must not be longe, „ j^. 
 for it bothe putteth a bowe in ieopardy, & also 
 marreth a mans shoote, it must be so lytle y' it maye be 
 perceyued better in a mans mynde when it is done, than scene 
 w* a mans eyes when it is in doyng. 
 
 Lowsynge muste be muche lyke. So quycke and hard y' 
 it be wyth oute all girdes, so softe and gentle that . 
 the shafte flye not as it were sente out of a bow 
 case. The meane betwixt bothe, whyche is perfyte lowsynge 
 is not so hard to be folowed in shootynge as it is to be 
 descrybed in teachyng. For cleane lowsynge you must take 
 
1 06 'Toxophilus. B. 
 
 hede of hyttynge any thynge aboute you. And for the same 
 purpose Leo the Emperour would haue al Archers 
 in war to haue both theyr heades pouled, and 
 there berdes shauen leste the heare of theyr heades shuld stop 
 the syght of the eye, the heere of theyr berdes hinder the 
 course of the strynge. 
 
 And these preceptes I am sure Philologe yf you folowe in 
 standyng, nockyng, drawynge, holdynge, and lowsynge, shal 
 bryng you at the last to excellent fayre shootynge. PHI. All 
 these thynges Toxophile althoughe I bothe nowe perceyue them 
 thorowlye, and also wyll remember them dilligently : yet to 
 morowe or some other day whe you haue leasure we wyll go to 
 the pryckes, and put them by lytle and lytle in experience. 
 For teachynge not folowed, doeth euen as muche good as 
 bookes neuer looked vpon. But nowe seing you haue taught 
 me to shote fayre, I praye you tel me somwhat, how I should 
 shoote nere leste that prouerbe myght be sayd iustlye of me 
 sometyme. He shootes lyke a gentle man fayre & far of 
 TOX. He that can shoote fayre, lacketh nothyng but 
 shootyng streyght and kepyng of a length wherof commeth 
 hyttynge of the marke, the ende both of shootyng and also of 
 thys our communication. The handlyng of y« wether & the 
 mark bicause they belog to shootyng streyghte, and kepynge 
 of a lengthe, I wyll ioyne them togyther, shewinge what thinges 
 belonge to kepynge of a lengthe, and what to shootynge streyght. 
 The greatest enemy of shootyng is the wynde and the 
 wether, wherby true kepyng a lengthe is chefely 
 ^Jiher '^"'^ hindered. If this thing were not, men by teaching 
 might be brought to wonderful neare shootynge. 
 It is no maruayle if the litle poore sharfte being sent alone, so 
 high in to the ayer, into a great rage of wether, one wynde 
 tossinge it that waye, an other thys waye, it is no maruayle 
 I saye, thoughe it leese the lengthe, and misse that place, where 
 the shooter had thought to haue founde it. Greter matters 
 than shotynge are vnder the rule and wyll of the wether, as 
 saylynge on the sea. And lykewise as in sayling, the chefe 
 poynt of a good master, is to knowe the tokens of chaunge of 
 wether, the course of the wyndes, that therby he maye the 
 better come to the Hauen : euen so the best propertie of a good 
 shooter, is to knowe the nature of the wyndes, with hym and 
 
The schole of shoting. 107 
 
 agaynste hytn, that thereby he maye the nerer shote at hys 
 marke. Wyse maysters whan they canne not winne the beste 
 hauen, they are gladde of the nexte : Good shooters also, y' can 
 not whan they would hit the marke, wil labour to come as nigh 
 as they can. All thinges in this worlde be vnperfite and 
 vnconstant, therfore let euery man acknowlege hys owne 
 weakenesse, in all matters great and smal, weyghtye and merye, 
 and glorifie him, in w^home only perfyte perfitnesse is. But 
 nowe, sir, he that wyll at all aduentures vse the seas knowinge 
 no more what is to be done in a tempest than in a caulme, 
 shall soone becumme a marchaunt of Eele skinnes : so that 
 shoter whiche putteth no difference, but shooteth in all lyke, 
 in rough wether and fay re, shall alwayes put his wynninges in 
 his eyes. 
 
 Lytle botes and thinne boordes, can not endure the rage of 
 a tempest. Weake bowes, & lyght shaftes can not stande in a 
 rough wynde. And lykewyse as a blynde man which shoulde 
 go to a place where he had neuer ben afore, that hath but one 
 strayghte waye to it, and of eyther syde hooles and pyttes to 
 faule into, nowe falleth in to this hole and than into that hole, 
 and neuer cometh to his iourney ende, but wandereth alwaies 
 here and there, farther and farther of: So that archer which 
 ignorauntly shoteth considering neyther fayer nor foule, 
 standynge nor nockynge, fether nor head, drawynge nor lows- 
 yng, nor yet any compace, shall alwayes shote shorte and gone, 
 wyde and farre of, and neuer cumme nere, excepte perchaunce 
 he stumble sumtyme on the marke. For ignoraunce is 
 nothynge elles but mere blyndenesse. 
 
 A mayster of a shippe first learneth to knowe the cummyng 
 of a tempest, the nature of it, and howe to behaue hym selfe 
 in it, eyther with chaungynge his course, or poullynge downe 
 his hye toppes and brode sayles, beyng glad to eschue as muche 
 of the wether as he can : Euen so a good archer wyl fyrste 
 wyth dihgent vse and markynge the wether, learne to knowe 
 the nature of the wynde, and with wysedome, wyll measure in 
 hys mynde, howe muche it wyll alter his shoote, eyther in 
 lengthe kepynge, or els in streyght shotynge, and so with 
 chaunging his standynge, or takynge an other shafte, the 
 whiche he knoweth perfytlye to be fitter for his pourpose, eyther 
 bycause it is lower fethered, or els bycause it is of a better 
 
io8 'Toxophilus. B. 
 
 wyng, wyll so handle w' discretion hys shoote, that he shall 
 seeme rather to haue the wether vnder hys rule, by good hede 
 gyuynge, than the wether to rule hys shafte by any sodayne 
 chaungyng. 
 
 Therefore in shootynge there is as muche diiFerence betwixt 
 an archer that is a good wether man, and an other that knoweth 
 and marketh nothynge, as is betwixte a blynde man, and he 
 that can se. 
 
 Thus, as concernynge the wether, a perfyte archer muste 
 firste learne to knowe the sure flyghte of his shaftes, that he may 
 be boulde alwayes, to trust them, than muste he learne by 
 daylye experience all maner of kyndes of wether, the tokens of 
 it, whan it wyl cumme, the nature of it whan it is cume, 
 the diuersitie and alteryng of it, whan it chaungeth, the 
 decrease & diminishing of it, wha it ceaseth. Thirdly these 
 thinges knowen, and euery shoote diligentlye marked, than 
 must a man copare alwayes, the wether and his footyng 
 togyther, and with discretion measure them so, that what so 
 euer the roughe wether shall take awaye from hys shoote the 
 same shal iuste footynge restore agayne to hys shoote. 
 
 Thys thynge well knowen, and discretelye handeled in 
 shootynge, bryngeth more profite and commendation and prayse 
 to an Archer, than any other thynge besydes. 
 
 He that woulde knowe perfectly the winde and wether, 
 muste put differences betwixte tymes. For diuersitie of tyme 
 causeth diuersitie of wether, as in the whole yeare, Sprynge 
 tyme, Somer, Faule of the leafe, and Winter : Lykewyse in one 
 day Mornynge, Noonetyme, Afternoone, and Euentyde, bothe 
 alter the wether, and chaunge a manes bowe wyth the 
 strength of man also. And to knowe that this is so, is ynough for 
 a shoter & artillerie, and not to serche the cause, why it shoulde 
 be so : whiche belongeth to a learned man and Philosophie. 
 
 In consydering the tyme of the yeare, a wyse Archer wyll 
 folowe a good Shipman. In Winter & rough wether, smal 
 bootes and lytle pinkes forsake the seas: And at one tyme of 
 the yeare, no Gallies come abrode; So lykewyse weake Archers, 
 vsyng small and holowe shaftes, with bowes of litle pith, muste 
 be content to gyue place for a tyme. 
 
 And this I do not saye, eyther to disc5mende or discourage 
 any weake shooter : For lykewyse, as there is no shippe better 
 
T'he schole of shoting. 109 
 
 than Gallies be, in a softe and a caulme sea, so no man shooteth 
 cumlier or nerer hys marke, than some weake archers doo, in a 
 fayre and cleare daye. 
 
 Thus euery archer must knowe, not onelye what bowe and 
 shafte is fittest for him to shoote withall, but also what tyme & 
 season is best for hym to shote in. And surely, in al other 
 matters to, amonge al degrees of men, there is no man which 
 doth any thing eyther more discretely for his commendation, or 
 yet more profitable for his aduauntage, than he which wyll 
 knowe perfitly for what matter and for what tyme he is moost 
 apte and fit. Yf men woulde go aboute matters whych they 
 should do and be fit for, & not suche thynges whyche wylfullye 
 they desyre & yet be vnfit for, verely greater matters in the 
 comon welthe than shootyng shoulde be in better case than they 
 be. This ignorauncie in men whyche know not for what 
 tyme, and to what thynge they be fit, causeth some wyshe to 
 be riche, for whome it were better a greate deale to be poore : 
 other to be medlynge in euery mans matter, for whome it were 
 more honestie to be quiete and styll. Some to desire to be in 
 the Courte, whiche be borne and be fitter rather for the carte. 
 Somme to be maysters and rule other, whiche neuer yet began to 
 rule them selfe: some alwayes to iangle and taulke, whych 
 rather shoulde heare and kepe silece. Some to teache, which 
 rather should learne. Some to be prestes, whiche were fytter 
 to be clerkes. And thys peruerse iudgement of y^ worlde, 
 when men mesure them selfe a misse, bringeth muche mysorder 
 and greate vnsemelynesse to the hole body of the common 
 wealth, as yf a manne should were his hoose vpon his head, or 
 a woman go wyth a sworde and a buckeler euery man would 
 take it as a greate vncumlynesse although it be but a tryfle in 
 respe<9:e of the other. 
 
 Thys peruerse iudgement of men hindreth no thynge so 
 much as learnynge, bycause commonlye those whych be 
 vnfittest for learnyng, be cheyfly set to learnynge. 
 
 As yf a man nowe a dayes haue two sonnes, the one 
 impotent, weke, sickly, lispynge, stuttynge, and stamerynge, or 
 hauynge any misshape in hys bodye: what doth the father of 
 suche one commonlye saye ? This boye is fit for nothynge els, 
 but to set to lernyng and make a prest of, as who would say, ye 
 outcastes of the worlde, hauyng neyther countenauce tounge 
 
1 1 o T'oxophilus. B. 
 
 nor wit (for of a peruerse bodye cumeth commonly a peruerse 
 mynde) be good ynough to make those men of, whiche shall be 
 appoynted to preache Goddes holye woorde, and minister hys 
 blessed sacramentes, besydes other moost weyghtye matters in 
 the common welthe put ofte tymes, and worthelye to learned 
 mennes discretion and charge : whan rather suche an ofFyce so 
 hygh in dignitie, so godlye in administration, shulde be com- 
 mitted to no man, whiche shulde not haue a countenaunce full 
 of cumlynesse to allure good menne, a bodye fill of manlye 
 authoritie to feare ill men, a witte apte for al learnynge with 
 tongue and voyce, able to perswade all men. And although 
 fewe suche men as these can be founde in a common weakhe, 
 yet surely a godly disposed man, will bothe in his mynde 
 thyncke fit, and with al his studie labour to get such men as 
 I speke of, or rather better, if better can be gotten for suche an 
 hie administration, \vhiche is most properlye appoynted to goddes 
 owne matters and businesses. 
 
 This peruerse iugement of fathers as concernynge the 
 fitnesse and vnfitnesse of theyr chyldren causeth the comon 
 wealthe haue many vnfit ministers: And seyng that ministers 
 be, as a man woulde say, instrumentes wherw' the comon 
 wealthe doeth worke all her matters w'all, I maruayle howe it 
 chauceth y* a pore shomaker hath so much wit, yt he will pre- 
 pare no instrument for his science neither knyfe nor aule, nor 
 nothing els whiche is not very fitte for him : the comon wealthe 
 can be content to take at a fonde fathers hande, the rifrafFe of 
 the worlde, to make those instrumentes of, wherw^al she 
 shoulde worke y« hiest matters vnder heauen. And surely an 
 aule of lead is not so vnprofitable in a shomakers shop, as an 
 vnfit minister, made of grosse metal, is vnsemely in y^ como 
 welth. Fathers in olde time among y« noble Persians might 
 not do w' theyr childre as they thought good, but as the 
 iudgement of the comon wealth al wayes thought best. This 
 fault of fathers bringeth many a blot w* it, to the great 
 deformitie of the common wealthe: & here surely I can prayse 
 gentlewomen which haue alwayes at hande theyr glasses, to se 
 if any thinge be amisse, & so will amende it, yet the comon 
 wealth hauing y^ glasse of knowlege in euery mans hand, doth 
 se such vncumlines in it : & yet winketh at it. This faulte & 
 many suche lyke, myght be sone wyped awaye, yf fathers 
 
T!he schole of s hating. 1 1 1 
 
 woulde bestow their children on yt thing alwayes, whervnto 
 nature hath ordained them moste apte & fit. For if youth be 
 grafted streyght, & not awrye, the hole comon welth wil 
 florish therafter. Whan this is done, than muste euery man 
 beginne to be more ready to amende hym selfe, than to checke 
 an other, measuryng their matters with that wise prouerbe of 
 Apollo, Knowe thy selfe : that is to saye, learne to knowe what 
 thou arte able, fitte, and apte vnto, and folowe that. 
 
 This thinge shulde be bothe cumlie to the common wealthe, 
 and moost profitable for euery one, as doth appere very well in 
 all wise mennes deades, & specially to turne to our communica- 
 tion agayne in shootynge, where wise archers haue alwayes 
 theyr instrumentes fit for theyr strength, & wayte euermore 
 suche tyme and wether, as is most agreable to their gere. 
 Therfore if the wether be to sore, and vnfit for your shootynge, 
 leaue of for that daye, and wayte a better season. For he is 
 a foole yt wyl not go, whome necessitie driueth. PHI. This 
 comunication of yours pleased me so well Toxophile, that 
 surelye 1 was not hastie to calle you, to descrybe forthe the 
 wether but with all my harte woulde haue suffered you yet to 
 haue stande longer in this matter. For these thinges touched 
 of you by chaunse, and by the waye, be farre aboue the matter 
 it selfe, by whose occasion y^ other were broughte in. 
 TOX. Weyghtye matters they be in dede, and fit bothe in an 
 other place to be spoken : & of an other man than I am, to be 
 handled. And bycause meane men must meddle wyth meane 
 matters, I wyl go forwarde in descrybyng the wether, as con- 
 cernynge shooting: and as I toulde you before. In the hole 
 yere. Spring tyme, Somer, Fal of the leafe, and Winter: and in 
 one day, Morning, Noone tyme. After noone, and Euentyde, 
 altereth the course of the wether, the pith of the bowe, the 
 strength of the man. And in euery one of these times the 
 wether altereth, as sumtyme wyndie, sumtyme caulme, sum- 
 tyme cloudie, sumtyme clere, sumtyme bote, sumtyme coulde, 
 the wynde sumtyme moistye and thicke, sumtyme drye and 
 smothe. A litle winde in a moystie day, stoppeth a shafte more 
 than a good whiskynge wynde in a clere daye. Yea, and 
 I haue sene whan there hath bene no winde at all, the ayer so 
 mistie and thicke, that both the markes haue ben wonderfull 
 great. And ones, whan the Plage was in Cambrige, the downe 
 
112 T'oxophilus. B. 
 
 winde twelue score marke for the space of .iii, weekes, was 
 .xiii. score, and an halfe, and into the wynde, beynge not very 
 great, a great deale aboue .xiiii. score. • 
 
 The winde is sumtyme playne vp and downe, whiche is 
 commonly moste certayne, and requireth least knowlege, 
 wherin a meane shoter with meane geare, if he can shoote 
 home, maye make best shifte. A syde wynde tryeth an archer 
 and good gere verye muche. Sumtyme it bloweth a lofte, 
 sumtyme hard by the grounde : Sumtyme it bloweth by blastes, 
 & sumtyme it continueth al in one: Sumtyme ful side wynde, 
 sumtyme quarter with hym and more, and lykewyse agaynst 
 hym, as a man with castynge vp lyght grasse, or els if he take 
 good hede, shall sensibly learne by experience. To se the 
 wynde, with a man his eyes, it is vnpossible, the nature of it is 
 so fyne, and subtile, yet this experience of the wynde had 
 I ones my selfe, and that was in the great snowe that fell .iiii. 
 yeares agoo: I rode in the hye waye betwixt TopcliiFe vpon 
 Swale, and Borowe bridge, the waye beyng sumwhat trodden 
 afore, by waye fayrynge men. The feeldes on bothe sides were 
 playne and laye almost yearde depe with snowe, the nyght 
 afore had ben a litle froste, so yt the snowe was hard and 
 crusted aboue. That morning the sun shone bright and clere, 
 the winde was whistelinge a lofte, and sharpe accordynge to the 
 tyme of the yeare. The snowe in the hye waye laye lowse 
 and troden wyth horse feete : so as the wynde blewe, it toke 
 the lowse snow with it, and made it so slide vpon the snowe in 
 the felde whyche was harde and crusted by reason of the frost 
 ouer nyght, that therby I myght se verye wel, the hole nature 
 of the wynde as it blewe y* daye. And I had a great delyte & 
 pleasure to marke it, whyche maketh me now far better to 
 remember it. Sometyme the wynd would be not past .ii. 
 yeardes brode, and so it would carie the snowe as far as I could 
 se. An other tyme the snow woulde blowe ouer halfe the 
 felde at ones. Sometyme the snowe woulde tomble softly, by 
 and by it would flye wonderfuU fast. And thys I perceyued 
 also that y« wind goeth by streames & not hole togither. For 
 I should se one streame wyth in a Score on me, tha the space 
 of .ii. score no snow would stirre, but after so muche quatitie 
 of grounde, an other streame of snow at the same very tyme 
 should be caryed lykewyse, but not equally. For the one 
 
'The schole of shoting. 1 1 3 
 
 would stande styll when the other flew a pace, and so contynewe 
 somtyme swiftlyer sometime slowlyer, sometime broder, some- 
 time narrower, as far as I coulde se. Nor it flewe not streight, 
 but sometyme it crooked thys waye sometyme that waye, and 
 somtyme it ran round aboute in a compase. And somtyme 
 the snowe wold be lyft clene'from the ground vp in to the ayre, 
 and by & by it would be al clapt to the grounde as though there 
 had bene no winde at all, streightway it woulde rise and flye 
 agayne. 
 
 And that whych was the moost meruayle of al, at one tyme 
 .ii. driftes of snowe flewe, the one out of the West into y^ 
 East, the other out of the North in to y^ East : And I saw .ii. 
 windes by reaso of y^ snow the one crosse ouer the other, as it 
 had bene two hye wayes. And agayne I shoulde here the 
 wynd blow in the ayre, when nothing was stirred at the groud. 
 And when all was still where I rode, not verye far fro me the 
 snow should be lifted wonderfully. This experiece made me 
 more meruaile at y® nature of the wynde, than it made me 
 conning in y^ knowlege of y^ wynd : but yet therby I learned 
 perfitly that it is no meruayle at al thoughe men in a wynde 
 lease theyr length in shooting, seying so many wayes the wynde 
 is so variable in blowynge. 
 
 But seynge that a Mayster of a shyp, be he neuer so 
 cunnynge, by the vncertayntye of the wynde, leeseth many 
 tymes both lyfe and goodes, surelye it is no wonder, though 
 a ryght good Archer, by the self same wynde so variable in hys 
 owne nature, so vnsensyble to oure nature, leese manye a shoote 
 and game. 
 
 The more vncertaine and disceyuable the wynd is, the more 
 hede must a wyse Archer gyue to know the gyles of it. 
 
 He y* doth mistrust is seldome begiled. For although 
 therby he shall not attayne to that which is best, yet by these 
 meanes he shall at leaste auoyde y' whyche is worst. Besyde al 
 these kindes of windes you must take hede yf you se anye 
 cloude apere and gather by lytle and litle agaynst you, or els yf 
 a showre of raine be lyke to come vpon you : for than both the 
 dryuing of the wether and the thyckynge of the ayre increaseth 
 the marke, when after y^ showre al thynges are contrary clere 
 and caulme, & the marke for the most parte new to begyn 
 agayne. You must take hede also yf euer you shote where one 
 
1 14 T'oxophilus. B. 
 
 of the markes or both stondes a lytle short of a hye wall, for 
 there you may be easlye begyled. Yf you take grasse and 
 caste it vp to se howe the wynde standes, manye tymes you 
 shal suppose to shoote downe the wynde, when you shote cleane 
 agaynste the wynde. And a good reaso why. For the wynd 
 whych commeth in dede against you, redoundeth bake agayne 
 at the wal, and whyrleth backe to the prycke and a lytle farther 
 and than turneth agayne, euen as a vehement water doeth 
 agaynste a rocke or an hye braye, whyche example of water as 
 it is more sensible to a mas eyes, so it is neuer a whyt the 
 trewer than this of the wynde. So that the grasse caste vp 
 shall flee that waye whyche in dede is the longer marke and 
 disceyue quycklye a shooter that is not ware of it. 
 
 This experience had I ones my selfe at Norwytch in the 
 chapel felde wythin the waulles. And thys waye I vsed in 
 shootynge at those markes. 
 
 When I was in the myd way betwixt the markes whyche 
 was an open place, there I toke a fether or a lytle lyght grasse 
 and so as well as I coulde, learned how the wynd stoode, that 
 done I wente to the prycke as faste as I coulde, and according 
 as I had foude y« wynde when I was in the mid waye, so I was 
 fayne than to be content to make the best of my shoote that I 
 coulde. Euen suche an other experiece had I in a maner at 
 Yorke, at the prickes, lying betwixte the castell and Ouse syde. 
 And although you smile Philologe, to heare me tell myne owne 
 fondenes : yet seing you wil nedes haue me teach you somwhat 
 in shotyng, I must nedes somtyme tel you of myne owne 
 experience, & the better I may do so, bycause Hippocrates in 
 
 teachynge physike, vseth verye muche the same 
 Hipfo. De -^vaye_ Take heede also when you shoote nere 
 
 the sea cost, although you be .n. or .ui. miles from 
 the sea, for there diligent markinge shall espie in the moste 
 clere daye wonderfull chaunginge. The same is to be cosidered 
 lykewyse by a riuer side speciallie if it ebbe & flowe, where he 
 yt taketh diligent hede of y« tide & wether, shal lightly take 
 away al yt he shooteth for. And thus of y^ nature of windes 
 & wether according to my marking you haue hearde Philologe : 
 & hereafter you shal marke farre mo your selfe, if you take hede. 
 And the wether thus marked as I tolde you afore, you muste 
 take hede, of youre stading, y' therby you may win as much 
 
'The schole of shoting. 115 
 
 as you shal loose by the wether. PHI. I se well it is no 
 maruell though a man misse many tymes in shootyng, seing y^ 
 wether is so vnconstant in blowing, but yet there is one thing 
 whiche many archers vse, y' shall cause a man haue lesse nede 
 to marke the wether, & that is Ame gyuing. TOX. Of 
 gyuyng Ame, I can not tel wel, what I shuld say. For in 
 a straunge place it taketh away al occasion of foule game, which 
 is ye only prayse of it, yet by my iudgemet, it hidreth y« 
 knowlege of shotyng, & maketh men more negligente : y^ which 
 is a disprayse. Though Ame be giue, yet take hede, for at an 
 other mas shote you can not wel take Ame, nor at your owne 
 neither, bycause the wether wil alter, euen in a minute, & at 
 the one marke & not at the other, & trouble your shafte in the 
 ayer, when you shal perceyue no wynde at the ground, as I my 
 selfe haue sene shaftes tumble a lofte, in a very fayer daye. 
 There may be a fault also, in drawing or lowsynge, and many 
 thynges mo, whiche all togyther, are required to kepe a iust 
 length. But to go forward the nexte poynte after the markyng 
 of your wether, is the takyng of your standyng. And in a side 
 winde you must stand sumwhat crosse in to the wynde, for so 
 shall you shoote the surer. Whan you haue taken good footing, 
 than must you looke at your shafte, y' no earthe, nor weete be 
 lefte vpon it, for so should it leese the lengthe. You must loke 
 at the head also, lest it haue had any strype, at the last shoote. 
 A stripe vpon a stone, many tymes will bothe marre the head, 
 croke the shafte, and hurte the fether, wherof the lest of them 
 all, wyll cause a man lease his lengthe. For suche thinges 
 which chaunce euery shoote, many archers vse to haue sume 
 place made in theyr cote, fitte for a lytle fyle, a stone, a Hun- 
 fyshskin, and a cloth to dresse the shaft fit agayne at all nedes. 
 Thys must a man looke to euer when he taketh vp his shaft. 
 And the heade maye be made to smothe, which wil cause it flye 
 to far : when youre shafte is fit, than must you take your bow 
 euen in the middes or elles you shall both lease your lengthe, 
 and put youre bowe in ieopardye of breakynge. Nockynge 
 iuste is next, which is muche of the same nature. Than drawe 
 equallye, lowse equallye, wyth houldynge your hande euer of 
 one heighte to kepe trew compasse. To looke at your shafte 
 hede at the lowse, is the greatest helpe to kepe a lengthe that 
 can be, whych thyng yet hindreth excellent shotyng, bicause 
 
 H 2 
 
1 1 6 Toxophilus. B. 
 
 a man can not shote streight perfitlye excepte he looke at his 
 marke : yf I should shoote at a line and not at the marke, I 
 woulde alwayes loke at my shaft ende, but of thys thyng some 
 what afterwarde. Nowe if you marke the wether diligentlye, 
 kepe your standynge iustely, houlde and nocke trewlye, drawe 
 and lowse equallye, and kepe youre compace certaynelye, you 
 shall neuer misse of your lengthe. PHI. Then there is nothyng 
 behinde to make me hit y^ marke but onely shooting streight. 
 TOX. No trewlye. And fyrste I wyll tel you what shyftes 
 Archers haue founde to shoote streyght, tha what is the best 
 waye to shoote streyght. As the wether belongeth specially to 
 kepe a lengthe (jet a side winde belongeth also to shote streight) 
 euen so the nature of the pricke is to shote streight. The 
 lengthe or shortnesse of the marke is alwayes vnder the rule of 
 the wether, yet sumwhat there is in y^ marke, worthye to be 
 marked of an Archer. Yf the prickes stand of a streyght playne 
 groud they be y^ best to shote at. Yf ye marke stad on a hyl 
 syde or y« groud be vnequal w' pittes & turninge wayes be- 
 twyxte the markes, a mans eye shall thynke that to be streight 
 whyche is croked : The experience of this thing is sene in 
 payntynge, the cause of it is knowen by learnynge. 
 
 And it is ynoughe for an archer to marke it and take hede 
 of it. The cheife cause why men can not shoote streight, is 
 bicause they loke at theyr shaft : and this fault commeth bycause 
 a ma is not taught to shote when he is yong. Yf he learne to 
 shoote by himselfe he is a frayde to pull the shafte throughe the 
 bowe, and therfore looketh alwayes at hys shafte : yll vse con- 
 firmeth thys faulte as it doth many mo. 
 
 And men continewe the longer in thys faulte bycause it is 
 so good to kepe a lengthe wyth al, and yet to shote streight, 
 they haue inueted some waies, to espie a tree or a hill beyonde 
 the marke, or elles to haue sume notable thing betwixt y^ 
 markes : & ones I sawe a good archer whiche did caste of his 
 gere, & layd his quiuer w' it, euen in the midway betwixt y^ 
 prickes. Sume thought he dyd so, for sauegarde of his gere : 
 I suppose he did it, to shoote streyght w'all. Other men vse to 
 espie sume marke almoost a bow wide of y^ pricke, and than go 
 about to kepe him selfe on yt hande that the prycke is on, which 
 thing howe muche good it doth, a man wil not beleue, that doth 
 not proue it. Other & those very good archerS in drawyng, 
 
'The schole of shoting. 1 1 7 
 
 loke at the marke vntill they come almost to y^ head, than they 
 looke at theyr shafte, but at y^ very lowse, w* a seconde sight 
 they fynde theyr marke agayne. This way & al other afore of 
 me rehersed are- but shiftes & not to be folowed in shotyng 
 streyght. For hauyng a mans eye alwaye on his marke, is the 
 only waye to shote streght, yea & I suppose so redye & easy 
 a way yf it be learned in youth & confirmed w' vse, y' a man 
 shall neuer misse therin. Men doubt yet i loklg at y^ mark 
 what way is best whether betwixt the bowe & the stringe, aboue 
 or beneth hys hand, & many wayes moo : yet it maketh no 
 great matter which way a man looke at his marke yf it be 
 ioyned w* comly shotynge. The diuersite of mens standyng 
 and drawing causeth diuerse me loke at theyr marke diuerse 
 wayes: yet they al lede a mas hand to shoote streight yf nothyng 
 els stoppe. So that cumlynesse is the only iudge of best lokyng 
 at the marke. Some men wonder why in casting a mans eye 
 at y« marke, the hande should go streyght. Surely yf he con- 
 sydered the nature of a mans eye, he wolde not wonder at it : 
 For this I am certayne of, that no seruaunt to hys mayster, no 
 chylde to hys father is so obedient, as euerye ioynte and pece of 
 the body is to do what soeuer the eye biddes. The eye is the 
 guide, the ruler & the succourer of al the other partes. The 
 hade, the foote & other members dare do nothynge w'out the 
 eye, as doth appere on the night and darke corners. The eye 
 is the very tonge wherw' wyt & reaso doth speke to euery parte 
 of the body, & the wyt doth not so sone signifye a thynge by 
 the eye, as euery part is redye to folow, or rather preuent the 
 byddyng of the eye. Thys is playne in many thinges, but 
 most euident in fence and feyghtynge, as I haue heard men 
 saye. There euery part standynge in feare to haue a blowe, 
 runnes to the eye for helpe, as yonge chyldre do to y^ mother: 
 the foote, the hand, & al wayteth vpo the eye. Yf the eye 
 byd y* had either beare of, or smite, or the foote ether go 
 forward, or backeward, it doth so : And that whyche is moost 
 wonder of all the one man lookynge stedfastly at the other mans 
 eye and not at his hand, wyl, eue as it were, rede in his eye 
 where he purposeth to smyte nexte, for the eye is nothyng els 
 but a certayne wyndowe for wit to shote oute hir hede at. 
 
 Thys wonderfull worke of god in makynge all the members 
 so obedient to the eye, is a pleasaunte thynge to remember and 
 
1 1 8 'Toxophilus. B. 
 
 loke vpon : therfore an Archer maye be sure in learnyng to 
 looke at hys marke when he is yong, alwayes to shoote streyghte. 
 The thynges that hynder a man whyche looketh at hys marke, 
 to shote streyght, be these : A syde wynde, a bowe either to 
 stronge, or els to weake, an ill arme, whan a fether runneth on 
 the bowe to much, a byg brested shafte, for hym that shoteth 
 vnder hande, bycause it wyll hobble : a little brested shafte for 
 hym y' shoteth aboue y^ hande, bicause it wyl starte : a payre 
 of windynge prickes, and many other thinges mo, which you 
 shal marke your selfe, & as ye knowe the, so learne to amend 
 them. If a man woulde leaue to looke at his shafte, and learne 
 to loke at his marke, he maye vse this waye, whiche a good 
 shooter tolde me ones that he did. Let him take his bowe on 
 the nyght, and shoote at .ii. lightes, and there he shall be 
 compelled to looke alwayes at his marke, & neuer at his 
 shafte : This thing ones or twyse vsed wyl cause hym forsake 
 lokynge at hyS shafte. Yet let hym take hede of settynge his 
 shaft in the bowe. 
 
 Thus Philologe to shoote streyght is the leaste maysterie of 
 all, yf a manne order hym selfe thereafter, in hys youthe. And 
 as for keypynge a lengthe, I am sure the rules whiche I gaue 
 you, wil neuer disceyue you, so that there shal lacke nothynge, 
 eyther of hittinge the marke alwayes, or elles verye nere 
 shotynge, excepte the faulte be onely in youre owne selfe, 
 whiche maye come .ii. wayes, eyther in hauing a faynt harte or 
 courage, or elles in sufferynge your selfe ouer muche to be led 
 with affecSion : yf a mans mynde fayle hym, the bodye whiche 
 is ruled by the mynde, can neuer doe his duetie, yf lacke of 
 courage were not, men myght do mo mastries than they do, as 
 doeth appere in leapynge and vaultinge. 
 
 All alFeftions and specially anger, hurteth bothe mynde and 
 bodye. The mynde is blynde therby : and yf the mynde be 
 blynde, it can not rule the bodye aright. The body both blood 
 and bone, as they say, is brought out of his ryght course by 
 anger : Wherby a man lacketh his right strengthe, and therfore 
 can not shoote wel. Yf these thynges be auoyded (wherof I 
 wyll speake no more, both bycause they belong not properly to 
 shoting, & also you can teache me better, in them, than I you) 
 & al the preceptes which I haue gyuen you, diligently marked, 
 no doubt ye shal shoote as well as euer man dyd yet, by the 
 
The schole of shoting. 1 1 9 
 
 grace of God. Thys communication handled of me Philologe, 
 as I knowe wel not perfytly, yet as I suppose truelye you must 
 take in good worthe, wherin if diuers thinges do not all togyther 
 please you, thanke youre selfe, whiche woulde haue me rather 
 faulte in mere follye, to take that thynge in hande whyche I 
 was not able for to perfourme, than by any honeste shamefastnes 
 withsay your request & minde, which I knowe well I haue not 
 satisfied. But yet I wyl thinke this labour of mine the better 
 bestowed, if to morow or some other daye when you haue 
 leysour, you wyl spende as much tyme with me here in this 
 same place, in entreatinge the question De origine animi, and 
 the ioynyng of it with the bodye, that I maye knowe howe far 
 Plato, Aristotle, & the Stoiicians haue waded in it. 
 
 PHI. How you haue handeled this matter Toxoph. I may 
 not well tel you my selfe nowe, but for your gentlenesse and 
 good wyll towarde learnyng & shotyng, I wyll be content to 
 shewe you any pleasure whensoeuer you wyll : and nowe the 
 sunne is doune therfore if it plese you, we wil go home and 
 drynke in my chambre, and there I wyll tell you playnelye 
 what I thinke of this comunication and also, what daye we will 
 appoynt at your request for the other matter, to mete here 
 agayne. 
 
 Deo gratias. 
 
 <^ LONDINI. -m 
 
 In iedibus Edouardi VVhytchurch. 
 
 Cum priuilegio ad irapri- 
 mendum solum. 
 
 1545- 
 
^A REPORT 
 
 and Discourse written by 
 
 Roger Ascham, of the affaires 
 
 and state of Germany and the 
 
 Emperour Charles his court, 
 
 duryng certaine yeares 
 
 while the sayd Roger 
 
 was there. 
 
 AT LONDON. 
 
 5 Printed by lohn Daye, 
 dwelling ouer Aldersgate. 
 
 ^ Cum Gratia & Priuikgio Regime 
 Maiestatis, per Decennium. 
 
p%^ John Astely to R. Ascham. 
 
 I Now finde true by experience, which I haue oft heard of 
 others, & sometymes read my selfe : that me make no such 
 accompt of commodities when they haue the, as when they 
 want the. I meane this by our frendly fellowshyp together at 
 Cheston Chehey, and here at Hatfield her graces house : our 
 pleasant studies in readyng together Aristotles Rethorike, Cicero^ 
 and Liuie : our free talke mingled alwayes with honest mirth : 
 our trimme coferences of that present world : and to true 
 iudgementes of the troublesome tyme that followed. 
 
 These commodities I now remeber with some grief, which 
 we then vsed with much pleasure,, besides many other fruites of 
 frendshyp that faythfuU good will could afFourd. And these 
 thinckynges cause me oft to wish, either you to be here with 
 vs, or me to be there with you : but what wishyng is nothyng 
 els but a vayne waylyng for that which will wanteth, I wil 
 cease from wishyng, and seeke the true remedy for this sore. 
 And that is whilest we mete agayne in deede, in the meane- 
 while to ease our desires with oft writyng the one to the other : 
 I would in deede I had bene partaker in your company, of that 
 your pleasaunt absence out of your countrey : And because I 
 was not, I pray you let me be partaker by your letters of some 
 fruite of that your iourney. 
 
 We heare of great sturres in those parties : and how the 
 Emperour a Prince of great wisedome and great power hath 
 bene driuen to extreme shiftes, and that by the pollicie of mean 
 men who were thought to be hys frendes, and not by the 
 puisantnes of others who were knowne to be his open enemyes. I 
 
124 A Letter. 
 
 know your wont in markyng diligently and notyng truely all such 
 great affaires : And you know lykewise how desirous I am alwayes 
 to read any thing that you write. Write therfore I pray you, 
 that we your frendes beyng at home may en- 
 ioye by your letters a pleasant memory of 
 you in this tyme whilest you be absent a- 
 broad. Farewell in Christ from Hat- 
 field, xix. 0£tobris.i552. 
 
^•^ R. Ascham, to lohn Asteley. 
 
 SAlutem Plurimam in Christo lesu. That part of your 
 letters from Hatfield, decimo mm OBoh. renewing a most 
 pleasaunt memory of our fredly fellowship together, & full of 
 your wonted good will towardes me : I aunswered immediatly 
 from Spires by Fraunces the post : whiche letter if it be not yet 
 come to your hand, ye might haue heard tell of it in M. Secre- 
 tary Cicels chamber in the Court. 
 
 As concernyng the other part of your letter, for your wish, 
 to haue bene with me, in this mine absence from my countrey : 
 and for your request, to be made partaker by my letters of the 
 sturre of these times here in Germany. Surely I would you 
 had your wish : for then should not I now nede to bungle vp 
 yours so great a request, when presently you should haue sene 
 with much pleasure, which now peradueture you shall read 
 with some doubt, lesse thynges may encrease by writyng 
 which were so great in doyng, as I am more afrayd to leaue 
 behind me much of the matter, then to gather vp more then 
 hath sprong of the trouth. 
 
 Your request conteineth few wordes but coprehendeth both 
 great and diuers matters. As first the causes of the open 
 inuasion by the Turke : of the secret workyng for such 
 soddeyne brechesse in Ita/y, and Germany : of the fine fetches 
 in the French practises : of the double dealyng of Rome with 
 all partes : the more particularly why Duke Oitauio, the Prince 
 of Salerne, Marches Albert, and Duke Maurice brake so out 
 with the Emperour, which were all so fast knit vnto hym as 
 the bondes of affinitie, loyaltie, bloud, and benefites could 
 assure him of them : Osiauio being his sonne in law, the Prince 
 one of hys priuy chamber, Marches Albert hys kynsman, and 
 Duke Maurice so inhaunsed with honor and enriched with 
 benefites by hym, as the Duke could not haue wished greater 
 in hope, then the Emperour performed in deede. Here is 
 stufFe plenty to furnish well vp a trimme history if a workeman 
 had it in handlyng. When you and I read Liuie together 
 
126 A discours and affaires 
 
 if you do remember, after some reasonyng we cocluded both 
 what was in our opinion to be looked for at his hand that 
 would well and aduisedly write an history : First, point was, to 
 write nothyng false : next, to be bold to say any truth, wherby 
 is auoyded two great faultes, flattery and hatred : For which 
 two pointes Ccesar is read to his great prayse, 
 P louius ^^^ louius the Italian to hys iust reproch. Then 
 
 to marke diligently the causes, cousels, actes, and 
 issues in all great attemptes : And in causes, what is iust or 
 vniust : in cousels, what is purposed wisely or rashly : in actes, 
 what is done couragiously or fayntly : And of euery issue, to 
 note some generall lesson of wisedome & warines, for lyke 
 Polibius. matters in time to come : wherin Polih'ius in 
 
 Phi. Co- Greeke and Phillip Comines in French haue done 
 
 mines. jjjg duties of wyse and worthy writers. Dili- 
 
 gence also must be vsed in kepyng truly the order of tyme : 
 and describyng lyuely, both the site of places and nature of 
 persons not onely for the outward shape of the body : but also 
 Tkucidi- f°'' ^^ inward dispositio of the mynde as Thuci- 
 
 des. dides doth in many places very trimly, and Homer 
 
 Homer. euery where and that alwayes most excellently, 
 
 which obseruation is chiefly to be marked in hym. And our 
 Chaucer doth the same, very praise worthely : 
 Chaucer. marke hym well and conferre hym with any 
 
 other that writeth of our tyme in their proudest toung who- 
 soeuer lyst. The stile must be alwayes playne and open : yet 
 sometime higher and lower as matters do ryse and fall : for if 
 proper and naturall wprdes, in well ioyned sentences do lyuely 
 expresse the matter, be it troublesome, quyet, angry or pleasant, 
 A man shal thincke not to be readyng but present in doyng 
 of the same. And herein Liuie of all other in 
 Titus Li- ^j^y toung, by myne opinio carieth away the 
 
 prayse. 
 Syr Thomas More in that pamphlet of Richard the thyrd, 
 doth in most part I beleue of all these pointes so 
 Tho. Mo- content all men, as if the rest of our story of 
 
 England were so done, we might well compare with 
 Fraunce, Italy, or Germany in that behalfe. i But see how the 
 pleasant remembraunce of our old talke togetner hath caried me 
 farther then I thought to go. And as for your request to know 
 
of the state of Germanie. 1 27 
 
 the cause and maner of these late sturres here ye shall not looke 
 for such precise order now in writyng, as we talked on then. No 
 it is not all one thing to know perfectly by reading and to 
 performe perfectly in doyng I am not so vnaduised to take so 
 much vpo me, nor you so vnfrendly to looke for so much from 
 me. But that you may know that I haue not bene altogether 
 idle in this my absence, and that I will not come home as one 
 that can say nothing of that he hath sene and heard abroad : 
 I will homely and rudely (yet not altogether disorderly) part 
 priuately vnto you such notes of affaires as I priuately marked 
 for my selfe : which I either felt and saw, or learned in such 
 place and of such persos as had willes to seeke for, and wayes 
 to come by, and wittes to way the greatest matters that were 
 to be marked in all these alFaires. For no wieke almost hath 
 past in the which there hath not commonly come to my hand 
 for the most part of the notable thynges that haue bene 
 attempted in 'Turky^ Hungary^ Italy, Fraunce, and Germany. 
 In declaryng to you these thyngs I will obserue onely the first 
 two pointes of our wont communication : that is to my writyng 
 I will set forward nothyng that is false, nor yet keepe backe 
 any thyng that is true. For I playing no part of no one side, 
 but sittyng downe as indifferent looker on, neither Imperiall 
 nor Freeh, but flat English do purpose with troth to report the 
 matter. And seyng I shall lyue vnder such a Prince, as kyng 
 Edward is, and in such a countrey as Englad is (I thanke God) 
 I shall haue neither neede to flatter the one side for profite, nor 
 cause to feare the other side for displeasure. Therefore let my 
 purpose of reportyng the troth as much content you, as the 
 meane handlyng of the matter may mislike you. Yet speakyng 
 thus much of trouth, I meane not such a hid trouth as was 
 onely in the brest of Monsieur d'' Arras on the Emperours side, 
 or in Baron Hadeck on Duke Maurice side, with whom and 
 with on other of his counsell he onely conferred all his purposes 
 three yeares before he brake out with y^ Emperour : but 
 I meane such a troth as by conference and common cosent 
 amongest all the Ambassadors and Agentes in this Court and 
 other witty & indifferent heades beside was generally conferred 
 and agreed vpo. What better comoditie to know the trouth 
 any writer in Greeke Latine or other toung hath had, I can not 
 perceiue, except onely Xenophon, Casar, and Phillip Comines : 
 
128 A discours and affaires 
 
 which two first worthy writers wrote their owne actes so wisely, 
 and so without all suspicion of parcialitie, as no ma hetherto by 
 mine opinion hath borne him selfe so vprightly in writyng the 
 histories of others : The thyrd hauyng in a maner y« like 
 oportunitie hath not deserued lyke commendations, at least 
 as I suppose. Englad hath matter & Englad hath me furnished 
 with all abilitie to write : who if they would might bryng both 
 lyke prayse vnto them selues, & like profite to others, as these 
 two noble me haue done. They lay for their excuse the lacke 
 of leysure which is true in deede : But if we cosider the great 
 aiFaires of Casar we may iudge hee was worthy to winne all 
 praise that was so willing & wittie to winne such time when 
 his head & his handes night and day were euer most full, 
 would to God that these our me as they are ready to prayse 
 hym were euen as willyng to follow hym, and so to wynne like 
 prayse them selues. 
 
 And to keepe you no longer with my priuate talke from the 
 matter it selfe, I will begyn at the spryng of the matter from 
 whence all these mischiefes dyd flow, the which now hath so 
 ouerflowed the most part of Christendome, as God onely from 
 heauen must make an end of this miserable tragedie, wherein 
 these two great Princes take such pleasure still to play. In 
 The cause of Religion & libertie were sayd to be of many men 
 y» sturres in the very causes of all these sturres : yet in myne 
 Italy & opinion & as the matter it selfe shall well proue 
 
 ermany. j^^ vnkyndnes was the very sede, whereof all these 
 
 troubles dyd grow. A Knight of England of worthy memorie 
 for wit learnyng and experience old Syr Thomas 
 yn °es. j^iat wrote to his sonne that the greatest mis- 
 chief amongest men and least punished is vnkyndnes : the 
 greatest mischief truly & least punished also by any ordinary 
 law & sentence, yet as I haue sene here by experience, 
 vnkyndnes hath so wrought with men, as the meane were not 
 affrayd to attempt their reuege, nor the Emperour able to 
 withstand their displease. Yea vnkyndnes was onely the hoke, 
 which Henry the French kyng hath vsed these late yeares to 
 plucke from the Emperour and draw to hym selfe, so many 
 Princes and great comodities as he hath : with this hoke bayted 
 with money the bayte of all mischief, the French kyng hath not 
 ceased to angle at as many harts in Italy and Germany as 
 
of the state of Germanie. 129 
 
 he knew any matter of vnkyndnes to bee ministred vnto, by 
 ther Emperour. There be few Princes in all the Empire but 
 if I had leysure, I could particularly proue, and when I come 
 home in our priuate talke I wil fully declare that some good 
 big matter of vnkindnes hath bene ofFred vnto them by the 
 Emperour. Yea Ferdinando his brother, Maximilian his nephew 
 and Sonne in law, the Dukes of Bauarie and Cleues which haue 
 maried his nieces haue bene shrewdly touched therwith. Also 
 ye Papistical] Byshops as Ment-z^ Pamhurge, Herbipolis, Sa/tz- 
 burge, and diuers others haue felt their part herein. Few 
 Princes or states, Protestantes or Papistes, but haue bene 
 troubled therwith. But euen as a quaterne in the begynnyng 
 is a wanderyng disease in the body vnknowne what it wil turne 
 vnto, and yet at last it draweth to certaine dayes & houres : 
 euen so these grieues in the whole body of the Empire dyd first 
 worke secretly and not appeare openly, vntill this melancholy 
 vnkyndnes did so swell in mens stomaches that at length in 
 Insburgh it brast out into a shrewd sicknes, whereof the first fit 
 was felt to be so daugerous, that if the Emperour and we had 
 not more spedely chaunged the ayre, I am afFrayed and sure 
 I am we were wel afFrayd then, the sickenes would haue proued 
 also to vs that were present with hym very contagious. Well 
 this grief growyng this to certaine fittes, and I my selfe beyng 
 not greatly greued at y^ hart with it but had leysure enough 
 with small ieoperdy (I thanke God) to looke quietly vpon them 
 that were sicke, because I would not be idle amongst them 
 I began dayly to note the workyng of this sickenes, and namely 
 from the xix. of May .1552. when we ranne from Insburgh till 
 the first of next January whe the siege of Metz was abadoned. 
 Neuertheles before I come to these ordinary dayes I will 
 shortly touch how the Emperour beyng in peace with all the 
 world .1550. when we came to his Court, had soone after ro 
 many enemyes as hee knew not which way to turne hym. 
 
 f[ The Turke. 
 
 THe date of peace betwixt the Emperour and the Turke had to 
 expire an. 1 55 1. The Emperour hearyng what ^hebrech 
 preparation the Turke had made the yeare before with the 
 for warre and specially by Sea, which must needes Turke. 
 
130 A disc ours and affaires 
 
 be agaynst Christendome, thought it better for him to ende 
 the peace with some aduauntage, the that the Turke sh*ild 
 begyn the warre with too much strength & therfore in 
 sommer .1550. he sent lohn de Vega Viceroy of Ckile & 
 Andrea Dorea into Barbarta, who wan the strong towne of 
 Affrica from Dragut Rates sometyme a Pirate and now the 
 Turkes chief doer in all the affaires of Affrike and mare 
 mediteraneo. This Court raised vp other rumors of this brech 
 with the Turke how that this enterprice was made for Seripho 
 sake a hethen kyng. But the Emperours frend in Barbaria 
 to whom Dragat Rayes had done great wrong, yet men that 
 knew the troth, and are wont also to say it, haue told me that 
 the towne of Affrica stode so fit to annoy Spayne for the Turke 
 when he list, that the Emperour was compelled to seeke by all 
 meanes to obtaine it, much fearyng, lest when he was absent 
 in Germany^ the Turke would be too nigh and to homely a gest 
 with hym in Spayne whensoeuer the peace should be expired. 
 The whole story of winnyng Affrica ye may read whe you 
 list beyng wel written in Latin by a Spaniard that was present 
 at it. 
 
 Affrica was earnestly required agayne by the Turke, and 
 fayre promised agayne by the Emperour, but beyng in deede 
 not deliuered, the Turke for a reuenge the next yeare, first 
 assaulted Malta and after wan Tripoly from whence the Turke 
 may easely and soddenly whensoeuer hee list set vpon Cicelie, 
 Naples, or any cost of Italie or Spayne and most commodiously, 
 what soeuer the Emperour doth hold in Barbary : so that the 
 gayne of Affrica is thought nothyng comparable with the losse 
 of Tripoly. 
 
 When Tripoly was besieged by the Turkes, Monsieur Dara- 
 mont was sent Ambassadour to Constantinople from the French 
 kyng : and ariuyng by the way at Malta, hee was desired by 
 the great master of the order to go to Tripoly, and for the 
 frendshyp that was betwene Fraunce and the Turke to treat for 
 the Christians there. Daramont did so and had leaue of the 
 Turkes generall to enter the towne and talke with the Captaine. 
 And by this meanes they within yelded, on this condition 
 to part safe with bag and baggage which was graunted by the 
 generall. But assoone as the Turkes entred the towne they put 
 old & yong, man, woman, and child to the sword sauing two 
 
of the state of Germanie. 1 3 1 
 
 hundred of the strongest men to be their Galley slaues for euer. 
 The generall beyng asked why he kept no promise made this 
 aunswere : If the Emperour had kept faith with my master 
 for Affrica I would not haue broken with them of Tripoly^ 
 and therfore (sayth he) with Christen men which care for no 
 trothe promises may iustly be broken. This Turkish crueltie 
 was reuenged this last yeare in Hungary, when lyke promise of 
 lyfe was made, and yet all put to the sword the Christians 
 biddyng the Turkes remember Tripoly. To such beastly crueltie 
 the noble feates of armes be come vnto betwixt the Christen 
 men and the Turkes. And one fact of either side is notable 
 to bee knowen, yet horrible to be told and fouler to be 
 followed : and it is pitie that mas nature is such, as will 
 commonlie commend good thynges in readyng and yet will as 
 commonly follow ill thynges in doyng. 
 
 The Bassa of Buda, tooke in a skirmish a getleman of the 
 kyng of Romanes : for whose deliuery men for 
 entreaty and money for hys raunsome were sent An nomble 
 to Buda. The Bassa appointed a day to geue 
 them aunswere, and at time and place assigned, called for them 
 and sent for the gentleman likewise. And soddenly came out 
 two hangmen bare anned with great butchers kniues in theyr 
 handes bringing with them certaine bandogges musled kept 
 hungry without meate of purpose : the Bassa bad them do their 
 feate : who commyng to the gentleman stripped him naked, 
 and bound him to a piller, after with their kniues they cut of 
 his flesh by gobbets and flang it to the dogges. Thus y^ poore 
 gentlema sufFred grief great for y^ payne, but greater for the 
 spight : nor so tormeted in feelyng his fleshe mangled with 
 kniues, as in seyng him selfe peece meale deuoured by dogges. 
 And thus as long as hee felt any payne they cut him in collops, 
 and after they let their dogges lose vpon him to eate vp the 
 residue of him, that y^ grief which was ended in him being 
 dead might yet continue in his frendes lookyng on, They 
 were bad depart and tell what they saw, who ye may be sure 
 were in care enough to cary home with them such a cruell 
 message. 
 
 Not long after this, three Turkes of good estimation and 
 place, were taken by the Christen men : for whose raunsome 
 great summes of gold were ofFred. Aunswere was made to the 
 
 I 2 
 
132 A discours and affaires 
 
 messenger that all the gold in Turky should not saue the. 
 And because ye Turkes will eate no swines flesh, you shall see 
 if swine will eate any Turkish . fleshe. And so likewise great 
 bores were kept hungry, & in sight of the messenger the three 
 Turkes were cut in collops and throwne amongest them. 
 
 For these foule deedes I am not so angry with the Turkes 
 
 that began them as I am sory for the Christen men that follow 
 
 them. I talked with a worthy gentleman this day both for his 
 
 great experience and excellent learnyng Marc Anthonio d'Anula 
 
 Ambassadour of Venice with the- Emperour : who 
 
 The great j^^jj ^^ ^^^^ jj^g g^j Turke him selfe (Religion 
 
 excepted) is a good and mercyfull, iust and liberall 
 
 Prince, wise in makyng and true in performyng any couenant, 
 
 and as sore a reuenger of troth not kept. He prayed God to 
 
 Mustapha kepe him long aliue : for his eldest sonne Mustapha 
 
 the Turkes is cleane contrary, geue to all mischief cruell, 
 
 eldest Sonne false, gettyng he careth not how vniustly, and 
 
 spendyng he careth not how vnthriftely what soeuer he may 
 
 lay hand on, wilye in makyng for his purpose, & ready to 
 
 breake for his profite all couenantes, he is wery of quietnes and 
 
 peace, a seeker of strife and warre, a great mocker of meane 
 
 men, a sore oppressor of poore men, openly contemnyng God, 
 
 and a bent enemy agaynst Christes name and Christen men. 
 
 But to go forward with my purpose. The Turke beyng onest 
 
 disclosed an open enemy to the Emperour, many meane men 
 
 bega to be the bolder to put out their heades to seeke some 
 
 open remedy for theyr private iniuries : Fraunce beyng at euery 
 
 mans elbow to harten and to helpe, whosoeuer 
 
 ItaHe ° ^^^ cause to be aggreued with the Emperour. 
 
 And first Oiiauio Duke of Parma, much agreued 
 
 as nature well required with his fathers death & besides that 
 
 fearing the losse not onely of his state, but also of his lyfe, fell 
 
 from the Emperour in the end of the yeare .1550. 
 
 Pietro Aloysio Farnesio sonne to Papa Paulo tercio Duke of 
 - Placetia : father to this Duke OStauio Duke 
 
 of Parma which maried the Emperors base 
 daughter, and to Horatio Duke of Castro, who of late hath 
 maried also the French kynges base daughter, and the two 
 Cardinals Alexandro and Ramusio Farnesy, was slaine men say 
 by the meanes of Ferranto Gonzaga gouernour of Millan by 
 
of the state of Germanie. loo 
 
 whose death the state of Placentia beloging then to the house 
 of Fernesia came into the Emperour handes. The whole 
 processe of this mans death is at length set out in the stories of 
 Italie: my purpose is onely to touch it, because hereby rose 
 such a heate betwixt the whole famely of Fernesia and Don 
 Ferranto Gonzaga as hath stirred vp such a smoke in Italy 
 betwixt the Emperour and Fraunce^ as is not like to be 
 quenched but with many a poore mans bloud, as Horace noteth 
 wittely out of Horner^ saying : 
 
 What follies so euer great Princes make : 
 The people therfore go to wrake. 
 
 OSiauio beyng sorest greeued with his fathers death and 
 beyng best able to reuenge it was so feared of Gonzaga that 
 he thought hym selfe neuer assured for Petro Luis death as long 
 as Oifauio his Sonne should lyue : for men neuer loue whe 
 they haue iust cause to feare, but must nedes still mistrust 
 without all hope of reconcilyng whom they haue before hurt 
 beyod all remedy of amendes. And yet I heard a gentlema 
 of Millan say (who was sent hether to the Emperour by 
 Gonzaga) that O£lauio is such a Prince for good nature and 
 gentle behauiour that he supposed there was not one in Italy 
 but did loue hym except it were his maister Gonzaga. These 
 two Princes beyng neighbours the one at Millan the other at 
 Parma shewed smal frendshyp the one to the other. But 
 Oiiauio was euermore wrong to the worse by many and sundry 
 spites, but chiefly with dayly feare of hys life by poysoning : 
 for the which fact certain persons in Parma were taken and 
 layd fast. Neuertheles OStauios nature is so farre from seekyng 
 bloud and reuenge and so geuen to pitie and gentlenes, that 
 although they went about not onely to geue away his state by 
 treason, but also to take away his life by poysonyng, yea, and 
 after that the deede was proued playnly on them, and sentence 
 of death pronounced openly agaynst them, yet he gaue them 
 lyfe and libertie which would haue taken both from hym. 
 
 And when Monsieur Thermes earnestly told him that where 
 the euill were not kept in with feare of Justice, the good should 
 neuer lyue in suretie and quietnes : his aunswere was that he 
 so abhorred the sheddyng of bloud in others as he would neuer 
 wash his handes in any : let his enemies do to him the worst 
 
134 -^ discours and affaires 
 
 they could. Addyng, that he thought it his most honor to be 
 vnlykest such for his gentlenes which were misliked of all 
 me for their crueltie : wherby he hath wonne that he which of 
 good nature can hurt none, is now of right loued of all and 
 onely hated of him who no man in Italy for his cruelty doth 
 loue. And this talke is so true that it was told in an other 
 language but in the selfe same termes at an honorable table 
 here in Bruxeh by a gentleman of Millan an agent in the 
 Court, a doer for Gonzaga, who the same tyme was prisoner 
 in Parma. 
 
 And although OSfauio by good nature was harmeles in not 
 seekyng reuenge, yet he was not careles by good reason in 
 seekyng hys remedy but made oft & great coplaintes of his 
 grieues to the Emperour, which were not so hotely made, but 
 they were as coldly heard, that at legth O^auio findyng least 
 comfort, where of right he looked for most ayde, & seyng that 
 displeasures could not be ended in Gon-zaga nor could not be 
 amended by the Emperour : then he compelled agaynst his 
 nature turned his hate due to Gonzaga to reuenge this vndeserued 
 vnkyndnes in the Emperour, euen as Pausanias dyd with Phillip 
 kyng of Macedonie^ who conqueryng with pollicie and power 
 all outward enemyes, was slayne when and where, he thought 
 him selfe most sure of his dearest fred, for vnkindnes, because 
 Phillip ought and would not reuege Pausanias on him that had 
 done him a foule displeasure. 
 
 OSfauio seyng what was done to his father euen when hys 
 graundfather was Byshop of Rome^ thought, that now as his 
 house decayed, so his iopardy encreased. And therfore agaynst 
 a desperate euill began to seeke for a desperate remedie, which 
 was fet from Rome a shop alwayes open to any mischief as you 
 shall perceiue in these few leaues if you marke them well. 
 
 OSiauio coplained to lulio tercio of the wroges of Gonzaga 
 & of the vnkindnes of the Emperour, desirying that by his 
 wisedome and authoritie, he would now succor him or els not 
 onely he should leese his life but also the Church of Rome 
 should lose her right in Parma, as she had done before in 
 Placentia. The Byshop gaue good eare to this talke, for he 
 spied that hereby should be ofFred vnto him, a fit occasion to set 
 the Emperour and Fraunce together by the eares. He thought 
 the Emperour was to bigge in Italy hauyng on ye one side of 
 
of the state of Germanie. 1 3 r 
 
 Rome Naples vnder his obedience, on the other side Siena^ 
 Florence and Genoa at his commaundement, besides Placentia, 
 Millan^ Monteferrato, and a great part of Piemount. 
 
 The Emperour beyng thus strong in Italy^ the Byshop 
 thought his own state to be his so log as it pleased the 
 Emperour to let him haue it: & therfore if Parma were not 
 left an entry for Fraunce to come into Italy, he might ouersoone 
 be shut vp in present miserie when all outward ayde should be 
 shut out from him. 
 
 The Popes counsel was that OSfauio should put him selfe 
 vnder the French kynges protection whom hee knew would 
 most willingly receiue him : Parma lying so fit for the French 
 kyng, when soeuer he would set vpon the enterprice ol Millan. 
 This practise of the Pope Monsieur de Thermes the French 
 kynges Ambassadours dyd vtter before the consistorie of 
 Cardinals at Rome : prouing that the Pope, not the kyng his 
 master was the occasion of that warre. 
 
 When OSiauio with the whole house of Farnesia became 
 thus Freeh, the Emperour more fearyng the state of Millan 
 then lamentyng the losse of OSiauio persuaded on his side the 
 Byshop of Rome to require Parma as the Churches right, & to 
 punish Ostauio as the Churches rebell, promising that he him 
 selfe as an obedient sonne of the Church would stretch out his 
 arme and open his purse in that recouery of the Churches 
 right : neuertheles the Byshop must beare the name of the 
 warre because hee might not breake peace with Fraunce. Thus 
 Princes openly cotenacing quietnes & priuily brewyng debate 
 although they got others to broch it, yet God commoly sufFreth 
 the selues to drinke most of the misery thereof in the end. 
 The Byshop seyng that he must either begyn the mischief or 
 els it would not on so fast as he wished to haue it, set lustely 
 vpon it : and first .cited 0£lauio, after excommunicated him, 
 and shortly after besieged Parma ayded both with me and 
 money by the Emperour : which thyng the 
 
 r. ^.-'i iu-1 ^\. ^ ^ Breach w' 
 
 French kyng began to stomach, thmckyng that y^ praunce. 
 Emperour dyd offer him both wrong & dishonor 
 in not suffring him beyng a kyng to helpe a poore man that 
 fled to his ayde. And thus these two Princes first helpyng 
 others began by litle and litle to fall out them selues. Arid 
 that the Pope dyd set these two Princes together, a Pasquill 
 
136 A discours and affaires 
 
 made at Rome and sent to this Court doth well declare. And 
 seyng that you so well vnderstand the Italian toung and that if 
 it were turned into English it would leese the whole grace 
 therof, I will recite it in the toung that it was made in. 
 
 Interlocutor! Pasquillo et Romano. 
 
 Pasq. T T Anno vn be/ gioco il Re, et P Imperatore 
 
 X \.p^^ terzo el Papa, e giocano a Primera. 
 Rom. che v' e d' invito ? Pasq. Italia tutta intera. 
 Rom. Chi vi /' ha messa ? Pasq. il coglion del pastore. 
 Rom. Che tien in mono il Re ? Pasq. Ponto magiore. 
 
 e'l Papa ha cinquant' vno, e se despera. 
 Rom. desar che Ponto s'a ? Pasq. lui sta a Primera. 
 Rom. che gli manca ? Pasq. danari a far fauore. 
 
 II Papa dice, a voi, e vuol Partito : 
 
 Cissar Pensoso sta Sopra di questo, 
 
 teme a Scoprir di \_non'\ trouar moneta 
 
 II Re dice, no, no, Scoprite Presto, 
 
 che io tengo Ponto, a guadagnar /' invito 
 
 r ho li danari, et Casar se gli aspeta. 
 
 IT Tutti stanno a vedetta 
 
 Chi di lor due guadagni. Rom. // Papa P Pas. i fuora, 
 vinca chi vuol, lui Perde, in sua maT hora. 
 
 1 Z' Imperatore anchora 
 
 Teme, e tien stretto, e Scopre Pian le carte, 
 e qui la sorte gioca, piu che /' Arte. 
 
 IT Metta questi in disparte. 
 
 Stahilito i nel Ciel quello, che esser di, 
 
 ne gioua 7 nostro dir, questo Stira questo i. 
 
 The French king in the sommer .1551. proclaimed warre 
 against Charles kyng of Spayne, abusing that name for a sottlety 
 to separate y^ whole quarell from the Empire : when the 
 Emperour would not be persuaded at Augusta that either the 
 Turke would, or the French kyng durst make him open warre, 
 or that any Prince in Italy or Germany could be entised to 
 breake out with him. 
 
of the state of Germanie. i 37 
 
 Monsieur Mariliacke the French Ambassadour at Augusta 
 euer bare the Emperour in hand that such rumors of war were 
 raysed of displeasure & that his master intended nothyng so 
 much as the continuance of amitie, yea this he durst do, when 
 many in y^ Emperours court knew that the war was already 
 proclaimed in Fraunce. 
 
 The Emperour blinded with the ouer good opinion of his 
 own wisedome, likyng onely what him selfe listed, and 
 contemnyng easely all aduise of others (which selfe will con- 
 dition doth commonly follow, and as commonly doth hurt all 
 great wittes) dyd not onely at this tyme suffer him selfe thus to 
 be abused : but also afterward more craftely by the Pope for 
 the continuaunce of warre at Parma, & more boldly by Duke 
 Maurice for his repayre to Inspruke, and not the least of all, 
 now lately at Metz by some of his owne counsellours for the 
 recouery of that towne. 
 
 But Princes and great personages whiche will heare but 
 what and whom they list, at the length fayle when they would 
 not, and commonly blame whom they should not : But it is 
 well done that as great men may by authoritie contemne the 
 good aduise of others : so God doth prouide by right iudgement 
 that they haue leaue in the ende to beare both the losse and 
 shame therof them selues. 
 
 Thus ye see how the Pope was both the brewer and 
 brocher and also bringer of ill lucke to both these Princes, and 
 as it came wel to passe dranke well of it him selfe both with 
 expences of great treasures, and with the losse of many lyues 
 and specially of two noble gentlemen, the Prince of Macedonia 
 and // SeigH. Giouan Baptista di Monte his owne nephew : but 
 the Popes care was neither of money nor men, so that he might 
 set the two Princes surely together. And therfore was not 
 onely content (as a man might say) to hasard Parma on the 
 meyne chauce : but to make the two Princes better sporte & 
 fresher game, set also eue then Mirandula on a bye chaunce 
 that mischief enough might come together. 
 
 When the Princes were well in and the one so lusty with 
 good lucke that hee had no lust to leaue, aud 
 the other so chafed with leesyng, that still he ^^^^^ 
 would venture. Besides their playing m sporte Miradula. 
 for the Pope at Parma and Mirandula, they fell 
 
138 A discours and affaires 
 
 to it a good them selues in Piemout, Loraigne, Flounders and 
 Picardy, the French kyng robbyng by Sea and spoyling by 
 land, with calling in the Turke, and sturryng vp all Princes 
 and states that had any occasion to beare any grudge to the 
 Emperour. Of all their neighbours onely our noble kyng, 
 and the wise senate of Venize would be lookers on. 
 
 And when the Pope saw they were so bote at it as he well 
 knew as the one would not start in so great good lucke : so ye 
 other could not leaue by so much shame of losse. And 
 although it did him good to see them cope so lustely together : 
 neuertheles he thought it scarce his surety that they should play 
 so nere his elbow so earnestly, least if they fell to farre out and 
 the one should winne to much of the other, then he per- 
 aduenture would compell at length the Pope him selfe which 
 bega the play to kepe him sport afterward for that that he had 
 in Italy. And therfore very craftely he gat them to play in an 
 The Po- other place, and tooke vp the game for Parma 
 
 pes prac- and Mirandula taking truce with Fraunce for 
 '''^^- certaine yeares, and bad them make what sport 
 
 they would farther of in Loraigne & Picardy. And that there 
 should lacke neither iniurie nor spite in the Popes doynges, whe 
 the Emperour saw that whether hee would or no, the Pope 
 would needes fall in with Fraunce., then he desired the Pope 
 that such bastilians and fortes of fence as were made about 
 Mirandula when it was besieged might either be deliuered to 
 hys mens handes or els defaced that the Frenchmen might not 
 haue them, which request was very reasonable seyng the 
 Emperour had bene at all the charge in makyng of them : But 
 they were neither deliuered nor defaced, nor left indifFeret, but 
 so put into the French mens handes, that Mirandula now is 
 made very strong to the French faction by Emperours money 
 and the Popes falsehode. 
 
 This fact was very wrongfull of the Pope for the deede : 
 but more spitefull for the tyme : for euen when Duke Maurice 
 had wonne Augusta., euen then the Pope gaue vp the siege of 
 Mirandula and fell in with Fraunce that care enough might 
 come vppon the Emperour together both out of Germany., and 
 out oi Italy at once. And eue this day .25. June .1553. when 
 I was writyng this place, commeth newes to Bruxells, that the 
 Pope hath of new played with the Emperour more foule play 
 
of the state of Germanie. 139 
 
 at Siena, then he dyd before at Mirandula : For whe the 
 Emperour had bene at passing charges in kepyng a great host, 
 for the recouery of Siena from December last vnto June : the 
 Pope would needes become stickler in that matter betwene the 
 Emperour, the French kyng and Siena promising such conditions 
 to all, as neither of the Princes should lose honour and yet 
 Siena should haue had liberties. The Emperour good man yet 
 agayne trustyng him who so spightfully had deceaued hym 
 before dismissed hys hoste, which done Siena was left still in 
 the French mes hades : who therby haue such oportunitie to 
 fortifie it, as y^ Emperor is not like by force to recouer it. 
 Piramus Secretary to y^ Emperor told this tale to Syr Phillip 
 Hobby & the Byshop of Westminster openly at y^ table : which 
 Piramus is a Papist for his life : & beyng asked how he could 
 excuse the Popes vnkyndnes agaynst his master y^ Emperour : 
 Hee aunswered smilyng lulius tercius is a knaue but y^ Pope is 
 an honest ma, which saying is como in this court. And 
 although they wil vnderstad both y^ spight of y^ pope, & y^ 
 shame of their master, yet are they cotent stil to speake of y^ 
 pope though he neuertheles still do ill to ye Emperour. 
 
 And thus to returne to my purpose how the Pope set the 
 two Princes together, & shift his owne necke a while out of 
 the halter, leauyng most vnfrendly the Emperour when he was 
 farthest behynd hand : and how OSiauio for feare of Gonzaga, 
 and vnkyndnes of the Emperour fell with all hys famely to be 
 French, I haue briefly passed over for the bast I haue to come 
 to the matters of Germany. 
 
 T 
 
 fl The Prince of Salerne. 
 
 ■He Emperour beyng thus set vpon by the Turke and 
 J. Fraunce with open warre, and troubled by the house of 
 Fernesia with so soddeyne breaches, and most of all encombred 
 with the feare of the sturres in Germany which secretly were 
 then in workyng : the Prince of Salerne also declared hym selfe 
 
 an open enemy. , r ._■ -^1 
 
 This Prince in this court is much beloued for his getlenes 
 and openly praysed for his wisedome, & greatly lamented for 
 his fortune, who before tyme hath done so good and faythfull 
 
140 A discours and affaires 
 
 seruice to the Emperour : that I haue heard some in this Court 
 say, which loue the Emperour well and serue him in good place, 
 that their master hath done the Prince so much wrong, as he 
 could do no lesse then he dyd : who being so vniustly hadled by 
 his enemies, the Viceroy of Naples^ and so vnkyndly dealt 
 with all by hys master y^ Emperour, was driuen by necessitie 
 to seeke an vnlawfull shift. 
 
 The Viceroy Don Pietro de Toledo vncle to y^ Duke of 
 Alua, & father in law to y^ duke of Florece vsed him selfe with 
 much cruelty ouer y« people of Naples by exactions of money 
 without measure, by Inquisition of mens doyngs without 
 order, & not onely of mens doynges, but also of mes outward 
 lookyngs, & inward thinkynges, vsing the least suspicion for 
 a sufficiet witnes to spoyle & to kill who soeuer he lysted. 
 Me that had sutes vnto him, had as leue bene away with the 
 losse of their right, as -haue come to his presence to abyde his 
 lokes & tauts : And (as I heard a wise getlema of Italy say) he 
 gaue audiece in such tyme & place, as he may easlyer in this 
 Court speake with Monsieur d^ Arras then he could in Naples 
 with the Viceroyes Porter. And commoly he would not 
 heare them whilest an hundred suters should come at once, and 
 then the Porter let them in by one and by one euen as he 
 fauoured not as the matter required, commaudyng theni to be 
 short or els they should come short in the next tyme. And so 
 mens sutes were pulled fro comon law to priuate will, & were 
 heard not in place open to lustice but in priuate Parlors shit vp 
 to all that came not in by fauour or money. And therfore 
 iudgemcnts were allotted not as law appointed, but as the Vice- 
 roy listed. This fault {Cicero sayth) vndyd Casar who drew 
 the commo law into his own house, & so in hauing other mes 
 goods lost all mes hartes and not long after his owne lyfe : for 
 euen those that dyd helpe him plucke down Pompey, dyd after 
 kill him for pulling downe the lawes : So we see that Princes 
 not in gatheryng much money, nor in bearing ouer great 
 swinge but in fceping of frendes & good lawes lyue most merely 
 & raigne most surely. But such as gape alwayes for other 
 mens goods comoly neuer enioy y^ fruite of their owne : for 
 they neuer cease to win by wrog till at length they leese by 
 right goodes lyfe & all. And therfore it is notable yt Dion, in 
 Plato writeth to Dionisius y« tyraut, how Euripides in euery 
 
of the state of Germanie. 14.1 
 
 tragedy bringeth for some great vice one or other great Prince 
 to ruine & yet not one doth coplaine thus : 
 
 Out out alas alas, I dye for lacke of goodes. 
 
 But euery one singeth this song : 
 
 Out out alas alas, I dye for lacke of frendes. 
 
 For a Prince that will take mes goods when he listeth 
 without order shall want mens hartes whe he needeth wtout 
 pitie : but in hauyng their hartes he shall neuer lacke their 
 goodes, as the good kyng Cirus sayd to the rich kyng Crasus. 
 And to haue the peoples hartes the next way is to be gentle to 
 euery one, iust to all and liberall to many and especially to such 
 as either by excellency of wit or good will in true seruice do 
 well deserue it. Also to set his chiefest ioy not in priuate 
 pleasure like Sardanapalus, but in commo wealth as we haue 
 example of Titus Vespasianus : and to thinke his treasure 
 greatest, not when his cofFers be fullest as Crasus dyd, but when 
 his subiectes be richest as Cyrus dyd & that through hys wise- 
 dome and care as all prayse worthy princes haue euer hetherto 
 done. And what will the people reder agayn to such a Prince? 
 A small subsidy, with a great grudge ? no, but their whole hartes 
 to loue him : their whole goodes to ayde hym : theyr handes 
 ready to defende hym, and theyr lyues as ready to dye for hym 
 when soeuer he shall haue neede. A Prince that thus doth 
 lyue and thus is loued at home may be enuyed with much 
 prayse, and hated with smal hurte of any power abroad. 
 
 And therfore haue I heard wisemen discommend the 
 gouernement in Fraunce in makyng theyr people almost slaues, 
 and from thence a comon saying of some in Syrjohn 
 England, that would haue the people neither witty Gates 
 nor wealthy when wit is the meare gift of G O D : ^'^^• 
 So that to wish men lesse wit that haue it, is to count God 
 scarse wise that gaue it. And wealth of the people as Scripture 
 sayth : is the glory of a Prince, and surety of hys raigne. 
 But suspition in all gouerning breedeth such sayinges, when 
 wrong doth beare such swynge, as ill conscience doth alwayes 
 wish that men should lacke either wit to perceaue or habilitie 
 to amende what soeuer is done amisse. But God send such 
 Achitophels better ende then their counsels doth deserue which 
 
142 A discours and affaires 
 
 would seme wise by other mens folly, and would be rich by 
 other mens pouertie. 
 
 To returne to the Viceroy of Naples the common opinion 
 of those in this Court which haue priuate cause to say wel on 
 him do speake it boldly and openly, that he was such a one as 
 neuer could content his couetousnes with money, nor neuer 
 satisfie his crueltie with bloud : And so by this foule meane 
 many gentleme in Naples haue lost some theyr lines but moe 
 theyr liuynges, and almost all theyr libertie. And there be at 
 this day as men say here that know it a good sort of thousandes 
 Neapolitanes, named Foriensuti, who beyng spoyled at home by 
 violence, robbe other abroad for neede, which comber so the 
 passage betwixt Rome and Naples, as no man departeth 
 commonly from Rome without company which commeth to 
 Naples without robbyng. 
 
 The whole body of the kyngdome of Naples was so dis- 
 tempered inwardly with this misorder, with a litle outward 
 occasion it would easely haue burst forth into a foule sore. 
 A lesse matter then the rauishyng of Lucrece, A meaner ayde 
 then the heipe of Brutus, was thought sufficient to haue stirred 
 vp this inward grudge to open reuenge. But see how God 
 prouided for the Emperour and the quyet of that kingdome : 
 For God in takyng away one Spanyard hath made Naples now 
 more strong, then if the Emperour had set xx. thousand of the 
 best in Spayne there : for euen this last Lent .1553. Don Pietro 
 di Toledo dyed at Florence by whose goyng away mens hartes in 
 Naples be so come agayne to the Emperour, as he shall now 
 haue lesse neede either to care for the fyne fetches of Fraunce, 
 or to feare the great power of the Turke. A gentleman of this 
 Court a true seruaunt to the Emperour sayd merely in a company 
 where I was, that his master the Emperour had won more in 
 Naples by the death of the Viceroy, then he had lost in 
 Lorraigne by the forgyng of Metz. 
 
 But to my purpose not many yeares agoe diuers in Naples 
 made their coplaint to the Prince of Salerne of their griefes, 
 who was thought would be most willyng for his good nature, 
 and best able for his authoritie to seeke some remedie for them 
 by way of intercessio to the Emperour. 
 
 The Prince beyng here at Bruxels humbly besought hys 
 Maiestie to pitie the miserie of hys poore subiectes : who by 
 
of the state of Germanie. 143 
 
 this sute gat of the Emperour for hys cliantes, wordes without 
 hope : and of the Viceroy for him selfe hatred without ende. 
 The Prince yet alwayes bare hym selfe so wisely, that he could 
 not without some sturre be thrust downe openly : and ridyng 
 on his iourney he was once shot with a dagge secretly. 
 
 Thus he seyng no ende of displeasure in the Viceroy no 
 hope of remedy in the Emperour, when he saw the Turke on 
 the Sea, the French kyng in the field, Duke Maurice and the 
 Marches vp, and a good part of Italy either risen, or ready to 
 rise, thinkyng the tyme come of theyr most hope for helpe by 
 the Princes, and of least feare of punishment by the Emperour, 
 came forth to play his part also amongest the rest : who whe 
 flying first to the French kyng and after by hys counsell as it is 
 sayd to the Turke^ is compelled to venture vppon many hard 
 fortunes. And what succes he shall haue either of helpe in 
 Fraunce or comfort of the Turke, or mercy of the Emperour 
 I can not yet write. But this last winter he hath lyen in the 
 He of Cw, and now I heare say this sommer he is on the Sea 
 with 63. Gallyes of the Turkes at his commaundement, what 
 enterprice he will make, or what successe he shall haue when 
 we shall heare of the matter, I trust I shal either by some 
 priuate letter from hence or by present talke at home fully 
 satisfie you therin. 
 
 A' 
 
 f Albert Marches of Bradenburge. 
 
 Lbert Marches of Bradenburge in the begynnyng of his 
 _t ^ sturre .1552. wrote a booke and set it Print wherin he 
 declared the causes of hys fallyng from the Marches 
 Emperour wittely alledgyng common misery as a Albertes 
 iust pretence of hys priuate enterprise makyng J'^""^!^^"^^ 
 other mens hurtes, his remedy to heale his own j^^j.^^ 
 sores and common wronges hys way to reuenge 
 priuate displeasures : shewyng liberty to be lost, and Religion to 
 be defaced, in all Germany, lamentyng the long captiuitie of the 
 two great Princes : and all the dispossessyng of hys father in 
 law Duke Otto Henrick : sore enueyng against the pride of the 
 Spanyardes and the authoritie of straungers, which had now m 
 their handes the scale of the Impiere, and in theyr sore and 
 swynge the doyng of all thynges, and at their iust com- 
 comaundement all such mens voyces as were to be piayBtes. 
 
144 -^ discours and affaires 
 
 called the Imperiall Dietes : copellyng the Germanes in their 
 owne countrey to vse straunge toungs for their priuate sutes, 
 wherin they could say nothyrtg at all, or nothyng to the 
 purpose : vsing Camera Imperialis at Spires for a common key 
 to open all mens coffers when they listed and these were the 
 chiefest points in Marches booke. 
 
 The Marches also sore enueyed agaynst Luke de Auila for 
 
 The booke writyng, and agaynst the Emperour for suffring 
 
 of Luice de such a booke as Luice de Auila wrote : wherein 
 
 Amla. ji^g honor of Germany and the Princes therof & 
 
 by name Marches Albert^ who was in y^ first warres on the 
 
 Emperours side, was so defamed to all the world : yea the 
 
 Marches was so throughly chafed with this boke, y' when 
 
 I was in the Emperours court he ofFred y^ combat with Luice de 
 
 Auila, which the Emperour for good wil and wise respectes 
 
 would in no case admit. 
 
 Not onely the Marches but also the Princes at the Diet of 
 Passan this last yeare made a common complaint of this booke. 
 I knew also the good old Prince Fredericke Palsgraue of ye 
 Rhene in September last when the Emperour lay at Landaw 
 beside Spires, goyng with his great army to Metz, complayned 
 to the Emperour hym selfe and to his counsell of a certaine 
 spightfull place in that booke against him : The good prince 
 told me this tale him selfe at hys house in Heldihirge whe 
 I caried vnto him kyng Edwardes letters, the Lord Ambassadour 
 him selfe beyng sicke at Spires. 
 
 And wise men say that the Duke of Bauiere, also is euill 
 
 Th d k contented for that which is written in that booke 
 
 of Bauiere agaynst his father when he deserued of the 
 
 vnkyndly Imperials, to haue bene rewarded rather with 
 
 handled. prayse and thankes then with any vnkynde note 
 
 of blame and dishonour : of whom the Emperour in his warres 
 
 agaynst the Lansgraue and the Duke of Saxonie receiued such 
 
 kindnes, as no Prince in Germany for all respectes in y' case 
 
 was able to affourde hym : as first he had his whole countrey of 
 
 Bauiere for a sure footyng place, to begyn the warre in : and 
 
 had also both men and vittaile of hym what he would, and at 
 
 legth should haue had that countrey his onely refuge, if that in 
 
 warre he had come to any vnderdele as he was like enough to 
 
 haue done. But it was Gods secret will and pleasure to haue 
 
of the state of Germanie. 145 
 
 the matter then go as it did : And for that cause men say Duke 
 Albert of Bauiere that now is that hath raaryed the Emperours 
 niece, was more straunge this last yeare to the Emperour, when 
 he was driuen to that extremitie to flye away on the night from 
 Inspurge and was more familiar with duke Maurice, and more 
 frendly to the Princes confederate then els peraduenture he 
 would haue done. 
 
 And here a writer may learne, of Princes affaires a good 
 lesson to beware of parcialitie either in flattery, or spight : For 
 although thereby a man may please his owne Prince presently 
 yet he may perchaunce as much hurt hym in the end as Luis de 
 Auila dyd hurt y^ Emperour his master in writyng of this 
 booke. In deede this booke was not ye chiefest cause of this 
 sturre in Germany : but sure I am that many Princes in 
 Germany were sore agreeued w' it, as the Emperour wated both 
 theyr hartes & their handes whe he stode in most nede of 
 frendes : lust reprehension of all vices as folic, vniust dealyng, 
 cowardice, and vicious liuyng, must be frely and franckly vsed, 
 yet so with that moderate discression as no purposed malice or 
 bet hatred, may seeme to be the breeder of any false reproch. 
 Which humor of writyng followeth so full, in Paulus louius 
 bookes, and that by that iudgement of his owne frendes, as 
 I haue heard wise and well learned men say : that his whole 
 study and purpose is spent on these pointes, to deface the 
 Emperour, to flatter Fraunce, to spite England, to belye 
 Germany, to prayse the Turke, to keepe vp the Pope, to pull 
 downe Christ and Christes Religion, as much as lyeth in him. 
 But to my purpose agayne. 
 
 The matters before of me briefly rehearsed, were at large 
 declared in Marches Alhertes booke : yet that you may know 
 what secret workyng went before this playne writyng and open 
 doyng, and because the Marches part hath bene so notable in 
 all this pastime, I will by more particular circumstaunces lead 
 you to this generall complaintes. 
 
 There be at this day fiue Marchesses of Bradenburge : 
 loachimus Elector, lohanes his brother who for Ciuile seruice is 
 Imperiall with might and mayne, & yet in Religion a Christian 
 Prince with hart toung & honesty of lyfe : Doctour Christopher 
 Monte, both a learned and wise man, our kynges Maiestie 
 seruaunt and his Agent in the affaires of Germany hath told me 
 
 K 
 
146 A discours and affaires 
 
 diuers tymes, that this Marches lohn and the Duke of Swaburg, 
 be two of the worthiest Princes in all the Empier either in 
 considering wisely, or executing courageously any great affaire. 
 The thyrd is Marches George who dwelleth in Franconia not 
 farre from Noremberg. The fourth Marches Albert the elder 
 
 the mighty Duke of Prusia hable for his power 
 Duke of ^Q ^Qpg ^j(.}j ^jjy. Prince, and xv. yeares together 
 
 he dyd stoutly withstand in continuall warre the 
 strength of the kyng of Pole. He hath so fully banished Papistry 
 and so surely established the doctrine of the Gospell in Prusia, as 
 no where hetherto in Germany is more diligently done, he loueth 
 learnyng and honoreth learned men, and therfore .an. 1544. he 
 founded a new Vniuersitie in Prusia called Mons Regius 
 bryngyng thether with plentyfull thynges excellent learned men 
 in all tounges and sciences. He is vncle to this notable 
 Marches Albert, and lackyng children hath made him his heyre, 
 and hath already inuestured hym in the Dukedome of Prusia. 
 
 The fift is Marches Albert of whom I purpose to write on : 
 whose father was Cassimirus descended from the kynges of Pole, 
 and for his noblenes agaynst the Turke called Achilles Ger- 
 manicus : and therfore might very well engender such a hoate 
 Pirrhus. Marches Albert in hys young yeares as I haue heard 
 wise men say, w^as rude in hys maners, nor did not shew any 
 token of towardnes likely to attempt any such affaires as in 
 deede he hath done. It might be either for the lacke of 
 learnyng and good bringyng vp (a great and common fault in 
 great Princes of Germany) or els for his bashfull nature in 
 , youth, which propertie Xenophon wittely fayned to 
 ^etwp .a be in Cyrus at like yeares iudgyng bashfulnes in 
 
 youth to be a great token of vertue in age. 
 Marches Albert is now at this day about xxxi. yeares old : 
 of a good stature, neither very high, nor very low, thicke 
 without grosenes : rather wel boned for strength, then ouerloded 
 with flesh : his face fayre, bewtifull, brode, sterne, and manly : 
 somewhat resemblyng my Lord Marches of Northt. when he 
 was of the same yeares, his eyes great and rowlyng, makyng his 
 countenance cherefull when he talketh : and yet whe he geueth 
 eare to other he kepeth both a sadde looke without signe of 
 suspicion, and also a well set eye without token of malice : 
 And this behauiour I marked well in hym when I dyned in his 
 
of the state of Germanie. 1 47 
 
 company at the siege of Met%, in the County lohn of Nassaus 
 tent, his voyce is great and his wordes not many, more ready to 
 here other then to talke him selfe. And when he talketh he so 
 frameth hys toung to agree with hart, as speakyng and 
 meanyng seemeth to be alwayes at one in hym, and herein he 
 may be well called the sonne of Achilles whom Homer wittely 
 doth fayne to haue such a free open nature : whose saying in 
 Greeke is excellent, but beyng turned in the wrong side into 
 English, it shall lesse delight you yet thus much it signifieth : 
 
 JVho either in earnest or in sporty 
 doth frame hym selfe after such sort : 
 
 This thyng to thincke and that to tell^ 
 my hart abhorreth as gate to hell. 
 
 Homer., meanyng hereby that a Prince of noble courage 
 should haue his hart, his looke, hys toung, and his handes so 
 alwayes agreeyng together in thinkyng, pretendyng, and 
 speakyng, and doyng, as no one of these foure should at any 
 tyme be at iarre with an other, which agreeyng together in 
 their right tune, do make a pleasaunt melody in all mens eares 
 both sweetest and loudest, called in English (honor) and most 
 fitly in Greeke Tifitj, the price and prayse of vertue. 
 
 And though the Marches be free to say what he thinketh, 
 yet he is both secret in purposyng & close in workyng what 
 soeuer hee goeth about. Now very skillfull to do harme to 
 others, and as ware to keepe hurte from hym selfe, yet first bet 
 vnto it with his own rod : for in y«= former warres of Germany 
 being on y« Emperours side he fell into the handes of Duke 
 lohn Fridericke of Saxony, which chauce he is charged sore 
 withall by Luice de Auila and that with so spightfull and open 
 a mouth, as moued the Marches to offer hym the combat as 
 I sayd before. He is now most courageous in hardest ad- 
 uentures, most cherefull in present ieoperdy, and most paynefull 
 in greatest labours : hauyng no souldier vnder him, that can 
 better away with heate and cold or longer suffer hunger and 
 thrist then he him selfe. His apparell is souldier like, better 
 knowen by his fearce doynges then by his gay goyng : His 
 souldiours feare him for his stoutnes, and loue him for his 
 liberalitie : which winneth to him authoritie fit for a stout 
 Captaine, and worketh in them obediece due to good souldiours. 
 
 K 2 
 
148 A discours and affaires 
 
 This last yeare a litle before hys agreement w* the Em- 
 perour hys souldiours for lacke of money & meate fell to 
 mutenyng and then fell the Marches fastest to hangyng, not 
 hidyng him selfe for feare, but coming abroad with courage, did 
 protest that neither the proudest should make misorder without 
 punishmet nor yet the prod est should lacke as long as either he 
 had peny in hys purse or loafe of bread in his tent. And after 
 this sort of outward behauiour and inward condition in Marches 
 Albert, as I haue marked his person my selfe and as I haue 
 learned hys doynges by such as by experience knew them well 
 & for theyr honesty would reporte them right and now how 
 he fell fro the Emperour I wil as briefly declare. 
 
 The Marches serued the Emperour as I said before in the 
 former warres in Germany agaynst the Lansgraue and the Duke 
 of Saxony, where he lost some honour and spent much money. 
 The Emperour shortly after came downe hether to Bruxels 
 hauyng the Marches in his company, who lookyng for a great 
 recompece of hys costes, and receiuyng litle, and seyng his 
 honor not onely defaced in the field presently when he was 
 taken prisoner, but also defamed for euer by writing cofirmed 
 by the Emperours priuiledge to grow abroad in the world began 
 to take the matter so vnkindly, that he left comming to the 
 Court, and kept his owne house : rising euery day very early : 
 and writing all the forenoone very diligently yet what he did no 
 man knew : so that his absence breed a talke in the Court, and 
 his soddein and secret study wrought a wonderfull gelousy of his 
 doynges in the Emperours head : for he knew the Marches to 
 haue courage enough to attept matters ouer great : and therfore 
 sent Mosieur Granduill vnto the Marches house as of hym 
 selfe to grope out his doynges, who declared vnto the Marches 
 ye Emperours great goodwil towards hym, shewyng that his 
 Maiestie was purposed to make him a great personage, & to 
 begyn withall had in mynde to geue hym a goodly and profitable 
 office in all his Mintes. 
 
 The Marches aunswered roundly and plainly to the first, 
 that the Emperour could not make him greater then he was, 
 beyng Marches of Bradenburge : And as for y« office in the 
 Minte, he said smiling, he vsed not oft to tell his owne money, 
 & therefore he thought not to make the accept of others & 
 so made nothing of the Emperours offer : onely hee desired 
 
of the state of Germanie. 149 
 
 GrandeutU that the Emperour would geue him leaue to go home 
 to his owne, which he obtained : And at his departure y<= 
 Emperour gaue him a patent of 4000. crownes by y^ yeare : 
 But y^ Marches was not well foure miles out of Bruxels, when 
 he sent the patent by post to y^ Emperour agayne saying : his 
 Maiestie might better bestow it on some that had more neede 
 of it. And in deede the Marches is as loth to receiue of his 
 frendes by beneuolence, as he is ready to take fro hys enemies 
 by violece which commeth somewhat of to stout a courage. 
 
 Thus the Marches came home not best contented as it may 
 well appeare : nor saw not the Emperour after till he met hym 
 at the siege of Met%. Casmirus his father and the Marches hym 
 selfe were great spenders and deepe detters: the one for his 
 stoutnes in warre, the other for his lustines in youth. And 
 therefore became quicke borrowers & slow payers, which thyng 
 brought the Marches into such trouble as hee had with the City 
 of Noremberge with his neighbours the Bishop of Herbipolis and 
 with his Godfather the Byshop of Pamberge. 
 
 The Marches was no sooner come home, but these Byshops 
 spying their tyme, when he had left the Emperours Court, and 
 had quite lost or much lessened his frendship there, bega to 
 trouble him with new suites for old debtes in Camera Imperially 
 at Spires^ where the Marches because hee lacked either fauour 
 in the Court, or experience in young yeares, or good matter on 
 his side, was alwayes wrong to the worst, and to stufFe vp his 
 stomach with more matter of vnkindnes against the Emperour, 
 it is sayd that letters from the greatest in the Emperours Court 
 were neuer lackyng at Spires to helpe forward processe agaynst 
 the Marches. 
 
 Shortly after this tyme bega the siege of Madenhurg where 
 Duke Maurice by the Emperour was appoynted generall. 
 The Marches either weery of leesyng at home by sutes, or 
 desirous to winne abroad by warre, or els purposing to practise 
 some way to reuenge his displeasures made him ready to serue 
 against Madenburg with 500. horse. And in the begynnyng 
 of the spryng of the yeare .1551. he set forward and m his way 
 went to visite Ernestus his cosin Duke oi Saxony brother to lobn 
 Fridericke the prisoner with the Emperour. The selfe same 
 time Laxarus Swendy was sent from the Emperour as Com- 
 missary to duke Ernestus with earnest commaundement that the 
 
150 A discours and affaires 
 
 Duke and all his, should receiue the doctrine of the Interim. 
 And that I may accomplish my purpose, which is to paynt out 
 as cruelly as I can, by writyng, the very Image of such persons 
 as haue played any notable part in these affaires : and so you 
 beyng absent shall with some more pleasure read their doynges. 
 This Lazarus Swendy is a tall and a comely 
 Lazarus personage, and beyng brought vp, in learnyng 
 
 vnder Oecolampadius at Basile makyng (as it was 
 told me by an honest man that was throughly acquainted with 
 hym there) more accompt of his tall stature, the of any bewty of 
 the mynde, began to be wery of learnyng, and became desirous 
 to beare some bragge in the world : and so made a souldiour, 
 mard a scholer, & because he would make a lusty chaunge from 
 the feare of God and knowledge of Christs doctrine, he fell to 
 be a peruerse and bloudy Papist : euer at hand in any cruell 
 execution agaynst the poore Protestantes as commonly all such 
 do which so wittingly shake of Christ, and his Gospell : such 
 a Commissary you may be sure would cruelly enough execute 
 his office. 
 
 Duke Ernestus told the Commissary that he his landes and 
 lyfe were at his Maiesties commaundement, his Maiestie knew 
 how quietly he bare him selfe alwayes, & therfore his trust was 
 as he willingly serued the Emperour with true obedience : so he 
 might as freely serue God with right conscience : for he would 
 rather leaue hys landes and goodes and all to the Emperour, 
 and go beg with his wife & children, then they would forsake 
 the way of the Gospell which God hath commaunded them to 
 follow. 
 
 And marke how euidently God dyd declare both how much 
 such a Comission sent out abroad in Germany agaynst him and 
 hys word dyd displease him : and also how much the prayers 
 and sighyng hartes of iust men do in tyme preuayle with hym : 
 for as a man of much honesty & great knowledge in all the 
 matters of Germany did tell me, assoone as this Commissio was 
 once abroad, the practises in Germany began to styrre, yet not 
 so openly as the Emperour might haue iust cause to withstand 
 them, nor so couertly but he had occasion enough to mistrust 
 them : and thereby he both lacked helpe for open remedy, and 
 wanted no displeasure for inward grief 
 
 Duke Ernestus^ Marches Albert^ and Lazarus Swendy sate at 
 
of the state of Germanie. i r i 
 
 supper togethers : & as they were talkyng of ye Interim, the 
 Marches soddenly brast out into a fury saying: what deuill ? 
 will ye Emperour neuer leaue striuyng with God in defacyng 
 true Religio and tossyng the world in debarryng all mes 
 liberties ? addyng, that he was a Prince vnkynd to euery man, 
 and kept touch with no ma, that could forget all mens merites, 
 & would deceiue whom soeuer he promised. 
 
 The Duke liked not this hoate talke in hys house and at 
 his table, but sayd : Cosin you speake but merely, and not as 
 you thincke, adding much the prayse of the Emperours 
 gentlenes shewed to many, and of his promise kept withall. 
 Well (quoth the Marches) if he had bene either kynde where 
 men haue deserued or would haue performed that hee promised : 
 neither should I at this tyme accuse hym, nor you haue sit here 
 in this place to defende hym, for he promised to geue me this 
 house with all the landes that thereto belongeth : but ye be 
 aiFrayd Cosin (quoth y^ Marches) lest this talke be to loud, and 
 so heard to farre of: when in deede if the Commissarie here, 
 be so honest a man as I take him, and so true to his master as 
 he should be, he will not fayle to say what he hath heard, and 
 on the same codition Commissary I bryng thee good lucke, and 
 drancke of vnto hym a great glasse of wine. Lazarus 
 Swendyes talke then sounded getly and quietly, for he was sore 
 aiFrayed of the Marches. But he was no soner at home with 
 the Emperour, but word was sent straight to Duke Maurice 
 that the Marches who was as the come to Madenburg if he 
 would needes serue there, should serue without wages. 
 
 Ye may be sure the Marches was chafed a new with this 
 newes who already had lost a great sort of hys men and now 
 must leese hys whole labour thether, and all his wages there, 
 besides the losse of hys honour in takyng such shame of hys 
 enemies, & receiuyng such vnkyndnes of the Emperour. 
 
 The Marches was not so greened but Duke Maurice was as 
 well contented with this commaundement : for euen then was 
 Duke Maurice Secretary practisyng by Baron Hadeckes aduise 
 with the French kyng for the sturre which dyd follow : and 
 therfore was glad when he saw the Marches might be made hys 
 so easely whiche came very soone to passe : so that the 
 Marches for the same purpose in the ende of the same yeare 
 went into Fraunce secretly, and was there with Shertly as 
 
152 A discours and affaires 
 
 a commo Launce Knight, and named hymselfe Captaine P««/, 
 lest the Emperour spials should get out hys doynges : where by 
 the aduise of Shertly hee practised with the French kyng for the 
 warres which followed after. This matter was told vnto me by 
 lohn Mecardus one of the chief Preachers in Augusta, who 
 beyng banished the Empiere, when and how ye shall heare 
 after was fayne to flye, and was with Shertly the same yeare in 
 Fraunce. 
 
 The Marches came out of Fraunce in the begynnyng of the 
 yeare .1552. and out of hand gathered vp men, but his purpose 
 was not knowne, yet the Emperour mistrusted the matter, beyng 
 at Inshurgi sent Do£t. Hasius one of hys counsell, to know 
 what cause he had to make such sturre. This DoSi. Hasius 
 was once an earnest protestat, and wrote a booke on that side, 
 & was one of the Palsgraues priuy counsell : But for hope to 
 clime higher, he was very ready to be entised by y^ Emperour 
 to forsake first his master & then God : By who the Emperour 
 knew much of all y^ Princes Protestants purposes, for he was 
 commonly one whom they had vsed in all their Dietes and 
 priuate practises : which thing caused the Emperour to seeke to 
 haue hym : that by his head he might the easelyer ouerthrow 
 the Protestantes, & with them God and hys word in all 
 Germany. 
 
 This man is very lyke M. Parrie her graces cofferer in 
 head, face, legges and bellye. What auswere Hasius had I can 
 not tell, but sure I am the Marches then both wrote his booke 
 of complayntes agaynst the Emperour, and set it out in Printe. 
 And also came forward with banner displayed, and tooke 
 Dillyng upon Danuby the Cardinall of Augustus towne, which 
 Cardinall with a few Priestes fled in post to the Emperour at 
 Inspurg, where he found so cold cheare, and so litle comfort, 
 that forthwith in all hast, he posted to Rome. 
 
 Horsemen and footemen in great companies still gathered to 
 the Marches : and in the ende of March he marched forward 
 to Augusta, where he, Duke Maurice, the young Lansgraue, the 
 duke of Mechelhurg, George, and Albert, with William Duke of 
 Brunswycke, and other Princes confederate met together and 
 besieged that Citie, Where I will leaue the Marches till I haue 
 brought Duke Maurice and hys doinges to the same time, and 
 to the same place. 
 
of the state of Germanie. 1 5 3 
 
 ^ Duke Maurice. 
 
 NOt many yeares agoe whole Saxony was chiefly vnder two 
 Princes : the one duke lohn Fredericke borne Elector, 
 who yet liueth, defender of Luther^ a noble setter out, and as 
 true a follower of Christ and his Gospell : The other hys 
 kynsman Duke George who is dead, Knight of the order of the 
 Golden Fleece, a great ma of the Emperour, a mayntainer of 
 Cocleus, and a notable piller of Papistry. 
 
 Duke lohn Fredericke is now 50. yeares of age, so byg of 
 personage as a very strong horse is scarse able to j i, p 
 beare hym & yet is he a great deale bygger in all derkke 
 kynde of vertues, in wisedome, iustice, liberalitie, Duke of 
 stoutnes, temperancy in hym self, and humanitie Saxon. 
 towardes others, in all affaires, and either fortunes vsing a singular 
 trouth and stedfastnes : so that Luice de Juila, and the Secretary 
 of Ferrare who wrote the story of the first warres in Germany, 
 and professe to be his ernest enemies both for matters of state 
 and also of Religion, were so compelled by his worthynes to 
 say the truth as though theyr onely purpose had bene to write 
 his prayse. He was fine yeares prisoner in this Court, where 
 he wan such loue of all men, as the Spanyardes now say : they 
 would as gladly fight to set hym vp agayne as euer they dyd to 
 pull hym downe : For they see that he is wise in all his doynges, 
 iust in all hys dealynges, lowly to the meanest, princely with 
 the biggest, and excellyng gentle to all, whom no aduersitie 
 could euer moue, nor pollicy at any tyme entice to shrincke 
 from God and his word. And here I must needes commend 
 the Secretary of Ferrare, who beyng a Papist, and writyng the 
 history of the late warres in Germany, doth not kepe backe 
 a goodly testimony of Duke Frederickes constancy toward God 
 and hys Religion. 
 
 When the Emperour had taken the Duke prisoner he came 
 shortly after before the Citie of Witemherg : and beyng aduised 
 by some bloudy cousellours that Duke Frederickes death should, 
 by the terrour of it turne all the Protestantes from theyr 
 Religion, caused a write to be made for the Duke to be executed 
 the next mornyng vppon a solemne scaffold in the sight of his 
 wife, children, and the whole Citie of Wittemherg. 
 
 This write signed with the Emperours own hand was sent 
 
154 -^ discours and affaires 
 
 ouer night to the Duke, who whe the write came vnto hym 
 was in hys tent playing at Chesse with his Cosin and fellow 
 prisoner the Lansgraue of Lithenherg, and readyng it aduisedly 
 ouer layd it downe quietly beside and made no countenance at 
 all at ys matter, but sayd Cosin take good heede to your game, 
 and returnyng to his play as quietly as though he had receiued 
 some priuate letter of no great importance dyd geue the 
 Lansgraue a trim mate. 
 
 The Emperour (I doubt not) chiefly moued by God : 
 secondly of his great wisedome and naturall clemency, when 
 he vnderstode his merueilous constancie chaunged his purpose 
 and reuoked the write, and euer after gaue him more honour, 
 and shewed him more humanitie then any Prince that euer 
 I haue read of haue hetherto done to his prisoner. 
 
 He is also such a louer of learnyng as his Librarie fiirnished 
 with bookes of all tounges and scieces, passeth all other 
 Libraries which are yet gathered in Christendome : For my 
 frend leronimus Wolfiui who translated Demosthenes out of Greeke 
 into Latine, who had sene the Freeh kings Library at Augusta, 
 hath told me that though in six monethes he was not able onely 
 to write out the titles of the bookes in the Fuggers Library, yet 
 was it not so byg as Duke Frederickes was which he saw in 
 Saxony. I thinke he vnderstandeth no straunge toung saue 
 somewhat the Latin and a litle the French : And yet it is 
 merueilous that my frend lohannes Sturmius doth report by 
 writyng, what he heard Phillip MelanSlhon at a tyme say of this 
 noble Duke : that he thought the Duke did priuately read & 
 write more euery day the did both he and D. Aurifaher which 
 two were counted in all mens iudgementes to be the greatest*^ 
 readers and writers in all the Vniuersitie of Wittemberg. 
 
 And as hee doth thus read with such diligence, euen so he 
 can report with such a memory what soeuer he doth read, and 
 namely histories, as at his table on euery new occasion he is 
 accustomed to recite some new story which hee doth with such 
 pleasure and vtterance as men be content to leaue their meat to 
 heare him talke : and yet hee hym selfe is not disdaynfull to 
 heare the meanest nor will ouerwhart any mans reason. He 
 talketh without tauntyng, and is mery without scofFyng, 
 deludyng no man for sport, nor nippyng no man for spight. 
 
 Two kindes of men as his Preachers did tell me at Vilacho 
 
of the state of Germanie. 155 
 
 he will neuer log suffer to be in his house : the one a commo 
 mocker, who for his pride thincketh so wel of his owne wit as 
 his most delight is to make other me fooles, and where God of 
 his prouidence hath geuen small wit he for his sport wil make it 
 none, and rather then he should leese his pleasure, he would an 
 other should leese his wit : as 1 heare say was once done in 
 England, and that by the sufFeraunce of such as I am sorry for 
 the good wil I beare them to heare such a report : the other a 
 priuy whisperer a pickthacke a tale teller medling so with other 
 mes matters, as he findeth no leysure to looke to his owne : one 
 such in a great house is able to turne and tosse the quietnes of 
 all. Such two kinde of men sayth the Duke besides the present 
 troubling of others neuer or seldome come to good end them 
 selues. He loueth not also bold and thicke skinned faces, 
 wherein the meanyng of the hart doth neuer appeare. Nor 
 such hid talke as lyeth in wayte for other mens wittes. But 
 would, y' wordes should be so framed with the toung, as they 
 be alwayes ment in the hart. 
 
 And therfore the Duke him selfe thincketh nothyng which 
 he dare not speake, nor speaketh nothyng whiche 
 hee will not do. Yet hauyng thoughtes grounded ^^^^_ 
 vppon wisedome, his talke is alwayes so accom- 
 panied with discression and his deedes so attende vppon true deal- 
 yng, as he neither biteth with wordes, nor wringeth with deedes, 
 except impudency follow the fault, which Xenophon wittely calleth 
 the farthest point in al doyng, and then he vseth to speake home 
 as he did to a Spanyard this last yeare at Villacho^ who beyng of 
 the Dukes garde, when he was prisoner, and now preasyng to 
 sit at his table when he was at libertie, Because many nobles of 
 ye Court came that day to dine with the duke, The gentleman 
 Husher gently desired the Spanyard to spare his rowme for that 
 day for a great personage : But hee countenancyng a braue 
 Spanish bragge, sayd, Seignor ye know me well enough, and so 
 sat him downe. 
 
 The Duke heard him, and preuentyng hys mans aunswere 
 sayd : In deede you be to well knowen, by the same toke the 
 last tyme you were here you tooke a gobblet away with you, & 
 therfore when you haue dyned you may go without farewell, 
 and haue leaue to come agayne when ye be sent for. In the 
 meane while an honest man may occupy your place. But in 
 
156 A discours and affaires 
 
 remembryng so good a Prince I haue gone to farre from my 
 matter : And yet the remembraunce of him is neuer out of 
 place, whose worthynes is neuer to be forgotten. 
 
 Duke George of Saxony a litle before he dyed hauyng no 
 child did disinherite Duke Henry his brother by his last wil 
 because he was a Protestant, and gaue away his whole in- 
 heritaunce to Ferdinando kyng of Romaines. 
 
 But Duke lohn Fredericke by force of armes set and kept 
 his Cosin Duke Henry in his right : And he dying soone after 
 left behynd hym two sonnes Duke Maurice and Duke Augustus, 
 who likewise in their youth were defended in theyr right by 
 the wisedome and force of Duke lohn Fredericke. Duke 
 Maurice was brought vp in Duke lohn Frederickes house as if 
 hee had bene hys owne sonne and maryed the Lansgraues 
 daughter. 
 
 After it came to passe that the Emperour attempted to 
 establish Papistry in Germany with the sword, agaynst which 
 purpose the Lansgraue and duke lohn Fredericke armed them 
 selues not to resist the Emperour as the Papistes say, but to 
 kepe Gods Religion vp, if any by violence would pull it doVime, 
 refusing neuer, but requiryng alwayes to referre them and theyr 
 doctrine to a lawfull and free generall Councell where truth in 
 Religion might be fully tryed in the hearyng of euen and 
 * Ey ?i7ois *equall iudges and that by the touchstone of Gods 
 
 word^s'a"' Canonicall Scriptures. 
 
 waves vsed Duke Maurice in the begynnyng of his warre 
 
 in Tkuci- was suspected neither of the Lansgraue nor of 
 
 (UJesin Duke Fredericke beyng sonne in law to the one 
 
 comon con- ^^^ nighe kinsman to the other and agreeyng in 
 
 trouersies. Religio with both. Yea he was not onely not 
 
 suspected, but as I heard skilful me say he was ready with 
 
 his counsell & promised his ayde to helpe forward y« enterprice, 
 
 or els Hance Fredericke beyng a Prince of such wisedome would 
 
 not haue left at home behind hym an enemy of such a force. 
 
 Francisco Duke Maurice Agent with the Emperour was 
 asked, I beyng by at Augusta, how he could excuse his masters 
 vnkindnes towards lohn Fredericke who had bene such a father 
 vnto him. He graunted that Duke Fredericke had bene great 
 frend vnto him, and might haue a greater if he had would, and 
 the lesse strife had followed then did. And troth it is (sayd he) 
 
of the state of Germanie. 1 57 
 
 as Duke Frederhke kept my master in his right, so afterward he 
 put him from part of his right, when in his yong yeares hee 
 chopped and chaunged landes with him when he listed : which 
 thing my master comming to mans state much misliked, and 
 oft complaynyng could neuer obtayne remedy therein. 
 Kyndnes should rather haue kyndly encreased, so vnkyndly 
 haue decayed specially when the one was trusted withall, and 
 the other of such yeares, as he had neither wit to perceiue nor 
 power to amend if any iniurie were ofFred vnto hym. Troth 
 also it is that my master was brought vp in Duke Frederkkes 
 house : but he hath more cause to coplaine on them that 
 brought him thether, then to thanke such as brought him vp 
 there, where he had alwayes plentie of drinke and as much 
 scant of good teachyng to come to such vertue and learnyng as 
 dyd belong to a Prince of his state. 
 
 Now whether this talke was altogether true, or, an ill 
 excuse was made to couer a foule fact I can not tell : but sure 
 I am Francisco sayd thus. 1 haue heard wise men say that it is 
 not lyke, that for such a priuate strife Duke Maurice would 
 haue so forsaken not onely his frend and kinsman, but also his 
 father in law^ or w^ould for the losse a litle, or rather for the 
 chauge of a peece haue so hassarded his whole estate, which 
 was once in the first warre all gone saue Lypsia, and one other 
 towne, beside the losse of loue in whole Germany and his good 
 name amongest all Protestantes, in the middest of whom all hys 
 liuinges do lye. 
 
 Well surely there was some great cause that could sturre vp 
 so great a strife, and that was as wise men and wh d k 
 wel willyng on Duke Maurice side in myne Maurice 
 opinion haue truly iudged, the foule vice of am- left hys 
 
 KiVir>n dearest 
 
 >;"t ,, u L 1. u- frendesand 
 
 O Lord how many worthy men hath this one f^^ ;„ ^jji^ 
 
 vice beareft from good common weales, which for the Empe- 
 all other respectes were most vnworthy of that ™^'^itJon 
 end they came vnto. My hart weepes for those 
 noble men of England, whose valiantnes in warre, whose wise- 
 dome in peace this Realme shall want and wayle and wish and 
 wish for in tyme to come, which of late by this onely vice haue 
 bene taken from vs. Examples, lesse for our grief and as fit 
 for this purpose be plenty enough in other states. 
 
158 A disc ours and a^aires 
 
 Ouer many experiences do teach vs, though a Prince be 
 wise stout liberall gentle mercyfuU and excellently learned, 
 though he deserue all the prayse, that vertue nature and fortune 
 ca afFourd him, yea that wit it selfe can wish for as we read that 
 noble lulius desar had, and that by the testimony of those that 
 loued him not, neuertheles if these two foule verses of 
 Euripides. 
 
 Do right alway and wrong refraine, 
 Except onely for rule and raigne. 
 
 If these verses say I do not onely sound well in his eare, but 
 sincke deepe also in his hart, surely there is neither kindred, 
 frendship, law, othe, obedience, countrey, God, nor his owne 
 life, bat he will hassard to leese all rather then to pursue this 
 foule vice : For Polynices, for whom this verse was first made in 
 Greeke, did fill not onely his owne countrey full of dead 
 carcasses, but also whole Greece full of weepyng widdowes. 
 And Cissar for whom the same verse was turned into Latin did 
 not onely turne vpside down the goodliest common wealth that 
 euer GOD sufFred to stand vpon the earth : but also tossed 
 the whole world with battayle and slaughter euen almost from 
 the sunne setting vnto the sunne rising. And did not stop to 
 bryng souldiours to do mischief further then any man now dare 
 iourney by land either for pleasure or profite. 
 
 But see the fruite and end which this vngodly great growing 
 bringeth men vnto : Both these Princes were slaine the one by 
 his brother the other by his owne sonne, of whom in life, 
 nature & benefites would they should haue taken most cofort of. 
 But men thatloue to clime to hye haue alwayes least feare, and 
 therefore by reason fall most soddenly and also fardest downe : 
 yea the very bowghes that helped hym vp will now whip 
 him in fallyng downe : For who so in climyng trusteth when 
 he is goyng vp any bough at all ouer much, though hee seeme 
 to tread neuer so surely vppon it yet if he once begyn to slyp 
 the same selfe bough is reddiest to beat him that seemed before 
 surest to beare him. Examples hereof be seen dayly and 
 forgotten hereby. 
 
 An other mischief chaunceth commonly to these high 
 climers : that they will heare no man so gladly as such which 
 are euer hartenyng them to clime still. If wise and good men 
 
of the state of Germanie. i rn 
 
 durst speake more freely then they do : great men should do 
 both others and them selues lesse harme the they are wont to 
 do. He hateth him selfe and hasteth his owne hurt that is 
 content to heare none so gladly as either a foole or a flatterer. 
 A wonderfull follie in a great man him selfe and some peace of 
 miserie m a whole common wealth, where fooles chiefly, and 
 flatterers may speake freely what they will and wise men and 
 good men shal commonly be shent, if they speake what they 
 should 
 
 And how commeth this to passe ? it is the very plague of 
 God for great mens sinnes, and the plaine high way to their 
 iust punishment. And when God sufFreth them so willingly 
 to graunt freedome to follie and so gladly to geue hearyng to 
 flattery : But see when the great man is gone and hath playd 
 his part, fooles and flatterers be stil vpon the stage. Such liue 
 in all worldes, such laugh in all miseries : such Daui and Getcs, 
 haue alwayes the longest partes : and go out who shal they tary 
 in place still. I know also many a good mitio, which haue 
 played long partes whom I pray God kepe long still vpon the 
 stage. And I trust no man will be miscontent with my generall 
 saying except conscience do pricke him of his owne priuate ill 
 doyng. 
 
 There be common wealthes where freedome in speakyng 
 truth hath kept great me from boldnes in doyng ill : for free 
 and frendly aduise is the trimmest glasse that any great man 
 can vse to spye his owne fault in : which taken away they 
 runne commonly so farre in foule doyng, as some neuer stay 
 till they passe all remedy saue onely to late repentaunce. And 
 as I would haue no flattery but wish for freedome : So in no 
 wise do I comrriend ouermuch boldnes, or any kind of rayling. 
 But that libertie in speakyng should be so mingled with good 
 will and discretion, as no great person should be vnhonorably 
 spoken vpo, or any meane man touched out of order either for 
 sport or spite : as some vnquiet heades neuer contented with 
 any state are euer procuryng either secretly with raylyng billes, 
 or openly with tauntyng songes, or els some scoffing common 
 play. 
 
 An other kynd of to bold talkers surpasse all these selly 
 rumors, who are called, and so will be, commo discoursers of all 
 Princes affaires. These make a great accompt of them selues 
 
i6o A discours and affaires 
 
 and will be commonly formost in any prease, and lustly with 
 out blushing shoulder backe others : These will seeme to see 
 further needes, in any secret aiFayre then the best and wisest 
 cousellor a Prince hath. These be the open flatterers and 
 priuy mislikers of all good counsellors doynges. And one 
 common note, the most part of this brotherhode of discoursers 
 commoly cary with them where they be bold to speake : to like 
 better 'Tullies Offices, then S. Paules Epistles : and a tale in 
 Bocace, then a story of the Bible. 
 
 And therfore for any Religion earnest setters forth of 
 present tyme : with consciences confirmed with Machiauelles 
 doctrine to thincke say and do what soeuer may serue best for 
 profite or pleasure. But as concernyng flatterers and raylers to 
 say mine opinion whether I like worse, surely as I haue read 
 few men to haue bene hurt with bitter poysons : so haue 
 I heard of as few great men to haue bene greatly harmed with 
 sharpe talke : but are so ware therin, that commonly they wil 
 complaine of theyr hurt before they feele harme. And flattery 
 agayne is so sweete, that it pleaseth best, when it Jiurteth most, 
 and therfore is alwayes to be feared : because it alwayes de- 
 lighteth, but in lookyng aside to these bye climers, I haue 
 gone out of the way, of mine owne matter. 
 
 To returne to Duke Maurice^ he saw that Duke Frederickes 
 fallyng might be his rising, and perchaunce was moued with 
 some old iniuries, but beyng of young yeares and of nature full 
 of desire and courage he was a trimme pray for old practises 
 to be easely caryed away with fayre new promises sounding 
 altogether to honor and profite, and so he forsoke his father and 
 his frend, and became wholy the Emperours till hee had brought 
 both them into prison. Duke Fredericke was taken in the field 
 and so became the Emperours iust prisoner. Yet as long as the 
 Lansgraue was abroad, the Emperour thought his purpose neuer 
 atchieued, and therefore practised a new with duke Maurice to 
 get him also into his hads. 
 
 Duke Maurice with loachim Elector of Bradenhurge became 
 meanes betwixt the Lansgraue and the Emperour. Conditions 
 both of mercy from the one, and of amendes from the other 
 were drawen out. Maurice and the Marches bound fhem 
 selues sureties to the Lasgraues children, for their fathers safe 
 returne : for amongest the rest of coditions this was one of the 
 
of the state of Germanie. 1 6 1 
 
 chiefest, that he should come in no prison. And so at Hala in 
 Saxony, he came boldly to the Emperours presence, who 
 receiued him not very cherefully, nor gaue him not his hand 
 vy-hich in Germany is the very token of an assured recon- 
 siliation. 
 
 The Duke of Alua made the Lansgraue a supper, and called 
 also thether Duke Maurice^ and the Marches of Bradeburg 
 where they had great chere : but after supper it was told Duke 
 Maurice and the Marches, that they might depart for the 
 Lansgraue must lodge there that night. 
 
 On the morrow, they reasoned of the matter wholly to this 
 purpose that the Emperours promises not the Lansgraues person 
 ought to be kept. Aunswere was made that the Emperour 
 went no further then conditions led him which were that he 
 should not be kept in euerlastyng prison : and they agayne 
 replyed he ought to be kept in no prison. When I was at 
 Villacho in Cartnthia I asked Duke Frederkkes Preacher what 
 were the very wordes in Dutch, wherby the Lansgraue agaynst 
 his lookyng was kept in prison. He sayd the fallacion was very 
 pretty and notable and tooke his penne and wrote in my booke 
 the very wordes wherin the very controuersie stode, duke 
 Maurice sayd it was. 
 
 Nicht in einig gefengknes .i. Not in any prison. 
 The Imperials sayd no, but thus. 
 
 Nicht in ewig gefengknes A. Not in euerlastyng prison. And 
 how soone einig, may be turned into ewig, not with scrape of 
 knife, but with the least dash of a pen so that it shall neuer be 
 perceiued, a man that will proue, may easely see. 
 
 Moreouer Luice d'Auila in his booke doth reioyce that the 
 Lansgraue did so deceaue hym selfe with his owne conditions in 
 makyng of which as d'Auila saith, he was wont to esteeme his 
 own wit aboue all other mens. Well, how so euer it came to 
 passe the Lansgraue was kept in prison. And from that houre 
 Duke Maurice fell from the Emperour thinckyng hym selfe 
 most vnkyndly hadled, that he by whose meanes chiefly the 
 Emperour had won such honor in Saxony, must now be rewarded 
 with shame in all Germany, and be called a traytor to GOD, 
 and hys countrey, his father, and his frend. And though he 
 was greeued inwardly at the hart, yet he bare all thynges 
 quietly in coutenance purposing though he had lost will yet 
 
1 62 A disc ours and affaires 
 
 would he not leese his profite, and so hiding his hurt presently, 
 whilest some fitter time should discouer some better remedy, 
 he went with the Emperour to Augusta^ where accordyng to 
 hys promise he was made Elector. Yet the same night after 
 hys solemne creation, two verses set vppon his gate might more 
 greue him, then all that honour could delight hym, which were 
 these. 
 
 Seu Dux, sen Princeps, seu nunc dicaris E/eifor. 
 Mauricij Patr'tes proditor ipse tut. 
 
 After that he had gotten that he looked for, he gat him 
 home into his countrey : from whence afterward the Emperour 
 with no poUicie could euer bryng hym, he alwayes alledgyng, 
 the feare that he had of some sturre by Duke Frederickes 
 children. 
 
 Hetherto the Germaines much mislyked the doynges of Duke 
 Maurice. But after that he had felt him selfe so vnkyndly 
 abused as for his good seruice to be made the betrayer of his 
 father, he tooke such matters in hand & brought them so to 
 passe, as he recouered the loue of his countrey and purchased 
 such hate of his enemyes, as the Spanyardes tooke their dis- 
 pleasure from all other, and bestowed wholly vppon the Duke 
 Maurice : and yet he bare him selfe with such wit, and courage 
 agaynst them, as they had alwayes cause to feare hym and neuer 
 occasion to contemne hym : Yea if he had liued he would 
 sooner men thinke haue driuen all Spanyardes out of Germany, 
 then they should haue hurt hym in Saxony, for he had ioyned 
 vnto him such strength, and there was in him such pollicie, as 
 they durst neuer haue come vppon him with power, nor neuer 
 should haue gone beyond hym with wit.\ He had so displeased 
 the Emperour as he knew wel neither nis lades : nor his life 
 could make amendes whe x. poundes of Benefites which he 
 was able to do, could not way with one ounce of displeasure 
 that he had already done : and therefore neuer after sought to 
 seeke his loue which he knew could neuer be gotten : but gaue 
 him selfe wholy to set vp Maximilia, who beyng him selfe of 
 great power, and of all other most beloued for his worthynes in 
 all Germany, and now vsing the head and hand of duke Maurice 
 and his frendes, and hauyng the helpe of as many as hated the 
 Spanyardes^ that is to say almost all Protest^ntes and Papistes to 
 
of the state of Germanie. 163 
 
 in Germany^ he should easely haue obtained what soeuer he had 
 gone about. But that bonde is now broken : for euen this day 
 when I was writyng this place, came word to this Court, that 
 Marches Albert^ and Duke Maurice had fought, where the 
 Marches had lost the field, and Duke Maurice had lost his life : 
 which whole battaile because it is notable, I would here at 
 length describe, but that I should wander to farre from my 
 purposed matter : and therfore I in an other place, or els some 
 other with better oportunitie shall at large report the matter. 
 
 Ye see the cause why and the time whe Duke Maurice fell 
 from the Emperour. And because he was so notable a Prince, 
 I will describe also the maner how he proceded in all these 
 doyngs, as I learned amongest them that did not greatly loue 
 him. And because it were small gayne to flatter him that is 
 gone, and great shame to lye vppon him that is dead, for 
 pleasyng any that be alyue, I so will report on hym as his 
 doynges since my commyng to this Court haue deserued. 
 
 He was now of the age of xxxij. yeares well faced in 
 countenance complection fauour and beard not much vnlike to 
 Syr R.affe Sadler but some deale higher, and well and strong 
 made to beare any labour and payne. He was once (men say) 
 geuen to drinckyng, but now he had cleane left it, contented 
 with small diet and litle sleepe in this last yeares, and therefore 
 had a wakyng and workyng head : and became so witty and 
 secret, so hardy and ware, so skillfull of wayes, both to do 
 harme to others, and keepe hurt from him selfe, as he neuer 
 tooke enterprise in hand wherein he put not his aduersary 
 alwayes to the worse. And to let other matter of Germany 
 passe, euen this last yeare within the compasse of eight 
 monethes he professed him selfe open enemy agaynst foure the 
 greatest powers that I know vpon earth. The Turke^ the 
 Pope, the Emperour, & the French king, & ob- ^^^ 
 
 tained his purpose and wan prayse agaynst the all Turke. 
 
 foure : For he in person and pollicie & courage dis- 
 patched the Turkes purpose and power this last yeare in Hungary. 
 
 The Councell at Trent which the Pope & the Emperour 
 went so about to establish he onely brought to jj^g p^pg, 
 none effect : first by open protestatio agaynst that 
 Councell, and after by his commyng with his army to Insburge, 
 he brought such feare to the Bishops there gathered, that they 
 
 L 2 
 
164 A discours and affaires 
 
 ran euery one farre away fro thence, with such speed as they 
 neuer durst hetherto speake of meeting there agayne. And 
 The Em- how he delt with ye Emperour, both in forcyng 
 perour. him to flye from Insburge, and compellyng him to 
 
 such a peace at Passo, my whole Diarium shall at full instruct 
 you. 
 
 And of all other he serued the Freeh kyng best, who fayre 
 „ ,, pretendyng the deliuery of the ij. Princes captiues, 
 
 and the maintenaunce of Religion & libertie in 
 Germany^ purposed in very deede nothyng els, but y^ destruction 
 of the Emperor, & the house of Austria : for what cared he for 
 religion abroad, who at home not onely followeth none him 
 selfe priuately in his life, but also persecuteth the trouth in 
 others openly with the sword. But I do him wrong to say he 
 followeth none, who could for his purpose be cotent at one 
 time to embrace all : & for to do hurt enough to the Emperor 
 would become at once by solemne league, Protestat, Papish, 
 Turkish, & deuillish. But such Princes that cary nothyng els 
 but the name of bearing vp Gods word, deserue the same 
 prayse and the same end that that Prince dyd, who semed so 
 ready to beare vp y^ Arke of the Lord, & yet otherwise 
 pursued Gods true Prophetes & his word. 
 
 Agayne how much the French kyng cared for the libertie of 
 Germany he well declared in stealyng away so vnhonorably from 
 the Empire the Citie of Metz. But he thinckyng to abuse 
 Duke Maurice for his ambitious purpose, in very deede & in 
 the end Duke Maurice vsed him as he should : for first he made 
 him pay well for y^ whole warres in Germany as it is sayd 
 .200000. crownes a moneth : And after when the French kyng 
 fell to catching of Cities, duke Maurice tendryng y^ state of his 
 countrey brake of with hym, and began to parle w' the good 
 kyng of Romanes at Luiz., which thyng whe the Freeh kyng 
 heard came within ij. miles of the Rhene, he straight way hyed 
 more hastly & with more disorder, for all his great hast, out of 
 Germany, as they say that were there, then the Emperour being 
 sicke without company and pressed by his enemy dyd go from 
 Insburg. 
 
 And see how nobly Duke Maurice did which for y^ loue of 
 his coutrey, durst fall from the Freeh kyng before he atchieued 
 any thyng agaynst the Emperour. And rather the Germany 
 
of the state of Germanie. 165 
 
 should leese her Cities so by the French king, he had leuer 
 hassard, both the leesing of his enterprice, & also the leauyng 
 of hys father in law still in prison with the Emperour. But 
 as he had wit to take money piety of the French kyng : so had 
 he wit also to furnish him selfe so fro home as he durst first 
 fall out with the French kyng, & durst also after to set vpo the 
 Emperour till he had brought his honest purpose to passe. For 
 there is not almost any in this Court but they will say duke 
 Maurice did honestly in deliuering his father by strong hand, 
 which before left no fayre meane vnproued to do that humbly 
 by entreaty, which after, was copelled to bryng to passe stoutly 
 by force. And I pray you first marke well what he did and 
 then iudge truly if any thing was done that he ought not to 
 do. 
 
 For first he him selfe with ye Marches of Bradenburge most 
 humbly by priuate sute laboured for the Lansgraues deliuery 
 oiFring to the Emperour, princely ofi^ers, and not to be refused : 
 as a huge summe of money : a fayre quantitie of great 
 ordinaunce, certaine holdes of his, some to be 
 defaced, some geue to y<= Emperour : and also Maurice 
 personal] pledges of great houses for hys good offer for the 
 haberaunce all the residue of his life. Lasgraues 
 
 After whe this sute was not regarded they 
 againe procured all y^ Princes & states of Germany beyng at y« 
 Diet at Augusta .an. 1548. to be huble intercessors for him, 
 offring y^ selfe same coditions rehearsed before addyng this more 
 to become sureties them selues in any bande to his Maiestie for 
 his due obedience for tyme to come. 
 
 Thirdly by the Prince of Spayne Duke Maurice neuer left 
 to entreat y^ Emperour, yea he was so carefull of y« matter, 
 that his Ambassadors followed the Prince euen to his shipping 
 at Genoa : who had spoke ofte presently before, & wrote 
 earnestly fro thence to his father for y^ Lansgraues deliuery, & 
 it would not be. And wise me may say it was not ye wisest 
 deede that euer y* Emperor did, to deny ye prince this sute : 
 for if ye Prince had bene made ye deliuerer of ye ij. princes out 
 of captiuity, he had won therby such fauor in all Germany, as 
 wtout all doubt he had bene made coadiutor w' the k. of 
 Romaines his vncle. And afterward ye Emperor. Which thing 
 was lustly denyed to ye Emperor by the Electors, though he 
 
1 66 A discours and affaires 
 
 laboured in y' matter so sore as he neuer dyd in any other 
 before. 
 
 Fourthly this last yeare a litle before the open warres duke 
 Maurice procured once agayne, not onely all y^ Princes and 
 free Estates of Germany^ but also the kyng of Romaines Ferdi- 
 nand, Maximilian his sonne king of Boeme, the kyng of Pole, 
 the kyng of Demarke the king of Sweden, to send also their 
 Ambassadors for this suite, so that at once xxiiij. Ambassadours 
 came before the Emperour together at Insburge. To whom 
 whe the Emperour had geuen very fayre wordes in effect 
 cocernyng a double meanyng aunswere, & that was this : That 
 it did him good to see so noble an Ambassage at once. And 
 therfore so many Princes should well vnderstand y* he would 
 make a good accompt of their sute. Neuertheles because duke 
 Maurice was the chiefest partie herein he would with speede 
 send for him, and vse his head for the better endyng of this 
 matter. But Duke Maurice seyng that all these Ambassadors 
 wet home without him, and that the matter was referred to his 
 present talke who was neuer heard in the matter before, he 
 wisely met with this double meaning aunswere of the Empe- 
 rours with a double meanyng replica agayne : for he promised 
 the Emperour to come, and at last in deede came so hastly and 
 so hotely as the Emperour could not abide the heat of his 
 breath : For when duke Maurice saw that all humble sutes, all 
 quiet meanes were spent in vayne, & had to beare him iust 
 witnes therin all y^ Princes of Germany: First with close 
 pollicie, after open power both wittely and stoutly, he atchieued 
 more by force then he required by suite : For the Emperour 
 was glad to condiscend (which surely in an extreme aduersitie 
 was done like a wise Prince) without money, without artillery, 
 without defacyng of holdes, w'out receiuyng of pledges, to send 
 the Lansgraue home, honorably accopanied with (at the Empe- 
 rors charges) the nobilitie of Brabant & Flaunders. 
 
 This last day I dined with the Ambassadour of Venice in 
 copany of many wise heades, where duke Maurice was greatly 
 praysed of some for his wit : of other for ye execution of his 
 purposes. Well sayth a lusty Italian Priest, I can not much 
 prayse his wit, which might haue had the Emperour in his 
 handes & would not. Loe such be these Machiaueh heades, 
 who thincke no ma to haue so much wit as he should, except 
 
of the state of Germanie. 167 
 
 he do more mischief then he neede. But Duke Maurice 
 purposing to do no harme to the Emperour, but good to his 
 father in law, obtainyng ye one pursued not the other. Yea I 
 know it to be most true whe we fled from Insburg so hastly, 
 Duke Maurice sent a post to y^ good kyng of Romanes^ & bad 
 him will the Emperor to make no such speede for he purposed 
 not to hurt his person : but to helpe his frend, whereupon the 
 Diet at Passo immediatly folowed. 
 
 I comend rather the iudgement of lohn Baptist Gascaldo, the 
 Emperours man and y« kyng of Romanes generall /^^„ ^^p. 
 \n Hungary, who is not wont to say better, or tisi Gas- 
 loue any ma more then he should specially Ger- '^'^id.o. 
 maines, & namely Protestantes. And yet this last winter he 
 wrote to the Emperour that he had marked Duke Maurice well 
 in all his doynges agaynst the Turke, and of all men that euer 
 he had sene, he had a head to forecast the best with poUicie and 
 wit, and a hart to set vppon it with courage and speed, & also 
 a discressio to stay most wisely vpon the very pricke of 
 aduauntage. 
 
 Marches Marignan told some in this Court foure yeares 
 ago that Duke Maurice should become the greatest enemy to 
 the Emperour that euer the Emperour had: which thing he 
 iudged (I beleue) not of any troublesome nature which he saw 
 in Duke Maurice, but of the great wronges that were done to 
 Duke Maurice, knowyng that he had both wit to perceiue them 
 quietly and also a courage not to beare them ouer long. 
 
 Some other in this court that loued not duke Maurice, & 
 hauyng no hurt to do him by power, went about to say him 
 some for spight & therfore wrote these two spightfull verses 
 agaynst him. 
 
 lugurtham Maurus prodit Mauricius vltra, 
 Henricum, Patruum, Socerum, cum Casare, Galium. 
 
 He that gaue me this verse added thereunto this his iudge- 
 ment, well (sayth he) he that could finde in his hart to betray 
 his frend Duke Henry of Brunswicke, his nigh kinsman Duke 
 Fredericke, his father in law the Lansgraue, his soueraigne Lord 
 the Emperour, his confederate the French kyng, breakyng all 
 bondes of frendshyp, nature, law, obediece, and othe, shall 
 
1 68 A discours and affaires 
 
 besides all these, deceaue all men if at length he do not deceaue 
 
 hym selfe. This verse and this sentence, the one made of 
 
 spight, the other spoken of displeasure be here commended as 
 
 men be affectioned. For my part as I can not accuse him for 
 
 all : so will I not excuse him for part. And yet since I came 
 
 to this Court I should do him wrong if I did not 
 
 DukcMau- cofesse that which as wise heades as be in this 
 
 Court haue iudged on him, euen those that for 
 
 countrey & Religion were not his frendes, that is, to haue 
 
 shewed him selfe in all these aiFayres betwixt the Emperour and 
 
 him : first, humble in intreatyng, diligent in pursuyng, witty in 
 
 purposing, secret in workyng, fearce to foresee by open warre, 
 
 ready to parle for common peace, wise in choyse of conditions, 
 
 and iust in performyng of couenaunts. 
 
 And I know he offended the Emperour beyond all remedy 
 of amedes : So would I be loth to see as I haue once sene, his 
 Maiestie fall so agayne into any enemyes handes : leste perad- 
 uenture lesse gentlenes would be found in him then was found 
 in Duke Maurice^ who when he was most able to hurt, was 
 most ready to hold hys had and that agaynst such an enemy, as 
 he knew well would neuer loue him, and should alwayes be of 
 most power to reuenge. If Duke Maurice had had a Machi- 
 aueh head or a cowardes hart, he would haue worne a bloudyer 
 sword the he did, which he neuer drew out in all these sturres, 
 but once at y^ Cluce & yt was to saue y^ Emperors me. 
 
 Hetherto I haue followed the order of persons which hath 
 caused me somewhat to misorder both tyme & matter, yet where 
 diuers great affaires come together, a man shall write confusedly 
 for the matter, & vnpleasantly for y<= reader, if he vse not such 
 an apt kinde of partitio as y^ matter will best affourde, which 
 thyng {Plato sayth) who ca not do, knoweth not how to write. 
 Herein Herodotus deserueth in myne opinion a great deale more 
 prayse then Thucidides, although he wrote of a matter more 
 confused for places, time, and persons, then the other did. 
 
 In this point also Applanus Alexandrinus is very com- 
 mendable, and not by chaunce but by skil doth follow this order, 
 declaryng in his Prologue iust causes why he should do so. 
 Our writers in later tyme, both in Latin & other tounges 
 commonly confound to many matters together, and so write well 
 of no one. But see master Astley I thincking to be in some 
 
of the state of Germame. 169 
 
 present talke with you, after our old wont do seeme to forget 
 both my selfe and my purpose. 
 
 For the rest that is behind I will vse a grose & homely kind 
 
 of talke with you : for I will now as it were cary you, out of 
 
 England with me, & will lead you the same way that I went 
 
 euen to the Emperours Court beyng at Augusta .an. 1550. 
 
 And I will let you see in what case it stode, and what thyngs 
 
 were in doyng when we came first thether. After I wil cary 
 
 you and that a pace, because the chiefest matters be throughly 
 
 touched in this my former booke, through the greatest aiFaires of 
 
 ij. yeares in this Court. Yet in order till we haue brought 
 
 Duke Maurice (as I promised you) to ioyne with Marches 
 
 Albert in besiegyng Augusta. And the because priuy practises 
 
 brast out into open sturres I might better marke thynges dayly 
 
 then I could before. And so we will depart with the Emperour 
 
 from Insburg, and see dayly what chaunces were wrought 
 
 by feare and hope in this Court till hys Maiestie left 
 
 the siege of JlAetz, and came downe hether to Bruxels : 
 
 where then all things were shut vp into secret practises 
 
 till lastly of all, they brake forth into new mis- 
 
 chiefes, betwixt the Emperour and Fraunce 
 
 in Picardy, & also betwixt Duke Maurice, 
 
 and the Marches in hyghe Germany 
 
 which thynges I trust some other 
 
 shall marke and describe a great 
 
 deale better then I am 
 
 hable to doe. 
 
 ^ FINIS. 
 
THE 
 
 SCHOLEMASTER 
 
 Or plaine and perfite way of tea- 
 chyng children^ to vnderstand, write, and 
 speake, the Latin tong^ but specially purposed 
 for the priuate brynging vp of youth in lentle- 
 tpen and Noble mens houses^ and commodious 
 also for all such^ as haue forgot the Latin 
 tonge, and would, by themselues, with- 
 out a Scholemaster, in short tyme, 
 and with small paines, recouer a 
 sufficient habilitie, to vnder- 
 stand, write, and 
 speake Latin. 
 
 II By Roger Ascham. 
 
 ^ An. 1570. 
 
 AT LONDON. 
 
 Printed by lohn Daye, dwelling 
 ouer Aldersgate. 
 
 H Cum Gratia & Priuilegio Regia Maiestatis, 
 per Decennium. 
 
fT To the honorable Sir William 
 
 Cecill Knight, principall Secretarie to 
 the Quenes most excellent Maiestie. 
 
 SOndry and reasonable be the causes why learned men haue vsed 
 to offer and dedicate such workes as they put abrode^ to some 
 such personage as they thinke fittest^ either in respeSl of abilitie of 
 defense^ or skill for iugement, or priuate regard of kindenesse and 
 dutie. Euery one of those considerations^ Syr, moue me of right to 
 offer this my late husbands M. Aschams worke vnto you. For 
 well remembryng how much all good learnyng oweth vnto you for 
 defense therof as the Vniuersitie of Cambrige, of which my said 
 late husband was a member, haue in chasing you their worthy 
 Chaunceller acknowledged, and how happily you haue spent your 
 time in such studies (s' caried the vse therof to the right ende, to 
 the good seruice of the Quenes Maiestie and your contrey to all our 
 benefites, thyrdly how much my sayd husband was .many wayes 
 bound vnto you, and how gladly and comfortably he vsed in hys lyfe 
 to recognise and report your goodnesse toward hym, leauyng with me 
 then hys poore widow and a great sort of orphanes a good comfort in 
 the hope of your good continuance, which I haue truly found _ to me 
 and myne, and therfore do duely and dayly pray for you and 
 yours : I could not finde any man for whose name this booke was 
 more agreable for hope [«/"] protection, more mete for submission to 
 iudgement, nor more due for respeSi of worthynesse of your part and 
 thankefulnesse of my husbandes and myne. Good I trust it shall do, 
 as I am put in great hope by many very well learned that can well 
 iud^e therof. Mete therefore I compt it that such good as my 
 husband was able to doe and leaue to the common weak, it should 
 
1 74 Preface . 
 
 be receiued vnder your name, and that the world should owe thanke 
 
 therof to you, to whom my husband the authour of it was for good 
 
 receyued of you, most dutiefully bounden. And so^ hesechyng you, to 
 
 take on you the defense of this booke, to auaunce the good that may 
 
 come of it by your allowance and furtherance to publike vse and 
 
 henefite, and to accept the thankefull recognition of me and my poore 
 
 children, trustyng of the continuance of your good me- 
 
 morie of M. Ascham and his, and dayly commen- 
 
 dyng the prosperous estate of you and yours to 
 
 God whom you serue and whoes you 
 
 are, I rest to trouble you. 
 
 Your humble Margaret 
 Ascham. 
 
^*? A Preeface to the 
 Reader. 
 
 WHen the great plage was at London, the yeare 1563. 
 the Quenes Maiestie Queene Elizabeth, lay at her 
 Castle of Windsore: Where, vpon the 10. day of December, 
 it fortuned, that in Sir William Cicelh chamber, hir Highnesse 
 Principall Secretarie, there dined togither these personages, 
 M. Secretarie him selfe, Syr William Peter, Syr J. Mason, 
 D. Wotton, Syr Richard Sackuille Treasurer of the Exchecker, 
 Syr Walter Mildmaye Chauncellor of the Exchecker, M. 
 Haddon Master of Requestes, M. John Astely Master of the 
 lewell house, M. Bernard Hampton, M. Nicasius, and J. 
 Of which number, the most part were of hir Maiesties most 
 honourable priuie Counsell, and the reast seruing hir in verie 
 good place. I was glad than, and do reioice yet to remember, 
 that my chance was so happie, to be there that day, in the 
 companie of so manie wise & good men togither, as hardly 
 than could haue beene piked out againe, out of all England 
 beside. 
 
 M. Secretarie hath this accustomed maner^ though his head 
 be neuer so full of most weightie affaires of the Realme, yet, at 
 diner time he doth seeme to lay them alwaies aside : and findeth 
 euer fitte occasion to taulke pleasantlie of other matters, 
 but most gladlie of some matter of learning: wherein, he will 
 curteslie heare the minde of the meanest at his Table. 
 
 Not long after our sitting doune, I haue strange newes 
 brought me, sayth M. Secretarie, this morning, that diuerse 
 Scholers of Eaton, be runne awaie from the 
 Schole, for feare of beating. Whereupon, M. ^- ^'''''"'■ 
 Secretarie tooke occasion, to wishe, that some 
 
 ne. 
 
176 A Prceface to the Reader. 
 
 more discretion were in many Scholemasters, in vsing corredlion, 
 than commonlie there is. Who many times, punishe rather, 
 the weakenes of nature, than the fault of the Scholar. Whereby, 
 many Scholers, that might else proue well, be driuen to hate 
 learning, before they knowe, what learning meaneth: and so, 
 are made willing to forsake their booke, and be glad to be put 
 to any other kinde of liuing. 
 
 M. Peter^ as one somewhat seuere of nature, said plainlie, 
 
 „ that the Rodde onelie, was the sworde, that must 
 
 keepe, the Schole in obedience, and the Scholar 
 
 M. Wotton. in good order. M. Wotton^ a man milde of nature, 
 
 with soft voice, and fewe wordes, inclined to M. Secretaries 
 
 iudgement, and said, in mine opinion, the Schola- 
 
 Ludus h- house should be in deede, as it is called by name, 
 
 the house of playe and pleasure, and not of feare 
 
 Plato de and bondage : and as I do remember, so saith 
 
 ^^P- 7- Socrates in one place of Plato. And therefore, 
 
 if a Rodde carie the feare of k Sworde, it is no maruell, if those 
 
 that be fearefiill of nature, chose rather to forsake the Plaia, 
 
 than to stand alwaies within the feare of a Sworde in a fonde 
 
 ^ ^ mans handling. M. Mason, after his maner, was 
 
 verie merie with both parties, pleasantlie playing, 
 
 both, with the shrewde touches of many courste boyes, and with 
 
 the small discretion of many leude Scholemasters. M. Haddon 
 
 was fullie of M. Peters opinion, and said, that 
 
 the best Scholemaster of our time, was the 
 
 greatest beater, and named the Person. Though, quoth I, it 
 
 was his good fortune, to send from his Schole, 
 
 this booke. vnto the Vniuersitie, one of the best Scholers in 
 
 deede of all our time, yet wise men do thinke, 
 
 that that came so to passe, rather, by the great towardnes of the 
 
 Scholer, than by the great beating of the Master: and whether 
 
 this be true or no, you your selfe are best witnes. I said 
 
 somewhat farder in the matter, how, and whie, yong children, 
 
 were soner allured by loue, than driuen by beating, to atteyne 
 
 good learning: wherein I was the bolder to say my minde, 
 
 bicause M. Secretarie curteslie prouoked me thereunto: or else, 
 
 in such a companie, and namelie in his prassence, my wonte is, 
 
 to be more willing, to vse mine eares, than to occupie my 
 
 tonga. 
 
A P reef ace to the Reader. lyj 
 
 Syr Walter Mildmaye, M. Astley, and the rest, said verie 
 litle: onelie Syr Rich. Sackuill, said nothing at all. After dinner 
 I went vp to read with the Queenes Maiestie. We red than 
 togither in the Greke tongue, as I well remember, Demost. 
 that noble Oration of Demosthenes against /Eschtnes, irepi wa- 
 for his false dealing in his Ambassage to king P^Tpeo-^. 
 Philip of Macedonie. Syr Rich. Sackuile came vp sone after: and 
 finding me in hir Maiesties priuie chamber, he syr R 
 tooke me by the hand, & carying me to a Sackuhes 
 windoe, said, M. Ascham, I would not for a good communi- 
 deale of monie, haue bene, this daie, absent from theTuthor 
 diner. Where, though I said nothing, yet I gaue of this 
 as good eare, and do consider as well the taulke, booke. 
 that passed, as any one did there. M. Secretarie said very 
 wisely, and most truely, that many yong wittes be driuen to 
 hate learninge, before they know what learninge is. I can be 
 good witnes to this my selfe : For a fond Scholemaster, before 
 I was fullie fourtene yeare olde, draue me so, with feare of 
 beating, from all loue of learninge, as nowe, when I know, what 
 difference it is, to haue learninge, and to haue litle, or none at 
 all, I feele it my greatest greife, and finde it my greatest hurte, 
 that euer came to me, that it was my so ill chance, to light 
 vpon so lewde a Scholemaster. But seing it is but in vain, to 
 lament thinges paste, and also wisdome to looke to thinges to 
 cum, surely, God willinge, if God lend me life, I will make 
 this my mishap, some occasion of good hap, to litle Robert 
 Sackuile my sonnes sonne. For whose bringinge vp, I would 
 gladlie, if it so please you, vse speciallie your good aduice. I 
 heare saie, you haue a sonne, moch of his age : we wil deale thus 
 togither. Point you out a Scholemaster, who by your order, 
 shall teache my sonne and yours, and for all the rest, I will 
 prouide, yea though they three do cost me a couple of hundred 
 poundes by yeare: and beside, you shall finde me as fast k 
 Frend to you and yours, as perchance any you haue. Which 
 promise, the worthie lentleman surelie kept with me, vntill his 
 dying daye. 
 
 We had than farther taulke togither, of bringing vp of 
 children : of the nature, of quicke, and hard wittes : jhe cheife 
 of the right choice of k good witte : of Feare, and pointes of 
 loue in teachinge children. We passed from this booke. 
 
 M 
 
178 A Pr deface to the Reader. 
 
 children and came to yonge men, namely, lentlemen: we 
 taulked of their to moch libertie, to Hue as they lust : of their 
 letting louse to sone, to ouer moch experience of ill, contrarie to 
 the good order of many good olde common welthes of the 
 Persians and Grekes : of witte gathered, and good fortune 
 gotten, by some, onely by experience, without learning. And 
 lastlie, he required of me verie earnestlie, to shewe, what I 
 thought of the common goinge of Englishe men into Italie. 
 But, sayth he, bicause this place, and this tyme, will not suffer 
 so long taulke, as these good matters require, therefore I pray 
 you, at my request, and at your leysure, put in some order of 
 writing, the cheife pointes of this our taulke, concerning the 
 right order of teachinge, and honestie of liuing, for the good 
 bringing vp of children & yong men. And surelie, beside 
 contentinge me, you shall both please and profit verie many 
 others. . I made some excuse by lacke of habilitie, and weakenes 
 of bodie : well, sayth he, I am not now to learne, what you can 
 do. Our deare frende, good M. Goodricke, whose iudgement I 
 could well beleue, did once for all, satisfye me fullie therein. 
 Againe, I heard you say, not long agoe, that you may thanke 
 Syr yohn Cheke,for all the learninge you haue: And I know 
 verie well my selfe, that you did teach the Quene. And 
 therefore seing God did so blesse you, to make you the Scholer 
 of the best Master, and also the Scholemaster of the best 
 Scholer, that euer were in our tyme, surelie, you should please 
 God, benefite your countrie, & honest your owne name, if you 
 would take the paines, to impart to others, what you learned 
 of soch a Master, and how ye taught such a scholer. And, in 
 vttering the stufFe ye receiued of the one, in declaring the 
 order ye tooke with the other, ye shall neuer lacke, neither 
 matter, nor maner, what to write, nor how to write in this 
 kinde of Argument. 
 
 I beginning some farther excuse, sodeinlie was called to 
 cum to the Queene. The night following, I slept litle, my 
 head was so full of this our former taulke, and I so mindefull, 
 somewhat to satisfie the honest request of so deare k frend, 
 1 thought to praspare some litle treatise for a New yeares gift 
 that Christmas. But, as it chanceth to busie builders, so, in 
 building thys my poore Scholehouse (the rather bicause the forme 
 of it is somewhat new, and differing from others) the worke 
 
A P reef ace to the Reader. 179 
 
 rose dailie higher and wider, than I thought it would at the 
 beginninge. 
 
 And though it appeare now, and be in verie deede, but a 
 small cotage, poore for the stuffe, and rude for the workemanship, 
 yet in going forward, I found the site so good, as I was lothe to 
 giue it ouer, but the making so costlie, outreaching my habilitie, 
 as many tymes I wished, that some one of those three, my deare 
 frendes, with fiill pursses, Syr Tho. Smithe, M. 
 Haddon, or M. TVatson, had had the doing of it. j^j [hJ^^s^ 
 Yet, neuerthelesse, I my selfe, spending gladlie [ Watson. 
 
 that litle, that I gatte at home by good Syr lohn Syr /. 
 Cheke, and that that I borrowed abroad of my ^ sturmius. 
 frend Sturmius., beside somewhat that was left me Plato. 
 in Reuersion by my olde Masters, Plato, Aristotle, Aristotle. 
 and Cicero, I haue at last patched it vp, as I could, 
 and as you see. If the matter be meane, and meanly handled, 
 I pray you beare, both with me, and it: for neuer worke went 
 vp in worse wether, with mo lettes and stoppes, than this poore 
 Scholehouse of mine. Westminster Hall can beare some 
 witnesse, beside moch weakenes of bodie, but more trouble of 
 minde, by some such sores, as greue me to toche them my 
 selfe, and therefore I purpose not to open them to others. 
 And, in middes of outward iniuries, and inward cares, to 
 encrease them withall, good Syr Rich. Sackuile 
 dieth, that worthie lentleman: That earnest sackuill. 
 feuorer and furtherer of Gods true Religion: 
 That faithfuU Seruitor to his Prince and Countrie: A louer of 
 learning, & all learned men : Wise in all doinges : Curtesse to 
 all persons: shewing spite to none: doing good to many: and as 
 I well found, to me so fast i frend, as I neuer lost the like 
 before. Whan he was gone, my hart was dead. There was 
 not one, that woare a blacke gowne for him, who caried k 
 heuier hart for him, than I. Whan he was gone, I cast this 
 booke awaie : I could not looke vpon it, but with weping eyes, 
 in remembring him, who was the onelie setter on, to do it, and 
 would haue bene, not onelie k glad commender of it, but also 
 a sure and certaine comfort, to me and mine, for it. Almost 
 two yeares togither, this booke lay scattered, and negleded, 
 and had bene quite giuen ouer of me, if the goodnesse of one 
 had not giuen me some life and spirite againe, God, the 
 
 M 2 
 
i8o A Prceface to the Reader. 
 
 mouer of goodnesse, prosper alwaies him & his, as he hath 
 many times comforted me and mine, and, I trust to God, shall 
 comfort more and more. Of whom, most iustlie I may saie, 
 and verie oft, and alwaies gladlie, I am wont to say, that 
 sweete verse of Sophocles, spoken by Oedipus to worthie Theseus. 
 
 Od c"l ^X" ['y^/'] 'hC'^ ^"^ °"^' KOVK aXXov ^pOTWV. 
 Thys hope hath helped me to end this booke: which, if he 
 allowe, I shall thinke my labours well imployed, and shall not 
 moch aesteme the misliking of any others. And I trust, he 
 shall thinke the better of it, bicause he shall finde the best part 
 thereof, to cum out of his Schole, whom he, of all men loued 
 and liked best. 
 
 Yet some men, frendly enough of nature, but of small 
 iudgement in learninge, do thinke, I take to moch paines, and 
 Flaio in spend to moch time, in settinge forth these 
 
 initio childrens affaires. But those good men were 
 
 oi ^^I'a-TL neuer brought vp in Socrates Schole, who saith 
 Trepi Stov plainlie, that no man goeth ^bout k more godlie 
 BeLoripov purpose, than he that is mindfull of the good 
 &v Bo^ei- bringing vp, both of hys owne, and other mens 
 caiTo, fj children. 
 
 irepl Trai- Therfore, I trust, good and wise men, will 
 
 ItT'Jroi, thinke well of this my doing. And of other, that 
 Koi Tuy ' thinke otherwise, I will thinke my selfe, they are 
 olKel<av. but men, to be pardoned for their follie, and 
 
 pitied for their ignoraunce. 
 
 ^ In writing this booke, I haue had earnest respedle to three 
 
 speciall pointes, trothe of Religion, honestie in liuing, right order 
 
 ■^ in learning. In which three waies, I praie God, my poore 
 
 ' children may diligently waulke : for whose sake, as nature 
 
 J moued, and reason required, and necessitie also somewhat 
 
 compelled, I was the willinger to taKe these paines. 
 
 For, seing at my death, I am not like to leaue them any 
 great store of liuing, therefore in my life time, I thought good 
 to bequeath vnto the,/ in this litle booke, as in my Will and 
 Testament, the right waie to good learning: which if they 
 foUowe, with the feare of God, they shall verie well cum to 
 sufficiencie of liuinge. 
 
 I wishe also, with all my hart, that yong M. Rob. Sackuille, 
 
A Pneface to the Reader. i8i 
 
 may take that frufte of this labor, that his worthie Grauntfether 
 purposed he should haue done : And if any other do take, either 
 proiFet, or pleasure hereby, they haue cause to thanke M. 
 Robert Sackui/Ie, for whom speciallie this my Scholemaster was 
 prouided. 
 
 And one thing I would haue the Reader consider in 
 readinge this booke, that bicause, no Scholemaster hath charge 
 of any childe, before he enter into hys Schole, therefore I 
 leauing all former care, of their good bringing vp, to wise and 
 good Parentes, as a matter not belonging to the Scholemaster, 
 I do appoynt thys my Scholemaster, than, and there to begin, 
 where his office and charge beginneth. Which charge lasteth 
 not long, but vntill the Scholer be made hable to go to the 
 Vniuersitie, to procede in Logike, Rhetoricke, and other kindes 
 of learning. 
 
 Yet if my Scholemaster, for loue he beareth to hys 
 Scholer, shall teach hym somewhat for hys furtherance, 
 and better iudgement in learning, that may serue 
 him seuen yeare after in the Vniuersitie, he 
 doth hys Scholer no more wrong, nor de- 
 serueth no worse name therby, than he 
 doth in London, who sellinge silke 
 or cloth vnto his frend, doth 
 giue hym better measure, 
 than either hys pro- 
 mise or bargaine 
 was. 
 
 Farewell in Christ. 
 
The first booke for the youth. 
 
 AFter the childe hath learned perfitlie the eight partes of 
 speach, let him then learne the right ioyning togither of 
 substantiues with adiectiues, the nowne with the verbe, the 
 relatiue with the antecedent. And in learninge farther hys 
 Syntaxis, by mine aduice, he shall not vse the common order 
 in common scholes, for making of latines : wherby, the childe 
 commonlie learneth, first, an euill choice of wordes, 
 Cla or ^'^^ right choice of wordes, saith Ccesar, is the 
 
 foundation of eloquence) than, a wrong placing , 
 of wordes : and lastlie, an ill framing of the sentence, with 
 a peruerse iudgement, both of wordes and sentences. These 
 Makin? of faultes, taking once roote in yougthe, be neuer, or 
 Lattines hardlie, pluckt away in age. Moreouer, there is 
 
 marreth no one thing, that hath more, either dulled the 
 
 Children. wittes, or taken awaye the will of children from 
 
 learning, then the care they haue, to satisfie their masters, in 
 making of latines. 
 
 For, the scholer, is commonlie beat for the making, whe 
 the master were more worthie to be beat for the mending, or 
 rather, marring of the same : The master many times, being 
 as ignorant as the childe, what to saie properlie and fitlie to the 
 matter. 
 
 Two scholemasters haue set forth in print, either of them 
 Horman. a booke, of soch kinde of latines, Horman and 
 
 Whitting- Whitt'tngton. 
 
 *""■■ A childe shall learne of the better of them, 
 
 that, which an other daie, if he be wise, and cum to iudgement, 
 he must be faine to vnlearne againe. 
 
The first booke for the youth. 1 8 3 
 
 There is a waie, touched in the first booke of Ckero 
 De Oratore, which, wiselie brought into scholes, 
 truely taught, and costantly vsed, would not '" '^^ °''- 
 onely take wholly away this butcherlie feare in making of 
 latmes, but would also, with ease and pleasure, and in short 
 time, as I know by good experience, worke a true choice and 
 placmg of wordes, a right ordering of sentences, an easie 
 vnderstandyng of the tonge, a readines to speake, a facultie to 
 write, a true iudgement, both of his owne, and other mens 
 doinges, what tonge so euer he doth vse. 
 
 The waie is this. After the three Concordances learned, 
 as I touched before, let the master read vnto hym the Epistles 
 of Cicero^ gathered togither and chosen out by Sturmius, for 
 the capacitie of children. 
 
 First, let him teach the childe, cherefullie and plainlie, the 
 cause, and matter of the letter : then, let him 
 construe it into Englishe, so oft, as the childe may '^^'^ °'^??'' 
 easilie carie awaie the vnderstanding of it : ° ^^'^ "^^' 
 Lastlie, parse it ouer perfitlie. This done thus, let the childe, 
 by and by, both construe and parse it ouer againe : so, that it 
 may appeare, that the childe douteth in nothing, that- his 
 master taught him before. After this, the childe must take 
 a paper booke, and sitting in some place, where no man shall 
 prompe him, by him self, let him translate into Englishe his 
 former lesson. Then shewing it to his master, 
 let the master take from him his latin booke, and ^^^ P^" 
 pausing an houre, at the least, than let the childe 
 translate his owne Englishe into latin againe, in an other paper 
 booke. When the childe bringeth it, turned into latin, the 
 master must compare it with TuUies booke, and laie them both 
 togither : and where the childe doth well, either in chosing, or 
 true placing of Tullies wordes, let the master children 
 praise _him, and saie here ye do well. , For I learne by 
 assure you, there is no such whetstone, to pi'ayse. 
 sharpen a good witte and encourage a will to learninge, as is 
 praise. 
 
 But if the childe misse, either in forgetting a worde, or in 
 chaunging a good with a worse, or misordering the sentence, 
 I would not haue the master, either froune, or chide with him, 
 if the childe haue done his diligence, and vsed no trewandship 
 
184 T^he first booke teachyng 
 
 therein. For I know by good experience, that a child e shall 
 
 take more profit of two fautes, ientlie warned of, 
 
 ?nfeadi?ng. '^^'^ "^ ^o^^e thinges, rightly hitt. For than, the 
 
 master shall haue good occasion to sale vnto him. 
 
 iV. Tullie would haue vsed such a worde, not this : Tullie 
 
 would haue placed this word here, not there : would haue vsed 
 
 this case, this number, this person, this degree, this gender : he 
 
 would haue vsed this moode, this tens, this simple, rather than 
 
 this compound : this aduerbe here, not there : he would haue 
 
 ended the sentence with this verbe, not with that nowne or 
 
 participle, etc. 
 
 In these fewe lines, I' haue wrapped vp, the most tedious 
 part of Grammer : and also the ground of almost all the Rewles, 
 that are so busilie taught by the Master, and so hardlie learned 
 by the Scholer, in all common Scholes : which after this sort, 
 the master shall teach without all error, and the scholer shall 
 learne without great paine : the master being led by so sure 
 a guide, and the scholer being brought into so plaine and easie 
 a waie. And therefore,/we do not contemne Rewles, but we 
 gladlie teach Rewles : and teach them-, more plainlie, sensiblie, 
 and orderlie, than they be commonlie taught in common 
 Scholes. For whan the Master shall compare Tullies booke 
 with his Scholers translation, let the Master, at the first, 
 lead and teach his Scholer, to ioyne the Rewles of his Grammer 
 booke, with the examples of his present lesson, vntill the 
 Scholer, by him selfe, be hable to fetch out of his Grammer, 
 euerie Rewle, for euerie Example : So, as the Grammer booke 
 be euer in the Scholers hand, and also vsed of him, as a 
 Dictionarie, for euerie present vse. This is a liuely and perfite 
 waie of teaching of Rewles : where the common waie, vsed in 
 ' common Scholes, to read the Grammer alone by it selfe, is 
 tedious for the Master, hard for the Scholer, colde and vn- 
 cumfortable for them bothe. 
 
 Let your Scholer be neuer afraide, to aske you any dout, 
 but vse discretlie the best allurements ye can, to encorage him 
 to the same : lest, his ouermoch fearinge of you, driue him 
 to seeke some misorderlie shifte : as, to seeke to ^e helped 
 by some other booke, or to be prompted by some other 
 Scholer, and so goe aboute to begile you moch, and him selfe 
 more. 
 
the brynging vp of youth. 185 
 
 With this waie, of good vnderstanding the mater, plaine 
 construinge, dihgent parsinge, dailie translatinge, cherefUll 
 admonishinge, and heedefull amendinge of faultes : neuer 
 leauinge behinde iuste praise for well doinge, I would haue the 
 Scholer brought vp withall, till he had red, & translated ouer ye 
 first booke of Epistles chosen out by Sturmius, with a good 
 peece of a Comedie of Terence also. 
 
 All this while, by mine aduise, the childe shall vse to speake 
 no latine : For, as Cicero saith in like mater, with like wordes, 
 loquendo, male loqui discunt. And, that excellent L^tin 
 learned man, G. Budeeus, in his Greeke Com- speakjmg. 
 mentaries, sore complaineth, that whan he began G. Budaus. 
 to learne the latin tonge, vse of speaking latin at the table, and 
 elsewhere, vnaduisedlie, did bring him to soch an euill choice of 
 wordes, to soch a crooked framing of sentences, that no one 
 thing did hurt or hinder him more, all the dales of his life 
 afterward, both for redinesse in speaking, and also good iudge- 
 ment in writinge. 
 
 In very deede, if childre were brought vp, in soch a house,, 
 or soch a Schole, where the latin tonge were properlie and 
 perfitlie spoken, as Tib. and Ca. Gracci were brought vp, in 
 their mother Cornelias house, surelie, than the dailie vse of 
 speaking, were the best and readiest waie, to learne the latin 
 tong. But, now, commonlie, in the best Scholes in England, 
 for wordes, right choice is smallie regarded, true proprietie 
 whollie neglected, confusion is brought in, barbariousnesse is 
 bred vp so in yong wittes, as afterward they be, not onelie 
 marde for speaking, but also corrupted in iudgement : as with 
 moch adoe, or neuer at all, they be brought to right frame 
 againe. 
 
 Yet all men couet to haue their children speake latin : and 
 so do I verie earnestlie too. We bothe, haue one purpose : we 
 agree in desire, we wish one end : but we differ somewhat in 
 order and waie, that leadeth rightlie to that end. Other w^ould 
 haue them speake at all aduentures : and, so they be speakinge, 
 to speake, the Master careth not, the Scholer knoweth not, 
 what. This is, to seeme, and not to bee : except it be, to be 
 bolde without shame, rashe without skill, full of wordes without 
 witte. I wish to haue them speake so, as it may well appeare, 
 that the braine doth gouerne the tonge, and that reason leadeth 
 
i86 
 
 'The first booke teachyng 
 
 Plato. 
 Horat. 
 
 forth the taulke. Socrates doctrine is true in Plato, and well 
 
 marked, and truely vttered by Horace in Arte 
 
 Poetica, that, where so euer knowledge doth accom- 
 
 panie the witte, there best vtterance doth alwaies 
 
 awaite vpon the tonge : For, goodvnderstanding must first be bred 
 
 j^ , . in the childe, which, being nurished with skill, and 
 
 ■ tyngbree- vse of writing (as I will teach more largelie 
 
 deth ready hereafter) is the onelie waie to bring him to 
 
 speakyng. iudgement and readinesse in speakinge : and that 
 
 in farre shorter time (if he followe constantlie the trade of this 
 
 litle lesson) than he shall do, by common teachinge of the 
 
 comon scholes in England. 
 
 But, to go forward, as you perceiue, your scholer to goe 
 better and better on awaie, first, with vnderstanding his lesson 
 more quicklie, with parsing more readelie, with translating 
 more spedelie and perfitlie then he was wonte, after, giue him 
 longer lessons to translate : and withall, begin to teach him. 
 The secod ^°*^ '"^ nownes, & verbes, what is Proprium, and 
 what is Trans/atum, what Synonymum, what 
 Diuersum, which be Contraria, and which be 
 most notable Phrases in all his lecture. 
 
 degree and 
 order in 
 teach3mg. 
 
 As: 
 
 Proprium, 
 Translatum. 
 Synonyma. 
 Diuersa. 
 
 Contraria. 
 Phrases. 
 
 ( Rex Sepultus est 
 
 { 
 
 magnified. 
 
 i Cum illo principe., 
 < Sepulta est y gloria 
 \ et Salus Reipublica. 
 
 Ensis, Gladius. 
 Laudare, pradicare. 
 
 Diligere., Amare. 
 Calere, Exardescere. 
 Inimicus, Hastis. 
 
 Acerbum iS luSluosum 
 
 helium. 
 Dulcis &' Iceta 
 Pax. 
 
 f Dare verba. 
 
 \ ahjicere obedientiam. 
 
Quatuor. 
 
 the brynging vp of youth. 187 
 
 Your scholer then, must haue the third paper booke : in 
 the which, after he hath done his double transla- 
 tion, let him write, after this sort foure of these '^a^^er^boke 
 forenamed sixe, diligentlie marked out of euerie ^^^^^ 
 lesson. 
 
 Propria. 
 
 Tramlata. 
 
 Synonyma. 
 
 Diuersa. 
 
 Contraria. 
 
 Phrases. 
 
 Or else, three, or two, if there be no moe : and if there be 
 none of these at all in some lecture, yet not omitte the order, 
 but write these. 
 
 f Diuersa nulla. 
 
 \ Contraria nulla, etc. 
 
 This diligent translating, ioyned with this heedefiill 
 marking, in the foresaid Epistles, and afterwarde in some 
 plaine Oration of Tullie, as, pro lege Manil : pro Archia Poeta, 
 or in those three ad C. Cas : shall worke soch a right choise of 
 wordes, so streight a framing of sentences, soch a true iudge- 
 ment, both to write skilfuUie, and speake wittlelie, as wise men 
 shall both praise, and maruell at. 
 
 If your scholer do misse sometimes, in marking rightlie 
 these foresaid sixe thinges, chide not hastelie ; for that shall, 
 both dull his witte, and discorage his diligence : 
 but monish him gentelie : which shall make in"ea3Sig. 
 him, both willing to amende, and glad to go 
 forward in loue and hope of learning. 
 
 I haue now wished, twise or thrise, this gentle nature, 
 to be in a Scholemaster : And, that I haue done so, neither by 
 chance, nor without some reason, I will now 
 declare at large, why, in mine opinion, loue is ■p°^'^^ 
 fitter then feare, ientlenes better than beating, to 
 bring vp a childe rightlie in learninge. 
 
 With the common vse of teaching and beating in common 
 scholes of England, I will not greatlie contend : q^^^^^ 
 which if I did, it were but a small grammaticall scholes. 
 controuersie, neither belonging to heresie nor 
 
1 88 T^he first booke teachyng 
 
 treason, nor greatly touching God nor the Prince : although in 
 very deede, in the end, the good or ill bringing vp of children, 
 pdoth as much serue to the good or ill seruice, of God, our 
 ! Prince, and our whole countrie, as any one thing doth beside. 
 
 " I do gladlie agree with all good Scholemasters in these 
 
 1 piointes: to haue children brought to good perfitnes in learning: 
 
 ( to all honestie in maners : to haue all fautes rightlie amended : 
 
 ( to haue euerie vice seuerelie corrected : but for the order and 
 
 waie that leadeth rightlie to these pointes, we somewhat differ. 
 
 Sharpe ■^°'' commonlie, many scholemasters, some, as 
 
 Schole- I haue seen, moe, as I haue heard tell, be of so 
 
 masters. crooked a nature, as, whe.n they meete with a 
 
 hard witted scholer, they rather breake him, than bowe him, 
 
 rather marre him, then mend him.\ For whan the scholemaster 
 
 is angrie with some other matter, then will he sonest faul to 
 
 beate his scholer : and though he him selfe should be punished 
 
 for his folie, yet must he beate some scholer for his pleasure •: 
 
 though there be no cause for him to do so, nor yet fault in the 
 
 scholer to deserue so. These ye will say, be fond scholemasters, 
 
 and fewe they be, that be found to be soch. They be fond in 
 
 deede, but surelie ouermany soch be found euerie where. But 
 
 this will I say, that euen the wisest of your great 
 
 ''^^irhed beaters, do as oft punishe nature, as they do 
 
 correcte faultes.-'vYea, many times, the better 
 
 nature, is sorer punished : For, if one, by quicknes of witte, 
 
 take his lesson readelie, an other, by hardnes of witte, taketh it 
 
 not so speedelie : the first is alwaies commended, the other is 
 
 commonlie punished : whan a wise scholemaster, should rather 
 
 discretelie consider the right ilisposition of both their natures, 
 
 and not so moch wf^y what either of them is able to do now, 
 
 Ouicke ^^ what either of them is likelie to do hereafter. 
 
 wittes for For this I know, not onelie by reading of bookes* 
 
 learnyng. in my studie, but also by experience of life, 
 
 i abrode in the world, that those, which be commonlie the 
 
 wisest, the best learned, and best men also, when they be olde, 
 
 were neuer commonlie the quickest of witte, when they were 
 
 yonge. The causes why, amongest other, which be many, that 
 
 moue me thus to thinke, be these fewe, which I will recken. 
 
 Quicke wittes commonlie, be apte to take, vnapte to keepe : 
 
 soone hote and desirous of this and that : as colde and sone 
 
the brynging vp of youth. 189 
 
 wery of the same againe : more quicke to gnter spedelie, than 
 hable to pearse farre : euen like ouer sharpe tooles, whose edges 
 be verie scone turned. Soch wittes delite them selues in easie 
 and pleasant studies, and neuer passe farre forward in hie and 
 hard sciences. And therfore the quickest wittes commonlie . 
 may proue the best Poetes, but not the wisest Orators : readie 
 of tonge to speake boldlie, not deepe of iudgement, q . , 
 either for good counsell or wise writing. Also, wittes, for 
 for maners and life, quicke wittes commonlie, be, maners & 
 in desire, newfangle, in purpose, vnconstant, light ^ 
 to promise any thing, readie to forget euery thing: both benefite 
 and iniurie : and therby neither fast to frend, nor fearefull to foe : 
 inquisitiue of euery trifle, not secret in greatest affaires : bolde, 
 with any person : busie, in euery matter : sothing, soch as be 
 present : nipping any that is absent : of nature also, alwaies, 
 flattering their betters, ehuying their equals, despising their 
 inferiors : and, by quicknes of witte, verie quicke and readie, to 
 like none so well as them selues. 
 
 Moreouer commonlie, men, very quicke of witte, be also, 
 verie light of conditions : and thereby, very readie of disposition, 
 to be caried ouer quicklie, by any light cumpanie, to any riot 
 and vnthriftines when they be yonge: and therfore seldome, 
 either honest of life, or riche in lining, when they be olde. 
 For, quicke in witte, and light in maners, be, either seldome 
 troubled, or verie sone wery, in carying a verie heuie purse. 
 Quicke wittes also be, in most part of all their doinges, ouer- 
 quicke, hastie, rashe, headie, and brainsicke. These two last) 
 wordes, Headie, and Brainsicke, be fitte and proper wordes, 
 rising naturallie of the matter, and tearmed aptlie by the 
 condition, of ouer naoch quickenes of witte. In yougthe also 
 they be, readie scoffers, priuie mockers, and euer ouer light and ^ 
 mery. In aige, sone testie, very waspishe, and alwaies ouer 
 miserable : and yet fewe of them cum to any great aige, by 
 reason of their misordered life when they were yong : but 
 a great deale fewer of them cum to shewe any great counten- 
 ance, or beare any great authoritie abrode in the world, but 
 either liue obscurelie, men know not how, or dye obscurelie, 
 me marke not whan. They be like trees, that shewe forth,' 
 faire blossoms & broad leaues in spring time, but brmg out 
 small and not long lasting fruite in haruest time : and that 
 
1 90 T^he first booke teachyng 
 
 onelie soch, as fall, and rotte, before they be ripe, and so, neuer, 
 or seldome, cum to any good at all. For this ye shall finde 
 most true by experience, that amongest a number of quicke 
 wittes in youthe, fewe be found, in the end, either verie 
 fortunate for them selues, or verie profitable to serue the common 
 wealth, but decay and vanish, men know not which way: 
 except a very fewe, to whom peraduenture blood and happie 
 parentage, may perchance purchace a long standing vpon the 
 stage. The which felicitie, because it commeth by others 
 procuring, not by their owne deseruinge, and stand by other 
 mens feete, and not by their own, what owtward brag so euer 
 is borne by them, is in deed, of it selfe, and in wise mens eyes, 
 of no great estimation. 
 
 Some wittes, moderate enough by nature, be many tymes 
 
 Somsci- mafHe byouer moch studie and vse of some 
 
 ences hurt sciences, namelie, Musicke, Arithmetick, and 
 
 Sfd mar' Geometrie. Thies sciences, as they sharpen mens 
 
 mens ma- wittes ouer moch, so they change mens maners 
 
 ners. ouer sore, if they be not moderatlie mingled, & 
 
 wiselie applied to som good vse of life. Marke all Mathe- 
 
 Mathe- maticall heades, which be onely and wholy bent 
 
 maticall to those sciences, how solitarie they be theselues, 
 
 heades. j^^^ vnfit to liue "with others, & how vnapte to 
 
 serue in the world. This is not onelie knowen now by common 
 
 experience, but vttered long before by wise mens Judgement 
 
 and sentence. Galene saith, moch Musick marreth 
 
 a en. mens maners : and Plato hath a notable place of 
 
 the same thing in his bookes de Rep. well marked 
 
 also, and excellentlie translated by Tullie himself. Of this 
 
 matter, I wrote once more at large, xx. yeare a go, in my booke 
 
 of shoting : now I thought but to touch it, to proue, that ouer 
 
 moch quicknes of witte, either giuen by nature, or sharpened by 
 
 studie, doth not commonlie bring forth, eyther greatest learning, 
 
 best maners, or happiest life in the end. 
 
 Contrariewise, a witte in youth, that is not ouer dulle, 
 
 . heauie, knottie and lumpishe, but hard, rough, and 
 
 in learnine. though somwhat staffishe, as Tullie wisheth otium, 
 
 quietum, non languidum : and negot'tum cum labore., 
 
 non cum perkulo, such a witte I say, if it be, at the first well 
 
 handled by the mother, and rightlie smothed and wrought as it 
 
the brynging vp of youth. 191 
 
 should, not ouerwhartlie, and against the wood, by the schole- 
 master, both for learning, and hole course of liuing, proueth 
 alwaies the best. In woode and stone, not the softest, but 
 hardest, be alwaies aptest, for portrature, both fairest for pleasure, 
 and most durable for profEt. Hard wittes be hard to receiue, 
 but sure to keepe : painefull without werinesse, hedefull without 
 wauering, constant without newfanglenes : bearing heauie 
 thinges, thoughe not lightlie, yet willinglie : entring hard 
 thinges, though not easelie, yet depelie, and so cum to that 
 perfitnes of learning in the ende, that quicke wittes, seeme in 
 hope, but do not in deede, or else verie seldome. Hard wits 
 euer attaine vnto. Also, for maners and life, hard in maners 
 wittes commonlie, ar hardlie caried, either to ^ 
 
 desire euerie new thing, or else to meruell at euery strange •' 
 thinge : and therfore they be carefull and diligent in their own ; 
 matters, not curious and busey in other mens afFaires : and so, ' 
 they becum wise them selues, and also ar counted honest by 
 others. They be graue, stedfast, silent of tong, secret of hart. 
 Not hastie in making, but constant in keping any promise. 
 Not rashe in vttering, but ware in considering euery matter : 
 and therby, not quicke in speaking, but deepe of iudgement, 
 whether they write, or giue counsel! in all waightie affaires. 
 And theis be the me, that becum in the end, both most happie 
 for themselues, and alwaise best estemed abrode in the world. 
 
 I haue bene longer in describing, the nature, the good or ill 
 successe, of the quicke and hard witte, than perchance som will 
 thinke, this place and matter doth require. But The best 
 my purpose was hereby, plainlie to vtter, what ^^'"^f'o'^^'' 
 iniurie is offered to all learninge, & to the common leamyng, 
 welthe also, first, by the fond father in chosing, to other 11- 
 but chieflie by the lewd scholemaster in beating uyng- 
 and driuing away the best natures from learning. A childe 
 that is still, silent, constant, and somwhat hard of witte, is 
 either neuer chosen by the father to be made a scholar, or else, 
 when he commeth to the schole, he is smally regarded little 
 looked vnto, he lacketh teaching, he lacketh coragmg, he lacketh 
 all thinges, onelie he neuer lacketh beating, nor any word that 
 may mSue him to hate learninge, nor any deed that may driue 
 him from learning, to any other kinde of liuing. 
 
 And when this sadde natured, and hard witted child, is bette 
 
192 The first booke teachyng 
 
 from his booke, and becummeth after eyther student of 
 
 the common lawe, or page in the Court, or 
 
 prouebesl seruingman, or bound prentice to a merchant, 
 
 in euery or to som handiecrafte, he proueth in the ende, 
 
 kynde of wiser, happier and many tymes honester too, than 
 
 ' ^' many of theis quick wittes do, by their learninge. 
 
 /' Learning is, both hindred and iniured to, by the ill choice 
 
 / of them, that send yong scholers to the vniuersities. Of whom 
 
 must nedes cum all oure Diuines, Lawyers, and Physicions. 
 
 Thies yong scholers be chosen commonlie, as yong apples be 
 
 ™ .,, chosen by children, in a faire garden about S. 
 
 choice of lames tyde: a childe will chose a sweeting, because it 
 
 wittes for js presentlie faire and pleasant, and refuse a Runnet, 
 
 learnyng. because it is than grene, hard, and sowre, whan the 
 
 one, if it be eaten, doth breed, both wormes and ill humors : 
 
 the other if it stand his tyme, be ordered and kepte as it should, is 
 
 holsom of it self, andhelpeth to the good disgestion of other meates : 
 
 Sweetinges, will receyue wormes, rotte, and dye on the tree, and 
 
 neuer or seldom cum to the gathering for good and lasting store. 
 
 ; For verie greafe of harte I will not applie the similitude : 
 
 but hereby, is plainlie seen, how learning is robbed of hir best 
 
 wittes, first by the greate beating, and after by the ill chosing 
 
 of scholers, to go to the vniuersities. Whereof cummeth 
 
 partelie, that lewde and spitefull prouerbe, sounding to the 
 
 greate hurte of learning, and shame of learned men, that, the 
 
 greatest Clerkes be not the wisest men. 
 
 And though I, in all this discourse, seem plainlie to prefer, 
 hard and roughe wittes, before quicke and light wittes, both for 
 learnyng and maners, yet am I not ignorant that som quicknes 
 of witte, is a singuler gifte of God, and so most rare emonges 
 men, and namelie such a witte, as is quicke without lightnes, 
 sharpe without brittlenes, desirous of good thinges without 
 newfanglenes, diliget in painfull thinges without werisomnes, 
 and constant in good will to do all thinges well, as I know was 
 in Syr lohn Cheke, and is in som, that yet liue, in whome all 
 theis faire qualities of witte ar fuUie mette togither. 
 
 But it is notable and trewe, that Socrates saith in Plato to 
 
 his frende Crito. That, that number of men is 
 
 Critone. fewest, which far excede, either in good or ill, in 
 
 wisdom or folic, but the meane betwixt both, be 
 
the brynging vp of youth. 
 
 193 
 
 Verie 
 good, or ; 
 verie ill ; 
 men, be 
 fewest in 
 number. 
 
 wiser and 
 
 the greatest number : which he proueth trewe in diuerse other 
 
 thinges : as in greyhoundes, emonges which fewe 
 
 are found, exceding greate, or exceding litle, 
 
 exceding swift, or exceding slowe : And therfore, 
 
 I speaking of quick and hard wittes, I ment, the 
 
 common number of quicke and hard wittes, 
 
 emonges the which, for the most parte, the hard 
 
 witte, proueth manie times, the better learned, 
 
 honester man : and therfore, do I the more lament, that soch 
 
 wittes commonlie be either kepte from learning, by fond fathers, 
 
 or bet from learning by lewde scholemasters. 
 
 And speaking thus moche of the wittes of children for 
 learning, the opportunitie of the place, and good- 
 nes of the matter might require to haue here 
 declared the most speciall notes of a good witte for 
 learning in a childe, after the maner and custume 
 of a good horsman, who is skilfull, to know, and 
 hable to tell others, how by certein sure signes, a 
 man may choise a coke, that is like to proue an 
 other day, excellent for the saddle. And it is 
 pitie, that commonlie, more care is had, yea and 
 that emonges verie wise men, to finde out rather 
 man for their horse, than a cunnyng man for their 
 children. They say nay in worde, but they do so 
 in deede. For, to the one, they will gladlie giue 
 a stipend of 200. Crounes by yeare, and loth 
 to offer to the other, 200. shillinges. God, that 
 sitteth in heauen laugheth their choice to skorne, 
 and rewardeth their liberalitie as it should: for he sufFereth 
 them, to haue, tame, and well ordered horse, but 
 wilde and vnfortunate Children : and therfore in 
 the ende they finde more pleasure in their horse, 
 than comforte in their children. 
 
 But concerning the trewe notes of the best wittes for 
 learning in a childe, I will reporte, not myne own opinion, but 
 the very iudgement of him, that was counted the best teacher 
 and wisest man that learning maketh mention of, 
 and that is Socrates in Plato^ who expresseth 
 orderlie thies seuen plaine notes to choise a good 
 witte in a child for learninge. 
 
 Horsemen 
 be wiser in 
 knowledge 
 of a good 
 Colte, than 
 scholema- 
 sters be, in 
 knowledge 
 of a good 
 witte. 
 
 a cunnynge 
 
 A good Ri- 
 der better 
 rewarded 
 tha a good 
 Schole- 
 master. 
 
 Horse well 
 broken, 
 children ill 
 taught. 
 
 Plato in 7. 
 de Rep. 
 
1 94 The first booke teachyng 
 
 /I Eu^vt;?. 
 
 Trewe 3 ^O^l^O.H'i- 
 
 notes of a ■< 4 <I>i\o7roi/09. 
 
 2°°d wi"e- 5 ^CKriKOOt. 
 
 6 Zr}T7]Tl,K6';. 
 \y OtXeTratvo?. 
 
 And bicause I write English, and to Englishemen, I will 
 plainlie declare in Englishe both, what thies wordes of Plato 
 meane, and how aptlie they be linked, and how orderlie they 
 folow one an other. 
 
 I. Eu0W7y9. 
 
 Is he, that is apts by goodnes of witte, and appliable by 
 
 readines of will,' to learning, hauirigalT other 
 
 ^^!"^' qualities of the minde and partes "of the' bodie, 
 
 ) ' ■ that must an other day serue learning, not trobled, 
 
 V/nagled, and halfed, but sounde, whole, full, & hable to do their 
 
 office : as, a tong, not stamering, or ouer hardlie 
 
 ong- drawing forth wordes, but plaine, and redie to 
 
 The voice. deliuer the meaning of the minde : a voice, not 
 
 softe, weake, piping, womannishe, but audible, 
 
 Face. stronge, and manlike : a countenance, not werishe 
 
 Stature. and crabbed, but faire and cumlie : a personage, 
 
 not wretched and deformed, but taule and goodlie : " 
 
 for surelie, a cumlie countenance, with a goodlie 
 
 1 Learnyng stature, geueth credit to learning, and authoritie 
 
 loyned i ° i • ° i. . i 
 
 ■with a cum- to the person : otherwise commonlie, either, open 
 j lie perso- contempte, or priuie disfauour doth hurte, or , 
 
 I "*S^" hinder, both person and learning. And, euen as 
 
 a feire stone requireth to be sette in the finest gold, with the 
 best workmanshyp, or else it leseth moch of the Grace and 
 price, euen so, excellencye in learning, and namely Diuinitie, 
 ioyned with a cumlie personage, is a meruelous lewell in the 
 world. And how can a cumlie bodie be better employed, 
 than to serue the fairest exercise of Goddes greatest giftej 
 and that is learning. But commonlie, the fairest bodies, 
 ar bestowed on the foulest purposes. I would it were not so : 
 and with examples herein I will not medle : yet I wishe, that 
 
the brynging vp of youth. 195 
 
 those shold, both mynde it, & medle with it, which haue most 
 occasion to looke to it, as good and wise fathers shold do, and 
 greatest authoritie to amend it, as good & wise magistrates 
 ought to do : And yet I will not let, openlie to lament the 
 vnfortunate case of learning herein. 
 
 For, if a father haue foure sonnes, three faire and well 
 formed both mynde and bodie, the fourth, 
 wretched, lame, and deformed, his choice shalbe, crea°ures 
 to put the worst to learning, as one good enoughe commonlie 
 to becum a scholer. I haue spent the most parte ^^^ '° ^^^^' 
 of my life in the Vniuersitie, and therfore I can "^°^" 
 beare good witnes that many fathers commonlie do thus: wherof, 
 I haue hard many wise, learned, and as good men as euer I knew, 
 make great, and oft complainte : a good horseman will choise 
 no soch coke, neither for his own, nor yet for his masters sadle. 
 And thus moch of the first note. 
 
 Good of mem£>rie, a speciall parte of the first note ev<^vrj<;, 
 
 and a~1mere benefite of nature: yet it is so .. 
 
 , . „, I i_ • Memone. 
 
 necessane for learnmg, as Flato maketn it a 
 
 separate and perfite note of it selfe, and that so principall a note, 
 as without it, all other giftes of nature do small seruice to 
 learning. Afranius, that olde Latine Poete maketh ^^^ ^^^ 
 Memorie the mother of learning and wisedome, 
 saying thus. 
 
 Vsus me genuit. Mater peperit memoria, and though it be the 
 mere gifte of nature, yet is memorie well preserued by vse, and 
 moch encreased by order, as our scholer must -phree sure 
 learne an other day in the Vniuersitie : but in signes of a | 
 
 a childe, a good memorie is well known, by three good '"^- 
 
 ' o, . ._ . , -1 • • mone. 
 
 properties : that is, if it be, quicke in receyumg, 
 
 sure in keping, and redie in deliuering forthe againe. 
 3 ^i\,ofJ.a6rj<;. 
 
 Giuen to loue learning: for though a child haue all the 
 giftes of nature at wishe, and perfection of memorie at wil, yet 
 if he haue not a speciall loue to learning, he shall neuer attaine 
 to moch learning. And therfore Isocrates, one of the noblest 
 
 N 2 
 
196 T^he first booke teachyng 
 
 scholemasters, that is in memorie of learning, who taught 
 Kinges and Princes, as Halkarnassaus writeth, and out of 
 whose schole, as Tullie saith, came forth, mo noble CapitaneSj 
 mo wise Councelors, than did out of Epeius horse at Tro'ie. 
 This Isocrates, I say, did cause to be writte, at the entrie of his 
 schole, in golden letters, this golden sentence, idv ^? <^iXoiiadr)<i, 
 eery TroXv/Madij^ which excellentlie said in Greeie, is thus rudelie 
 in Englishe, if thou louest learning, thou shalt attayne to moch 
 learning. 
 
 4. ^iXoTTOVO^, 
 
 Is Jie,jthat_hatli. a_luat_taiJabor, and a will to take paines. 
 For, if a childe haue all the benefites of nature, with perfection 
 of memorie, loue, like, & praise learning neuer so moch, yet 
 if he be not of him selfe painfull, he shall neuer attayne vnto it. 
 And yet where loue is present, labor is seldom absent, and 
 namelie in studie of learning, and matters of the mynde: and 
 therfore did Isocrates rightlie iudge, that if his scholer were 
 <^b\ofia6ri<i he cared for no more. Aristotle, variing from 
 Isocrates in priuate affaires of life, but agreing with Isocrates in 
 common iudgement of learning, for loue and labor in learning, 
 is of the same opinio, vttered in these wordes, in his Rhetorike) 
 
 ad Theode£ten. Libertie kindleth loue: Loue 
 Theod. ^ refuseth no labor: and labor obteyneth what so 
 
 euer it seeketh. And yet neuerthelesse, Goodnes 
 of nature may do little good: Perfection of memorie, may 
 serue to small vse : All loue may be employed in vayne : Any 
 labor may be sone graualed, if a man trust alwaies to his own 
 singuler witte, and will not be glad somtyme to heare, take 
 aduise, and learne of an other : And therfore doth Socrates 
 very notablie adde the fifte note. 
 
 5. $tXj7«oo?. ■ 
 
 .He, that is_ glad to heare and learne of an other. For 
 otherwise, he shall sticke with great troble, where he might 
 go easelie forwarde : and also catche hardlie a verie litle by his 
 owne toyle, whan he might gather quicklie a good deale, by an 
 nothers mans teaching. But now there be some, that haue 
 great loue to learning, good lust to labor, be willing to learne of 
 others, yet, either of a fonde shamefastnes, or else of a proud 
 
the brynging vp of youth. 197 
 
 folic, they dare not, or will not, go to learne of an nother: And 
 therfore doth Socrates wiselie adde the sixte note of a good witte 
 in a childe for learning, and that is. 
 
 6. Ti'qrqTiKOi;. 
 
 He, that is naturallie bold to aske any question, desirous to 
 searche out any doute, not ashamed to learne of the meanest, 
 not afFraide to go to the greatest, vntill he be perfitelie taught, 
 and fuUie satisfiede. The seuenth and last poynte is. 
 
 7. ^CKe'rraiVQ'i. 
 
 He, that loueth to be praised for well doing, at his father, 
 or masters hand. A childe of this nature, will earnestlie loue 
 learnyng, gladlie labor for learning, willinglie learne of other, 
 boldlie aske any doute. And thus, by Socrates iudgement, a 
 good father, and a wise scholemaster, shold chose a childe to 
 make a scholer of, that hath by nature, the foresayd perfite 
 qualities, and cumlie furniture, both of mynde and bodie: hath 
 memorie, quicke to receyue, sure to keape, and readie to deliuer : 
 hath loue to learning: hath lust to labor: hath desire to learne 
 of others: hath boldnes to aske any questio : hath mynde holie 
 bent, to Wynne praise by well doing. 
 
 The two firste poyntes be speciall benefites of nature: 
 which neuerthelesse, be well preserued, and moch encreased by 
 good order. But as for the fiue laste, loue, labor, gladnes to 
 learne of others, boldnes to aske doutes, and will to wynne 
 praise, be wonne and maintened by the onelie wisedome and 
 discretio of the scholemaster. Which fiue poyntes, whether a 
 scholemaster shall worke soner in a childe, by fearefull beating, 
 or curtese handling, you that be wise, iudge. 
 
 Yet some men, wise in deede, but in this matter, more by 
 seueritie of nature, tha any wisdome at all, do laugh at vs, when 
 we thus wishe and reason, that yong children should rather be 
 allured to learning by ientilnes and loue, than compelled to 
 learning, by beating and feare : They say, our reasons serue 
 onelie to breede forth talke, and passe a waie tyme, but we 
 neuer saw good scholemaster do so, nor neuer red of wise man 
 that thought so. 
 
 Yes forsothe: as wise as they be, either m other mens 
 opinion, or in their owne conceite, I will bring the contrarie 
 
1981 I ;;','^, The first booke teachyng 
 
 iudgement of him, who, they them selues shall confesse, was as 
 wise as they are, or else they may be iustlie thought to haue 
 small witte at all: and that is Socrates, whose iudgement in 
 
 Plato is plainlie this in these wordes: which, 
 6s^ea '' bicause they be verie notable, I will recite them 
 
 in his owne tong, ovhev /idOrj/ia fier^ BovXeCai; 
 •X^pr) fiavddveiv: 01 fj,ev yap rov trco/aaTO? irovoi jSia Trovovfievoi 
 •)(elpov ovBev to a&fxa direpyd^ovrai ; "^vxr} Si, ^iaiov ovSev 
 e/ifiovov fidffrjfia: in Englishe thus, No learning ought to be 
 learned with bondage: For, bodelie labor's, wrought by compul- 
 sion, hurt not the bodie : but any learning learned by copulsion, 
 „tarieth not log in the mynde: And why? For what soeuer the 
 ymynde doth learne vnwillinglie with feare, the same it doth 
 rtjuicklie forget without care. And lest proude wittes, that loue 
 not to be contraryed, but haue lust to wrangle or trifle away 
 troth, will say, that Socrates meaneth not this of childrens 
 teaching, but of som other higher learnyng, heare, what 
 Socrates in the same place doth more plainlie say: fj,rj roivvv 
 ^ia, 00 dpia-re, toli? TratSa? iv rot? p.aOij/jbaa'iv, dXXa 
 irali^ovrai; rpi^e, that is to say, and therfore, my deare frend, 
 bring not vp your children in learning by compulsion and feare, 
 but by playing and pleasure. And you, that do read Plato, as 
 The light Y^ shold, do well perceiue, that these be no 
 
 readyng of Questions asked by Socrates, as doutes, but they 
 
 ^^'^'''- be Sentences, first affirmed by Socrates, as mere 
 
 trothes, and after, giuen forth by Socrates, as right Rules, most 
 necessarie to be marked, and fitte to be folowed of all them, 
 that would haue children taughte, as they should. And in this 
 counsell, iudgement, and authoritie of Socrates I will repose 
 I my selfe, vntill I meete with a man of the contrarie mynde, 
 whom I may iustlie take to be wiser, than I thinke Socrates 
 
 was. Fonde scholemasters, neither can vnder- 
 tlemen ^be Stand, nor will folow this good counsell of Socrates, 
 
 wiselier but wise ryders, in their office, can and will do 
 
 '^"g'^'to _ both: which is the onelie cause, that comonly, 
 ' mon'ry^ '^° ^^^ yo^g ientlemen of England, go so vnwillinglie 
 ders, than to schole, and run so fast to the stable : For in 
 
 to learne, verie deede fond scholemasters, by ' feare, do 
 
 Schok-™"" beate into the, the hatred of learning, and wise 
 masters. riders, by ientle allurements, do breed vp in 
 
the brynging vp of youth. 199 
 
 them, the loue of riding. They finde feare, & bondage in 
 scholes, They feele libertie and freedome in stables: which 
 causeth them, vtterHe to abhore the one, and most gladlie to 
 haunt the other. And I do not write this, that in exhorting to 
 the one, I would dissuade yong ientlemen from the other: yea 
 I am sorie, with all my harte, that they be giuen no more to 
 riding, then they be : For, of all outward qualities, „ ,. 
 to ride faire, is most cumelie for him selfe, most 
 necessarie for his contrey, and the greater he is in blood, the 
 greater is his praise, the more he doth excede all other therein. 
 It was one of the three excellent praises, amongest the noble 
 ientlemen the old Penians, Alwaise to say troth, to ride faire, 
 and shote well : and so it was engrauen vpon Darius tumbe, as 
 Strabo beareth witnesse. Strabo. 15. 
 
 Darius the king, lieth buried here. 
 
 Who in riding and shoting had neuer peare. 
 
 But, to our purpose, yong men, by any meanes, leesing the 
 loue of learning, whan by tyme they cum to their owne rule, 
 they carie commonlie, from the schole with them, a perpetuall 
 hatred of their master, and a continuall contempt of learning. 
 If ten Ientlemen be asked, why they forget so sone in Court, 
 that which they were learning so long in schole, eight of them, 
 or let me be blamed, will laie the fault on their ill handling, by 
 their scholemasters. 
 
 Cuspinian doth report, that, that noble Emperor Maxi- 
 milian, would lament verie oft, his misfortune herein. 
 
 Yet, some will say, that children of nature, loue pastime, 
 and mislike learning: bicause, in their kinde, the pastime. 
 one is easie and pleasant, the other hard and ^^ 
 werisom: which is an opinion not so trewe, as 
 some men weene : For, the matter lieth not so much in the 
 disposition of them that be yong, as in the order & maner of 
 bringing vp, by them that be old, nor yet m the difFerece of 
 learnyng and pastime. For, beate a child, if he daunce not well,j: 
 & cherish him, though he learne not well, ye shall haue him, 
 vnwilling to go to daunce, & glad to go to his booke. Knocke 
 him alwaies, when he draweth his shaft ill, and fauor him 
 againe, though he faut at his booke, ye shall haue hym verie 
 loth to be in the field, and verie willing to be in the schole. 
 
Will. 
 Witte. 
 
 200 T^he first booke teachyng 
 
 Yea, I saie more, and not of my selfe, but by the iudgemet of 
 those, from whom few wisemen will gladlie dissent, that if euer 
 the nature of man be giuen at any tyme, more than other, to 
 receiue goodnes, it is, in innocencie of yong yeares, before, that 
 
 f experience of euill, haue taken roote in hym. For, the pure 
 cleane witte of a sweete yong babe, is like the newest wax, 
 most hable to receiue the best and fayrest printing: and like a 
 new bright siluer dishe neuer occupied, to receiue and kepe 
 cleane, anie good thyng that is put into it. 
 
 And thus, will in children, wiselie wrought withall, maie 
 
 easelie be won to be verie well willing to 
 
 in Children, learne. And witte in childre, by nature, 
 
 namelie memorie, the onelie keie and keper of 
 
 all learning, is readiest to receiue, and surest to kepe anie maner 
 
 of thing, that is learned in yougth : This, lewde and learned, by 
 
 common experiece, know to be most trewe. For we remember 
 
 nothyng so well when we be olde, as those things which we 
 
 learned when we were yong: And this is not straunge, but 
 
 '. Yog yeares Common in all natures workes. Euery man sees, 
 
 aptest for (as I sayd before) new wax is best for printyng : 
 
 learnyng. j^g^ claie, fittest for working: new shorne woll, 
 
 aptest for sone and surest dying : new fresh flesh, for good and 
 
 durable salting. And this similitude is not rude, nor borowed 
 
 of the larder house, but out of his scholehouse, of whom, the 
 
 ■ wisest of England, neede not be ashamed to learne. Yong 
 
 -k I Graftes grow not onelie sonest, but also fairest, and bring alwayes 
 
 ,( forth the best and sweetest frute : yong whelpes learne easelie 
 
 to carie: yong Popingeis learne quicklie to speake: And so, to 
 
 be short, if in all other thinges, though they lacke reason, sens, 
 
 and life, the similitude of youth is fittest to all goodnesse, 
 
 surelie nature, in mankinde, is most beneficiall and eflFectuall in 
 
 this behalfe. 
 
 Therfore, if to the goodnes of nature, be ioyned the 
 wisedome of the teacher, in leading yong wittes into a right and 
 plaine waie of learnyng, surelie, children, kept vp in Gods feare, 
 and gouerned by his grace, maie most easelie be brought well to 
 serue God and contrey both by vertue and wisedome. ' 
 
 But if will, and witte, by farder age, be once allured fro 
 innocencie, delited in vaine sightes, filed with foull taulke, 
 crooked with wilfulnesse, hardned with stubburnesse, and let 
 
the brynging vp of youth. 201 
 
 louse to disobedience, surelie it is hard with ientlenesse, but 
 vnpossible with seuere crueltie, to call them backe to good 
 frame againe. For, where the one, perchance maie bend it, 
 the other shall surelie breake it: and so in stead of some hope, 
 leaue an assured desperation, and shamelesse con- 
 tempt of all goodnesse, the fardest pointe in all "^ipJi' ^^' 
 mischief, as Xenophon doth most trewlie and most 
 wittelie marke. 
 
 Therfore, to loue or to hate, to like or contemne, to plie 
 this waie or that waie to good or to bad, ye shall haue as ye vse 
 a child in his youth. 
 
 And one example, whether loue or feare doth worke more 
 in a child, for vertue and learning, I will gladlie report: which 
 maie be hard with some pleasure, and folowed with more profit. 
 Before I went into Germanie, I came to Brodegate in Leceter- 
 shire, to take my leaue of that noble Ladie lane 
 Grey., to whom I was exceding moch beholdinge. q^^-^ ""' 
 Hir parentes, the Duke and Duches, with all the 
 houshould. Gentlemen and Gentlewomen, were huntinge in the 
 Parke: I founde her, in her Chamber, readinge Phadon Platonis 
 in Greeke, and that with as moch delite, as som ientleman wold 
 read a merie tale in Bocase. After salutation, and dewtie done, 
 with som other taulke, I asked hir, whie she wold leese soch 
 pastime in the Parke? smiling she answered me: I wisse, all 
 their sporte in the Parke is but a shadoe to that pleasure, that I 
 find in Plato: Alas good folke, they neuer felt, what trewe 
 pleasure ment. And howe came you Madame, quoth I, to this 
 deepe knowledge of pleasure, and what did chieflie allure you 
 vnto it: seinge, not many women, but verie fewe men haue 
 atteined thereunto. I will tell you, quoth she, and tell you 
 a troth, which perchance ye will meruell at. One of the 
 greatest benefites, that euer God gaue me, is, that he sent me 
 so sharpe and seuere Parentes, and so ientle a scholemaster. 
 For whe I am in presence either of father or mother, whether 
 I speake, kepe silence, sit, stand, or go, eate, drinke, be merie, 
 or sad, be sowyng, plaiyng, dauncing, or doing anie thing els, 
 I must do it, as it were, in soch weight, mesure, and number, 
 euen so perfitelie, as God made the world, or else I am so 
 sharplie taunted, so cruellie threatened, yea presentlie some 
 tymes, with pinches, nippes, and bobbes, and other waies, which 
 
202 'The first booke teachyng 
 
 I will not name, for the honor I beare them, so without 
 measure misordered, that I thinke my selfe in hell, till tyme 
 cuni, that I must go to M. Elmer^ who teacheth me so ientlie, 
 so pleasantlie, with soch faire allurementes to learning, that I 
 thinke all the tyme nothing, whiles I am with him. And 
 when I am called from him, I fall on weeping, because, what 
 soeuer I do els, but learning, is ful of grief, trouble, feare, and 
 whole misliking vnto me: And thus my booke, hath bene so 
 moch my pleasure, & bringeth dayly to me more pleasure & 
 more, that in respect of it, all other pleasures, in very deede, be 
 but trifles and troubles vnto me. I remember this talke gladly, 
 both bicause it is so worthy of memorie, & bicause also, it was 
 the last talke that euer I had, and the last tyme, that euer I 
 saw that noble and worthie Ladie. 
 
 I could be ouer long, both in shewinge iust causes, and in 
 recitinge trewe examples, why learning shold be taught, rather 
 by loue than feare. He that wold see a perlite discourse of it, 
 Sturmius ^^^ ^™ '^^'^^ *^^* learned treatese, which my frende 
 
 de Inst. loan. Sturmius wrote de institutione Prindpis, to 
 
 Piinc. the Duke of Cleues. 
 
 The godlie counsels of Salomon and lesus the sonne of 
 Oui par- Sirach^ for sharpe kepinge in, and bridleinge of 
 
 cit virgse, youth, are ment rather, for fatherlie correction, 
 
 odit film. tijeri masterlie beating, rather for maners, than for 
 
 learninge: for other places, than for scholes. For God forbid, 
 but all euill touches, wantonnes, lyinge, pickinge, slouthe, will, 
 stubburnnesse, and disobedience, shold be with sharpe chastise- 
 met, daily cut away. 
 
 This, discipline was well knowen, and diligentlie vsed, 
 among the Gracians, and old Romanes, as doth appeare in 
 Aristophanes, Isocrates, and Plato, and also in the Comedies of 
 Plautus: where we see that children were vnder the rule of 
 three persones: Praceptore, Padagogo, Parente: the scholemaster 
 I. Scheie- taught him learnyng with all ientlenes: the 
 
 master. Gouemour corrected his maners, with moch 
 1. Gouer- sharpenesse : The father, held the sterne of his 
 
 nour. whole obedience : And so, he that vsed to teache, 
 
 3. Father. jjj j^qj. commolie vse to beate, but remitted that 
 
 ouer to an other mans charge. But what shall we sale, whan 
 now in our dayes, the scholemaster is vsed, both for Praceptor 
 
the brynging vp of youth. 203 
 
 in learnyng, and Padagogus in maners. Surelie, I wold he 
 shold not cofound their offices, but discretelie vse the dewtie 
 of both so, that neither ill touches shold be left vnpunished, nor 
 ientlesse in teaching anie wise omitted. And he shall well do 
 both, if wiselie he do appointe diuersitie of tyme, & separate 
 place, for either purpose : vsing alwaise soch discrete modera- 
 tion, as the scholehouse should be counted a 
 sanctuarie against feare : and verie well learning, a T^^ schole 
 common perdon for ill doing, if the fault, of it 
 selfe be not ouer heinous. 
 
 And thus the children, kept vp in Gods feare, and preserued 
 by his grace, finding paine in ill doing, and pleasure in well 
 studiyng, shold easelie be brought to honestie of life, and 
 perfitenes of learning, the onelie marke, that good and wise 
 fethers do wishe and labour, that their children, shold most 
 buselie, and carefiillie shot at. 
 
 There is an other discommoditie, besides crueltie in schole- 
 masters in beating away the loue of learning from 
 childre, which hindreth learning and vertue, and England 
 good bringing vp of youth, and namelie yong brought vp 
 ientlemen, verie moch in England. This fault with to 
 is cleane contrary to the first. I wished before, "^^^j^ '" 
 to haue loue of learning bred vp in children : : 
 
 I wishe as moch now, to haue yong men brought vp in good 
 order of liuing, and in some more seuere discipline, the | 
 commonlie they be. We haue lacke in England of soch good 
 order, as the old noble Persians so carefiillie vsed : 
 whose children, to the age of xxi. yeare, were cy"'iPed. 
 brought vp in learnyng, and exercises of labor, 
 and that in soch place, where they should, neither see that was 
 vncumlie, nor heare that was vnhonest. Yea, a yong ientlema 
 was neuer free, to go where he would, and do what he liste him 
 self, but vnder the kepe, and by the counsell, of some graue 
 gouernour, vntill he was, either maryed, or cald to beare some 
 office in the common 'wealth. 
 
 And see the great obedience, that was vsed in old tyme to 
 fathers and gouernours. No sonne, were he neuer so old of 
 yeares, neuer so great of birth, though he were a kynges sonne, 
 might not mary, but by his father and mothers also consent. 
 Cyrus the great, after he had conquered Babylon, and subdewed 
 
204 The first booke teachyng 
 
 Riche king Crcesus with whole Asia minor, cummyng tryumph- 
 antlie home, his vncle Cyaxeris offered him his daughter to 
 wife. Cyrus thanked his vncle, and praised the maide, but for 
 mariage he answered him with thies wise and sweete wordes, as 
 they be vttered by Xenophon, tS Kva^dpr), to 
 
 ri Pad '''^ 761/0? eTracvw, Kai TTjv iraiba, Kai owpa' 
 
 ^ovXofiat Be, etjirj, avv rfj rov TraTp6<; yvcofir) 
 KoX [t^] T'^? /j/r}Tpd<i ravTOL croc avvaiviffat, &c., that is to say : 
 Vncle Cyaxeris, I commend the stocke, I like the maide, and 
 I allow well the dowrie, but (sayth he) by the counsell and 
 consent of my father and mother, I will determine farther of 
 thies matters. 
 
 Strong Samson also in Scripture saw a maide that liked him, 
 but he spake not to hir, but went home to his father, and his 
 mother, and desired both father and mother to make the 
 mariage for him. Doth this modestie, doth this obedience, 
 I that was in great kyng Cyrus, and stoute Samson, remaine in 
 our yongmen at this daie ? no surelie : For we liue not 
 longer after them by tyme, than we liue farre different from 
 them by good order. Our tyme is so farre from that old 
 discipline and obedience, as now, not onelie yong ientlemen, but 
 euen verie girles dare without all feare, though not without 
 open shame, where they list, and how they list, marie them 
 selues in spite of father, mother, God, .good order, and all. 
 The cause of this euill is, that youth is least looked vnto, when 
 they stand [in] most neede of good kepe and regard. It auail- 
 eth not, to see them well taught in yong yeares, and after wha 
 they cum to lust and youthfull dayes, to giue them licence to 
 liue as they lust them selues. For, if ye suffer the eye of a 
 yong lentleman, once to be entangled with vaine sightes, and 
 the eare to be corrupted with fond or filthie taulke, the mynde 
 shall quicklie fall seick, and sone vomet and cast vp, all the 
 holesome doctrine, that he receiued in childhoode, though he 
 were neuer so well brought vp before. And being ons inglutted 
 with vanitie, he will streight way loth all learning, and all good 
 counsell to the same. And the parentes for all their great cost 
 
 Great mes and charge, reape onelie in the end, the frute 
 
 sonnes of grief and care. 
 
 broueht This euill, is not common to poore men, as God 
 
 vp. will haue it, but proper to riche and great mens 
 
the brynging vp of youth. 265 
 
 children, as they deserue it. In deede from seuen, to seuentene, 
 yong ientlemen commonlie be carefulHe enough brought vp : But 
 from seuentene to seuen and twentie (the most dangerous tyme of 
 all a mans life, and most slipperie to stay well in) they haue 
 commonlie the reigne of all licens in their owne ^j^^ ^^^ 
 hand, and speciallie soch as do Hue in the Court. fond fa- 
 And that which is most to be merueled at, ''^^I's- 
 commonlie, the wisest and also best men, be found the fondest 
 fathers in this behalfe. And if som good father wold seick 
 some remedie herein, yet the mother (if the house hold of our 
 Lady) had rather, yea, & will to, haue her sonne cunnyng & 
 bold, in making him to lyue trimlie when he is yong, than by 
 learning and trauell, to be able to serue his Prince and his 
 contrie, both wiselie in peace, and stoutelie in warre, whan he 
 is old. 
 
 The fault is in your selues, ye noble mens sonnes, and 
 therefore ye deserue the greater blame, that j^g^^g 
 commonlie, the meaner mens children, cum to mes sonnes 
 be, the wisest councellours, and greatest doers, come to 
 in the weightie affaires of this Realme. And \^^^^^^^ 
 why ? for God will haue it so, of his prouidence : 
 bicause ye will haue it no otherwise, by your negligence. 
 
 And God is a good God, & wisest in all his doinges, that 
 will place vertue, & displace vice, in those Nobilitie 
 kingdomes, where he doth gouerne. For he without 
 knoweth, that Nobilitie, without -vertue and wisedome. 
 wisedome, is bloud in deede, but bloud trewelie, without bones 
 & sinewes : & so of it selfe, without the other, verie weeke to 
 beare the burden of weightie affaires. 
 
 The greatest shippe in deede commonlie carieth the greatest 
 burden, but yet alwayes with the greatest ieoperdie, not on^lie 
 for the persons and goodes committed vnto it, Nobilitie 
 but euen for the shyppe it selfe, except it be ^^'^^^=^- 
 gouerned, with the greater wisdome. °™^* 
 
 But Nobilitie, gouerned, by learning and wisedome, is 
 
 /"Wisedom. 
 
 in deede, most like a faire shippe, 
 hauyng tide and winde at will, vnder 
 the reule of a skilfull master : whan 
 contrarie wise, a shippe, caried, yea 
 with the hiest tide & greatest winde. 
 
 f 
 
 Nobilite with-j 
 
 I Out wise- 
 l^dome. 
 
2o6 The first booke teachyng 
 
 lacking a skilful! master, most commonlie, doth either, sinck it 
 selfe vpo sandes, or breake it selfe vpon rockes. And euen so, 
 how manie haue bene, either drowned in vaifie 
 Vaine plea- pleasure, or ouerwhelmed by stout wilfulnesse, 
 stou'te wil- ^^ histories of England be able to afFourde ouer 
 
 fulnes, two many exarngles vnto vs. Therfore, ye great and 
 
 greatest noble mens children, if ye will haue rightfiillie 
 
 Nobilitie. ^'^'^ praise, and enioie surelie that place, which 
 
 your fathers haue, and elders had, and left vnto 
 you, ye must kepe it, as they gat it, and that is, by the onelie 
 waie, of vertue, wisedome, and worthinesse. 
 
 For wisedom, and vertue, there be manie faire ^examples in 
 this Court, for yong lentlemen to folow. But they~"be, like 
 faire markes in the feild, out of a mans reach, to far of, to shote 
 at well. The best and worthiest men, in deede, be somtimes 
 seen, but seldom taulked withall ^ A yong lentleman, may 
 somtime knele to their person, smallie vse their companie, for 
 their better instruction. 
 
 But yong lentlemen ar faine commonlie to do in the Court, 
 as yong Archers do in the feild : that is take soch markes, as be 
 111 compa- '^'^ them, although they be neuer so foule to 
 
 nie marreth shote at. I meene, they be driuen to kepe 
 yo"^"*- companie with the worste : and what force ill 
 
 companie hath, to corrupt good wittes, the wisest men know 
 best. 
 
 And not ill companie onelie, but the ill opinion also of the 
 most part, doth moch harme, and namelie of 
 iudgeth those, which shold be wise in the trewe de- 
 
 worst of the cyphring, of the good disposition of nature, of 
 best natures cumlinesse in Courtlie maners, and all right 
 in you . doinges of men. 
 
 But error and phantasie, do commonlie occupie, the place 
 of troth and iudgement. For, if a yong ientleman, be demeure 
 and still of nature, they say, he is simple and lacketh witte : if 
 he be bashefuU, and will soone blushe, they call him a babishe 
 and ill brought vp thyng, when Xenophon doth 
 ^'"'^p^d preciselie note in Cyrus ^ that his bashfulnes in 
 
 youth, was y« verie trewe signe of his vertue & 
 The Grace stoutnes after : If he be innocent and ignorant of 
 
 in Courte. j|]^ jj,gy g^y.^ j^g j^ ,-mjg^ ^j^j jj^tj^ ^q grace, so 
 
the brynging vp of youth. 207 
 
 vngraciouslie do som gracelesse men, misuse the faire and 
 godlie word grace. 
 
 But if ye would know, what grace they meene, go, and 
 looke, and learne emonges them, and ye shall see that it is : 
 First, to blush at nothing. And blushyng in youth, sayth 1 
 Aristotle is nothyng els, but feare to do ill : which feare beyng | 
 once lustely fraid away from youth, the foloweth, 1 
 
 to dare do any mischief, to cotemne stoutly any q^'^\ 
 goodnesse, to be busie in euery matter, to be 
 skilfuU in euery thyng, to acknowledge no ignorance at all. 
 To do thus in Court, is couted of some, the chief and greatest 
 grace of all : and termed by the name of a 
 vertue, called Corage & boldnesse, whan Crassus q^' ^' 
 in Cicero teacheth the cleane contrarie, and that 
 most wittelie, saying thus : Audere, cum bonis _ . . 
 etiam rebus coniunifum, per seipsum est magnopere yg^ ;„ a 
 fugiendum. Which is to say, to be bold, yea good mat- 
 in a good matter, is for it self, greatlie to be *^'^' "°' '° 
 exchewed. 
 
 Moreouer, where the swing goeth, there to follow, fawne, 
 flatter, laugh and lie lustelie at other mens liking. More 
 To face, stand formest, shoue backe : and to the Grace of 
 meaner man, or vnknowne in the Court, to Courte. 
 seeme somwhat solume, coye, big, and dangerous of looke, 
 taulk, and answere : To thinke well of him selfe, to be lustie 
 in contemning of others, to haue some trim grace in a priuie 
 mock. And in greater presens, to beare a braue looke : to be 
 warlike, though he neuer looked enimie in the face in warre : 
 yet som warlike signe must be vsed, either a slouinglie busking, 
 or an ouerstaring frounced hed, as though out of euerie heeres 
 toppe, should suddenlie start out a good big othe, when nede 
 requireth, yet praised be God, England hath at -^^^^^ 
 this time, manie worthie Capitaines and good warre, best 
 souldiours, which be in deede, so honest of °^^'=°°<^'''- 
 behauiour, so cumlie of conditions, so milde of 
 maners, as they may be examples of good order, to a good sort 
 of others, which neuer came in warre. But to retorne, where 
 I left : In place also, to be able to raise taulke, and make 
 discourse of euerie rishe : to haue a verie good p^i^jjt.ie. 
 will, to heare him selfe speake ; To be seene 
 
2o8 
 
 'The first booke teachyng 
 
 in Palmestrie, wherby to conueie to chast eares, som fond or 
 filthie taulke : 
 
 And, if som Smithfeild Ruffian take vp, som strange 
 ' going : som new mowing with the mouth : som wrinchyng 
 with the shoulder, som braue prouerbe : som fresh new othe, 
 that is not stale, but will rin round in the mouth : som new 
 disguised garment, or desperate hat, fond in facion, or gaurish 
 in colour, what soeuer it cost, how small soeuer his liuing be, 
 by what shift soeuer it be gotten, gotten must it be, and vsed 
 with the first, or els the grace of it, is stale and gone : som 
 part of this gracelesse grace, was discribed by me, in a little 
 rude verse long ago. 
 
 ' To laughe, to lie, to flatter, to face : 
 Foure wales in Court to win men grace. 
 If thou be thrall to none of thiese. 
 Away good Peek goos, hens lohn Cheese : 
 Marke well my word, and marke their dede, 
 
 . And thinke this verse part of thy Crede. 
 
 Would to God, this taulke were not trewe, and that som 
 mens doinges were not thus : I write not to hurte any, but to 
 
 Councell. proffit som : to accuse none, but to monish 
 
 soch, who, allured by ill counsell, and folowing 
 ill example, cotrarie to their good bringyng vp, 
 
 Copany. and against their owne good nature, yeld ouer- 
 
 moch to thies folies and faultes : I know many seruing men, 
 Seruinge of goo'l order, and well staide : And againe, I 
 
 men. heare sale, there be som seruing men do but ill 
 
 Terentius. seruice to their yong masters. Yea, rede Terence 
 
 Plautus. and Plant, aduisedlie ouer, and ye shall finde in 
 
 those two wise writers, almost in euery commedie, no vn- 
 Serui cor- thriftie yong man, that is not brought there vnto, 
 
 ruptelK by the sotle inticement of som lewd seruant. 
 
 iuuenum. And euen now in our dayes Geta and Daui, 
 
 Gnatos and manie bold bawdie Phormios to, be preasing in, 
 Multi Ge- ^^ pratle on euerie stage, to medle in euerie 
 
 ts pauci matter, whan honest Parmenos shall not be hard, 
 
 Parmeno- but beare small swing with their masters. -Their 
 
 "^^' companie, their taulke, their ouer great experience 
 
 111 
 
the brynging vp of youth. 209 
 
 in mischief, doth easelie corrupt the best natures, and best 
 brought vp wittes. 
 . 'But I meruell the lesse, that thies misorders be emonges 
 som in the Court, for commonlie in the contrie Misorders 
 also euerie where, innocencie is gone : Bashful- in the coun- 
 nesse is banished : moch presumption in yougthe : '""^y- 
 small authoritie in aige : Reuerence is negleded : dewties be 
 confounded : and to be shorte, disobedience doth ouerflowe the 
 bankes of good order, almoste in euerie place, almoste in euerie 
 degree of man. 
 
 Meane men haue eies to see, and cause to lament, and 
 occasion to complaine of thies miseries : but other haue 
 authoritie to remedie them, and will do so to, whan God shall 
 think time fitte. For, all thies misorders, be Goddes iuste 
 plages, by his sufferance, brought iustelie vpon vs, for our 
 sinnes, which be infinite in nomber, and horrible in deede, but 
 namelie, for the greate abhominable sin of vn- ^ 
 kindnesse : but what vnkindnesse ? euen such of Gods 
 vnkindnesse as was in the lewes, in contemninge 'rewe Re- 
 ' Goddes voice, in shrinking fro his woorde, in "g'°"- 
 wishing backe againe for Mgypt, in committing aduoultrie and 
 hordom, not with the women, but with the doctrine of Babylon, 
 did bring all the plages, destructions, and Captiuities, that fell 
 so ofte and horriblie, vpon Israeli. 
 
 We haue cause also in England to beware of vnkindnesse, 
 who haue had, in so kwt yeares, the Candel of Goddes 
 worde, so oft lightned, so oft put out, and yet . 
 
 will venture by our vnthankfulnesse in doctrine ^^^ 
 and sinfull life, to leese againe, lighte. Candle, 
 Candlesticke and all. 
 
 God kepe vs in his feare, God grafte in vs the trewe 
 knowledge of his woorde, with a forward will to folowe it, and 
 so to bring forth the sweete fruites of it, & then shall he 
 preserue vs by his Grace, from all maner of terrible dayes. 
 
 The remedie of this, doth not stand onelie, publica 
 in making good common lawes for the hole Le^es. 
 Realme, but also, (and perchance cheiflie) DomesHca 
 rin obseruing priuate discipline euerie man care- disHplina. 
 \ fullie in his own house : and namelie, if speciall Cognitio 
 'regard be had to yougth : and that, not so moch, >">^'- 
 
2 1 o T'he first booke teachyng 
 
 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 
 
 from their Children ill thinges, and ill companie, 
 ^ll"''^" 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 
 gjjj^g 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 
 
 now edge. knowledge, perniciouslie againste their owne 
 conscience, haue of late openlie taught. In deede S. Chryso- 
 
 stome, that noble and eloquent Doctor, in a 
 Fa^o"^ ' " sermon contra fatum, and the curious serchinge ot 
 
 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 
 
 best learned, on their own side. I know, lulianus 
 s^aT' 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 
 
 this simplicitie, or most trewlie, this innocencie, 
 in voulh'^'^ 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 lentlemans house: where 
 A childe ill ^ yo^g childe, somewhat past fower yeare olde^ 
 brought cold in no wise frame his tonge, to saie, a litle 
 
 ■"P- 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 
 . before : and that which was most detestable of 
 
 rentes. ^11) ^^'s father and mother wold laughe at it. I 
 
the brynging vp of youth. 211 
 
 moche double, what comforte, an other daie, this childe shall 
 bring vnto them. This Childe vsing moche die companie of 
 serumge 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 lentleman will 
 ventur him self into the companie of Ruffians, it is ouer greate 
 a leopardie, lest, their facions, maners, thoughtes, taulke, and 
 deedes, will verie sone, be euer like. The confounding of 
 companies, breedeth confusion of good maners m compa- 
 both in the Courte, and euerie where else. nie. 
 
 And it maie be a great wonder, but a greater shame, to vs 
 Christian rnen, to vnderstand, what a heithen writer, Isocrates, 
 doth leaue in memorie of writing, concerning the 
 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 
 " gouerned : which they brought to passe, not so ^ P""^'- 
 " much by common lawe, as by priuate discipline. "opag. 
 
 " 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 
 " bashefiill 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. 
 
 o 2 
 
2 1 2 T'he first booke teachyng 
 
 And to know, what worthie frute, did spring of soch 
 Good sede worthie seade, I will tell yow the most meruell 
 
 worthie of all, and yet soch a trothe, as no man shall 
 
 *^''^'^- denie it, except such as be ignorant in knowledge 
 
 of the best stories. 
 
 Athens^ by this discipline and good ordering of yougthe, did 
 
 .,, breede vp, within the circute of that one Citie, 
 
 within the compas of one hondred yeare, within 
 
 the memorie of one mans life, so manie notable Capitaines in 
 
 warre, for worthinesse, wisdome and learning, as be scarse 
 
 „ matchable no not in the state of Rome, in the 
 
 compas of those seauen hondred yeares, whan it 
 
 florished moste. 
 
 And bicause, I will not onelie sale it, but also proue it, the 
 The noble names of them be these. Miltiades, Themistocles, 
 
 Capitaines Xantippus, Pericles, Cymon, Akyhiades, Thrasybulus, 
 
 of Athens. Conon, Iphkrates, Xenophon, Timotheus, Theopompus, 
 
 Demetrius, and diuers other mo : of which euerie one, male 
 iustelie be spoken that worthie praise, which was geuen to 
 Scipio Jfricanus, who, Cicero douteth, whether he were, more 
 noble Capitaine in warre, or more eloquent and wise councelor 
 in peace. And if ye beleue not me, read dili- 
 ^mil. gentlie, Mmilius Probus in Latin, and Plutarche 
 
 Probus. in Greke, which two, had no cause either to 
 
 Plutarchus. flatter or lie vpon anie of those which I haue 
 recited. 
 
 And beside nobilitie in warre, for excellent and matchles 
 The lear- masters in all maner of learninge, in that one 
 
 ned of A- Citie, in memorie of one aige, were mo learned 
 
 thenes. men, and that in a maner altogether, than all 
 
 tyme doth remember, than all place doth affourde, than all other 
 tonges do conteine. And I do not meene of those Authors, 
 which, by iniurie of tyme, by negligence of men, by crueltie of 
 fier and sworde, be lost, but euen of those, which by Goddes 
 grace, are left yet vnto us: of which I thank God, euen my 
 'poore studie lacketh not one. As, in Philosophie, Plato, Aris- 
 totle, Xenophon, Euclide and Theophrast : In eloquens and Ciuill 
 lawe, Demosthenes, Mschines, Lycurgus, Dinarchus, Demades, 
 Isocrates, Isaus, Lysias, Antisthenes, Andocides : In histories, He- 
 rodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon : and which we lacke, to our 
 
the brynging vp of youth. 213 
 
 great losse, Theopompus and Eph\_orui\ : In Poetrie, /Eschylus, 
 Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, and somwhat of Menander, 
 Demosthenes sister Sonne. 
 
 Now, let Italian, and Latin it self, Spanishe, French, 
 Douch, and Englishe bring forth their lerning, 
 and recite their Authors, Cicero onelie excepted, chkfljco'n- 
 and one or two moe in Latin, they be all patched leined in 
 cloutes and ragges, in comparison of faire wouen *^ Greke, 
 broade clothes. And trewelie, if there be any ^he^'r 'ton"g° °" 
 good in them, it is either lerned, borowed, or 
 stolne, from some one of those worthie wittes of Athens. 
 
 The remembrance of soch a common welthe, vsing soch 
 discipline and order for yougthe, and thereby bringing forth to 
 their praise, and leauing to vs for our example, such Capitaines 
 for warre, soch Councelors for peace, and matcheles masters, 
 for all kinde of learninge, is pleasant for me to recite, and not 
 irksum, I trust, for other to heare, except it be soch, as make 
 neither counte of vertue nor learninge. 
 
 And whether, there be anie soch or no, I can not well tell : 
 yet I heare saie, some yong lentlemen of oures, Contem- 
 count it their shame to be counted learned : and ners of 
 perchance, they count it their shame, to be leainyng. 
 counted honest also, for I heare saie, they medle as litle with the 
 one, as with the other. A meruelous case, that lentlemen 
 shold so be ashamed of good learning, and neuer a whit ashamed 
 of ill maners : soch do saie for them, that the 
 lentlemen of France do so: which is a lie, as of France. 
 God will haue it. Langceus, and Bellaus that be 
 dead, & the noble Vidam of Chartres, that is aliue, and infinite 
 mo in France, which I heare tell of, proue this to be most false. 
 And though _som, in France, which will nedes be lentlemen, 
 whether meiTwiTror no, and haue more ientleshjpejnth^^ 
 t han in their hed^ be at A&<i&'^r'^^^^^x!crh^''^m^ and 
 honestie, "yet I teleue, if that noble Prince, king Francis the 
 first were aliue, they shold haue, neither place m Franciscus 
 his Courte, nor pension in his warres, if he had i. NobiUs. 
 knowledge of them. This opinion is not French, ^g^"'^°™ 
 but plaine Turckishe : from whens, some Frenche 
 fetche moe faultes, than this : which, I praie God, kepe out of 
 
2 1 4 The first booke teachyng 
 
 England, and send also those of cures better mindes, which 
 bend them selues againste vertue and learninge, to the con- 
 tempte of God, dishonor of their contrie to the hurt of manie 
 others, and at length, to the greatest harme, and vtter destruction 
 of themselues. 
 
 Som other, hauing better nature, but lesse witte, (for ill 
 commonlie, haue ouer moch witte) do not vtterlie dispraise 
 Experience learning, but they sale, that without learning, 
 without common experience, knowledge of all facions, and 
 
 learnyng. haunting all companies, shall worke in yougthe, 
 
 both wisdome, and habilitie, to execute anie weightie affaire. 
 Surelie long experience doth profFet moch, but moste, and 
 almost onelie to him (if we meene honest affaires) that is dili- 
 gentlie before instructed with preceptes of well doinge. For 
 good precepts of learning, be the eyes of the minde, to looke 
 wiselie before a man, which waie to go right, and which not. 
 
 Xearning teacheth more in one yeare than experience in 
 Learnyng twentie : And learning teacheth —safelie. when 
 
 experience maketh mo miserable then wise. He 
 
 Expenece. hasardeth sore, that waxeth wise by experience. 
 
 An vnhappie Master he is, that is made cunning by manie 
 shippewrakes : A miserable merchant, that is neither riche or 
 wise, but after som bankroutes. It is costlie wisdom, that is 
 bought by experience. We know by experience it selfe, that it 
 is a meruelous paine, to finde oute but a short waie, by long 
 wandering. And surelie, he that wold proue wise by 
 experience, he maie be wittie in deede, but euen like a swift 
 runner, that runneth fast out of his waie, and vpon the night, 
 he knoweth not whither. And verilie they be fewest of 
 number, that be happie or wise by vnlearned experience. And 
 looke well vpon the former life of those fewe, whether your 
 example be old or yonge, who without learning haue gathered, 
 by long experience, a litle wisdom, and som happines : and 
 whan you do consider, what mischeife they haue committed, 
 what dangers they haue escaped (and yet xx. for one, do 
 perishe in the aduenture) than thinke well with your selfe, 
 whether ye wold, that your owne son, should cum to wisdom 
 and happines, by the waie of soch experience or no. 
 
 It is a notable tale, that old Syr Roger Chamloe, sometime 
 
the brynging vp of youth. 215 
 
 cheife Justice, wold tell of him selfe. When he was Auncient 
 in Inne of Courte, Certaine yong lentlemen 
 were brought before him, to be corrected for ^i'^ Roger 
 certaine misorders : And one of the lustiest saide : 
 Syr, we be yong ientlemen, and wisemen before vs, haue 
 proued all facions, and yet those haue done full well : this they 
 said, because it was well knowen, that Syr Roger had bene a 
 good feloe in his yougth. But he aunswered them verie wiselie. 
 In deede saith he, in yougthe, I was, as you ar now: and I 
 had twelue feloes like vnto my self, but not one of them came 
 to a good ende. And therfore, folow not my example in yougth, 
 but folow my councell in aige, if euer ye thinke to cum to this 
 place, or to thies yeares, that I am cum vnto, lesse ye meete 
 either with pouertie or Tiburn in the way. 
 
 Thus, experience of all facions in yougthe, beinge, in profe, 
 alwaise daungerous, in isshue, seldom lucklie, is 
 a waie, in deede, to ouermoch knowledge, yet "P^f'sce. 
 vsed commonlie of soch men, which be either caried by som 
 curious affection of mynde, or driuen by som hard necessitie of 
 life, to hasard the triall of ouer manie perilous aduentures. 
 
 Erasmus the honor of learning of all oure time, saide 
 wiselie that experieQce is .the_£Qmmon schok- Erasmus. ^/ 
 house of fole§»!!anTjnjnen : IVlen, of witte and 
 honestieT be* otherwise instructed.' For there Ke, Experiece, 
 
 j ii ~ ■ ' — T— — ~» -->'— - J . the scnole- 
 
 thatkepe them out of her, and yet was neuer ^^^^^ ^^ 
 burned: That beware of water, and yet was neuer Foles, and 
 nie drowninge : That hate harlottes, and was iH ™en. 
 neuer at the stewes: That abhorre falshode, and neuer brake 
 promis themselues. 
 
 But will ye see, a fit Similitude of this aduentured experience. 
 A Father, that doth let louse his son, to all experiences, is most 
 like a fond Hunter, that letteth slippe a whelpe to the hole 
 herde. Twentie to one, he shall fall vpon a rascall, and let 
 go the faire game. Men that hunt so, be either ignorant 
 persones, preuie stealers, or night walkers. 
 
 Learning therefore, ye wise fathers, and good bringing yp, 
 and not blinde & dangerous experience, is the next and readiest 
 waie, that must leede your Children, first, to wisdom, and than 
 to worthinesse, if euer ye purpose they shall cum there. 
 
 And to saie all in shorte, though I lacke Authoritie to giue 
 
2i6 T^ he first booke teachyng 
 
 counsell, yet I lacke not good will to wisshe, that the yougthe 
 How expe- in England, speciallie lentlemen, and namelie no- 
 rience may bilitie, shold be by good bringing vp, so grounded 
 
 P"^" in iudgement of learninge, so founded in Jpue 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-the_y 
 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 lentlemen, 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 
 pleas^nr'* nothing lesse : For it is well knowne, that I both 
 pastimes, like and loue, and haue alwaies, and do yet still 
 
 namelie in a yse, all exercises and pastimes, that be iitte for my 
 lentleman. nature and habilitie. And beside naturall dispo- 
 
 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 
 appoirited, 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 lentlemanlike pastimes. And good cause whie : 
 pastimes. Yqx 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 
 „ learninge to their yougthe. For the Muses, 
 
 besides learning, were also Ladies of dauncinge, 
 Apollo. mirthe and ministrelsie: Apollo,-wss god of shooting, 
 
 „ .. and Author of cunning playing vpo Instrumentes: 
 
 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 learriing, and moderated by 
 wisdom, as did well appeare in those Capitaines of Athenes 
 named by me before, and also in Scipio & Casar, the two 
 Diamondes of Rome. 
 
the brynging vp of youth. 217 
 
 And Pallas^ was no more feared, in weering Mgida, tha she 
 was praised, for chosing OUua: whereby shineth ■, 
 the glory of learning, which thus, was Gouernour rewkth^ 
 & Mistres, in the noble Citie of Athenes, both of both warre 
 warre and peace. ^"'^ 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 : , 
 to swimme: To daunce cumlie: to sing, and playe times^Sat 
 of instrumentes cunnyngly: to Hawke: to hunte: be fittefor 
 to playe at tennes, & all pastimes generally, which Courthe 
 be ioyned with labor, vsed in open place, and on 
 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 lentleman to vse. 
 
 But, of all kinde of pastimes, fitte for a lentleman, I will, 
 godwilling, in fitter place, more at large, declare fullie, in my 
 booke of the Cockpitte: which I do write, to 
 satisfie som, I trust, with som reason, that be m^ 
 more curious, in marking other mens doinges, than 
 carefull in mendyng 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 ^ ^^^^^ ^^ 
 read that wise Poet Horace in his Arte Poetica, ^ igfty j^g^ 
 who willeth wisemen to beware, of hie and loftie beareth the 
 Titles. For, great shippes, require costlie tack- ^^^^ °^°^ 
 ling, and also afterward dangerous gouernment: promise. 
 Small boates, be neither verie chargeable in 
 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 
 
2l8 
 
 'The first booke teachyng 
 
 The light 
 choise, to 
 chose a fitte 
 Argument 
 to write 
 vpon. 
 
 Hor, in 
 Arte Poet. 
 
 ill handling: And, some praise it is, if it so chaunce, to be 
 better in deede, than a man dare venture to 
 seeme. A hye title, doth charge a man, with 
 the heauie burden, of to great a promise : and 
 therefore sayth Horace verie wittelie, that, that 
 Poete was a verie foole, that began hys booke, 
 with a goodlie verse in deede, but ouer proude 
 a promise. 
 
 Fortunam Priam't cantabo isf nobile helium^ 
 
 And after, as wiselie. 
 
 Quanta reSliiis hie, qui nil molitur inepte. etc. 
 
 Meening Homer, who, within the compasse of a smal 
 Argument, of one harlot, and of one good wife, 
 did vtterso moch learning in all kinde of sciences, 
 as, by the iudgement of ^intilian, he deserueth 
 so hie a praise, that no man yet deserued to sit 
 in the second degree beneth him. And thus moch 
 out of my way, concerning my purpose in spending penne, and 
 paper, & tyme, vpo trifles, & namelie to aunswere some, that 
 haue neither witte nor learning, to do any thyng them selues, 
 neither will nor honestie, to say well of other. 
 
 To ioyne learnyng with cumlie exercises, Conto Baldesier 
 CastigUone in his booke, Cortegiano, doth trimlie 
 teache : which booke, aduisedlie read, and dili- 
 gentlie folowed, but one yeare at home in 
 England, would do a yong ientleman more good, 
 I wisse, then three yeares trauell abrode spent in 
 And I meruell this booke, is no more read in the Court, 
 
 Homers 
 wisdom in 
 choice of 
 his Argu- 
 ment. 
 
 The Cor- 
 tegian, an 
 excellent 
 booke for a 
 ientleman. 
 
 Italie. 
 
 than it is, seyng it is so well translated into English by a worthie 
 
 Ientleman Syr Th. Hobhie, who was many wayes 
 Hbbe vreW. furnished with learnyng, and very expert in 
 
 knowledge of diuers tonges. 
 And beside good pregegtes in bookes, in all kinde of tonges, 
 this Court also neuer lacked many faire exajnples, for yong 
 Examples ientlemen to folow : And surelie, one example, 
 
 better then is more valiable, both to good and ill, thanf xx. 
 
 preceptes. preceptes written in bookes : and so Plato, not in 
 
 one or two, but diuerse places, doth plainlie teach. 
 
the brynging vp of youth. 219 
 
 If kyng Edward had liued a litle longer, his onely example 
 had breed soch a rase of worthie learned ientlemen, 
 as this Realme neuer yet did afFourde. King Ed. 6. 
 
 And, in the second degree, two noble Primeroses of 
 Nobihtie, the yong Duke of SufFolke, and Lord 
 H. Matreuers, were soch two examples to the Duke of^ ' 
 Court for learnyng, as our tyme may rather wishe, Suffolke. 
 than looke for agayne. Z. H. Mar- 
 
 At Cambrige also, in S. lohns Colledge, in *"■'»«>■$. , 
 my tyme, I do know, that, not so much the good statutes, as two ' 
 Ientlemen, of worthie memorie Syr lohn Cheke, 
 and DocStour Readman., by their onely example ^ch k"''" 
 of excellency in learnyng, of godlynes in liuyng, of 
 diligecie in studying, of councell in exhorting, of good order in 
 all thyng, did breed vp, so many learned men, in 
 that one College of S. lohns, at one time, as I -^^ ^"^'^' 
 beleue, the whole Vniuersitie of Louaine, in many 
 yeares, was neuer able to afFourd. 
 
 Present examples of this present tyme, I list not to 
 touch : yet there is one example, for all the Ien- 
 tlemen of this Court to folow, that may well £^^T,i 
 
 . f. . , . 11 1 -^ Elisabeth. 
 
 satisne them, or nothmg will serue them, -nor no 
 example moue them, to goodnes and learning. 
 
 It is your shame, (I speake to you all, you yong Ientlemen 
 of England) that one mayd should go beyond you all, in excel- ' 
 lencie of learnyng, and knowledge of diuers tonges. Pointe 
 forth six of the best giuen Ientlemen of this Court, and all they 
 together, shew not so much good will, spend not so much tyme, 
 bestow not so many houres, dayly orderly, & constantly, for the 
 increase of learning & knowledge, as doth the Queenes Maiestie 
 her selfe. Yea I beleue, that beside her perfit readines, in 
 Latin., Italian., French., & Spanish, she readeth here now at 
 Windsore more Greeke euery day, than some Prebendarie of 
 this Chirch doth read Latin in a whole weeke. And that 
 which is most praise worthie of all, within the walles of her 
 priuie chamber, she hath obteyned that excellencie of learnyng; 
 to vnderstand, speake, & write, both wittely with head, and 
 faire with hand, as scarse one or two rare wittes in both the 
 Vniuersities haue in many yeares reached vnto. Amongest 
 all the benefites y' God hath blessed me with all, next the 
 
220 'The first booke teachyng 
 
 knowledge of Christes true Religion, I counte this the greatest, 
 that it pleased God to call me, to be one poore minister in 
 settyng forward these excellent giftes of learnyng in this most 
 excellent Prince. Whose onely example, if the rest of our 
 
 nobilitie would folow, than might England be, 
 pies haue' ^o"" learnyng and wisedome in nobilitie, a spectacle 
 
 more force, to all the world beside. But see the mishap of 
 then good vns.\\ : The best examples haue neuer such forse 
 
 to moue to any goodnes, as the bad, vaine, light 
 and fond, haue to all ilnes. 
 
 And one example, though out of the compas of learning, 
 yet not out of the order of good maners, was notable in this 
 Courte, not fullie xxiiij. yeares a go, when all the actes of 
 Parlament, many good Proclamations, diuerse strait commaunde- 
 mentes, sore punishment openlie, speciall regarde priuatelie, cold 
 not do so moch to take away one misorder, as the example of 
 one big one of this Courte did, still to kepe vp the same: The 
 memorie whereof, doth yet remaine, in a common prouerbe of 
 Birching lane. 
 ^^ Take hede therfore, ye great ones in y« Court, yea though 
 Great men 1^ ^^ Y^ greatest of all, take hede, what ye do, 
 
 in Court, take hede how ye liue. j] or as you great one s 
 
 by their ygg to dp, SO allj]jeane_men loue to do. Vou be 
 
 mal^^or' ''^ deed, makers or marrersToFall mens maners 
 
 marre, all within the Realme. For though God hath placed 
 
 other mens yow, to be cheife in making of lawes, to beare 
 maners. greatest authoritie, to commaund all others : yet 
 
 God doth order, that all your IaweSj_alljrour authoritie, all your 
 commaundementes, do not Tialle~so rnocITwith meane mpn, as 
 
 doth your^xample and maner of liujnge. And 
 R^l^to ^^ example euen~"in the greatest matter^ if yow 
 
 your selues do serue God gladlie and orderlie for 
 conscience sake, not coldlie, and somtyme for maner sake, you 
 carie all the Courte with yow, and the whole Realme beside, 
 earnestlie and orderlie to do the same. If yow do otherwise, 
 yow be the onelie authors, of all misorders in Religion, not 
 onelie to the Courte, but to all England beside. Infinite shall 
 - be made cold in Religion by your example, that neuer were 
 hurt by reading of bookes. 
 
 And in meaner matters, if three or foure great ones in 
 
the brynging vp of youth. 221 
 
 Courte, will nedes outrage in apparell, in huge hose, in mon- 
 strous hattes, in gaurishe colers, let the Prince Pro- 
 clame, make Lawes, order, punishe, commaunde ^^a^arell 
 euerie gate in London dailie to be watched, let all 
 good men beside do euerie where what they can, surelie the 
 misorder of apparell in mean men abrode, shall neuer be 
 amended, except the greatest in Courte will order and mend 
 them selues first. I know, som greate and good ones in Courte, 
 were authors, that honest Citizens of London, shoulde watche 
 at euerie gate, to take misordered persones in apparell. I know, 
 that honest Londoners did so : And I sawe, which I sawe than, 
 & reporte now with some greife, that som Courtlie men were 
 offended with these good men of London. And that, which 
 greued me most of all, I sawe the verie same tyme, for all theis 
 good orders, commaunded from the Courte and executed in 
 London, I sawe I say, cum out of London, euen Masters 
 vnto the presence of the Prince, a great rable of Vshers, '& 
 meane and light persons, in apparell, for matter, Scholers 
 against lawe, for making, against order, for facion, 
 namelie hose, so without all order, as he thought himselfe most 
 braue, that durst do most in breaking order and was most 
 monsterous in misorder. And for all the great comniaunde- 
 mentes, that came out of the Courte, yet this bold misorder, 
 was winked at, and borne withall, in the Courte. I thought, 
 it was not well, that som great ones of the Court, durst declare 
 themselues ofFended, with good men of London, for doinge their 
 dewtie, & the good ones of the Courte, would not shew them- 
 selues ofFended, with ill men of London, for breaking good 
 order. I fownde thereby a sayinge of Socrates to be most trewe 
 that ill men be more hastie, than good men be forwarde, to 
 prosecute their purposes, euen as Christ himselfe saith, of the 
 Children of light and darknes. 
 
 Beside apparell, in all other thinges to, not so moch, good 
 lawes and strait commaundementes as the example and maner 
 of liuing of great men, doth carie all meane men euerie where, 
 to like, and loue, & do, as they do. For if but two or three 
 noble men in the Court, wold but begmne to Example 
 
 shoote, all yong lentlemen, the whole Court, all in^shoo- 
 London, the who' ■" 
 exercise shooting. 
 
 London, the whole Realme, wold straight waie ^y"g 
 
222 The first booke teachyng 
 
 What praise shold they wynne to themselues, what com- 
 moditie shold they bring to their contrey, that would thus 
 deserue to be pointed at : Beholde, there goeth, the author of 
 good order, the guide of good men. I cold say more, and yet 
 not ouermuch. But perchance, som will say, 1 haue stepte to 
 farre, out of my schole, into the common welthe, from teaching 
 ,,. .^,. ^ a yong: Scholer, to monishe greate and noble men: 
 
 Wntte not ■' t ° i j • ° -n u • i j 
 
 for great yet 1 trust good and wise men will thinke and 
 
 me, but for iudge of me, that my minde was, not so moch, 
 childraf"^ to be busie and bold with them, that be great 
 
 now, as to giue trewe aduise to them, that may 
 be great hereafter. Who, if they do, as I wishe them to do, 
 how great so euer they be now, by blood and other mens 
 meanes, they shall becum a greate deale greater hereafter, by 
 learninge, vertue, and their owne desertes: which is trewe praise, 
 right worthines, and verie Nobilitie in deede. Yet, if som will 
 needes presse me, that I am to bold with great men, & stray to 
 . , p, . . farre from my matter, I will aunswere them with 
 
 5. P«tt/, iiue perc ontetionem, siue quocunh modo, 
 modh Christus priedicetur, &c. euen so, whether in place, or out 
 of place, with my matter, or beside my matter, if I can hereby 
 either prouoke the good, or staye the ill, I shall thinke my 
 writing herein well imployed. 
 
 But, to cum downe, from greate men, and hier matters, to 
 my litle children, and poore scholehouse againe, I will, God 
 willing, go forwarde orderlie, as I purposed, to instructe 
 Children and yong men, both for learninge and maners. 
 
 Hitherto, I haue shewed, what harme, ouermoch feare 
 bringeth to children : and what hurte, ill companie, and ouer- 
 moch libertie breedeth in yougthe : meening thereby, that from 
 seauen yeare olde, to seauentene, loue is the best allurement to 
 learninge : from seauentene to seauen and twentie, that wise 
 men shold carefullie see the steppes of yougthe surelie staide by 
 good order, in that most slipperie tyme : and speciallie in the 
 Courte, a place most dangerous for yougthe to Hue in, without 
 great grace, good regarde, and diligent looking to. 
 ' Syr Richard Sackuile, that worthy lentleman of worthy 
 Trauelyng memorie, as I sayd in the begynnynge, in the 
 
 into Ita- Queenes priuie Chamber at Windesore, after he 
 
 ''*■ had talked with me, for the right choice of a good 
 
the brynging vp of youth. 223 
 
 witte in a child for learnyng, and of the trewe difference betwixt 
 quicke and hard wittes, of alluring yong children by ientlenes 
 to loue learnyng, and of the speciall care that was to be had, to 
 keepe yong men from licencious liuyng, he was most earnest 
 with me, to haue me say my mynde also, what I thought, 
 concernyng the fansie that many yong lentlemen of England 
 haue to trauell abroad, and namely to lead a long lyfe in Italic. 
 His request, both for his authoritie, and good will toward me, 
 was a sufficient commaundement vnto me, to satisfie his 
 pleasure, with vtteryng plainlie my opinion in that matter. 
 Syr quoth I, I take goyng thither, and liuing there, for a yonge' 
 ientleman, that doth not goe vnder the kepe and garde of such 
 a man, as both, by wisedome can, and authoritie dare rewle him, 
 to be meruelous dangerous. And whie I said so than, I will 
 declare at large now : which I said than priuatelie, and write 
 now openlie, not bicause I do contemne, either the knowledge 
 of strange and diuerse tonges, and namelie the u 
 
 Italian tonge, which next the Greeke and Latin The Ita- 
 tonge, I like and loue aboue all other : or else 
 bicause I do despise, the learning that is gotten, or the experi- 
 ence that is gathered in strange contries : or for any priuate 
 malice that beare to Italie : which contrie, and ^ .. 
 
 in it, namelie Rome, I haue alwayes speciallie 
 honored: bicause, tyme was, whan Italie and 
 Rome, haue bene, to the greate good of vs that now Hue, the 
 best breeders and bringers vp, of the worthiest men, not onelie 
 for wise speakinge, but also for well doing, in all Ciuill affaireis, 
 that euer was in the worlde. But now, that tyme is gone, and 
 {though the place remayne, yet the olde and present maners, do 
 'differ as farre, as blacke and white, as vertue and vice. Vertue_ 
 ' once made that contrie Mistres ouer all the worlde. Vice now' 
 maketh that contrie ^aue_to, them, that before, were glad to 
 serue it. All men seeth it : They themselues confesse it, 
 namelie soch, as be best and wisest amongest them. For sinne, 
 by lust and vanitie, hath and doth breed vp euery where, 
 common contSpt of Gods word, priuate contention in many 
 families, open factions in euery Citie : and so, makyng them 
 selues bonde, to vanitie and vice at home, they are content to 
 beare the yoke of seruyng straungers abroad. Italie now, is not 
 that Italie, that it was wont to be : and therfore now, not so 
 
224 '^f^^ fi''^^^ booke teachyng 
 
 fitte a place, as some do counte it, for yong men to fetch either 
 
 iwisedome or honestie from thence. For surelie, they will make 
 
 other but bad Scholers, that be so ill Masters to them selues. 
 
 Yet, if a ientleman will nedes trauell into Italie, he shall do 
 
 well, to looke on the life, of the wisest traueler, that euer 
 
 traueled thether, set out by the wisest writer, that euer spake 
 
 with tong, Gods doctrine onelie excepted : and that is f^lysses in 
 
 Homere. Vlysses, and his trauell, I wishe our 
 
 ^ "^' trauelers to looke vpon, not so much to feare 
 
 Homere. , • . , \ 11 
 
 them, with the great daungers, that he many 
 
 tymes suffered, as to instruct them, with his excellent wisedome, 
 
 which he alwayes and euerywhere vsed. Yea euen those, that 
 
 be learned and wittie trauelers, when they be disposed to prayse 
 
 traueling, as a great commendacion, and the best Scripture they 
 
 haue for it, they gladlie recite the third verse of Homere, in his 
 
 first booke of Odyssea, conteinyng a great prayse of Vlysses, for 
 
 the witte he gathered, & wisedome he vsed in 
 
 his traueling. 
 Which verse, bicause, in mine opinion, it was hot made at 
 the first, more naturallie in Greke by Homere, nor after turned 
 more aptelie into Latin by Horace, than it was a good while 
 ago, in Cambrige, translated into English, both plainlie for the 
 sense, and roundlie for the verse, by one of the best Scholers, 
 that euer S. lohns Colledge bred, M. Watson, myne old frend, 
 somtime Bishop of Lincolne^ therfore, for their sake, that haue 
 lust to see, how our English tong, in auoidyng barbarous 
 ryming, may as well receiue, right quantitie of Billables, and 
 trewe order of versifiyng (of which matter more at large here- 
 after) as either Greke or Latin, if a cunning man haue it in 
 handling, I will set forth that one verse in all three tonges, for 
 an Example to good wittes, that shall delite in like learned 
 exercise. 
 
 TToKKwv S' av0p(i>Tr(ov iSev aarea koX voov eyva. 
 
 ^otattus. 
 
 ^ui mores hominum multorum vidit bf vrhes. 
 
 M' astatson. 
 
 All trauellers do gladly report great prayse of Vlysses, 
 For that he knew many mens maners, and saw many Cities. 
 
the brynging vp of youth. 225 
 
 And yet is not f^lysses commended, so much, nor so oft, in 
 Homere, b.cause he was -jroXvrpo^o^, that is, ,^oXirpo.o,. 
 
 skiltull m many mes manners and facions, as VlyssA 
 bicause he was Tro\v/j,r)Ti<;, that is, wise in all l7roXi}Mi"i. 
 
 purposes, & ware in all places : which wisedome and warenes 
 will not serue neither a traueler, except Pal/as be 
 alwayes at his elbow, that is Gods special! grace 
 from heauen, to kepe him in Gods feare, in all 
 his doynges, in all his ieorneye. For, he shall not alwayes 
 in his absence out of England, light vpon a 
 ientle /i/cynous, and walke in his faire gardens 
 full of all harmelesse pleasures : but he shall 
 sometymes, fall, either into the handes of some 
 cruell Cyclops, or into the lappe of some wanton 
 and dalying Dame Calypso : and so suffer the 
 danger of many a deadlie Denne, not so full of 
 perils, to distroy the body, as, full of vayne 
 pleasures, to poyson the mynde. Some Siren 
 shall sing him a song, sweete in tune, but 
 sownding in the ende, to his vtter destruction. 
 If Scylla drowne him not, Carybdis may fortune 
 swalow hym. Some Circes shall make him, of 
 a plaine English man, a right Italian. And at 
 length to hell, or to some hellish place, is he likelie to go : from 
 whence is hard returning, although one Flysses, and that by 
 Pallas ayde, and good cousell of Tiresias once 
 escaped that horrible Den of deadly darkenes. 
 
 Therfore, if wise men will nedes send their sonnes into 
 Italie, let them do it wiselie, vnder the kepe and garde of him, 
 who, by his wisedome and honestie, by his example and 
 authoritie, may be hable to kepe them safe and sound, in the 
 feare of God, in Christes trewe Religion, in good order and 
 honestie of liuyng : except they will haue them run headling, 
 into ouermany ieoperdies, as Flysses had done many tymes, if 
 Pallas had not alwayes gouerned him : if he had not vsed, to 
 stop his eares with waxe : to bind him selfe to ^j ^ 
 the mast of his shyp : to feede dayly, vpon that 6S. k. 
 swete herbe Moly with the blake roote and Moly Her- 
 white floore, giuen vnto hym by Mercurie, to ^^• 
 auoide all the inchantmetes of Circes. Wherby, the Diuine 
 
 Pallas from 
 heauen. 
 
 Alcynous. 6S. i. 
 
 Cyclops, is. I. 
 Calypso. 6S. e. 
 
 Sirencs. \ 
 
 \6i. II. 
 Scylla. j 
 Caribdis.) 
 Circes. ii. k. 
 
 \ 
 
226 T^he first booke teachyng 
 
 Poete Homer ment couertlie (as wise and Godly men do iudge) 
 ' p , that loue of honestie, and hatred of ill, which 
 
 Dauid more plainly doth call the feare of God : 
 the onely remedie agaynst all inchantementes of sinne. 
 
 I know diuerse noble personages, and many worthie lentle- 
 men of England, whom all the Siren songes of Italie, could 
 neuer vntwyne from the maste of Gods word : nor no inchant- 
 ment of vanitie, ouerturne them, from the feare of God, and 
 loue of honestie. 
 
 But I know as many, or mo, and some, sometyme my 
 deare frendes, for whose sake I hate going into that coutrey the 
 more, who, partyng out of England feruent in the loue of 
 Christes doctrine, and well furnished with the feare of God, 
 returned out of Italie worse transformed, than euer was any in 
 Circes Court. I know diuerse, that went out of England, men 
 of innocent life, men of excellent learnyng, who returned out 
 of Italie, not onely with worse maners, but also with lesse 
 learnyng : neither so willing to liue orderly, nor yet so hable to 
 speake learnedlie, as they were at home, before they went 
 abroad. And why ? Plato, y' wise writer, and worthy 
 traueler him selfe, telleth the cause why. He went into Sicilia, 
 a coutrey, no nigher Italy by site of place, tha Italie that is 
 now, is like Sicilia that was the, in all corrupt maners and 
 liceciousnes of life. Plato found in Sicilia, euery Citie full of 
 Vanitie, full of factions, euen as Italie is now. And as Homere, 
 like a learned Poete, doth feyne, that Circes, by pleasant in- 
 I chantmetes, did turne men into beastes, some into Swine, som 
 into Asses, some into Foxes, some into Wolues etc. euen so 
 Plat, ad Plato, like a wise Philosopher, doth plainelie 
 
 Dionys. declare, that pleasure, by licentious vanitie, that 
 
 Epist. 3. sweete and perilous poyson of all youth, doth 
 
 ingender in all those, that yeld vp themselues to her, foure 
 notorious properties. 
 
 (I. XrjO'qv 
 2. Svaaaeiav 
 3. a^poavvnv 
 4. ijfipiv. 
 The first, forgetfulnes of all good thinges learned before : 
 (-.^^ggg the second, dulnes to receyue either learnyng or 
 
 why men honestie euer after : the third, a mynde embracing 
 
the brynging vp of youth. 227 
 
 lightlie the worse opinion, and baren of discretion returne out 
 to make trewe difference betwixt good and ill, °flt^li«' 
 betwixt troth, and vanitie, the fourth, a proude nedand 
 disdainfulnes of other good me, in all honest worse ma- 
 matters. Homere and Plato, haue both one "^'^^'^• 
 meanyng, looke both to one end. For, if a ma p","^'^- ^^^ \ 
 inglutte himself with vanitie, or waiter in filthi- ned and^ex- 
 nes like a Swyne, all learnyng, all goodnes, is pounded, 
 sone forgotten : Than, quicklie shall he becum A Sw)me. 
 a dull Asse, to vnderstand either learnyng or An Asse. 
 honestie : and yet shall he be as sutle as a Foxe, A Foxe. 
 in breedyng of mischief, in bringyng in misorder, 
 with a busie head, a discoursing tog, and a factious harte, in 
 euery priuate affaire, in all matters of state, with this pretie 
 propertie, alwayes glad to commend the worse icjipoaiv-n, 
 partie, and euer ready to defend the falser Q"id, et 
 opinio. And why ? For, where will is giue ^ 
 from goodnes to vanitie, the mynde is sone caryed from right 
 iudgement, to any fond opinion, in Religion, in Philosophie, or 
 any other kynde of learning. The fourth fruite of vaine 
 pleasure, by Homer and Platos iudgement, is pride .,. 
 m them selues, contempt oi others, the very 
 badge of all those that serue in Circes Court. The trewe 
 meenyng of both Homer and Plato, is plainlie declared in one 
 short sentence of the holy Prophet of God 
 Hieremie, crying out of the vaine & vicious life cTp"^ 
 of the Israelites. This people (sayth he) be 
 fooles and dulhedes to all goodnes, but sotle, cunning and 
 bolde, in any mischiefe. &c. 
 
 The true medicine against the inchantmentes of Circes, 
 the vanitie of licencious pleasure, the inticementes of all sinne, 
 is, in Homere, the herbe Moly, with the blacke roote, and white 
 flooer, sower at the first, but sweete in the end : which, 
 Hesiodus termeth the study of vertue, hard and . 
 
 irksome in the beginnyng, but in the end, easie (j/^j°tu"e. 
 and pleasant. And that, which is most to be 
 marueled at, the diuine Poete Homere sayth plainlie that this 
 medicine against sinne and vanitie, is not found jjomerus, 
 out by man, but giuen and taught by God. And diuinus 
 for some one sake, that will haue delite to read Poeta. 
 
 p 2 
 
228 'The first booke teachyng 
 
 that sweete and Godlie Verse, I will recite the very wordes of 
 Homere and also turne them into rude English metre. 
 
 ')(aXe.'irov Se r opvaveuv 
 avSpd<Ti ye 0vi^Tot<ri, deal Se re iravra Svvavrai. 
 
 In English thus. 
 
 No mortall ma, with sweat of browe, or toile of minde. 
 But onely God, who can do all, that herhe doth finde. 
 
 Plato also, that diuine Philosopher, hath many Godly 
 medicines agaynst the poyson of vayne pleasure, in many 
 places, but specially in his Epistles to Dionisius the tyrant of 
 
 Sicilie : yet agaynst those, that will nedes becum 
 jjjq' beastes, with seruyng of Circes, the Prophet 
 
 Psal qi Dauid, crieth most loude, Nolite fieri sicut equus et 
 
 mulus : and by and by giueth the right medi- 
 cine, the trewe herbe Moly, In camo & freno maxillas 
 eorum constringe, that is to say, let Gods grace be the bitte, 
 let Gods feare be the bridle, to stay them from runnyng head- 
 long into vice, and to turne them into the right way agayne. 
 
 Dauid in the second Psalme after, giueth the 
 
 same medicine, but in these plainer wordes, 
 Diuerte a malo, iS fac bonum. But I am afFraide, that ouer 
 many of our trauelers into Italie, do not exchewe the way to 
 Circes Court : but go, and ryde, and runne, and flie thether, 
 they make great hast to cum to her : they make great sute to 
 serue her : yea, I could point out some with my finger, that 
 neuer had gone out of England, but onelie to serue Circes, in 
 Italie. Vanitie and vice, and any licence to ill liuyng in 
 England was counted stale and rude vnto them. And so, beyng 
 ' Mules and Horses before they went, returned verie Swyne and 
 Asses home agayne : yet euerie where verie Foxes with suttle 
 
 and busie heades ; and where they may, verie 
 Picture^of wolues, with cruell malicious hartes. A mer- 
 
 a knight of uelous monster, which, for filthines of liuyng, for 
 Circes dulnes to learning him selfe, for wilinesse in 
 
 °" ■ dealing with others, for malice in hurting without 
 
 cause, should carie at once in one bodie, the belie of a Swyne, 
 the head of an Asse, the brayne of a Foxe, the wombe of 
 a wolfe. If you thinke, we iudge amisse, and write to sore 
 
the brynging vp of youth. 
 
 229 
 
 The Ita- 
 lias iudge- 
 ment of ' 
 Englishme 
 brought vp 
 in Italie. 
 
 lian diffa- 
 meth him 
 selfe, to 
 shame the 
 Englishe 
 man. 
 
 against you, heare, what the Italian sayth of the English man, 
 
 what the master reporteth of the scholar: who 
 
 vttereth playnlie, what is taught by him, and what 
 
 learned by you, saying, Engkse Italianato, e vn 
 
 diaholo incarnato, that is to say, you remaine men 
 
 in shape and facion, but becum deuils in life 
 
 and condition. This is not, the opinion of one, 
 
 for some priuate spite, but the iudgement of all, in a common 
 
 Prouerbe, which riseth, of that learnyng, and those maners, 
 
 which you gather in Italie : a good Scholehouse -pijg j^^, 
 
 of wholesome doctrine : and worthy Masters of 
 
 commendable Scholers, where the Master had 
 
 rather difFame hym selfe for hys teachyng, than 
 
 not shame his Scholar for his learning. A good 
 
 nature of the maister, and faire conditions of the 
 
 scholers. And now chose you, you Italian English men, 
 
 whether you will be angrie with vs, for calling you monsters, 
 
 or with the Italianes, for callyng you deuils, or else with your 
 
 owne selues, that take so much paines, and go so farre, to make 
 
 your selues both. If some yet do not well vnder- ^„ £„g. 
 
 stand, what is an English man .Italianated, I will Ush man 
 
 plainlie tell him. He, that by liuing, & trauelirig J^^^'^"^" 
 
 in Italie^ bringeth home into Englad out of Italie, 
 
 the Religion, the learning, the policie, the experiece, the maners 
 
 of Italie. That is to say, for Religion, 
 
 Papistrie or worse : for learnyng, lesse 
 
 commonly than they caried out with 
 
 them: for pollicie, a factious hart, a 
 
 discoursing head, a mynde to medle in The-( 
 
 all mens matters: for experience, 
 
 plentie of new mischieues neuer 
 
 knowne in England before : for maners, 
 
 varietie of vanities, and chaunge of 
 
 filthy lyuing. These be the inchantementes of Circes, brought 
 
 out of Italie, to marre mens maners in England : much, by 
 
 example of ill life, but more by preceptes of fonde j^^^^^ 
 
 bookes of late translated out of Italian mto bokes tras- 
 
 English, sold in euery shop in London, com- l|^edmto 
 
 mended by honest titles the soner to corrupt 
 
 honest maners : dedicated ouer boldlie to vertuous and honor- 
 
 /I Religion. 1 
 
 Learn- 
 ing. 
 
 Pollicie, 
 
 Experi- 
 ence. 
 
 \5 Maners. 
 
 Vgotten in 
 Italie. 
 
230 'The first booke teachyng 
 
 able personages, the easielier to begile simple and innocet wittes. 
 ^^^ It is pitie, that those, which haue authoritie and 
 
 '^^ charge, to allow and dissalow bookes to be printed, 
 
 be no more circumspect herein, than they are. Ten Sermons 
 at Paules Crosse do not so moch good for mouyng me to trewe 
 doctrine, as one of those bookes do harme, with inticing men 
 to ill liuing. Yea, I say farder, those bookes, tend not so moch 
 to corrupt honest liuyng, as they do, to subuert trewe Religion. 
 Mo Papistes be made, by your mery bookes of Italie, than by 
 your earnest bookes of Louain. And bicause our great 
 Phisicians, do winke at the matter, and make no counte of this 
 sore, I, though not admitted one of their felowshyp, yet hauyng 
 bene many yeares a prentice to Gods trewe Religion, and trust 
 to continewe a poore iorney man therein all dayes of my life, 
 for the dewtie I owe, & loue I beare, both to trewe doctrine, 
 and honest liuing, though I haue no authoritie to amend the 
 sore my selfe, yet I will declare my good will, to discouer the 
 sore to others. 
 
 S. Paul saith, that sectes and ill opinions, be the workes of 
 
 . , „ . the flesh, and frutes of sinne, this is spoken, no 
 
 more trewlie for . the doctrine, than sensiblie for 
 
 the reason. And why ? For, ill doinges, breed ill thinkinges. 
 
 And of corrupted maners, spryng peruerted iudgfimentes. And 
 
 how ? there be in man two speciall 
 thinges : Mans will, mans mynde. 
 Where will inclineth to goodnes, 
 the mynde is bent to troth : Where will is caried from goodnes 
 to vanitie, the mynde is sone drawne from troth to false 
 opinion. And so, the readiest way to entangle the mynde with 
 false doctrine, is first to intice the will to wanton liuyng. 
 Therfore, when the busie and open Papistes abroad, could not, 
 by their contentious bookes, turne men in England fast enough, 
 from troth and right iudgement in doctrine, than the sutle and 
 ^^^ secrete Papistes at home, procured bawdie bookes 
 
 ■^-^ to be translated out of the Italian tonge, whereby 
 
 ouer many yong willes and wittes allured to wantonnes, do now 
 boldly contemne all seuere bookes that sounde to honestie and 
 godlines. In our forefathers tyme, whan Papistrie, as a standyng 
 poole, couered and ouerflowed all England, fewe bookes were 
 read in our tong, sauyng certaine bookes of Cheualrie, as they 
 
 Voluntas 1 cBonum. 
 
 !■ Respicit J 
 Mens J [Verum. 
 
the brynging vp of youth. 231 
 
 sayd, for pastime and pleasure, which, as some say, were made 
 in Monasteries, by idle Menkes, or wanton Chanons : as one 
 for example, Morte Arthure : the whole pleasure Morte Ar- 
 of which booke standeth in two speciall poyntes, thur. 
 in open mans slaughter, and bold bawdrye: In which booke 
 those be counted the noblest Knightes, that do kill most men 
 without any quarell, and commit fowlest aduoulteries by 
 sutlest shiftes : as Sir Launcelote, with the wife of king Arthure 
 his master : Syr Tristram with the wife of king Marke bis 
 vncle : Syr Lamer ocke with the- wife of king Lote^ 
 that was his own aunte. This is good stuffe, for ^^ . 
 
 wise men to laughe at, or honest men to take pleasure at. Yet 
 I know, when Gods Bible was banished the Court, and Morte 
 Arthure receiued into the Princes chamber. What toyes, the 
 dayly readyng of such a booke, may worke in the will of a yong 
 ientleman, or a yong mayde, that liueth welthelie and idlelie, 
 wise men can iudge, and honest me do pitie. And yet ten 
 Morte Arthures do not the tenth part so much harme, as one of 
 these bookes, made in Italic, and translated in ,_-^ 
 
 England. They open, not fond and common ^"^ 
 
 wayes to vice, but such subtle, cunnyng, new, and diuerse 
 shiftes, to cary yong willes to vanitie, and yong wittes to ! 
 mischief, to teach old bawdes new schole poyntes, as the simple 
 head of an English man is not hable to inuent, nor neuer was 
 hard of in England before, yea when Papistrie ouerflowed all. 
 Suffer these bookes to be read, and they shall soone displace all 
 bookes of godly learnyng. For they, carying the will to 
 vanitie, and marryng good maners, shall easily .^^ 
 
 corrupt the mynde with ill opinions, and false ^^ 
 
 iudgement in doctrine : first, to thinke ill of all trewe Religion, 
 and at last to thinke nothyng of God hym selfe, one speciall 
 pointe that is to be learned in Italic, and Italian _^ 
 
 bookes. And that which is most to be lamented, 
 and therfore more nedefull to be looked to, there be moe of 
 these vngratious bookes set out in Printe within these fewe 
 monethes, than haue bene sene in England many score yeare 
 before. And bicause our English men made Italians, can not 
 hurt but certaine persons, and in certaine places, therfore these 
 Italian bookes are made English, to bryng mischief enough 
 
232 'The first booke teachyng 
 
 openly and boldly, to all states great and meane, yong and old, 
 cuery where. 
 
 And thus yow see, how will intised to wantonnes, doth 
 easelie allure the mynde to false opinions: and how corrupt 
 maners in liuinge, breede false iudgement in doctrine: how sinne 
 .and fleshlines, bring forth sectes and heresies: And therefore 
 suffer not vaine bookes to breede vanitie in mens willes, if yow 
 would haue Goddes trothe take roote in mens myndes. 
 
 That Italian, that first inuented the Italian Prouerbe 
 against our Englishe men Italianated, ment no more their 
 The Ita- vanitie in liuing, than their lewd opinion in 
 
 lian pro- Religion. For, in calling them Deuiles, he carieth 
 
 uerbe ex- them cleane from God : and yet he carieth them 
 
 pounded. ^^ farder, than they willinglie go themselues, 
 
 that is, where they may freely say their mindes, to the open 
 contempte of God and all godlines, both in liuing and doctrine. 
 
 And how? I will expresse how, not by a Fable of Homer e^ 
 nor by the Philosophie of Plato^ but by a plaine troth of 
 Goddes word, sensiblie vttered by Dauid thus. Thies men, 
 ahhominabiles faifi in studij's suts, thinke verily, and singe 
 gladlie the verse before. Dixit insipiens in Corde sua, non est 
 p Deus: that is to say, they geuing themselues vp to 
 
 vanitie, shakinge of the motions of Grace, driuing 
 from them the feare of God, and running headlong into all 
 sinne, first, lustelie contemne God, than scornefullie mocke his 
 worde, and also spitefullie hate and hurte all well willers 
 thereof. Than they haue in more reuerence, the triumphes of 
 Petrarche: than the Genesis of Moses: They make more 
 accounte of Tullies offices, than S. Paules epistles : of a tale in 
 ' Bocace, than a storie of the Bible. Than they counte as 
 Fables, the holie misteries of Christian Religion. They make 
 Christ and his Gospell, onelie serue Ciuill pollicie: Than 
 neyther Religion cummeth amisse to them : In tyme they be 
 Promoters of both openlie: in place againe mockers of both 
 priuilie, as I wrote once in a rude ryme. 
 
 Now new, now olde, now bothy now neither^ 
 
 To serue the worldes course, they care not with whether. 
 
 For where they dare, in cumpanie where they like, they 
 
the brynging vp of youth. 233 
 
 boldlie laughe to scorne both protestant and Papist. They 
 care for no scripture: They make no coute of generall 
 councels : they contene the consent of the Chirch : They passe 
 for no Doctores: They mocke the Pope: They raile on Luther: 
 They allow neyther side : They like none, but onelie 
 themselues : The marke they shote at, the ende they looke for, 
 the heauen they desire, is onelie, their owne present pleasure,' 
 and priuate proffit : whereby, they plainlie declare, of whose 
 schole, of what Religion they be : that is, Epicures in liuing, \ 
 and dQeoL in doctrine : this last worde, is no more vnknowne 
 now to plaine Englishe men, than the Person was vnknown 
 somtyme in England, vntill som Englishe man tooke peines, to 
 fetch that deuelish opinion out of Italic. Thies men, thus 
 Italianated abroad, can not abide our Godlie T^e Ita- 
 Italian Chirch at home : they be not of that Ha Chirche 
 Parish, they be not of that felowshyp : they like ™ London. 
 not y' preacher: they heare not his sermons: Excepte som- 
 tymes for copanie, they cum thither, to heare the Italian tonge ; 
 naturally spoken, not to hear Gods doctrine trewly preached. 
 
 And yet, thies men, in matters of Diuinitie, openlie pretend 
 a great knowledge, and haue priuatelie to them selues, a verie 
 compendious vnderstanding of all, which neuertheles they will 
 vtter when and where they liste : And that is this : All the 
 misteries of Moses, the whole lawe and Cerimonies, the 
 J'salmes and Prophetes, Christ and his Gospell, GOD and the 
 Deuill, Heauen and Hell, Faith, Conscience, Sinne, Death, and 
 all they shortlie wrap vp, they quickly expounde with this one 
 halfe verse of Horace. 
 
 Credat ludaus Appella. 
 
 Yet though in Italic they may freely be of no Religion, as 
 they are in Englande in verie deede to, neuerthelesse returning 
 home into England they must countenance the profession of 
 the one or the other, howsocuer inwardlie, they laugh to 
 scorne both. And though, for their priuate matters they can 
 follow, fawne, and flatter noble Personages, contrarie to them 
 in all respectes, yet commonlie they allie them- p^pj^j^g 
 selues with the worst Papistes, to whom they be and impie- 
 wedded, and do well agree togither in three tie agree in 
 proper opinions: In open contempte of Goddes J,^^^"?'"'" ' 
 worde: in a secret securitie of sinne: and in 
 
234 T^he first booke teachyng 
 
 a bloodie desire to haue all taken away, by sword or burning, 
 
 . that be not of their faction. They that do 
 
 igiiis. read, with indifferent iudgement, Pygius and 
 
 Machiaue- Machiauel, two indifferent Patriarches of thies 
 
 two Religions, do know full well that I say trewe. 
 Ye see, what manners and doctrine, our Englishe men fetch 
 out of Italic: For finding no other there, they can bring no 
 Wise and other hither. And therefore, manie godlie and 
 
 honest tra- excellent learned Englishe men, not manie yeares 
 
 uelers. ^g^^ jjj make a better choice, whan open crueltie 
 
 draue them out of this contrie, to place themselues there, where 
 _ . Christes doctrine, the feare of God, punishment 
 
 of sinne, and discipline of honestie, were had in 
 speciall regarde. 
 
 I was once in Italie my selfe: but I thanke God, my 
 
 abode there, was but ix. dayes: And yet I sawe 
 
 in that litle tyme, in one Citie, more libertie to 
 sinne, than euer I hard tell of in our noble Citie of London in 
 - , ix. yeare. I sawe, it was there, as free to sinne, 
 
 riot onelie without all punishment, but also 
 without any mans marking, as it is free in the Citie of London, 
 to chose, without all blame, whether a man lust to weare Shoo 
 or pantocle. And good cause why : For being vnlike in troth 
 of Religion, they must nedes be vnlike in honestie of liuing. 
 Seruice of ■^°'' blessed be Christ, in our Citie of London, 
 
 God in commonlie the commandementes of God, be more 
 
 England. diligentlie taught, and the seruice of God more 
 
 reuerentlie vsed, and that daylie in many priuate mens houses, 
 Seruice of ^^^^ ^^^Y ^^ '" Italie orice a weeke in their 
 
 God in I- common Chirches : where, masking Ceremonies, 
 
 '^^'s- to delite the eye, and vaine soundes, to please 
 
 the eare, do quite thrust out of the Chirches, all seruice of 
 The Lord ^^^ '" spirit and troth. Yea, the Lord Maior 
 
 Maior of of London, being but a* Ciuill officer, is com- 
 
 London. monlie for his tyme, more diligent, in punishing 
 
 sinne, the bent enemie against God and good order, than all 
 •pjjg j„. the bloodie Inquisitors in Italie be in seauen yeare. 
 
 quisitors in For, their care and charge is, not to punish 
 ^'^'■^ sinne, not to amend manners, not to purge 
 
 doctrine, but onelie to watch and ouersee that Christes trewe 
 
the brynging vp of youth. 235 
 
 Religion set no sure footing, where the Pope hath any 
 lunsdiction. I learned, when I was at Venice, that there it is 
 counted good pollicie, when there be foure or fiue 
 brethren of one familie, one, onelie to marie • & Anungod- 
 all the rest, to waulter, with as litle shame, in ''^P°"'"=- 
 open lecherie, as Swyne do here in the common myre. Yea, 
 there be as fayre houses of Religion, as great prouision, as 
 diligent officers, to kepe vp this misorder, as Bridewell is, and 
 all the Masters there, to kepe downe misorder. And therefore, 
 if the Pope himselfe, do not onelie graunt pardons to furder 
 thies wicked purposes abrode in Italie, but also (although this 
 present Pope, in the beginning, made som shewe of misliking 
 thereof) assigne both meede and merite to the maintenance of 
 stewes and brothelhouses at home in Rome, than let wise men 
 thinke Italie a safe place for holsom doctrine, and godlie 
 manners, and a fitte schole for yong ientlemen of England to 
 be brought vp in. 
 
 Our Italians bring home with them other faultes from 
 Italie, though not so great as this of Religion, yet a great deale 
 greater, tha many good men can well beare. For commonlie 
 they cum home, common contemners of mariage 
 and readie persuaders of all other to the same : Contempt 
 not because they loue virginiticj nor yet because 
 they hate prettie yong virgines, but, being free in Italie, to go 
 whither so euer lust will cary them, they do not like, that lawe 
 and honestie should be soch a barre to their like libertie at 
 home in England. And yet they be, the greatest makers of 
 loue, the daylie daliers, with such pleasant wordes, with such 
 smilyng and secret countenances, with such signes, tokens, 
 wagers, purposed to be lost, before they were purposed to be 
 made, with bargaines of wearing colours, floures, and herbes, 
 to breede occasion of ofter meeting of him and her, and bolder 
 talking of this and that &c. And although I haue scene some, 
 innocent of all ill, and stayde in all honestie, that haue vsed 
 these thinges without all harme, without all suspicion of harme, 
 yet these knackes were brought first into England by them, 
 that learned the before in Italie in Circes Court : and how 
 Courtlie curtesses so euer they be counted now, yet, if the 
 meaning and maners of some that do vse them, were somewhat 
 
236 T^he first booke teachyng 
 
 amended, it were no great hurt, neither to them selues, nor to 
 others. 
 
 An other propertie of this our English Italians is, to be 
 meruelous singular in all their matters: Singular in knowledge, 
 ignorant of nothyng: So singular in wisedome (in their owne 
 opinion) as scarse they counte the best Counsellor the Prince 
 hath, comparable with them : Common discoursers of all' 
 matters: busie searchers of most secret affaires: open flatterers 
 of great men : priuie mislikers of good men : Faire speakers, 
 with smiling countenaces, and much curtessie openlie to all 
 men. Ready bakbiters, sore nippers, and spitefull reporters 
 priuilie of good men. And beyng brought vp in Italie, in some 
 free Citie, as all Cities be there: where a man may freelie 
 discourse against what he will, against whom he lust: against 
 any Prince, agaynst any gouernement, yea against God him 
 selfe, and his whole Religion : where he must be, either 
 Guelphe or Gihiline, either French or Spanish : and alwayes 
 compelled to be of some partie, of some faction, he shall neuer 
 be compelled to be of any Religion : And if he medle not ouer 
 much with Christes true Religion, he shall haue free libertie to 
 embrace all Religions, and becum, if he lust at once, without 
 any let or punishment, Jewish, Turkish, Papish, and Deuillish. 
 
 A yong lentleman, thus bred vp in this goodly schole, to 
 learne the next and readie way to sinne, to haue a busie head, 
 a factious hart, a talkatiue tonge, fed with discoursing of 
 factions: led to contemne God and his Religion, shall cum 
 home into England, but verie ill taught, either to be an honest 
 man him self, a quiet subiect to his Prince, or willyng to serue 
 God, vnder the obedience of trewe doctrine, or within the 
 order of honest liuing. 
 
 I know, none will be offended with this my generall 
 writing, but onelie such, as finde them selues giltie priuatelie 
 therin: who shall haue good ieaue to be offended with me, 
 vntill they begin to amende them selues, I touch not them 
 that be good : and I say to litle of them that be nought. And 
 so, though not enough for their deseruing, yet sufficientlie for 
 this time, and more els when, if occasion so require. 
 
 And thus farre haue I wandred from my first purpose of 
 teaching a child, yet not altogether out of the way, bicause 
 
the brynging vp of youth. 237 
 
 this whole tauike hath tended to the onelie aduauncement of 
 trothe in Religion, and honestie of liuing : and hath bene wholie | 
 within the compasse of learning and good maners, the speciall ' 
 pointes belonging in the right bringyng vp of youth. 
 
 But to my matter, as I began, plainlie and simplie 
 with my yong Scholer, so will I not leaue him, 
 God willing, vntill I haue brought him a per- 
 fite Scholer out of the Schole, and placed 
 him in the Vniuersitie, to becum a fitte 
 student, for Logicke and Rhetoricke: 
 and so after to Phisicke, Law, or 
 Diuinitie, as aptnes of na- 
 ture, aduise of frendes, and 
 Gods disposition shall 
 lead him. 
 
 The ende of the first hooke. 
 
p^ The second booke. 
 
 AFter that your scholer, as I sayd before, shall cum in 
 ^ deede, first, to a readie perfitnes in translating, than, to a 
 ripe and skilfull choice in markyng out hys sixe pointes, as, 
 
 / 1 . Proprium. 
 
 2. Tramlatum. 
 
 3. Synonymum. 
 
 14. Contrarium. 
 5. Diuersum. 
 6. Phrases. 
 
 Than take this order with him : Read dayly vnto him, 
 
 some booke of Tullie, as the third booke of 
 
 Epistles chosen out by Sturmius, de Amicitia., 
 
 de Seneifute^ or that excellent Epistle conteinyng almost the 
 
 _ ^. whole first booke ad O. fra: some Comedie of 
 
 ' Terence or Plautus: but in Plautus, skilfull choice 
 
 must be vsed by the master, to traine his Scholler 
 
 to a iudgement, in cutting out perfitelie ouer old and vnproper 
 
 wordes : Cas. Commentaries are to be read with 
 
 all curiositie, in specially without all exception to 
 
 be made, either by frende or foe, is scene, the vnspotted 
 
 proprietie of the Latin tong, euen whan it was, as the Grecians 
 
 say, in aK/Juy, that is, at the hiest pitch of all perfitenesse : or 
 
 „ , . . some Orations of T. Liuius, such as be both longest 
 
 and plamest. 
 
 These bookes, I would haue him read now, a good deale at 
 
 euery lecture : for he shall not now vse dalie translation, but 
 
 onely construe againe, and parse, where ye suspect, is any nede: 
 
 yet, let him not omitte in these bookes, his former exercise, in 
 
'The ready way to the Latin tong. 239 
 
 marking diligently, and writyng orderlie out his six pointes. 
 And for translating, vse you your selfe, euery second or thyrd 
 day, to chose out, some Epistle ad Atticum, some notable 
 common place out of his Orations, or some other part of 
 Tullie, by your discretion, which your scholer may not know 
 where to finde: and translate it you your selfe, into plaine 
 naturall English, and than giue it him to translate into Latin 
 againe : allowyng him good space and tyme to do it, both with 
 diligent heede, and good aduisement. Here his witte shalbe 
 new set on worke: his iudgement, for right choice, trewlie 
 tried: his memorie, for sure reteyning, better exercised, than 
 by learning, any thing without the booke: & here, how much 
 he hath proffited, shall plainly appeare. Whan he bringeth it 
 translated vnto you, bring you forth the place of Tullie: lay 
 them together : compare the one with the other : commend his 
 good choice, & right placing of wordes : Shew his faultes iently, 
 but blame them not ouer sharply : for, of such missings, ientlie 
 admonished of, proceedeth glad & good heed taking: of good 
 heed taking, springeth chiefly knowledge, which after, groweth 
 to perfitnesse, if this order, be diligentlie vsed by the scholer & 
 iently handled by the master: for here, shall all the hard 
 pointes of Gramer, both easely and surelie be learned vp: 
 which, scholers in common scholes, by making of Latines, be 
 groping at, with care & feare, & yet in many yeares, they 
 scarse can reach vnto them. I remember, whan I was yong, 
 in the North, they went to the Grammer schole, litle children : 
 they came from thence great lubbers: alwayes learning, andi 
 litle profiting : learning without booke, euery thing, vnder- i 
 stadyng within the booke, litle or nothing : Their whole 
 knowledge, by learning without the booke, was tied onely to 
 their tong & lips, and neuer asceded vp to the braine & head, 
 and therfore was sone spitte out of the mouth againe : They 
 were, as men, alwayes goyng, but euer out of the way: and 
 why? For their whole labor, or rather great toyle without 
 order, was euen vaine idlenesse without proffit. In deed, 
 they tooke great paynes about learning: but employed small 
 labour in learning: Whan by this way prescribed in this 
 booke, being streight, plaine, & easie, the scholer is alwayes 
 laboring with pleasure, and euer going right on forward with 
 proffit: Alwayes laboring I say, for, or he haue costrued 
 
240 'The second booke teachyng 
 
 parced, twise traslated ouer by good aduisetnet, marked out 
 his six pointes by skilful! iudgement, he shall haue necessarie 
 occasion, to read ouer euery lecture, a dosen tymes, at the 
 least. Which, bicause he shall do alwayes in order, he shall do 
 it alwayes with pleasure : And pleasure allureth loue : loue hath 
 lust to labor: labor alwayes obteineth his purpose, as most 
 ^, . trewly, both Aristotle in his Rhetoricke & Oedipus 
 
 Rhet. 1 -07 ;j U • r, \l ' , 
 
 InOedip.Tyr. "'' ciophocles do teach, saying, irav yap eKtrovov- 
 Epist lib. 7 fievov &\i(7Ke. et cet. & this oft reading, is the 
 verie right folowing, of that good Counsell, which 
 Plinie doth geue to his frende Fuscus, saying, Multum^ non 
 multa. But to my purpose againe : 
 
 Whan, by this diligent and spedie reading ouer, those 
 forenamed good bokes of TuUie, Terence, Casar, and Liuie, and 
 by this second kinde of translating out of your English, tyme 
 shall breed skill, and vse shall bring perfection, than ye may 
 trie, if you will, your scholer, with the third kinde of translation: 
 although the two first wayes, by myne opinion, be, not onelie 
 sufficent of them selues, but also surer, both for the Masters 
 teaching, and scholers learnyng, than this third way is : Which 
 is thus. Write you in English, some letter, as it were from 
 him to his father, or to some other frende, naturallie, according 
 to the disposition of the child, or some tale, or fable, or plaine 
 narration, according as Aphthonius beginneth his exercises of 
 learning, and let him translate it into Latin againe, abiding in 
 soch place, where no other scholer may prompe him. But yet, 
 vse you your selfe soch discretion for choice therein, as the 
 matter may be within the compas, both for wprdes and 
 sentences, of his former learning and reading. And now 
 take heede, lest your scholer do not better in some point, than 
 you your selfe, except ye haue bene diligentlie exercised in these 
 kindes of translating before : 
 
 I had once a profe hereof, tried by good experience, by 
 a deare frende of myne, whan I came first from Cambrige, to 
 serue the Queenes Maiestie, than Ladie Elizabeth, lying at 
 worthie Syr Ant. Denys in Cheston. lohn Whitneye, a yong 
 ientleman, was my bedfeloe, who willyng by good nature and 
 prouoked by mine aduise, began to learne the Latin tong, after 
 the order declared in this booke. We began after Christmas : 
 I read vnto him Tullie de Amicitia, which he did euerie day 
 
the ready way to the Latin tong. 241 
 
 twise translate, out of Latin into English, and out of English 
 into Latin agayne. About S. Laurence tyde after, to proue 
 how he proffited, I did chose out Torquatus taulke de Amicitia^ 
 in the later end of the first booke de finib. bicause that place 
 was, the same in matter, like in wordes and phrases, nigh to 
 the forme and facion of sentences, as he had learned before in 
 de Amicitia. I did translate it my selfe into plaine English, 
 and gaue it him to turne into Latin : Which he did, so choislie, 
 so orderlie, so without any great misse in the hardest pointes of 
 Grammer, that some, in seuen yeare in Grammer scholes, yea, 
 & some in the Vniuersities to, can not do halfe so well. This 
 worthie yong lentleman, to my greatest grief, to the great 
 lamentation of that whole house, and speciallie to that most 
 noble Ladie, now Queene Elizabeth her selfe, departed within 
 few dayes, out of this world. 
 
 And if in any cause, a man may without offence of God 
 speake somewhat vngodlie, surely, it was some grief vnto me, 
 to see him hie so hastlie to God, as he did. A Court, full of 
 soch yong lentlemen, were rather a Paradise than a Court vpon 
 earth. And though I had neuer Poeticall head, to make any 
 verse, in any tong, yet either loue, or sorow, or both, did wring 
 out of me than, certaine carefiill thoughtes of my good will 
 towardes him, which in my murning for him, fell forth, more 
 by chance, than either by skill or vse, into this kinde of 
 misorderlie meter. 
 
 Myne owne lohn Whitney, now farewell, now death doth parte vs 
 
 twaine, 
 No death, but partyngfor a while, whom life shall ioyne agayne. 
 Therfore my hart cease sighes and sobbes, cease sorowes seede to sow, 
 Wherofno gaine, but greater grief, and hurtfull care may grow. 
 Tet, whan I thinke vpon soch giftes of grace as God him lent. 
 My losse, his gaine, I must a while, with ioyfull teares lament. 
 Tong y ear es to yelde soch frute in Court, where seede of vice is sowne. 
 Is sometime read, in some place scene, amogst vs seldom knowne. 
 His life he ledde, Christes lore to learne, with will to worke the 
 
 same 
 
 He read to know, and knew to Hue, and lined to praise his name. 
 
 So fast tofrende, so foe to few, so good to euery weight, 
 
 I may well wishe, hut scarcelie hope, agayne to haue tn sight. 
 
 Q 
 
242 The second booke teachyng 
 
 The greater ioye Ms life to me, his death the greater payne : 
 His life in Christ so surelie set, doth glad my hearte agayne : 
 His life so good, his death better, do mingle mirth with care. 
 My spirit with ioye, my flesh with grief, so deare a frend to spare. 
 Thus God the good, while they he good, doth take, and leaues vs ill. 
 That we should mend our sinfull life, in life to tary still. 
 Thus, we well left, be better reft, in heauen to take his place. 
 That by like life, and death, at last, we may obteine like grace. 
 Myne owne lohn Whiteney agayne fairewell, a while thus parte in 
 
 twaine. 
 Whom payne doth part in earth, in heauen great ioye shall ioyne 
 
 agayne. 
 
 In this place, or I precede farder, I will now declare, by 
 whose authoritie I am led, and by what reason I am moued, to 
 thinke, that this way of duble translation out of one tong into 
 an other, in either onelie, or at least chiefly, to be exercised, 
 speciallie of youth, for the ready and sure obteining of any 
 tong. 
 
 There be six wayes appointed by the best learned men, for 
 the learning of tonges, and encreace of eloquence, as 
 
 1. Translatio linguarum. 
 
 2. Paraphrasis. 
 
 3. Metaphrasis. 
 
 4. Epitome. 
 
 5. Imitatio. 
 \b. Declamatio. 
 
 All theis be vsed, and commended, but in order, and for 
 respectes : as person, habilitie, place, and tyme shall require. 
 The fiue last, be fitter, for the Master, than the scholer : for 
 men, than for children : for the vniuersities, rather than for 
 Grammer scholes : yet neuerthelesse, which is, fittest in mine 
 opinion, for our schole, and which is, either wholie to be 
 refused, or partlie to be vsed for our purpose, I will, by good 
 authoritie, and some reason, I trust perticularlie of euerie 
 one, and largelie enough of them all, declare orderlie vnto you. 
 
the ready way to the Latin tong. 243 
 
 IF Translatio Linguarum. 
 
 Translation, is easie in the beginning for the scholer, and 
 bringeth also moch learning and great iudgement to the 
 Master. It is most common, and most commendable of all 
 other exercises for youth : most common, for all your con- 
 structions in Grammer scholes, be nothing els but translations : 
 but because they be not double translations, as I do require, 
 they bring forth but simple and single comnloditie, and bicause 
 also they lacke the daily vse of writing, which is the onely 
 thing that breedeth deepe roote, both in ye witte, for good 
 vnderstanding, and in y^ memorie, for sure keeping of all that 
 is learned. Most commedable also, & that by y* iudgemet of 
 all authors, which intreate of theis exercises. 
 Tullie in the person of L. Crassus, whom he 
 maketh his example of eloquence and trewe iudgement in 
 learning, doth, not onely praise specially, and chose this way of 
 translation for a yong man, but doth also discommend and 
 refuse his owne former wont, in exercising Paraphrasin £3" 
 Metaphras'tn. Paraphrasis is, to take some eloquent Oration, 
 or some notable common place in Latin, and expresse it with 
 other wordes : Metaphrasis is, to take some notable place out of 
 a good Poete, and turn the same sens into meter, or into other 
 wordes in Prose. Crassus, or rather Tullie, doth mislike both 
 these wayes, bicause the Author, either Orator or Poete, had 
 chosen out before, the fittest wordes and aptest composition for 
 that matter, and so he, in seeking other, was driuen to vse the 
 worse. 
 
 Quintilian also preferreth translation before all other 
 exercises : yet hauing a lust, to dissent, from q^j^^j. ^ 
 Tullie (as he doth in very many places, if a man 
 read his Rhetoricke ouer aduisedlie, and that rather of an 
 enuious minde, than of any iust cause) doth greatlie commend 
 Paraphrasis, crossing spitefuUie Tullies iudgement in refusing 
 the same : and so do Ramus and Taleeus euen at this day in 
 France to. But such singularitie, in dissenting from the best 
 mens iudgementes, in liking onelie their owne opinions, is 
 moch misliked of all them, that ioyne with learning, discretion, 
 and wisedome. For he, that can neither like Aristotle in 
 Logickc and Philosophic, nor Tullie in Rhetoricke and 
 
 Q2 
 
244 '^^^ second booke teachyng 
 
 Eloquence, will, from these steppes, likelie enough presume, by 
 like pride, to mount hier, to the misliking of greater matters : 
 that is either in Religion, to haue a dissentious head, or in the 
 common wealth, to haue a factious hart : as I knew one 
 a student in Cambrige, who, for a singularitie, began first to 
 dissent, in the scholes, from Aristotle, and sone after became 
 a peruerse Arrian, against Christ and all true Religion : and 
 studied diligentlie Origene, Basi/eus, and S. Hierome, onelie to 
 gleane out of their workes, the pernicious heresies of Celsus, 
 Eunomius, and Hehidius, whereby the Church of Christ, was so 
 poysoned withall. 
 
 But to leaue these hye pointes of diuinitie, surelie, in this 
 quiet and harmeles controuersie, for the liking, or misliking of 
 Paraphrasis for a yong scholer, euen as far, as Tullie goeth 
 beyond Quinti/ian, Ramus, and Talaus, in perfite Eloquence, 
 * Plinius euen so moch, by myne opinion, cum they 
 
 Secundus. behinde Tullie, for trew iudgement in teaching 
 
 tiiiano *Plinius Secundus, a wise Senator, of great 
 
 piaeceptori experiece, excellentlie learned him selfe, a liberall 
 
 suo, in ma- Patrone of learned men, and the purest writer, in 
 
 tnmoniu . . r n i • t 
 
 filise, 50000 myne opmion, of all his age, 1 except not 
 
 numu. Suetonius, his two scholemasters Quintilian and 
 
 Tacitus, nor yet his most excellent learned Vncle, the Elder 
 
 Plinius, doth expresse in an Epistle to his frende 
 Ernst o ''' Fuscus, many good wayes for order in studie : 
 
 but he beginneth with translation, and preferreth 
 it to all the rest : and bicause his wordes be notable, I will 
 recite them. 
 
 Vtile in primis, vt multi pracipiunt, ex Gresco in Latinum, ££f ex 
 Latino vertere in Griscum : Quo genere exercitationis, proprietas 
 splendorh verhorum, apta struSiura sententiarum, figurarum 
 copia y explicandi vis colligitur. Praterea, imitatione optimorum, 
 facultas similia inueniendi paratur : £sf quee legentem, fefellissent, 
 transferentemfugere non possunt. Intelligentia ex hoc, iS iudicium 
 acquiritur. 
 
 Ye perceiue, how Plinie teacheth, that by this exercise of 
 double translating, is learned, easely, sensiblie, by litle and litle, 
 not onelie all the hard congruities of Grammer, the choice of 
 
the ready way to the Latin tong. 245 
 
 aptest wordes, the right framing of wordes and sentences, 
 cumlines of figures and formes, fitte for euerie matter, and 
 proper for euerie tong, but that which is greater also, in marking 
 dayly, and folowing dihgentlie thus, the steppes of the best 
 Autors, like inuention of Argumentes, like order in disposition, 
 like vtterance in Elocution, is easelie gathered vp : whereby 
 your scholer shall be brought not onelie to like eloquence, but 
 also, to all trewe vnderstanding and right iudgement, both for 
 writing and speaking. And where Dionys. Halkarnassaus hath 
 written two excellent bookes, the one, de deleSiu optimorum 
 verborum, the which, I feare, is lost, the other, of the right 
 framing of wordes and sentences, which doth remaine yet in 
 Greeke, to the great profFet of all them, that trewlie studie for 
 eloquence, yet this waie of double translating, shall bring the 
 whole proffet of both these bookes to a diliget scholer, and that 
 easelie and pleasantlie, both for fitte choice of wordes, and apt 
 composition of sentences. And by theis authorities and reasons 
 am I moued to thinke, this waie of double translating, either 
 onelie or chieflie, to be fittest, for the spedy and perfit atteyning 
 of any tong. And for spedy atteyning, I durst venture a good 
 wager, if a scholer, in whom is aptnes, loue, diligence, & 
 constancie, would but translate, after this sorte, one litle booke 
 in Tullie, as de seneiiute, with two Epistles, the first ad Q. fra : 
 the other ad lentulum, the last saue one, in the first booke, that 
 scholer, I say, should cum to a better knowledge in the Latin 
 tong, tha the most part do, that spend foure or fiue yeares, in 
 tossing all the rules of Grammer in common scholes. In deede 
 this one booke with these two Epistles, is not sufficient to 
 aiFourde all Latin wordes (which is not necessarie for a yong 
 scholer to know) but it is able to furnishe him fully, for all 
 pointes of Grammer, with the right placing ordering, & vse of 
 wordes in all kinde of matter. And why not ? for it is read, 
 that Dion. Prussaus, that wise Philosopher, & excellet orator of 
 all his tyme, did cum to the great learning & vtterance that was 
 in him, by reading and folowing onelie two bookes, Phcsdon 
 Platonis, and Demosthenes most notable oration irepl Trapa'Trpetr- 
 ^el,a<i. And a better, and nerer example herein, may be, our ^ 
 most noble Queene Elizabeth, who neuer toke yet, Greeke nor 
 Latin Grammer in her hand, after the first declining of a 
 nowne and a verbe, but onely by this double translating of 
 
246 T'he second booke teachyng 
 
 Demosthenes and hocrates dailie without missing euerie forenone, 
 and likewise som part of Tullie euery afternone, for the space 
 of a yeare or two, hath atteyned to soch a perfite vnderstanding 
 in both the tonges, and to soch a readie vtterance of the latin, 
 and that wyth soch a iudgement, as they be fewe in nomber in 
 both the vniuersities, or els where in England, that be, in both 
 tonges, comparable with her Maiestie. And to conclude in 
 a short rowme, the commodities of double translation, surelie 
 the mynde by dailie marking, first, the cause and matter : than, 
 the wordes and phrases : next, the order and composition : after 
 the reason and argumentes : than the formes and figures of both 
 the tonges : lastelie, the measure and compas of euerie sentence, 
 must nedes, by litle and litle drawe vnto it the like shape of 
 eloquence, as the author doth vse, which is red. 
 
 And thus much for double translation. 
 
 Paraphrasis. 
 
 Paraphrasis, the second point, is not onelie to expresse at 
 large with moe wordes, but to striue and contend 
 (as Quintilian saith) to translate the best latin 
 authors, into other latin wordes, as many or thereaboutes. 
 
 This waie of exercise was vsed first by C. Crabo, and taken 
 vp for a while, by L. Crassus, but sone after, vpon dewe profe 
 thereof, reiected iustlie by Crassus and Cicero : yet allowed and 
 made sterling agayne by JI4. Quintilian : neuerthelesse, shortlie 
 after, by better assaye, disalowed of his owne scholer Plinius 
 Secundus, who termeth it rightlie thus Audax contentio. It is 
 a bold comparison in deede, to thinke to say better, than that is 
 best. Soch turning of the best into worse, is much like the 
 turning of good wine, out of a faire sweete flagon of siluer, into 
 a foule mustie bottell of ledder : or, to turne pure gold and 
 siluer, into foule brasse and copper. 
 
 Soch kinde of Paraphrasis^ in turning, chopping, and 
 changing, the best to worse, either in the mynte or scholes, 
 (though M. Brokke and Quintilian both say the contrary) is 
 moch misliked of the best and wisest men. I can better allow 
 an other kinde of Paraphrasis^ to turne rude and barbarus, into 
 proper and eloquent : which neuerthelesse is an exercise, not 
 fitte for a scholer, but for a perfite master, who in plentie hath 
 
the ready way to the Latin tong. 247 
 
 good choise, in copie hath right iudgement, and grounded skill, 
 as did appeare to be in Sebastian Castalio, in translating Kemppes 
 booke de Imitando Christo. 
 
 But to folow Quintilianus aduise for Paraphrasis, were euen 
 to take paine, to seeke the worse and fowler way, whan the 
 plaine and fairer is occupied before your eyes. 
 
 The olde and best authors that euer wrote, were content 
 if occasion required to speake twise of one matter, not to change 
 the wordes, but pr)Tco<;, that is, worde for worde to expresse it 
 againe. For they thought, that a matter, well expressed with 
 fitte wordes and apt composition, was not to be altered, but 
 liking it well their selues, they thought it would also be well 
 allowed of others. 
 
 A scholemaster (soch one as I require) knoweth that I say 
 trewe. 
 
 He readeth in Homer, almost in euerie booke, and speciallie 
 in Secundo et nono lliados, not onelie som verses, Homtrus. 
 but whole leaues, not to be altered with new, < ,. 
 
 but to be vttered with the old selfe same wordes. 'IX. < 
 
 He knoweth, that Xenophon, writing twise of ' 9- 
 
 Agesilaus, once in his life, againe in the historie Xenopho. 
 of the Greekes, in one matter, kepeth alwayes the selfe same 
 wordes. He doth the like, speaking of Socrates, both in the 
 beginning of his Apologie and in the last ende of dnro/j.vrjfiovev- 
 fidrcov. 
 
 Demosthenes also in 4. Philippka, doth borow his owne 
 wordes vttered before in his oration de Chersoneso. 
 He doth the like, and that more at large, in his f^^°^'' 
 orations, against Androtion and Timocrates. 
 
 In latin also, Cicero in som places, and Firgil in mo, do 
 repeate one matter, with the selfe same wordes. (;^„^^ 
 Thies excellent authors, did thus, not for lacke yi^niius. 
 of wordes, but by iudgement and skill : whatso- 
 euer, other, more curious, and lesse skilfull, do thinke, write, 
 and do. 
 
 Paraphrasis neuerthelesse hath good place in learning, but 
 not, by myne opinion, for any scholer, but is onelie to be left 
 to a perfite Master, eyther to expound openlie a good author 
 withall, or to compare priuatelie, for his owne exercise, how 
 some notable place of an excellent author, may be vttered with 
 
248 T^he second booke teachyng 
 
 other fitte wordes: But if ye alter also, the composition, forme, 
 and order than that is not Paraphrasis, but Imitatio, as I will 
 fullie declare in fitter place. 
 
 The scholer shall winne nothing by Paraphrasis, but onelie, 
 if we may beleue Tullie, to choose worse wordes, to place them 
 out of order, to feare ouermoch the iudgement of the master, to 
 mislike ouermuch the hardnes of learning, and by vse, to gather 
 vp faultes, which hardlie will be left of againe. 
 
 The master in teaching it, shall rather encrease hys owne 
 labor, than his scholers profFet: for when the scholer shall bring 
 vnto his master a peece of Tullie or desar turned into other 
 latin, then must the master cum to Quintiliam goodlie lesson de 
 Emendatione, which, (as he saith) is the most profitable part of 
 teaching, but not in myne opinion, and namelie for youthe in 
 Grammer scholes. For the master nowe taketh double paynes: 
 first, to marke what is amisse : againe, to inuent what may be 
 sayd better. And here perchance, a verie good master may 
 easelie both deceiue himselfe, and lead his scholer into error. 
 
 It requireth greater learning, and deeper iudgement, than is 
 to be hoped for at any scholemasters hand : that is, to be able 
 alwaies learnedlie and perfitelie 
 
 iMutare quod ineptum est: 
 I Transmutare quod peruersum est: 
 ■ Replere quod deest; 
 Detrahere quod obest: 
 ^Expungere quod inane est. 
 
 And that, which requireth more skill, and deaper conside- 
 racion 1 
 
 IPremere tumentia: 
 Extollere humilia: 
 Astringere luxuriant'ia: 
 Componere dissoluta. 
 
 The master may here onelie stumble, and perchance faull in 
 teaching, to the marring and mayning of the Scholer in learning, 
 whan it is a matter, of moch readyng, of great learning, and 
 tried iudgement, to make trewe difference betwixt 
 
the ready way to the Latin tong. 249 
 
 I Sublime, et Tumidum: 
 Grande, et immodicum: 
 Decorum, et ineptum: 
 PerfeSium, et nimium. 
 
 Some men of our time, counted perfite Maisters of eloquence, 
 in their owne opinion the best, in other mens iudgements very 
 good, as Omphalius euerie where, Sadoletus in many places, yea 
 also my frende Osorius, namelie in his Epistle to the Queene & 
 in his whole booke de lusttcia, haue so ouer reached the selues, 
 in making trew difference in the poyntes afore rehearsed, as 
 though they had bene brought vp in some schole in Jsia, to 
 learne to decline rather then in Athens with Plato, Aristotle, and 
 Demosthenes, (from whence Tullie fetched his eloquence) to 
 vnderstand, what in euerie matter, to be spoken or written on, 
 is, in verie deede, Nimium^ Satis, Parum, that is for to say, to 
 all considerations. Decorum, which, as it is the hardest point, in 
 all learning, so is it the fairest and onelie marke, that scholers, in 
 all their studie, must alwayes shote at, if they purpose an other 
 day to be, either sounde in Religion, or wise and discrete in any 
 vocation of the common wealth. 
 
 Agayne, in the lowest degree, it is no low point of learnyng 
 and iudgement for a Scholemaster, to make trewe difference 
 betwixt 
 
 iHumile & depressum: 
 ]Lene ^ remissum: 
 ■ Siccum i^ aridum: 
 Exile y macrum: 
 Inaffedatum ^ negleSlum. 
 
 In these poyntes, some, louing MelanSihon well, as he was 
 well worthie, but yet not considering well nor wiselie, how he 
 of nature, and all his life and studie by iudgement was wholly 
 spent in genere DiscipUnahili, that is, in teaching, reading, and 
 expounding plainlie and aptlie schole matters, and therfore 
 imployed thereunto a fitte, sensible, and caulme kinde of 
 speaking and writing, some I say, with very well louyng, 
 but not with verie well weying Melandhones doinges, 
 do frame them selues a style, cold, leane, and weake, 
 though the matter be neuer so warme & earnest, not moch 
 vnlike vnto one, that had a pleasure, in a roughe, raynie, winter 
 
250 'The second booke teachyng 
 
 day, to clothe him selfe with nothing els, but a demie, bukram 
 
 cassok, plaine without plites, and single with out lyning: which 
 
 will neither beare of winde nor wether, nor yet kepe out the 
 
 sunne, in any bote day. 
 
 Some suppose, and that by good reason, that Melanilhon 
 
 him selfe came to this low kinde of writing-, by 
 
 Paraphra- vsing ouer moch Paraphrasis in reading : For 
 
 SIS in vsc 01 • .ipi 
 
 teaching, Studying therbie to make euerie thmg streight 
 
 hath hurt and easie, in smothing and playning all things to 
 
 Melanch- much, neuer leaueth, whiles the sence it selfe be 
 
 writing. l^ft, both lowse and lasie. And some of those 
 
 Paraphrasis of Melandhon be set out in Printe, as, 
 Pro Archia Poeta, & Marco Marcello : But a scholer, by myne 
 opinion, is better occupied in playing or sleping, than in 
 spendyng time, not onelie vainlie but also harmefuUie, in soch 
 a kinde of exercise. 
 
 If a Master woulde haue a perfite example to folow, how, 
 
 in Genere sublimi, to auoide Nimium, or in Mediocri, to atteyne 
 
 Satis, or in Humili, to exchew Parum, let him read diligently 
 
 . for the first, Secundam Philippicam, for the meane, 
 
 De Natura Deorum, and for the lowest, Partitiones. 
 Or, if in an other tong, ye looke for like example, in like 
 
 perfection, for all those three degrees, read Pro 
 Demost- Ctesiphonte, Ad Leptinem, & Contra Olympiodorum, 
 
 and, what witte, Arte, and diligence is hable to 
 afFourde, ye shall plainely see. 
 
 For our tyme, the odde man to performe all three perfitlie, 
 whatsoeuer he doth, and to know the way to do them skilfullie, 
 
 whan so euer he list, is, in my poore opinion, 
 
 loan, Stur. r c\, ' 
 
 loannes bturmius. 
 
 He also councelleth all scholers to beware of Paraphrasis,, 
 except it be, from worse to better, from rude and barbarous, to 
 proper and pure latin, and yet no man to exercise that neyther, 
 except soch one, as is alreadie furnished with plentie of learning, 
 and grounded with stedfast iudgement before. 
 
 All theis faultes, that thus manie wise men do finde with 
 the exercise of Paraphrasis, in turning the best latin, into other, 
 as good as they can, that is, ye may be sure, into a great deale 
 worse, than it was, both in right choice for proprietie, and trewe 
 placing, for good order is committed also commonlie in all 
 
the ready way to the Latin tong. 251 
 
 common scholes, by the scholemasters, in tossing and trebling 
 yong wittes (as I sayd in the beginning) with that boocherlie 
 feare m making of Latins. 
 
 Therefore, in place, of Latines for yong scholers, and of 
 Paraphrasts for the masters, I wold haue double translation 
 specially vsed. For, in double translating a perfite peace of 
 Tullte or desar, neyther the scholer in learning, nor ye Master 
 m teaching can erre. A true tochstone, a sure metwand lieth 
 before both their eyes. For, all right cogruitie : proprietie of 
 wordes : order in sentences : the right imitation, to inuent good 
 matter, to dispose it in good order, to confirme it with good 
 reason, to expresse any purpose fitlie and orderlie, is learned 
 thus, both easelie & perfitlie : Yea, to misse somtyme in this 
 kinde of translation, bringeth more profFet, than to hit right, 
 either in Paraphrasi or making of Latins. For though ye say 
 well, in a latin making, or in a Paraphasis, yet you being but 
 in doute, and vncertayne whether ye saie well or no, ye gather 
 and lay vp in memorie, no sure frute of learning thereby : But 
 if ye fault in translation, ye ar easelie taught, how perfitlie to 
 amende it, and so well warned, how after to exchew, all soch 
 faultes againe. 
 
 Paraphrasis therefore, by myne opinion, is not meete for 
 Grammex jcholes : nor yet verie fitte for yong men in the 
 vniuersitie, vntill studie and tyme, haue bred in them, perfite 
 learning, and stedfast iudgement. 
 
 There is a kinde of Paraphrasis, which may be vsed, without 
 all hurt, to moch proiFet : but it serueth onely the Greke and 
 not the latin, nor no other tong, as to alter linguam lonicam aut I 
 Doricam into meram Atticam : A notable example there is left 
 vnto vs by a notable learned man Diony : Halicarn : who, in his 
 booke, irepX avvra^ewi, doth translate the goodlie storie of 
 Candaules and Gyges in i. Herodoti, out of lonica lingua, into 
 Atticam. Read the place, and ye shall take, both pleasure and 
 proffet, in conference of it. A man, that is exercised in reading, 
 Thucydides, Xenophon, Plato, and Demosthenes, in vsing to turne, 
 like places of Herodotus, after like sorte, shold shortlie cum to 
 soch a knowledge, in vnderstanding, speaking, and writing the 
 Greeke tong, as fewe or none hath yet atteyned in England. 
 The like exercise out of Dorica lingua may be also vsed, if a 
 man take that litle booke of Plato, Timaus Locrus, de Anitno et 
 
252 'The second booke teachyng 
 
 natura, which is writte Dorke, and turne it into soch Greeke, 
 as Plato vseth in other workes. The booke, is but two leaues : 
 and the labor wold be, but two weekes : but surelie the profFet, 
 for easie vnderstanding, and trewe writing the Greeke tonge, 
 wold conteruaile wyth the toile, that som men taketh, in 
 otherwise coldlie reading that tonge, two yeares. 
 
 And yet, for the latin tonge, and for the exercise of Para- 
 phrasis, in those places of latin, that can not be bettered, if some 
 yong man, excellent of witte, corragious in will, lustie of nature, 
 and desirous to contend euen with the best latin, to better it, if 
 he can, surelie I commend his forwardnesse, and for his better 
 instruction therein, I will set before him, as notable an example 
 of Paraphrasis, as is in Record of learning. Cicero him selfe, 
 doth contend, in two sondrie places, to expresse one matter, 
 with diuerse wordes : and that is Paraphrasis, saith QuintilUan, 
 The matter I suppose, is taken out of Paneetius: and therefore 
 being translated out of Greeke at diuers times, is vttered for his 
 purpose, with diuers wordes and formes: which kinde of exercise, 
 for perfite learned men, is verie profitable. 
 
 2. De Finib. 
 
 a. Homo enim Rationem habet a natura menti datum qua, £sf 
 causas rerum et consecutiones videt, £sf similitudines, transfert, isf 
 disiunSta coniungit, & cum prissentibus futura copulat, omnemg 
 compleSfkur vita consequentis statum. h. Eadema ratio facit 
 hominem hominum appetentem, cuma his, natura, bf sermons in vsu 
 congruentem : vt profeffus a caritate domesticoru ac suorum, currat 
 longius, &' se implicet, primh Ciuiu, deinde omnium mortalium 
 societati : vta . non sibi soli se natii meminerit, sed patria, sed suis, 
 vt exigua pars ipsi relinquatur. c. Et quonia eadem natura 
 cupiditatem ingenuit homini veri inueniendi, quod facillimh apparet, 
 cum vacui curis, etiam quid in coelo fiat, scire auemus, &c. 
 
 I. OiEciorum. 
 
 a. Homo autem, qui rationis est particeps, per quam conse- 
 quentia cernit, &f causas rerum videt, earuma progressus, et quasi 
 antecessiones non ignorat, similitudines, comparat, rehusa preescntibus 
 adiungit, atg anneStit futuras, facile totius vita cursum videt, ad 
 
the ready way to the Latin tong. 253 
 
 eamque degendam praparat res necessarias. b. Eademg natura vt 
 rationis hominem concUiat homlni, & ad Orationis, W ad vita 
 societatem : ingeneratg imprimis preedpuum quendam amorem in 
 eos, qui procreati sunt, impellitg vt hominum ccetus & celebrari 
 inter se, & sibi ohediri veiit, ob easg causas studeat parare ea, 
 quce suppeditent ad cultum & ad vi£fum, nee sibi soli, sed coniugi, 
 liberis, caterisg quos charos habeat, tuerig debeat. c. Quce cura 
 exsuscitat etiam animos, & maiores ad rem gerendam facit : impri- 
 misg hominis est propria veri inquisitio atg inuestigatio : ita cum 
 sumus neceffarijs negocijs curisg vacui, turn auemus aliquid videre, 
 audire, addiscere, cognitionemg rerum mirabilium. is'c. 
 
 The conference of these two places, conteinyng so excellent 
 a peece of learning, as this is, expressed by so worthy a witte, 
 as Tullies was, must needes bring great pleasure and proffit to 
 him, that maketh trew counte, of learning and honestie. But 
 if we had the Greke Author, the first Patterne of all, and therby 
 to see, how Tullies witte did worke at diuerse tymes, how, out 
 of one excellent Image, might be framed two other, one in face 
 and fauor, but somwhat differing in forme, figure, and color, 
 surelie, such a peece of workemanship compared with the 
 Paterne it selfe, would better please the ease of honest, wise, 
 and learned myndes, tha two of the fairest Venusses, that euer 
 Apelles made. 
 
 And thus moch, for all kinde of Paraphrasis, fitte or vnfit, 
 for Scholers or other, as I am led to thinke, not onelie, by mine 
 owne experience, but chiefly by the authoritie & iudgement of 
 those, whom I my selfe would gladliest folow, and do counsell 
 all myne to do the same : not contendyng with any other, that 
 will otherwise either thinke or do. 
 
 Metaphrasis. 
 
 This kinde of exercise is all one with Paraphrasis, saue it is 
 out of verse, either into prose, or into some other kinde of 
 meter : or els, out of prose into verse, which was 
 Socrates exercise and pastime (as Plato reporteth) pi^done. 
 when he was in prison, to translate Msopes Fabules 
 into verse. Quintilian doth greatlie praise also this exercise: 
 but bicause Tullie doth disalow it in yong men, by myne 
 opinion, it were not well to vse it in Grammcr Scholes, euen 
 
254 T^he second booke teachyng 
 
 for the selfe same causes, that be recited against Paraphrasis. 
 And therfore, for the vse, or misuse of it, the same is to be 
 thought, that is spolcen of Paraphrasis before. This was 
 Sulpitius exercise: and he gathering vp therby, a Poeticall kinde 
 of talke, is iustlie named of Cicero, grandis et Tragicus Orator: 
 which I think is spoken, not for his praise, but for other mens 
 warning, to exchew the like faulte. Yet neuertheles, if our 
 Scholemaster for his owne instruction, is desirous, to see a 
 perfite example hereof, I will recite one, which I thinke, no 
 man is so bold, will say, that he can amend it: & that is 
 Chrises the Priestes Oration to the Grekes, in the 
 ■ ■ ' beginnyng of Homers Ilias, turned excellentlie 
 "" ^' '^' into prose by Socrates him selfe, and that aduised- 
 lie and purposelie for other to folow : and therfore he calleth 
 this exercise, in the same place, /j^i/irjaii;, that is, Imitatio, which 
 is most trew : but, in this booke, for teachyng sake, I will name 
 it Metaphrasis, reteinyng the word, that all teachers, in this 
 case, do vse. 
 
 Homerus. I. 'IXtaS. 
 
 o 7a.j0 rfK,9e 0oa^ eirl vrjav 'Ayai&v, 
 \v<76fiev6<; re Ovyarpa, (pepwv t airepeiat avoiva, 
 a-Tefi,/j,aT 'i'xwv ev y^epcrip eKr^^oXov 'AttoWcoj/o?, 
 Xpvcreq} ava (TKriirTpcp- Koi e\.ia-(r€TO Trdvra^ 'A')(aiov^, 
 ArpeiSa Se iJ,d\i<rra Svcn, Koa-fjuijTope Xa&v. 
 
 ArpelBat, re, koX aXKoi iiJicvT]fiiB€<; 'A')(aiol, 
 vfiiv fikv Qeol Soiev, '0Xvfj,7ria Bcofiar e')(ovTe<;, 
 eKirepaai lipid fioco iroXiv, ev S' oi/caB' iKetrdau' 
 TTolBa B' ifiol Xvcrai re <f>iXT)v, to. t diroiva Be')(e<T6ai, 
 d^ofievoi Ai.09 vioy exfj^oXov ' AiroXKaiva. 
 
 ev6' aSXoi fiev Travre? inrev^p/riaav 'A'^aioi 
 aiBeladai 6^ leprja, koX dyXad Be\dai drroiva' 
 aW' ovK 'ArpeiST) 'Aya/Mefivovt rjvBave dvfiw', 
 dXXd KaKW<! d<f>tei, Kparepov B' iirl (jlv6ov ereXXev. 
 
 fjLrj ae, yepov, KObXr/a-iv iya> irapb, vrjval /ct^^eto), 
 rj vvv BrjOvvovr , ^ varepov aJJrt? lovra, 
 fiij vv TOL ov 'x^paifffir} aKfjiTTpov, KoX arefifia deoco. 
 rr/v B' iyo) oil Xvcrai, irpCv fiiv icaX yripa(; eireuriv, 
 ■^fierepo) evl otxtp, ev "Apytl rrjXoOi irdrpri'; 
 
the ready way to the Latin tong. 255 
 
 i-ffov JtroixoH-^v'nv, koI b/mov \6;)j;o? dvTiowcrav. 
 aXK Wi, (IT) fi ipedi^e- crawTe/JO? &<; Ke verjai. 
 
 m<se<l>aT- ehBeia-ev 8' o yepmv, kuI eireiOeTO iMvQtp- 
 ^fj 8' a/eetoj/ irapa diva ■7ro\v<f>Xoia^oio 6a\a<Tar)<!, ' 
 iroXKa 8' eVetr' airdvevOe Kimv rfpaO' 6 yepaiois 
 AttoXKcovi, avuKTL, rov r]VKOixo<; Texe Atjtco' 
 
 KXvdi fiev, dpyvpoTO^ , o? Xpvcr7)v dfji(j>i^i^7]Ka<i, 
 KiXKav re ^aderjv, TeveSoio re Itfa dvdcra-et.'i, 
 (TfjLLvOev, ei TTore tol yapievr i-jrl vvbv epeylra, 
 ij ei or) TTore roi Kara iruova iMrjpi eKrja 
 ravpmv, ^S aljdov, roSe /jlol Kprjtjvov iiXScop' 
 Tiaeiav Aavaol ifid Sdxpva aolcn ^eKeacriv. 
 
 Socrates in 3. de Rep. saith thus, 
 
 ^pdcrco yap avev fierpov, 
 ov yap el/j.1 ttoitjtiko';. 
 
 ■^ffev 6 Xpvai]^ Trj(; re dvyarpos Xvrpa (pepmv, kol iKerrj'} 
 TCBV 'A-x^atwv, p,d\i,(TTa 8e twv /SacrtXewz/ : Kal ev^ero, eKelvoii 
 p-kv Toil's 0eov<; Sovvai eX6vTa<; ttjv Tpooav, avrow 8e <70)6rjvai, 
 Tr)v 8e dvyaripa 01 airm Xvaai, 8e^a/itevov<; a-rroiva, Kal top 
 0e6v alBeo'BevTa';, Toiavra Se elirovro'; avrov, 01 p,ev aXKoi 
 icre^ovro ical awpvovv, 6 Be 'Ayap>ip,vcov rjypiaivev, evreX- 
 X6/j.evo<; vvv re dirtevai, koI a5dt<; fiij eXdelv, p,r) ai/rm to re 
 a-KTJTTTpov, Kal Ta Tov deov (TTep.p.aTa ovk eirapKeaot. Trplv 
 8e XvOrjvai. avTov OvyaTepa, iv "Apyei efprj yripdceiv p,eTd ov. 
 dtnivaL he eKeXeve, Kal /j,tj ipedl^etv, Xva crS<; oiKaSe eXOoi. 
 6 Se Trpeff^VTT}!; dKov<Ta<; eSeicre re Kal aTrjjet o'lyf), airo^o)- 
 pijera's 8' ex tov (TTpaTOTreBov iroXXd tS ' AiroXXmvi eu^^ero, 
 Ta? T6 i'lrcavvp.La'i tov Oeov dvaxaXSv Kal vTrop-ip-vr^aKcov Kal 
 aTTaiTwv, ei tc irwiroTe rj ev vaoSv olKoBofir]<7e(Tiv, rj iv lepoov 
 dvaiaii K€-)(^apccrfievov BaprjaaiTO. wv Br) 'xapiv Karev^eTO 
 Tcaac Tou? 'A;;^atous to. & BaKpva rots eKeivov ^eXeaiv. 
 
 To compare Homer and Plato together, two wonders of 
 nature and arte for witte and eloquence, is most pleasant and 
 profitable, for a man of ripe iudgement. Platos turning of 
 Homer in this place, doth not ride a loft in Poeticall termes, 
 but goeth low and soft on foote, as prose and Pedestris oratio 
 should do. If Sulpitius had had Platos consideration, in right 
 
256 "The second booke teachyng 
 
 vsing this exercise, he had not deserued the name of Tragicus 
 Orator, who should rather haue studied to expresse vim Demos- 
 thenis, than furorem Poeetes, how good so euer he was, whom he 
 did folow. 
 
 And therfore would I haue our Scholemaster wey well 
 (together Homer and Plato, and marke diligentlie these foure 
 pointes, what is kept : what is added : what is left out : what 
 is changed, either, in choise of wordes, or forme of sentences : 
 which foure pointes, be the right tooles, to handle like a worke- 
 man, this kinde of worke : as our Scholer shall better vnder- 
 stand, when he hath bene a good while in the Vniuersitie : 
 to which tyme and place, I chiefly remitte this kinde of exercise. 
 
 And bicause I euer thought examples to be the best kinde 
 of teaching, I will recite a golden sentece out of that Poete, 
 which is next vnto Homer, not onelie in tyme, but also in 
 worthines : which hath bene a paterne for many worthie 
 wittes to follow, by this kind of Metaphrasis, but I will content 
 my selfe, with foure workemen, two in Greke, and two in Latin, 
 soch, as in both the tonges, wiser & worthier, can not be looked 
 for. Surelie, no stone set in gold by most cunning workeme, 
 is in deed, if right counte be made, more worthie the looking 
 on, than this golden sentence, diuerslie wrought vpon, by soch 
 foure excellent Masters. 
 
 Hesiodus. 2. 
 
 1. ovTO<i fi€v travdpi,(TTO<s, o? avrw irdvra vorjay, 
 <f)paa-<Tdfievo^ rd k eireira kol e's reXo? rjaiv dfieivco: 
 
 2. eV^Xo? B' a5 KaKetvo^, 09 eS elirovri nridriTai, 
 
 3. o<? Se «e jMriT avTO<; voStj, /ijfr' aXXov axovav 
 ev Ovfjj^ ^dWrjrao, 6 S' air dj^p'^iof dvrjp. 
 
 IT Thus rudelie turned into 
 base English. 
 
 1. That man in wisedome passeth all, 
 to know the best who hath a head : 
 
 2. And meetlie wise eeke counted shall, 
 who yeildes him selfe to wise mens read : 
 
 3. J^ho hath no witte, nor none will heare, 
 amongest all fooles the hell may heare. 
 
the ready way to the Latin tong. 257 
 
 Sophocles in Antigone. 
 
 1. ^ <J>7?V' eVwye trpea-^eveov iroKv, 
 ^vvat rov avBpa ■jrdvr iiriaT'^/jir]^ wXiaiv: 
 
 2. Et K ovv (<f>L\ei yap tovto /ir) ravrrj pk-rreiv), 
 Kat r5>v XeyovTfov eS koXov to fiavOdveiv. 
 
 Marke the wisedome of Sophocles, in leauyng out the last 
 sentence, because it was not cumlie for the sonne to vse it to 
 his father. 
 
 f D. Basileus in his Exhortation to youth. 
 
 Mifivrjarde rov 'HaioSov, o? (fyrja-i, apia-Tov fiev ehat 
 Tov Trap' eavTOv rd Seovra ^vvoprnvra. 2. 'Ecr^Xoi' Se Ka/cei- 
 vov, TOV T019, Trap erepcov VTroSeix^la-iv i-jrofievov. 3. tov 
 Se 7r/30S ovBerepov eTnrrjSeiov d'^^peiov elvac Trpo? UTravTa. 
 
 r M. Cic. Pro A. Cluentio. 
 
 I. Sapientissimum esse dicunt eum, cui, quod opus sit, ipsi veniat in 
 mente : 2. Proxime accedere ilium, qui alterius bene inuentis 
 ohtemperet. 3. In stulticia contra est : minus enim stultus est 
 is, cui nihil in mentem venit, quam ilk, qui, quod stulte alteri venit 
 in mentem comprobat. 
 
 Cicero doth not plainlie expresse the last sentence, but doth 
 inuent it fitlie for his purpose, to taunt the folic and simplicitie 
 in his aduersarie ASiius, not weying wiselie, the sutle doynges 
 of Chrysogonus and Staienus. 
 
 f Tit. Liuius in Orat. Minutij. Lib. 22. 
 
 I. Stspe ego audiui milites ; eum primum esse virum, qui ipse 
 consulat, quid in rem sit : 2. Secundum eum, qui bene monenti 
 obediat : 3. Qui, nee ipse consulere, nee alteri parere scit, eum 
 extremi esse ingenij. 
 
 Now, which of all these foure, Sophocles, S. Basil, Cicero, or 
 Liuie, hath expressed Hesiodus best, the iudgement is as hard, as 
 the workemanship of euerie one is most excellent in deede. An 
 other example out of the Latin tong also I will recite, for the 
 worthines of the workeman therof, and that is Horace, who hath 
 
258 'The second booke teachyng 
 
 so turned the begynning of Terence Eunuchus^ as doth worke in 
 me, a pleasant admiration, as oft so euer, as I compare those 
 two places togither. And though euerie Master, and euerie 
 good Scholer to, do know the places, both in Terence and 
 Horace, yet I will set them heare, in one place togither, that 
 with more pleasure, they may be compared together. 
 
 f Terentius in Eunucho. 
 
 Quid igitur faciam ? non earn ? ne nunc quidem cum accersor 
 vltrh ? an potius ita me comparem, non perpeti meretricum con- 
 tumelias? exclusit : reuocat, redeam? non, si me obsecret. par- 
 men o a little after. Here, qua res in senea consilium nea modum 
 hahet vllum, earn consilio regere non potes. In Amore hisc omnia 
 insunt vitia, iniuries, suspiciones, inimicitia, inducies, helium, pax 
 rursum. Incerta hac si tu postules ratione certa facer e, nihilo plus 
 agas, g si des operam, vt cum ratione insanias. 
 
 r Horatius, lib. Ser. 2. Saty. 3. 
 
 Nee nunc cum me vocet vitro, 
 Accedam P an potius mediter finire dolores ? 
 Exclusit : reuocat, redeam ? non si obsecret. Ecce 
 Seruus non Paulo sapientior : Here, qua res 
 Nee modum habet, neg consilium, ratione modSa 
 Tractari non vult. In amore, heec sunt mala, helium. 
 Pax rursum : hac si quis tempestatis propi ritu 
 Mobilia, et cceca fluitantia sorte, laboret 
 Reddere certa, sibi nihilh plus explicet, ac si 
 Insanire paret certa ratione, modhg. 
 
 This exercise may bring moch profite to ripe heads, and 
 stayd iudgementes : bicause, in traueling in it, the mynde must 
 nedes be verie attentiue, and busilie occupide, in turning and 
 tossing it selfe many wayes : and conferryng with great pleasure, 
 the varietie of worthie wittes and iudgementes togither : But 
 this harme may sone cum therby, and namelie to yong Scholers, 
 lesse, in seeking other wordes, and new forme of sentences, they 
 chance vpon the worse : for the which onelie cause, Cicero 
 thinketh this exercise not to be fit for yong men. 
 
the ready way to the Latin tong. 259 
 
 Epitome. 
 
 This is a way of studie, belonging, rather to matter, than to ' 
 wordes : to memorie, than to vtterance : to those that be ; 
 learned alreadie, and hath small place at all amonges yong ; 
 scholers in Grammer scholes. It may profFet priuately some 
 learned men, but it hath hurt generallie learning it selfe, very 
 moch. For by it haue we lost whole Tragus, the best part of 
 T. Liuius, the goodlie Dictionarie of Pompeius festus, a great 
 deale of the Ciuill lawe, and other many notable bookes, for the 
 which cause, I do the more mislike this exercise, both in old 
 and yong. 
 
 Epitome, is good priuatelie for himselfe that doth worke it, 
 but ill commonlie for all other that vse other mens labor therein: 
 a silie poore kinde of studie, not vnlike to the doing of those 
 poore folke, which neyther till, nor sowe, nor reape themselues, 
 but gleane by stelth, vpon other mens growndes. Soch, haue 
 emptie barnes, for deare yeares. 
 
 Grammer scholes haue fewe Epitomes to hurt them, except 
 Epitheta Textoris, and such beggarlie gatheringes, as Horman, 
 whittington, and other like vulgares for making of latines : yea 
 I do wishe, that all rules for yong scholers, were shorter than 
 they be. For without doute, Grammatica it selfe, is sooner and 
 surer learned by examples of good authors, than by the naked 
 rewles of Grammarians. Epitome hurteth more, in the vni- . 
 uersities and studie of Philosophie : but most of all, in diuinitie : 
 it selfe. 
 
 In deede bookes of common places be verie necessarie, to 
 induce a man, into an orderlie generall knowledge, how to 
 referre orderlie all that he readeth, ad carta rerum Capita, and 
 not wander in studie. And to that end did P- Lombardus the 
 master of sentences and Ph. Melanifhon in our dales, write two 
 notable bookes of common places. 
 
 But to dwell in Epitomes and bookes of common places, and 
 not to binde himselfe dailie by orderlie studie, to reade with all 
 diligence, principallie the holyest scripture and withall, the best 
 Doctors, and so to learne to make trewe difference betwixt, the 
 authoritie of the one, and the Counsell of the other, maketh so 
 many seeming, and sonburnt ministers as we haue, whose 
 
 R 2 
 
26o The second booke teachyng 
 
 learning is gotten in a sommer heat, and washed away, with 
 a Christmas snow againe : who neuerthelesse, are lesse to be 
 blamed, than those blind bussardes, who in late yeares, of 
 wilfull maliciousnes, would neyther learne themselues, nor 
 could teach others, any thing at all. 
 
 Paraphrasis hath done lesse hurt to learning, than Epitome : 
 for no Paraphrasis, though there be many, shall neuer take 
 away Dauids Psalter. Erasmus Paraphrasis being neuer so 
 good, shall neuer banishe the new Testament. And in an 
 other schole, the Paraphrasis of Brocardus, or Samhucus, shal 
 neuer take Aristotles Rhetoricke, nor Horace de Arte Poetica, out 
 of learned mens handes. 
 
 But, as concerning a schole Epitome, he that wold haue an 
 example of it, let him read Lucian -rrepl /caWou? which is the 
 verie Epitome of Isocrates oration de laudihus Helena, whereby 
 he may learne, at the least, this wise lesson, that a man ought 
 to beware, to be ouer bold, in altering an excellent mans 
 worke. 
 
 Neuertheles, some kinde of Epitome may be vsed, by men 
 of skilful iudgement, to the great profFet also of others. As if 
 a wise man would take Halles Cronicle . where moch good 
 matter is quite marde with Indenture Englishe, and first change, 
 strange and inkhorne tearmes into proper, and commonlie vsed 
 wordes : next, specially to wede out that, that is superfluous 
 and idle, not onelie where wordes be vainlie heaped one vpon 
 an other, but also where many sentences, of one meaning, be 
 so clowted vp together as though M. Hall had bene, not writing 
 the storie of England, but varying a sentence in Hitching 
 schole : surelie a wise learned man, by this way of Epitome, in 
 cutting away wordes and sentences, and diminishing nothing at 
 all of the matter, shold leaue to mens vse, a storie, halfe as 
 moch as it was in quantitie, but twise as good as it was, both 
 for pleasure and also commoditie. 
 
 An other kinde of Epitome may be vsed likewise very well, 
 to moch proffet. Som man either by lustines of nature, or 
 brought by ill teaching, to a wrong iudgement, is ouer full of 
 words, setences, & matter, & yet all his words be proper, apt 
 & well chosen : all his setences be rownd and trimlie framed : 
 his whole matter grownded vpon good reason, & stuffed with 
 full argumets, for his intent & purpose. Yet whe his talke 
 
the ready way to the' Latin tong. 261 
 
 shalbe heard, or his writing be red, of soch one, as is, either of 
 my two dearest frendes, M. Haddon at home, or lohn Sturmius 
 in Germanic, that Nimium in him, which fooles and vnlearned 
 will most commend, shall eyther of thies two, bite his lippe, or 
 shake his heade at it. 
 
 y/^ This fulnes as it is not to be misliked in a yong man, so in 
 farder aige, in greater skill, and weightier affaires, it is to be 
 temperated, or else discretion and iudgement shall seeme to be 
 wanting in him. But if his stile be still ouer rancke and lustie, 
 as some men being neuer so old and spent by yeares, will still 
 be full of youthfull conditions as was Syr F. Bryan, and euer- 
 more wold haue bene : soch a rancke and full writer, must vse, 
 if he will do wiselie the exercise of a verie good kinde of 
 Epitome, and do, as certaine wise men do, that be ouer fat and 
 fleshie : who leauing their owne full and plentifuU table, go to 
 soiorne abrode from home for a while, at the temperate diet of 
 some sober man : and so by litle and litle, cut away the 
 grosnesse that is in them. As for an example : If Osorius 
 would leaue of his lustines in striuing against S. Austen, and his 
 ouer rancke rayling against poore Luther, and the troth of Gods 
 doctrine, and giue his whole studie, not to write any thing of 
 his owne for a while, but to traslate Demosthenes, with so straite, 
 fast, & temperate a style in latine, as he is in Greeke, he would 
 becume so perfit & pure a writer, I beleue, as hath bene fewe 
 or none sence Ciceroes dayes : And so, by doing himself and all 
 learned moch good, do others lesse harme, & Christes doctrine 
 lesse iniury, tha he doth : & with all, wyn vnto himselfe many 
 worthy frends, who agreing with him gladly, in ye loue & 
 liking of excellent learning, are sorie to see so worth ie a witte, 
 so rare eloquence, wholie spent and consumed, in striuing with 
 God and good men. 
 
 Emonges the rest, no man doth lament him more than 
 I, not onelie for the excellent learning that I see in him, but 
 also bicause there hath passed priuatelie betwixt him and me, 
 sure tokens of moch good will, and frendlie opinion, the one 
 toward the other. And surelie the distance betwixt London and 
 Lysbon, should not stoppe, any kinde of frendlie dewtie, that I 
 could, eyther shew to him, or do to his, if the greatest matter 
 of all did not in certeyne pointes, separate our myndes. 
 
 And yet for my parte, both toward him, and diuerse others 
 
262 'The second booke teachyng 
 
 here at home, for like cause of excellent learning, great wisdome, 
 and gentle humanitie, which I haue seene in them, and felt at 
 their handes my selfe, where the matter of difference is mere 
 conscience in a quiet minde inwardlie, and not contentious 
 malice with spitefull rayling openlie, I can be content to followe 
 this rewle, in misliking some one thing, not to hate for anie 
 thing els. 
 
 But as for all the bloodie beastes, as that fat Boore of the 
 p I o wood : or those brauling Bulles of Basan : or any 
 
 lurking Dormus, blinde, not by nature, but by 
 malice, & as may be gathered of their owne testimonie, giuen 
 ouer to blindnes, for giuing ouer God & his word ; or soch as 
 be so lustie runnegates, as first, runne from God & his trew 
 doctrine, than, from their Lordes, Masters, & all dewtie, next, 
 fro them selues & out of their wittes, lastly from their Prince, 
 contrey, & all dew allegeace, whether they ought rather to be 
 pitied of good men, for their miserie, or contemned of wise 
 men, for their malicious folie, let good and wise men deter- 
 mine. 
 
 And to returne to Epitome agayne, some will iudge moch 
 boldnes in me, thus to iudge of Osorius style : but wise men do 
 know, that meane lookers on, may trewelie say, for a well made 
 Picture : This face had bene more cumlie, if that hie redde in 
 the cheeke, were somwhat more pure sanguin than it is : and 
 yet the stander by, can not amend it himselfe by any way. 
 
 And this is not written to the dispraise but to the great 
 commendation of Osorius, because Tullie himselfe had the same 
 fulnes in him : and therefore went to Rodes to cut it away : and 
 saith himselfe, recepi me domum prope mutatus, nam quasi referuerat 
 iam oratio. Which was brought to passe I beleue, not onelie by 
 the teaching of Molo Appollonius but also by a good way of 
 Epitome, in binding him selfe to translate meros Atticos Oratores, 
 and so to bring his style, from all lowse grosnesse, to soch firme 
 fastnes in latin, as is in Demosthenes in Greeke. And this to be 
 most trew, may easelie be gathered, not onelie of L. Crassus 
 talke in 1. de Or. but speciallie of Ciceroes owne deede in 
 translating Demosthenes and /Eschines orations wepl cne^, to that 
 verie ende and purpose. 
 
 And although a man growndlie learned all readie, may take 
 moch proffet him selfe in vsing, by Epitome, to draw other mens 
 
the ready way to the Latin tong. 263 
 
 workes for his owne memorie sake, into shorter rowme, as 
 Conterus hath done verie well the whole Metamorphosis of Quid, 
 & Dau'id Cythreeus a great deale better, the ix. Muses of Hero- 
 dotus^ and Melanchthon in myne opinion, far best of all, the whole 
 storie of Time, not onelie to his own vse, but to other mens 
 proffet and hys great prayse, yet. Epitome is most neeessarie of 
 all in a mans owne writing, as we learne of that noble Poet 
 Virgin, who, if Donatus say trewe, in writing that perfite worke 
 of the Georgickes, vsed dailie, when he had written 40. or 50. 
 verses, not to cease cutting, paring, and pollishing of them, till 
 he had brought them to the nomber of x. or xij. 
 
 And this exercise, is not more nedefuUie done in a great 
 worke, than wiselie done, in your common dailie writing, either 
 of letter, or other thing else, that is to say, to peruse diligentlie, 
 and see and spie wiselie, what is alwaies more than nedeth : 
 For, twenty to one, offend more, in writing to moch, than to 
 litle : euen as twentie to one, fall into sicknesse, rather by ouer 
 moch fulnes, than by anie lacke or emptinesse. And therefore 
 is he alwaies the best English Physition, that best can geue 
 a purgation, that is, by way of Epitome, to cut all ouer much 
 away. And surelie mens bodies, be not more full of ill humors, 
 than commonlie mens myndes (if they be yong, lustie, proude, 
 like and loue them selues well, as most men do) be full of fansies, 
 opinions, errors, and faultes, not onelie in inward inuention, but 
 also in all their vtterance, either by pen or taulke. 
 
 And of all other men, euen those that haue y<= inuentiuest 
 heades, for all purposes, and roundest tonges in all matters and 
 places (except they learne and vse this good lesson of Epitome) 
 commit commonlie greater faultes, than dull, staying silent men 
 do. For, quicke inuentors, and faire readie speakers, being 
 boldned with their present habilitie to say more, and perchance 
 better to, at the soden for that present, than any other can do, 
 vse lesse helpe of diligence and studie than they ought to do : 
 and so haue in them commonlie, lesse learning, and weaker 
 iudgement, for all deepe considerations, than some duller heades, 
 and slower tonges haue. 
 
 And therefore, readie speakers, generallie be not the best, 
 playnest, and wisest writers, nor yet the deepest iudgers in 
 weightie affaires, bicause they do not tarry to weye and iudge 
 all thihges, as they should : but hauing their heades ouer full of 
 
264 'The second booke teachyng 
 
 matter, be like pennes ouer full of incke, which will soner 
 blotte, than make any faire letter at all. Tyme was, whan 
 I had experience of two Ambassadors in one place, the one of 
 a bote head to inuent, and of a hastie hand to write, the other, 
 colde and stayd in both : but what difference of their doinges 
 was made by wise men, is not vnknowne to some persons. The 
 Bishop of Winchester Steph : Gardiner had a quicke head, and 
 a readie tong, and yet was not the best writer in England. 
 Cicero in Brutus doth wiselie note the same in Serg : Galbo, and 
 Q. Hortentius, who were both, bote, lustie, and plaine speakers, 
 but colde, lowse, and rough writers : And Tullie telleth the 
 cause why, saying, wha they spake, their tong was naturally 
 caried with full tyde & wynde of their witte : whan they wrote 
 their head was solitarie, dull, and caulme, and so their style was 
 blonte, and their writing colde : Quod vitium, sayth Cicero, 
 peringeniosis hominibus nea satis do£iis plerumg accidit. 
 
 And therfore all quick inuentors, & readie faire speakers, 
 must be carefiill, that, to their goodnes of nature, they adde 
 also in any wise, studie, labor, leasure, learning, and iudgement, 
 and than they shall in deede, passe all other, as I know some do, 
 in whome all those qualities are fullie planted, or else if they 
 giue ouer moch to their witte, and ouer litle to their labor and 
 learning, they will sonest ouer reach in taulke, and fardest cum 
 behinde in writing whatsoeuer they take in hand. The methode 
 of Epitome is most necessarie for soch kinde of men. And thus 
 much concerning the vse or misuse of all kinde of Epitomes in 
 matters of learning. 
 
 •jiC* Imitatio. 
 
 Imitation, is a facultie to expresse liuelie and perfitelie that 
 example : which ye go about to folow. And of it selfe, it is 
 large and wide : for all the workes of nature, in a maner be 
 examples for arte to folow. 
 
 But to our purpose, all languages, both learned and mother 
 tonges, be gotten, and gotten onelie by Imitation. For as ye 
 vse to heare, so ye learne to speake : if ye heare no other, ye 
 speake not your selfe : and whome ye onelie heare, of them ye 
 onelie learne. 
 
 And therefore, if ye would speake as the best and wisest do. 
 
the ready way to the Latin tong. 265 
 
 ye must be conuersant, where the best and wisest are : but if 
 yow be borne or brought vp in a rude contrie, ye shall not chose 
 but speake rudelie : the rudest man of all knoweth this to be 
 trewe. 
 
 Yet neuerthelesse, the rudenes of common and mother 
 tonges, is no bar for wise speaking. For in the rudest contrie, 
 and most barbarous mother language, many be found can speake 
 verie wiselie : but in the Greeke and latin tong, the two onelie 
 learned tonges, which be kept, not in common taulke, but in 
 priuate bookes, we iinde alwayes, wisdome and eloquence, good 
 matter and good vtterance, neuer or seldom a sonder. For all 
 soch Authors, as be fullest of good matter and right iudgement 
 in doctrine, be likewise alwayes, most proper in wordes, most 
 apte in sentence, most plaine and pure in vttering the same. 
 
 And contrariwise, in those two tonges, all writers, either in 
 Religion, or any sect of Philosophie, who so euer be founde 
 fonde in iudgement of matter, be commonlie found as rude in 
 vttering their mynde. For Stoickes, Anabaptistes, and Friers : 
 with Epicures, Libertines and Monkes, being most like in 
 learning and life, are no fonder and pernicious in their opinions, 
 than they be rude and barbarous in their writinges. They be 
 not wise, therefore that say, what care I for a mans wordes and 
 vtterance, if his matter and reasons be good. Soch men, say 
 so, not so moch of ignorance, as eyther of some singular pride 
 in themselues, or some speciall malice or other, or for some 
 priuate & perciall matter, either in Religion or other kinde of 
 learning. For good and choice meates, be no more requisite 
 for helthie bodies, than proper and apte wordes be for good 
 matters, and also plaine and sensible vtterance for the best and 
 depest reasons : in which two pointes standeth perfite eloquence, 
 one of the fairest and rarest giftes that God doth geue to man. 
 
 Ye know not, what hurt ye do to learning, that care not| 
 for wordes, but for matter, and so make a deuorse betwixt the| 
 tong and the hart. For marke all aiges : looke vpon the whole ; 
 course of both the Greeke and Latin tonge, and ye shall surelie 
 finde, that, whan apte and good wordes began to be neglected, 
 and properties of those two tonges to be confounded, than also 
 began, ill deedes to spring : strange maners to oppresse good 
 orders, newe and fond opinions to striue with olde and trewe 
 doctrine, first in Philosophie : and after in Religion : right 
 
266 T'he second booke teachyng 
 
 iudgement of all thinges to be peruerted, and so vertue with 
 learning is contemned, and studie left of: of ill thoughtes 
 cummeth peruerse iudgement : of ill deedes springeth lewde 
 taulke. Which fower misorders, as they mar mans life, so 
 destroy they good learning withall. 
 
 But behold the goodnesse of Gods prouidence for learning : 
 all olde authors and sectes of Philosophy, which were fondest in 
 opinion, and rudest in vtterance, as Stoickes and Epicures, first 
 contemned of wise men, and after forgotten of all men, be so 
 consumed by tymes, as they be now, not onelie out of vse, but 
 also out of memorie of man : which thing, I surelie thinke, 
 will shortlie chance, to the whole doctrine and all the bookes of 
 phantasticall Anabaptistes and Friers, and of the beastlie 
 Libertines and Monkes. 
 
 Againe behold on the other side, how Gods wisdome hath 
 wrought, that of Academki and Peripatetici, those that were 
 wisest in iudgement of matters, and purest in vttering their 
 myndes, the first and chiefest, that wrote most and best, in 
 either tong, as ^Plato and Aristotle in Greeke, Tullie in Latin, be 
 so either wholie, or sufficiently left vnto vs, as I neuer knew 
 yet scholer, that gaue himselfe to like, and loue, and folow 
 chieflie those three Authors but he proued, both learned, wise, 
 and also an honest man, if he ioyned with all the trewe doctrine 
 of Gods holie Bible, without the which, the other three, be but 
 fine edge tooles in a fole or mad mans hand. 
 
 But to returne to Imitation agayne : There be three kindes 
 of it in matters of learning. 
 
 The whole doctrine of Comedies and Tragedies, is a 
 perfite imitation, or faire liuelie painted picture of the life of 
 euerie degree of man. Of this Imitation writeth Plato at 
 large in 3. de Rep. but it doth not moch belong at this time to 
 our purpose. 
 
 The second kind of Imitation, is to folow for learning of 
 tonges and sciences, the best authors. Here riseth, emonges 
 proude and enuious wittes, a great controuersie, whether, one 
 or many are to be folowed : and if one, who is that one : Seneca, 
 or Cicero : Salust or Ceesar, and so forth in Greeke and Latin. 
 
 The third kinde of Imitation, belongeth to the second : as 
 when you be determined, whether ye will folow one or mo, to 
 know perfitlie, and which way to folow that one : in what 
 
the ready way to the Latin tong. 267 
 
 place : by what meane and order : by what tooles and instru- 
 mentes ye shall do it, by what skill and iudgement, ye shall 
 trewelie discerne, whether ye folow rightlie or no. 
 
 This Imitatio^ is dissimi/is materiel similis traSfatio : and also, 
 similis materiel dissimilis traSlatio, as Virgill folowed Homer : but 
 the Argument to the one was Flysses, to the other /Eneas. 
 TuUie persecuted Antonie with the same wepons of eloquence, 
 that Demosthenes vsed before against Philippe. 
 
 Horace foloweth Pindar., but either of them his owne 
 Argument and Person : as the one, Hiero king of Sicilie., the 
 other Augustus the Emperor : and yet both for like respectes, 
 that is, for their coragious stoutnes in warre, and iust gouern- 
 ment in peace. 
 
 One of the best examples, for right Imitation we lacke, and 
 that is Menander, whom our Terence, (as the matter required) in 
 like argument, in the same Persons, with equall eloquence, foote 
 by foote did folow. 
 
 Som peeces remaine, like broken lewelles, whereby men 
 may rightlie esteme, and iustlie lament, the losse of the 
 whole. 
 
 Erasmus, the ornament of learning, in our tyme, doth wish 
 that som man of learning and diligence, would take the like 1 
 paines in Demosthenes and Tullie, that Macrobius hath done in 
 Homer and Virgill, that is, to write out and ioyne together, 
 where the one doth imitate the other. Erasmus wishe is good, 
 but surelie, it is not good enough : for Macrobius gatherings for 
 the Mneidos out of Homer, and Eobanus Hessus more diligent 
 gatherings for the Bucolikes out of Theocritus, as they be not 
 fullie taken out of the whole heape, as they should be, but euen 
 as though they had not sought for them of purpose, but fownd 
 them scatered here and there by chance in their way, euen so, 
 onelie to point out, and nakedlie to ioyne togither their 
 sentences, with no farder declaring the maner and way, how 
 the one doth folow the other, were but a colde helpe, to the 
 encrease of learning. 
 
 But if a man would take this paine also, whan he hath layd 
 two places, of Homer and Virgill, or of Demosthenes and Tullie 
 togither, to teach plainlie withall, after this sort. 
 
 I. Tullie reteyneth thus moch of the matter, thies 
 sentences, thies wordes : 
 
268 'The second booke teachyng 
 
 2. This and that he leaueth out, which he doth wittelie to 
 this end and purpose. 
 
 3. This he addeth here. 
 
 4. This he diminisheth there. 
 
 5. This he ordereth thus, with placing that here, not 
 there. 
 
 6. This he altereth and changeth, either, in propertie of 
 wordes, in forme of sentence, in substance of the matter, or in 
 one, or other conuenient circumstance of the authors present 
 purpose. In thies fewe rude English wordes, are wrapt vp all 
 the necessarie tooles and instrumentes, wherewith trewe Imita- 
 tion is rightlie wrought withall in any tonge. Which tooles, 
 I openlie confesse, be not of myne owne forging, but partlie left 
 vnto me by the cunningest Master, and one of the worthiest 
 lentlemen that euer England bred, Syr lohn Cheke : partelie 
 borowed by me out of the shoppe of the dearest frende I haue 
 out of England, lo. St. And therefore I am the bolder to 
 borow of him, and here to leaue them to other, and namelie to 
 my Children : which tooles, if it please God, that an other day, 
 they may be able to vse rightlie, as I do wish and daylie pray, 
 they may do, I shal be more glad, than if I were able to leaue 
 them a great quantitie of land. 
 
 This foresaide order and doctrine of Imitation, would bring 
 forth more learning, and breed vp trewer iudgement, than any 
 other exercise that can be vsed, but not for yong beginners, 
 bicause they shall not be able to consider dulie therof. And 
 trewelie, it may be a shame to good studentes who hauing so 
 faire examples to follow, as Plato and Tullie, do not vse so wise 
 wayes in folowing them for the obteyning of wisdome and 
 learning, as rude ignorant Artificers do, for gayning a small 
 commoditie. For surelie the meanest painter vseth more witte, 
 better arte, greater diligence, in hys shoppe, in folowing the 
 Picture of any meane mans face, than commonlie the best 
 studentes do, euen in the vniuersitie, for the atteining of 
 learning it selfe. 
 
 Some ignorant, vnlearned, and idle student : or some busie 
 looker vpon this litle poore booke, that hath neither will to do 
 good him selfe, nor skill to iudge right of others, but can lustelie 
 contemne, by pride and ignorance, all painfull diligence and 
 right order in study, will perchance say, that I am to precise, to 
 
• the ready way to the Latin tong. 269 
 
 curious, in marking and piteling thus about the imitation of 
 others : and that the olde worthie Authors did neuer busie their 
 heades and wittes, in folowyng so preciselie, either the matter 
 what other men wrote, or els the maner how other men wrote. 
 They will say, it were a plaine slauerie, & iniurie to, to shakkle 
 and tye a good witte, and hinder the course of a mas good 
 nature with such bondes of seruitude, in folowyng other. 
 
 Except soch men thinke them selues wiser then Cicero for 
 teaching of eloquence, they must be content to turne a new 
 leafe. 
 
 The best booke that euer Tullie wrote, by all mens iudge- 
 ment, and by his owne testimonie to, in writyng wherof, he 
 employed most care, studie, learnyng and iudgement, is his 
 booke de Orat. ad Q. F. Now let vs see, what he did for the 
 matter, and also for the maner of writing therof. For the 
 whole booke consisteth in these two pointes onelie : In good 
 matter, and good handling of the matter. And first, for the 
 matter, it is whole Jristotles, what so euer Antonie in the 
 second, and Crassus in the third doth teach. Trust not me, 
 but beleue Tullie him selfe, who writeth so, first, in that goodlie 
 long Epistle ad P. Lentulum, and after in diuerse places ad 
 Atticum. And in the verie booke it selfe, Tullie will not haue 
 it hidden, but both Catulus and Crassus do oft and pleasantly lay 
 that stelth to Antonius charge. Now, for the handling of the 
 matter, was Tullie so precise and curious rather to follow an 
 other mans Paterne, than to inuent some newe shape him selfe, 
 namelie in that booke, wherin he purposed, to leaue to 
 posteritie, the glorie of his witte ? yea forsoth, that he did. 
 And this is not my gessing and gathering, nor onelie performed 
 by Tullie in verie deed, but vttered also by Tullie in plaine 
 wordes : to teach other men thereby, what they should do, m 
 taking like matter in hand. „- „• j . 
 
 And that which is specially to be marked, Tullie doth vtter 
 plainlie his conceit and purpose therein, by the mouth of 
 the wisest man in all that companie : for sayth Scauola him 
 selfe, Cur non imitamur, Crasse, Socratem tllum, qm est in Phadro 
 
 Platonis i^c. _„.,., ,. . 
 
 And furder to vnderstand, that Tullie did not obiter and 
 
 bichance, but purposelie and mindfullie bend him selfe to 
 
 a precise and curious Imitation of Plato, concernyng the shape 
 
270 T'he second booke teachyng 
 
 and forme of those- bookes, marke I pray you, how curious 
 Tullie is to vtter his purpose and doyng therein, writing thus to 
 Atticus. 
 
 Quod in his Oratorijs lihris, quos tantopere laudas, personam 
 desideras Scauolie, non earn temerk dimoui : Sed feci idem, quod in 
 TToXneia Deus ille noster Plato, cum in Piraeum Socrates venisset ad 
 Cephalum locupletem fsf festiuum Senem, quoad primus ille sermo 
 haheretur, adest in disputando senex : Deinde, cum ipse quoa 
 commodissime locutus esset, ad rem diuind dicit se velle discedere, 
 nea postea reuertitur. Credo Platonem vix putasse satis consonum 
 fore, si hominem id atatis in tarn longo sermone diutius retinuisset : 
 Adulto ego satius hoc mihi cauendum putaui in Scauola, qui iff tetate 
 et valetudine erat ea qua meministi, £sf his honoribus, vt vix satis 
 decorum videretur eum plures dies esse in Crassi Tusculano. Et erat 
 primi libri sermo non alienus a Sceeuolie studijs : reliqui libri 
 re'XyoKo'yiav habent, vt scis. Huic ioculatoriee disputationi senem 
 ilium vt noras, interesse sank nolui. 
 
 If Cicero had not opened him selfe, and declared hys owne 
 thought and doynges herein, men that be idle, and ignorant, and 
 enuious of other mens diligence and well doinges, would haue 
 sworne that Tullie had neuer mynded any soch thing, but that 
 of a precise curiositie, we fayne and forge and father soch 
 thinges of Tullie, as he neuer ment in deed. I write this, not 
 for nought : for I haue heard some both well learned, and 
 otherwayes verie wise, that by their lustie misliking of soch 
 diligence, haue drawen back the forwardnes of verie good wittes. 
 But euen as such men them selues, do sometymes stumble vpon 
 doyng well by chance and benefite of good witte, so would 
 I haue our scholer alwayes able to do well by order of learnyng 
 and right skill of iudgement. 
 
 Concernyng Imitation, many learned men haue written, 
 with moch diuersitie for the matter, and therfore with great 
 contrarietie and some stomacke amongest them selues. I 
 haue read as many as I could get diligentlie, and what I 
 thinke of euerie one of them, I will freelie say my mynde. 
 With which freedome I trust good men will beare, bicause 
 it shall tend to neither spitefull nor harmefull controuersie. 
 
 In Tullie, it is well touched, shortlie taught, not fullie 
 declared by Ant. in 2. de Oral : and afterward 
 in Orat. ad Brutum, for the liking and misliking 
 
the ready way to the Latin tong. 271 
 
 of Isocrates : and the contrarie iudgement of Tu/lie against 
 Caluus, Brutus, and Calidtus, de genere dicendi Attico bf Asiatico. 
 
 Dionis. Halic. irepl iMi,iJ,i]aea)<!. I feare is lost : which 
 Author, next Aristotle, Plato, and Tullie, of all 
 other, that write of eloquence, by the iudgement ^"'' ^'^^^' 
 of them that be best learned, deserueth the next 
 prayse and place. 
 
 Quintilian writeth of it, shortly and coldlie for the matter, 
 yet hotelie and spitefullie enough, agaynst the . 
 Imitation of Tullie. Qumti . 
 
 Erasmus, beyng more occupied in spying other mens faultes, 
 ^ " than declaryng his owne aduise, is mistaken of 
 many, to the great hurt of studie, for his authoritie 
 sake. For he writeth rightlie, rightlie vnderstanded : he and 
 Longolius onelie differing in this, that the one seemeth to giue 
 ouermoch, the other ouer litle, to him, whom they both, best 
 loued, and chiefly allowed of all other. 
 
 Budaus in his Commentaries roughlie and obscurelie, 
 after his kinde of writyng : and for the matter, gudceus 
 caryed somwhat out of the way in ouermuch 
 misliking the Imitation of Tullie. ph. Me- 
 
 Phil. MelanElhon, learnedlie and trewlie. lanch. 
 
 Camerarius largely with a learned iudgement, loa. Ca- 
 but somewhat confusedly, and with ouer rough ™'^- 
 a stile. 
 
 Sambucus, largely, with a right iudgement but somewhat 
 a crooked stile. Sabums. 
 
 Other haue written also, as Cartesius to ^ , • 
 Politian, and that verie well : Bembus ad Picum ^ sembus 
 a great deale better, but loan. Sturmius de j^^^ ^^^^^ 
 Nobilitate literata, & de Amissa dicendi ratione, miu's. 
 farre best of all, in myne opinion, that euer tooke 
 this matter in hand. For all the rest, declare chiefly this point, 
 whether one, or many, or all, are to be followed : but Sturmius 
 onelie hath most learnedlie declared, who is to be followed, what 
 is to be followed, and the best point of all, by what way & order, 
 trew Imitatio is rightlie to be exercised. And although Sturmius 
 herein doth farre passe all other, yet hath he not so fullie and 
 perfitelie done it, as I do wishe he had, and as I know he could. 
 For though he hath done it perfitelie for precept, yet hath he 
 
272 l^he second booke teachyng 
 
 not done it perfitelie enough for example : which he did, neither 
 for lacke of skill, nor by negligence, but of purpose, conteted 
 with one or two examples, bicause he was mynded in those two 
 bookes, to write of it both shortlie, and also had to touch other 
 matters. 
 
 Barthol. Riccius Ferrariensts also hath written learnedlie, 
 diligentlie and verie largelie of this matter euen as hee did before 
 verie well de Apparatu lingua Lat. He writeth the better in 
 myne opinion, bicause his whole doctrine, iudgement, and 
 order, semeth to be borowed out of lo. Stur. bookes. He 
 addeth also examples, the best kinde of teaching : wherein he 
 doth well, but not well enough : in deede, he committeth no 
 faulte, but yet, deserueth small praise. He is content with the 
 meane, and followeth not the best : as a man, that would feede 
 vpon Acornes, whan he may eate, as good cheape, the finest 
 wheat bread. He teacheth for example, where and how, two 
 or three late Italian Poetes do follow Virgil: and how Virgil 
 him selfe in the storie of Dido, doth wholie Imitate Catullus in 
 the like matter of Ariadna : Wherein I like better his diligence 
 and order of teaching, than his iudgemet in choice of examples 
 for Imitation. But, if he had done thus : if he had declared 
 where and how, how oft and how many wayes Virgil doth folow 
 Horner^ as for example the coming of Vlysses to Alcynous and 
 Calypso, with the comming of Mneas to Cartage and Dido : Like- 
 wise the games running, wrestling, and shoting, that Achilles 
 maketh in Homer, with the selfe same games, that /Eneas 
 maketh in Virgil: The harnesse of Achilles, with the harnesse 
 of Mneas, and the maner of making of them both by Vulcane : 
 The notable combate betwixt Achilles and He5ior, with as 
 notable a combate betwixt Mneas and Turnus. The going 
 downe to hell of Vlysses in Homer, with the going downe to hell 
 of Mneas in Virgil : and other places infinite mo, as similitudes, 
 narrations, messages, discriptions of persones, places, battels, 
 tempestes, shipwrackes, and common places for diuerse purposes, 
 which be as precisely taken out of Homer, as euer did Painter in 
 London follow the picture of any faire personage. And whe 
 thies places had bene gathered together by this way of diligence 
 than to haue conferred them together by this order of teaching 
 as, diligently to marke what is kept and vsed in either author, 
 in wordes, in sentences, in matter : what is added : what is left 
 
the f ready 'way to the Latin tong. 273 
 
 out : what ordered otherwise, either praponendo^ interpmendo, or 
 postponendo : And what is altered for any respect, in word, 
 phrase, sentence, figure, reason, argument, or by any way of 
 circumstance : If Riccius had done this, he had not onely bene 
 well liked, for his diligence in teaching, but also iustlie com- 
 mended for his right iudgement in right choice of examples for 
 the best Imitation. 
 
 Riccius also for Imitation of prose declareth where and how 
 Longolius doth folow Tullie, but as for Longolius, I would not 
 haue him the patern of our Imitation. In deede : in Longolius 
 shoppe, be proper and faire shewing colers, but as for shape, 
 figure, and naturall cumlines, by the iudgement of best iudging 
 artificers, he is rather allowed as one to be borne withall, than 
 especially commeded, as one chieflie to be folowed. 
 
 If Riccius had taken for his exaples, where Tullie him selfe 
 foloweth either Plato or Demosthenes, he had shot than at the 
 right marke. But to excuse Riccius, somwhat, though I can 
 not fuUie defend him, it may be sayd, his purpose was, to teach 
 onelie the Latin tong, when thys way that I do wish, to ioyne 
 Virgil with Homer, to read Tullie with Demosthenes and Plato, 
 requireth a cunning and perfite Master in both the tonges. It 
 is my wish in deede, and that by good reason : For who so euer 
 will write well of any matter, must labor to expresse that, that 
 is perfite, and not to stay and content himselfe with the meane : 
 yea, I say farder, though it be not vnposible, yet it is verie rare, 
 and meruelous hard, to proue excellent in the Latin tong, for 
 him that is not also well scene in the Greeke tong. Tullie him 
 selfe, most excellent of nature, most diligent in labor, brought 
 vp from his cradle, in that place, and in that tyme, where and 
 whan the Latin tong most florished naturallie in euery mans 
 mouth, yet was not his owne tong able it selfe to make him so 
 cunning in his owne tong, as he was in deede : but the 
 knowledge and Imitation of the Greeke tong withall. 
 
 This he confesseth himselfe: this hevttereth in many places, 
 as those can tell best, that vse to read him most. 
 
 Therefore thou, that shotest at perfection in the Latin tong, 
 thinke not thy selfe wiser than Tullie was, in choice of the way, 
 that leadeth rightlie to the same: thinke not thy witte better 
 than Tullies was, as though that may serue thee that was not 
 sufficient for him. For euen as a hauke flieth not hie with one 
 
274 '^he second booke teachyng 
 
 wing : euen so a man reacheth not to excellency with one 
 tong. 
 
 I haue bene a looker on in the Cokpit of learning thies 
 , many yeares: And one Cock onelie haue I knowne, which 
 with one wing, euen at this day, doth passe all other, in myne 
 opinion, that euer I saw in any pitte in England, though they 
 had two winges. Yet neuerthelesse, to flie well with one 
 wingj to runne fast with one leg, be rather, rare Maistreis 
 moch to be merueled at, than sure examples safelie to be 
 folowed. A Bushop that now liueth, a good man, whose 
 iudgement in Religion I better like, than his opinion in per- 
 fitnes in other learning, said once vnto me: we haue no nede 
 now of the Greeke tong, when all thinges be translated into 
 Latin. But the good ma vnderstood not, that euen the best 
 translation, is, for mere necessitie, but an euill imped wing to 
 flie withall, or a heuie stompe leg of wood to go withall : soch, 
 the hier they flie, the sooner they falter and faill: the faster 
 they runne, the ofter they stumble, and sorer they fall. Soch 
 as will nedes so flie, may flie at a Pye, and catch a Dawe: And 
 soch runners, as comfaonlie, they shoue and sholder to stand 
 formost, yet in the end they cum behind others & deserue 
 but the hopshakles, if the Masters of the game be right iudgers. 
 Therefore in perusing thus, so many diuerse bookes for 
 Imitation^ it came into my head that a verie pro- 
 Optima fitable booke might be made de Imitatione, after 
 ratio Imi- , , ° i r i 
 tationis. an Other sort, than euer yet was attempted or that 
 
 matter, conteyning a certaine fewe fitte preceptes, 
 vnto the which should be gathered and applied plentie of 
 examples, out of the choisest authors of both the tonges. 
 This worke would stand, rather in good diligence, for the 
 gathering, and right iudgement for the apte applying of those 
 examples : than any great learning or vtterance at all. 
 
 The doing thereof, would be more pleasant, than painfull, 
 & would bring also moch proffet to all that should read it, and 
 great praise to him would take it in hand, with iust desert of 
 thankes. 
 
 Erasmus, giuyng him selfe to read ouer all Authors Greke 
 Erasmus ^^^ Latin, seemeth to haue prescribed to him 
 
 order in his selfe this order of readyng : that is, to note out 
 studie. by the way, three speciall pointes: All Adagies, 
 
(Plato. 
 Xenophon. 
 Isocrates. 
 Demosth. 
 Aristoths, 
 
 the ready way to the Latin tong. 275 
 
 all similitudes, and all wittie sayinges of most notable person- 
 ages : And so, by one labour, he left to posteritie, three notable 
 bookes, & namelie two his Chiliades, Apophthegmata and Similia. 
 Likewise, if a good student would bend him selfe to read 
 diligently ouer Tullie, and with him also at 
 the same tyme, as diligetly Plato, & Xenopho, 
 with his bookes of Philosophic, Isocrates, & Cicero. • 
 Demosthenes with his orations, & Aristotle with 
 his Rhetorickes: which fiue of all other, be 
 those, whom Tullie best loued, & specially followed : & would 
 marke diligetly in Tullie, where he doth exprimere or effingere 
 (which be the verie propre wordes of Imitation) either, Copiam 
 Platonis or venustate Xenophontis, suauitatem Isocratis, or vim 
 Demosthenis, propriam &" puram subtilitatem Aristotelis, and not 
 onelie write out the places diligentlie, and lay them together 
 orderlie, but also to conferre them with skilfuU iudgement by 
 those few rules, which I haue expressed now twise before : if 
 that diligence were taken, if that order were vsed, what perfite 
 knowledge of both the tonges, what readie and pithie vtterance 
 in all matters, what right and deepe iudgement in all kinde of 
 learnyng would follow, is scarse credible to be beleued. 
 
 These bookes, be not many, nor long, nor rude in speach, 
 nor meane in matter, but next the Maiestie of Gods holie word, 
 most worthie for a man, the louer of learning and honestie, to 
 spend his life in. Yea, I haue heard worthie M. Cheke many 
 tymes say: I would haue a good student passe and iorney 
 through all Authors both Greke and Latin: but he that will 
 dwell in these few bookes onelie : first, in Gods holie Bible, and 
 than ioyne with it, Tullie in Latin, Plato, Aristotle: Xenophon : 
 Isocrates : and Demosthenes in Greke : must nedes proue an excel- 
 lent man. 
 
 Some men alreadie in our dayes, haue put to their helping 
 handes, to this worke of Imitation. As Peri- perionius. 
 onius. Her. Stephanus in dictionario Ciceroniano, h, steph. 
 and P. Viiforius most praiseworthelie of all, in p. victor- 
 that his learned worke conteyning xxv. bookes de «»•?■ 
 ■varia leilione: in which bookes be ioyned diligentlie together the 
 best Authors of both the tonges where one doth seeme to 
 imitate an other. 
 
 But all these, with Macrobius, Hessus, and other, be no 
 
 s 2 
 
276 'The second booke teachyng 
 
 more but common porters, caryers, and bringers of matter and 
 stufFe togither. They order nothing: They lay before you, 
 what is done: they do not teach you, how it is done: They^ 
 busie not them selues with forme of buildyng: They do not 
 declare, this stufFe is thus framed by Demosthenes^ and thus and 
 thus by Tullie, and so likewise in Xenophon, Plato and Isocrates 
 and Aristotle. For ioyning Virgil with Homer I haue suf- 
 ficientlie declared before. 
 
 ^ The like diligence I would wish to be taken in Pindar and 
 _. , Horace an equall match for all respectes. 
 
 Horatius ^" Tragedies, (the goodliest Argument of all, 
 
 and for the vse, either of a learned preacher, or a 
 Ciuill lentleman, more profitable than Homer., Pindar, Virgill, 
 and Horace: yea comparable in myne opinion, with the doctrine 
 Sophocles. q{ Aristotle., Plato., and Xenophon^ the Grecians., 
 
 Euripides. Sophocles and Euripides far ouer match our Seneca, 
 
 Seneca. in Latin, namely in olKovofila et Decoro, although 
 
 Senacaes elocutio and verse be verie commendable for his tyme. 
 And for the matters of Hercules, Thebes, Hippolytus, and Troie, 
 his Imitation is to be gathered into the same booke, and to be 
 tryed by the same touchstone, as is spoken before. 
 
 In histories, and namelie in Liuie, the like diligence of 
 Imitation, could bring excellent learning, and breede stayde 
 iudgement, in taking any like matter in hand. 
 
 Onely Liuie were a sufficient taske for one mans studie, 
 Tit. Liuius. to compare him, first with his fellow for all re- 
 Dion. Hali- spectes, Dion. Halicarnasseeus: who both, liued in 
 cam. one tyme: tooke both one historie in hande to 
 
 write: deserued both like prayse of learnyng and eloquence. 
 
 Than with Polybius that wise writer, whom Liuie 
 
 professeth to follow: & if he would denie it, yet 
 it is plaine, that the best part of the thyrd Decade in Liuie, is in 
 
 a maner translated out of the thyrd and rest of 
 Thucidides. PoUbius : Lastlie with Thucydides, to whose Imita- 
 tion Liuie is curiouslie bent, as may well appeare by that one 
 
 Oration of those of Campania, asking aide of the 
 iDecad. Romanes agaynst the Samnites, which is wholie 
 
 taken. Sentence, Reason, Argument, and order, 
 _, . , out of the Oration of Corcyra, asking like aide of 
 
 Thucid. I. 1 ^ ; • ■ 1 r ^ • 7 Tr 
 
 the Athemenses agamst them or Lortnth. Ir some 
 
the ready way to the Latin tong. 277 
 
 diligent student would take paynes to compare them togither, he 
 should easelie perceiue, that I do say trew. A booke, thus 
 wholie filled with examples of Imitatio, first out of TulUe, 
 compared with Plato, Xenophon, hocrates, Demosthenes and 
 Aristotle: than out of Virgil and Horace, with Homer and 
 Pindar : next out of Seneca with Sophocles and Euripides : Lastlie 
 out of Liuie, with Thucydides, Polihius and Halicarnassaus, 
 gathered with good diligence, and compared with right order, 
 as I haue expressed before, were an other maner of worke for 
 all kinde of learning, & namely for eloquence, than be those 
 cold gatheringes of Macrobius, Hessus, Perionius, Stephanus, and 
 ViSforius, which may be vsed, as I sayd before, in this case, as 
 porters and caryers, deseruing like prayse, as soch men do 
 wages ; but onely Sturmius is he, out of who, the trew suruey 
 and whole workemanship is speciallie to be learned. 
 
 I trust, this my writyng shall giue some good student 
 occasion, to take some peece in hand of this worke of Imitation. 
 And as I had rather haue any do it, than my q , 
 selfe, yet surelie my selfe rather tha none at all. recta imi- 
 And by Gods grace, if God do lend me life, with tandi ra- 
 health, free laysure and libertie, with good likyng ''°"^' 
 and a merie heart, I will turne the best part of my studie and 
 tyme, to toyle in one or other peece of this worke of Imitation. 
 
 This diligence to gather examples, to giue light and vnder- 
 standyng to goodpreceptes,is no new inuention,but speciallie vsed 
 of the best Authors and oldestwriters. For Aristotle jiri^toteles 
 him selfe, (as Diog. Laertius declareth) when he 
 had written that goodlie booke of the Topickes, did gather out 
 of stories and Orators, so many examples as filled xv. bookes, 
 onelie to expresse the rules of his Topickes. These were the 
 Commentaries, that Aristotle thought fit for hys p^j^j^gj^ 
 Topickes: And therfore to speake as I thinke, I tarij^GrS- 
 neuer saw yet any Commentarie vpon Aristotles ci et Lati- 
 Logicke, either in Greke or Latin, that euer I ['J^j" '^'^^ 
 lyked, bicause they be rather spent in declaryng sjot'elis." 
 scholepoynt rules, than in gathering fit examples 
 for vse and vtterance, either by pen or talke. For preceptes in 
 all Authors, and namelie in Aristotle, without applying vnto 
 them, the Imitation of examples, be hard, drie, and cold, and 
 therfore barrayn, vnfruitfull and vnpleasant. But Aristotle, 
 
278 The second booke teachyng 
 
 namelie in his Topickes and Elenches, should be, not onelie 
 fruitful!, but also pleasant to, if examples out of Plato, and 
 other good Authors, were diligentlie gathered, and aptlie 
 Precepta applied vnto his most perfit preceptes there, 
 
 in Aristot. And it is notable, that my frende Sturmius writeth 
 
 Exempla herein, that there is no precept in Aristotks 
 
 inPlatone. Topickes, wherof plentie of examples be not 
 
 manifest in Platos workes. And I heare say, that an excellent 
 learned man, Tomitanus in Italie, hath expressed euerie fallacion 
 in Aristotle, with diuerse examples out of Plato. Would to 
 God, I might once see, some worthie student of Aristotle and 
 Plato in Cambrige, that would ioyne in one booke the preceptes 
 of the one, with the examples of the other. For such a labor, 
 were one speciall peece of that worke of Imitation, which I do 
 wishe were gathered together in one Volume. 
 
 Cambrige, at my first comming thither, but not at my 
 I going away, committed this fault in reading the preceptes of 
 Aristotle without the examples of other Authors : But herein, 
 in my time thies men of worthie memorie, M. Redman, 
 M. Cheke, M. Smith, M. Haddon, M. Watson, put so to 
 their helping handes, as that vniuersitie, and all studentes there, 
 as long as learning shall last, shall be bounde vnto them, if that 
 trade in studie be trewlie folowed, which those men left behinde 
 them there. 
 
 By this small mention of Cambridge, I am caryed into three 
 imaginations: first, into a sweete remembrance of my tyme 
 spent there: than, into som carefull thoughts, for the greuous 
 alteration that folowed sone after: lastlie, into much ioy to 
 heare tell, of the good recouerie and earnest forwardnes in all 
 good learning there agayne. 
 
 To vtter theis my thoughts somwhat more largelie, were 
 somwhat beside my matter, yet not very farre out of the way, 
 bycause it shall wholy tend to the good encoragement and right 
 consideration of learning, which is my full purpose in writing 
 this litle booke : whereby also shall well appeare this sentence 
 to be most trewe, that onely good men, by their gouernment 
 & example, make happie times, in euery degree and state. 
 
 Doctor l^ico. Medcalfe, that honorable father, was Master 
 _ ^. of S. lohnes Colledge, when I came thether: A 
 
 Medcaif. man meanelie learned himselfe, but not meanely 
 
the ready way to the Latin tong. 279 
 
 afFectioned to set forward learning in others. He found 
 that Colledge spending scarse two hundred markes by yeare : 
 he left it spending a thousand markes and more. Which 
 he procured, not with his mony, but by his wisdome ; not 
 chargeablie bought by him, but liberallie geuen by others by his 
 meane, for the zeale & honor they bare to learning. And that 
 which is worthy of memorie, all thies giuers were almost 
 Northenmen : who being liberallie rewarded in the seruice of 
 their Prince, bestowed it as liberallie for the good of their 
 Contrie. Som men thought therefore, that D. Medcalfe was 
 parciall to Northrenmen, but sure I am of this, that North- 
 renme were parciall, in doing more good, and geuing more 
 lades to y^ forderance of learning, than any other 
 contrie me, in those dayes, did : which deede ^^? P^J*^'' 
 should haue bene, rather an example of goodnes, Northren 
 for other to folowe, than matter of malice, for any men in 
 to enuie, as some there were that did. Trewly, ^ ^^""^ 
 D. Medcalfe was parciall to none: but indifferent 
 to all : a master for the whole, a father to euery one, in that 
 Colledge. There was none so poore, if he had, either wil to 
 goodnes, or wit to learning, that could lacke being there, or 
 should depart from thence for any need. I am witnes my selfe, 
 that mony many times was brought into yong mens studies by 
 strangers whom they knew not. In which doing, this worthy 
 Nicolaus folowed the steppes of good olde S. Nicolaus, that 
 learned Bishop. He was a Papist in deede, but would to God, 
 amonges all vs Protestats I might once see but one, that would 
 winne like praise, in doing like good, for the aduauncement of 
 learning and vertue. And yet, though he were a Papist, if any 
 yong man, geuen to new learning (as they termed it) went 
 beyond his fellowes, in witte, labor, and towardnes, euen the 
 same, neyther lacked, open praise to encorage him, nor priuate 
 exhibition to mainteyne hym, as worthy Syr /. Cheke, if he 
 were aliue would beare good witnes and so can many mo. 
 I my selfe one of the meanest of a great number, in that 
 Colledge, because there appeared in me som small shew of 
 towardnes and diligence, lacked not his fauor to forder me in 
 learning. 
 
 And being a boy, new Bacheler of arte, I chanced amonges 
 my companions to speake against the Pope: which matter was 
 
28o 'The second booke teachyng 
 
 than in euery mans mouth, bycause D. Haines and D. Skippe 
 were cum from the Court, to debate the same matter, by 
 preaching and disputation in the vniuersitie. This hapned the 
 same tyme, when I stoode to be felow there : my taulke came 
 to D. Medcalfes eare : I was called before him and the Seniores : 
 and after greuous rebuke, and some punishment, open warning 
 was geuen to all the felowes, none to be so hardie to geue me 
 his voice at that election. And yet for all those open threates, 
 the good father himselfe priuilie procured, that I should euen 
 than be chosen felow. But, the election being done, he made 
 countinance of great discontentation thereat. This good mans 
 goodnes, and fatherlie discretion, vsed towardes me that one 
 day, shall neuer out of my remembrance all the dayes of my 
 life. And for the same cause, haue I put it here, in this small 
 record of learning. For next Gods prouidence, surely that day, 
 was by that good fathers meanes, Dies natalis, to me, for the 
 whole foundation of the poore learning I haue, and of all the 
 furderance, that hetherto else where I haue obteyned. 
 
 This his goodnes stood not still in one or two, but flowed 
 aboundantlie ouer all that Colledge, and brake out also to 
 norishe good wittes in euery part of th..i: vniuersitie : whereby, 
 at this departing thence, he left soch a companie of fellowes and 
 scholers in S. lohnes Colledge, as can scarse be found now in 
 some whole vniuersitie : which, either for diuinitie, on the one 
 side or other, or for Ciuill seruice to their Prince and contrie, 
 haue bene, and are yet to this day, notable ornaments to this 
 whole Realme : Yea S. lohnes did the so florish, as Trinitie 
 college, that Princely house now, at the first erectio, was but 
 Colonia deduita out of S. Ihones, not onelie for their Master, 
 fellowes, and scholers, but also, which is more, for their whole, 
 both order of learning, and discipline of maners : & yet to this 
 day, it neuer tooke Master but such as was bred vp before in 
 iS. lohnes : doing the dewtie of a good Colonia to her Metropolis, 
 as the auncient Cities in Greice and some yet in Italic, at this 
 day, are accustomed to do. 
 
 iS. lohnes stoode in this state, vntill those heuie tymes, and 
 
 that greuous change that chanced. An. 1553. whan mo perfite 
 
 scholers were dispersed from thence in one moneth, than many 
 
 yeares can reare vp againe. For, whan Aper de 
 
 Sylua had passed the seas, and fastned his foote 
 
the ready way to the Latin tong. 281 
 
 againe in England, not onely the two feire groues of learning 
 in England were eyther cut vp, by the roote, or troden downe 
 to the ground and wholie went to wracke, but the yong spring 
 there, and euerie where else, was pitifullie nipt and ouertroden 
 by very beastes, and also the fairest standers of all, were rooted 
 vp, and cast into the fire, to the great weakning euen at this 
 day of Christes Chirch in England, both for Religion and 
 learning. 
 
 And what good could chance than to the vniuersities, whan 
 som of the greatest, though not of the wisest nor best learned,! 
 nor best men neither of that side, did labor to perswade, that ' 
 ignorance was better than knowledge, which they ment, not for 
 the laitie onelie, but also for the greatest rable of their spiritu- 
 altie, what other pretense openlie so euer they made : and 
 therefore did som of them at Cambrige (whom I will not name 
 openlie,) cause hedge priestes fette oute of the contrie, to be 
 made fellowes in the vniuersitie : saying, in their talke priuilie, 
 and declaring by their deedes openlie, that he was, felow good 
 enough for their tyme, if he could were a gowne and a tipet 
 cumlie, and haue hys crowne shorne faire and roundlie, and 
 could turne his Portesse and pie readilie : whiche I speake not 
 to reproue any order either of apparell, or other dewtie, that 
 may be well and indifFerentlie vsed, but to note the miserie of 
 that time, whan the benefites prouided for learning were so 
 fowlie misused. And what was the frute of this seade ? 
 Verely, iudgement in doctrine was wholy altered : order in 
 discipline very sore changed : the loue of good learning, began ' 
 sodenly to wax cold : the knowledge of the tonges (in spite of 
 some that therein had florished) was manifestly contemned : 
 and so, y« way of right studie purposely peruerted : the choice 
 of good authors of mallice confownded. Olde sophistrie (I say 
 not well) not olde, but that new rotten sophistrie began to 
 beard and sholder logicke in her owne tong : yea, I know, that 
 heades were cast together, and counsell deuised, that Duns^ with 
 all the rable of barbarous questionistes, should haue dispossessed 
 of their place and rowmes, Aristotle^ Plato, Tullie, jiristotdes. 
 and Demosthenes, when good M. Redman, and pi^^_ 
 those two worthy starres of that vniuersitie, cicero. 
 M. Cheke, and M. Smith, with their scholers, had jjemost. 
 brought to florishe as notable in Cambrige, as 
 
282 'The second booke teachyng 
 
 euer they did in Grece and in Italic : and for the doctrine of 
 , those fowre, the fowre pillers of learning, Cambrige than geuing 
 I place to no vniuersitie, neither in France, Spaine, Germanie, 
 nor Italie. Also in outward behauiour, than began simplicitie 
 fin apparell, to be layd aside : Courtlie galantnes to be taken vp : 
 frugalitie in diet was priuately misliked : Towne going to good 
 „, . cheare openly vsed : honest pastimes, ioyned with 
 
 labor, left of in the fieldes : vnthrifty and idle 
 games, haunted corners, and occupied the nightes : contention 
 in youth, no where for learning : factions in the elders euery 
 where for trifles. All which miseries at length, by Gods 
 prouidence, had their end 16. Nouemb. 1558. Since which 
 tyme, the yong spring hath shot vp so faire, as now there be in 
 Cambrige againe, many goodly plantes (as did well appeare at 
 the Queenes Maiesties late being there) which are like to grow 
 to mightie great timber, to the honor of learning, and great good 
 of their contrie, if they may stand their tyme, as the best 
 plantes there were wont to do : and if som old dotterell trees, 
 with standing ouer nie them, and dropping vpon them, do not 
 either hinder, or crooke their growing, wherein my feare is y<= 
 lesse, seing so worthie a Justice of an Oyre hath the present 
 ouersight of that whole chace, who was himselfe somtym, in 
 the fairest spring that euer was there of learning, one of the 
 forwardest yong plantes, in all that worthy College of S. Ihones : 
 who now by grace is growne to soch greatnesse, as, in the 
 temperate and quiet shade of his wisdome, next the prouidece 
 of God, and goodnes of one, in theis our daies, Religio for 
 sinceritie, litene for order and aduauncement, Respub. for happie 
 and quiet gouernment, haue to great rejoysing of all good men, 
 speciallie reposed them selues. 
 
 ^Now to returne to that Question, whether one, a few, many 
 or all, are to be folowed, my aunswere shalbe short : All, for 
 him that is desirous to know all : yea, the worst of all, as 
 Questionistes, and all the barbarous nation of scholemen, helpe 
 for one or other consideration : But in euerie separate kinde of 
 learning and studie, by it selfe, ye must follow, choiselie a few, 
 and chieflie some one, and that namelie in our schole of 
 eloquence, either for penne or talke. And as in portraicture 
 and paintyng wise men chose not that workman, that can onelie 
 make a faire hand, or a well facioned legge but soch one, as can 
 
the ready way to the Latin tong. 283 
 
 furnish vp fullie, all the fetures of the whole body, of a man, 
 woman and child : and with all is able to, by good skill, to giue 
 to euerie one of these three, in their proper kinde, the right 
 forme, the trew figure, the jiaturall color, that is fit and dew, 
 to the dignitie of a man, to the bewtie of a woman, to the 
 sweetnes of a yong babe : euen likewise, do we seeke soch one 
 in our schole to folow, who is able alwayes, in all matters, to 
 teach plainlie, to delite pleasantlie, and to cary away by force of 
 wise talke, all that shall heare or read him : and is so excellent 
 in deed, as witte is able, or wishe can hope, to attaine vnto : 
 And this not onelie to serue in the Latin or Greke tong, but 
 also in our own English language. But yet, bicause the prouid- 
 ence of God hath left vnto vs in no other tong, saue onelie in 
 the Greke and Latin tong, the trew preceptes, and perfite 
 examples of eloquence, therefore must we seeke in the Authors 
 onelie of those two tonges, the trewe Paterne of Eloquence, if 
 in any other mother tongue we looke to attaine, either to perfit 
 vtterance of it our selues, or skilfull iudgement of it in others. 
 
 And now to know, what Author doth medle onelie with 
 some one peece and member of eloquence, and who doth 
 perfitelie make vp the whole bodie, I will declare, as I can call 
 to remembrance the goodlie talke, that I haue had oftentymes, 
 of the trew difl^erence of Authors, with that lentleman of 
 worthie memorie, my dearest frend, and teacher of all the litle 
 poore learning I haue, Syr lohn Cheke. 
 
 The trew difference of Authors is best knowne, per diuersa 
 genera dicendi, that euerie one vsed. And therfore here I will 
 deuide genus dicendi, not into these three, Tenu^, mediocri, iff 
 grande, but as the matter of euerie Author requireth, as 
 
 iPoeticum. 
 Historicum. 
 Philosophicum. 
 Oratorium. 
 
 These difFerre one from an other, in choice of wordes, in 
 framyng of Sentences, in handling of Argumentes, and vse of 
 right forme, figure, and number, proper and fitte for euerie 
 matter, and euerie one of these is diuerse also in it selfe, as the 
 first. 
 
284 The second booke teachyng 
 
 Poetkum, in 
 
 Comicum. 
 Tragkum. 
 Epkum. 
 Melkum. V 
 
 And here, who soeuer hath bene diligent to read aduisedlie 
 ouer, Terence, Seneca, Virgil, Horace, or els Aristophanes, Sophocles, 
 Homer, and Pindar, and shall diligetly marke the difference 
 L they vse, in proprietie of wordes, in forme of sentence, in 
 *--, handlyng of their matter, he shall easelie perceiue, what is fitte 
 [ and decorum in euerie one, to the trew vse of perfite Imitation. 
 Whan M. Watson in S. lohns College at Cambrige wrote his 
 . excellent Tragedie of Absalon, M. Cheke, he and I, for that part 
 j of trew Imitation, had many pleasant talkes togither, in com- 
 paring the preceptes of Aristotle and Horace de Arte Poetica, 
 with the examples of Euripides, Sophocles, and Seneca. Few 
 men, in writyng of Tragedies in our dayes, haue shot at this 
 marke. Some in England, moe in France, Germanie, and Italie, 
 also haue written Tragedies in our tyme_: of the which, not 
 ! one I am sure is able to abyde the trew touch of Aristotles 
 preceptes, and Euripides examples, saue onely two, that euer I 
 saw, M. Watsons Absalon, and Georgius Buckananus lephthe. 
 One man in Cambrige, well liked of many, but best liked of 
 him selfe, was many tymes bold and busie, to bryng matters 
 vpon stages, which he called Tragedies. In one, wherby he 
 looked to Wynne his spurres, and whereat many ignorant felowes 
 fast clapped their handes, he began the Protasis with Trochaijs 
 OSlonarijs : which kinde of verse, as it is but seldome and rare 
 in Tragedies, so is it neuer vsed, saue onelie in Epitasi : whan 
 the Tragedie is hiest and hotest, and full of greatest troubles. 
 I remember ful well what M. Watson merelie sayd vnto me of 
 his blindnesse and boldnes in that behalfe although otherwise, 
 there passed much frendship betwene the. M. Watson had an 
 other maner care of perfection, with a feare and reuerence of 
 the iudgement of the best learned : Who to this day would 
 neuer suffer, yet his Absalon to go abroad, and that onelie, 
 bicause, in locis paribus, Anapestus is twise or thrise vsed in stede 
 of Iambus. A smal faulte, and such one, as perchance would 
 neuer be marked, no neither in Italie nor France. This I write, 
 not so much, to note the first, or praise the last, as to leaue in 
 
the ready way to the Latin tong. 285 
 
 memorie of writing, for good example to posteritie, what 
 perfection, in any tyme, was, most diligentlie sought for in like 
 nianer, m all kinde of learnyng, in that most worthie College 
 of S. lohns in Cambrige. 
 
 'Diaria. 
 
 Annales. 
 
 Historicum in 
 
 Commentarios. 
 Justam Historiam. 
 
 For what proprietie in wordes, simplicitie in senteaces, 
 plainnesse and light, is cumelie for these kindes, Casar and 
 Ltuie, for the two last, are perfite examples of Imitation : And 
 for the two first, the old paternes be lost, and as for some that 
 be present and of late tyme, they be fitter to be read once for 
 some pleasure, than oft to be perused, for any good Imitation of 
 them. 
 
 Philosophicum in {^'^^'""'"^^ ^s officia Cic. et Eth. Arist. 
 y^Lontentwnem, 
 
 As, the Dialoges of Plato, Xenophon, and Cicero : of which 
 kinde of learnyng, and right Imitation therof, Carolus Sigonius 
 hath written of late, both learnedlie and eloquentlie : but best 
 of all my frende loan. Sturmius in hys Commentaries vpon 
 Gorgias Platonis, which booke I haue in writyng, and is not yet 
 set out in Print. 
 
 (Humile. 
 Mediocre. 
 Sublime. 
 
 Examples of these three, in the Greke tong, be plentifull & 
 perfite, as Lycias, Isocrates, and Demosthenes: and 
 all three, in onelie Demosthenes, in diuerse orations "'■"^■ 
 as contra OUmpiodorum, in leptinem, &' pro Ctesi- 
 phonte. And trew it is, that Hermogines writeth 
 of Demosthenes, that all formes of Eloquence be perfite in him. 
 In Ciceroes Orations, Medium & sublime be most 
 excellentlie handled, but Humile in his Orations, 
 is seldome sene : yet neuerthelesse in other bookes, as in some 
 part of his offices, & specially in Partitionibus, he is comparable 
 in hoc humili W disciplinabili genere, euen with the best that euer 
 
286 T^he second booke teachyng 
 
 wrote in Greke. But of Cicero more fullie in fitter place. And 
 thus, the trew difference of stiles, in euerie Author, and euerie 
 kinde of learnyng may easelie be knowne by this diuision. 
 
 in Genus 
 
 Poeticum. 
 Historicum, 
 Philosophicum. 
 Oratorium. 
 
 Which I thought in this place to touch onelie, not to 
 prosecute at large, bicause, God willyng, in the Latin tong, 
 I will fullie handle it, in my booke de Imitatione. 
 
 Now, to touch more particularlie, which of those Authors, 
 that be now most commonlie in mens handes, will sone affourd 
 you some peece of Eloquence, and what maner a peece of 
 eloquence, and what is to be liked and folowed, and what to 
 be misliked and eschewed in them : and how some agayne will 
 furnish you fully withall, rightly, and wisely considered, som- 
 what I will write as I haue heard Syr Ihon Cheke many tymes 
 say. 
 
 The Latin tong, concerning any part of purenesse of it, 
 from the spring, to the decay of the same, did not endure moch 
 longer, than is the life of a well aged man, scarse one himdred 
 yeares from the tyme of the last Scipio Africanus and Lislius, to 
 the Empire of Augustus. And it is notable, that Felleius Pater- 
 culus writeth of Tullie, how that the perfection of eloquence did 
 so remayne onelie in him and in his time, as before him, were 
 few, which might moch delight a man, or after him any, worthy 
 admiration, but soch as Tullie might haue seene, and such as 
 might haue seene Tullie. And good cause why : for no perfec- 
 tion is durable. Encfease hath a time, & decay likewise, but 
 all perfit ripenesse remaineth but a momet: as is plainly seen 
 in fruits, plummes and cherries : but more sensibly in flowers, 
 as Roses & such like, and yet as trewlie in all greater matters. 
 For what naturallie, can go no hier, must naturallie yeld & 
 stoupe againe. 
 
 Of this short tyme of any purenesse of the Latin tong, for 
 the first fortie yeare of it, and all the tyme before, we haue no 
 peece of learning left, saue Plautus and Terence, with a litle 
 rude vnperfit pamflet of the elder Cato. And as for Plautus, 
 except the scholemaster be able to make wise and ware choice, 
 
the ready way to the Latin tong. 287 
 
 first in proprietie of wordes, than in framing of Phrases and 
 sentences, and chieflie in choice of honestie of matter, your 
 scholer were better to play, the learne all that is in him. But 
 surelie, if iudgement for the tong, and direction for the maners, 
 be wisely ioyned with the diligent reading of Plautus, than 
 trewlie Plautus, for that purenesse of the Latin tong in Rome, 
 whan Rome did most florish in wel doing, and so thereby, in 
 well speaking also, is soch a plentifull storehouse, for common 
 eloquence, in meane matters, and all priuate mens affaires, as 
 the Latin tong, for that respect, hath not the like agayne. 
 Whan I remember the worthy tyme of Rome, wherein Plautus 
 did Hue, I must nedes honor the talke of that tyme, which we 
 see Plautus doth vse. 
 
 Terence is also a storehouse of the same tong, for an other 
 tyme, following soone after, & although he be not so full & 
 plentiful as Plautus is, for multitude of matters, & diuersitie of 
 wordes, yet his wordes, be chosen so purelie, placed so orderly, 
 and all his stufFe so neetlie packed vp, and wittely compassed in 
 euerie place, as, by all wise mens iudgement, he is counted the 
 cunninger workeman, and to haue his shop, for the rowme that 
 is in it, more finely appointed, and trimlier ordered, than 
 Plautus is. 
 
 Three thinges chiefly, both in Plautus and Terence., are to 
 be specially considered. The matter, the vtterance, the words, 
 the meter. The matter in both, is altogether within the 
 compasse of the meanest mens maners, and doth not stretch 
 to any thing of any great weight at all, but standeth chiefly in 
 vtteryng the thoughtes and conditions of hard fathers, foolish 
 mothers, vnthrifty yong men, craftie seruantes, sotle bawdes, 
 and wilie harlots, and so, is moch spent, in finding out fine 
 fetches, and packing vp pelting matters, soch as in London 
 commonlie cum to the hearing of the Masters of Bridewell. 
 Here is base stufFe for that scholer, that should becum hereafter, 
 either a good minister in Religion, or a Ciuill lentleman in 
 seruice of his Prince and contrie : except the preacher do know 
 soch matters to confute them, whan ignorance surelie in all soch 
 thinges were better for a Ciuill lentleman, than knowledge. 
 And thus, for matter, both Plautus and Terence, be like meane 
 painters, that worke by halfes, and be cunning onelie, in making 
 the worst part of the picture, as if one were skilfull in paintmg / 
 
288 T^he second booke teachyng 
 
 the bodie of a naked person, from the nauell downward, but 
 nothing else. 
 
 For word and speach, Plautus is more plentifiill, and Terence 
 more pure and proper : And for one ,respect, Terence is to be 
 embraced aboue all that euer wrote in hys kinde of argument : 
 Bicause it is well known, by good recorde of learning, and that 
 by Ciceroes owne witnes that some Comedies bearyng Terence 
 name, were written by worthy Scipio, and wise Lalius, and 
 namely Heauton : and Adelphi. And therefore as oft as I reade 
 those Comedies, so oft doth sound in myne eare, the pure fine 
 talke of Rome, which was vsed by the floure of the worthiest 
 nobilitie that euer Rome bred. Let the wisest man, and best 
 learned that liueth, read aduisedlie ouer, the first scene of 
 Heauton, and the first scene of Adelphi, and let him consideratlie 
 iudge, whether it is the talke of a seruile stranger borne, or 
 rather euen that milde eloquent wise speach, which Cicero in 
 Brutus doth so liuely expresse in Leelius. And yet neuerthelesse, 
 in all this good proprietie 6f wordes, and purenesse of phrases 
 which be in Terence, ye must not follow him alwayes in placing 
 of them, bicause for the meter sake, some wordes in him, 
 somtyme, be driuen awrie, which require a straighter placing in 
 plaine prose, if ye will forme, as I would ye should do, your 
 speach and writing, to that excellent perfitnesse, which was 
 onely in Tullie, or onelie in Tullies tyme. 
 
 The meter and verse of Plautus and Terence be verie meane, 
 and not to be followed : which is not their reproch, 
 Plautm&' ^"*- ^^^ ^^"^^ of '^'^^ tyme, wherein they wrote, whan 
 Terence. no kinde of Poetrie, in the Latin tong, was brought 
 
 to perfection, as doth well appeare in the fragmentes 
 of Ennius, Cacilius, and others, and euidentlie in Plautus & 
 Terence, if thies in Latin be compared with right skil, with Homer, 
 Euripides, Aristophanes, and other in Greeke of like sort. Cicero 
 him selfe doth complaine of this vnperfitnes, but more plainly 
 Quintilian, saying, in Comoedia maxime claudicamus, et vix leuem 
 consequimur vmbram : and most earnestly of all Horace in Arte 
 Poetica, which he doth namely propter carmen lamhicum, and 
 referreth all good studentes herein to the Imitation of the Greeke 
 tong, saying. 
 
 Exemplaria Graca 
 no£iurna versate manu, versate diurna. 
 
the ready way to the Latin tong. 289 
 
 This matter maketh me gladly remember, my sweete tyme 
 spent at Cambrige, and the pleasant talke which I had oft with 
 M. Cheke^ and M. Watson^ of this fault, not onely in the olde 
 Latin Poets, but also in our new English Rymers at this day. 
 They wished as Virgil and Horace were not wedded to follow 
 the faultes of former fathers (a shrewd mariage in greater 
 matters) but by right Imitation of the perfit Grecias, had 
 brought Poetrie to perfitnesse also in the Latin tong, that we 
 Englishmen likewise would acknowledge and vnderstand right-) 
 fully our rude beggerly ryming, brought first into Italic byl 
 Gothes and Hunnes, whan all good verses and all good learning 
 to, were destroyd by them : and after caryed into France and 
 Germanic : and at last receyued into England by men of 
 excellent wit in deede, but of small learning, and lesse iudge- 
 ment in that behalfe. 
 
 But now, when men know the difference, and haue the 
 examples, both of the best, and of the worst, surelie, to follow 
 rather the Gothes in Ryming, than the Greekes in trew versifiyng, 
 were euen to eate ackornes with swyne, when we may freely 
 eate wheate bread emonges men. In deede, Chauser, Th. 
 Norton^ of Bristow, my L. of Surrey, M. Wiat^ Th. Phaer, 
 and other lentlemen, in translating Ouide, Palingenius, and 
 Seneca, haue gonne as farre to their great praise, as the copie 
 they followed could cary them, but, if soch good wittes, and 
 forward diligence, had bene directed to follow the best examples, 
 and not haue bene caryed by tyme and custome, to content 
 themselues with that barbarous and rude Ryming, emonges 
 their other worthy praises, which they haue iustly deserued, 
 this had not bene the least, to be counted emonges men of 
 learning and skill, more like vnto the Grecians, than vnto the 
 Gothians, in handling of their verse. 
 
 In deed, our English tong, hauing in vse chiefly, wordes of j 
 one syllable which commonly be long, doth not well receiue the 
 nature of Carmen Heroicum, bicause da£iylus, the aptest foote 
 for that verse, coteining one long & two short, is seldom there- 
 fore found in English : and doth also rather stumble than stand 
 vpon Monosyllabis. Quintilian in hys learned Chapiter ,_^ 
 de Compositione, geueth this lesson de Monosyllabis, 
 before me : and in the same place doth iustlie inuey against all 
 Ryming, that if there be any, who be angrie with me, for 
 
290 T!he second booke teachyng 
 
 misliking of Ryming, may be angry for company to, with 
 
 ' QuintUlan also, for the same thing : And yet Quintilian had 
 not so iust cause to mislike of it than, as me haue at this day. 
 
 And although Carmen Exametrum doth rather trotte and 
 hoble, than runne smothly in our English tong, yet I am sure, 
 
 '. our English tong will receiue carmen lambicum as naturallie, as 
 either Greke or Latin. But for ignorance, men ca not like, & 
 for idlenes, men will not labor, to cum to any perfitenes at all. 
 For, as the worthie Poetes in Athens and Rome^ were more 
 careful] to satisfie the iudgement of one learned, than rashe in 
 pleasing the humor of a rude multitude, euen so if men in 
 England now, had the like reuerend regard to learning skill and 
 iudgement, and durst not presume to write, except they came 
 with the like learnyng, and also did vse like diligence, in 
 searchyng out, not onelie iust measure in euerie meter, as euerie 
 
 ' ignorant person may easely do, but also trew quantitie in euery 
 foote and sillable, as onelie the learned shalbe able to do, and as 
 the Grekes and Romanes were wont to do, surelie than rash 
 ignorant heads, which now can easely recken vp fourten sillables, 
 and easelie stumble on euery Ryme, either durst not, for lacke 
 of such learnyng : or els would not, in auoyding such labor, be 
 
 / Bt3g= ^° busie, as euerie where they be : and shoppes in 
 *~^^ London should not be so full of lewd and rude 
 
 , rymes, as commonlie they are. But now, the ripest of tong, 
 be readiest to write : And many dayly in setting out bookes and 
 balettes make great shew of blossomes and buddes, in whom is 
 
 . neither, roote of learning, nor frute of wisedome at all. Some that 
 make Chaucer in English and Petrarch in Italian^ their Gods in 
 verses, and yet be not able to make trew difference, what is 
 a fault, and what is a iust prayse, in those two worthie wittes, 
 will moch mislike this my writyng. But such men be euen 
 like followers of Chaucer and Petrarke, as one here in England 
 did folow Syr Tho. More : who, being most vnlike vnto him, in 
 wit and learnyng, neuertheles in wearing his gowne awrye vpon 
 the one shoulder, as Syr Tho. More was wont to do, would 
 nedes be counted lyke vnto him. 
 
 This mislikyng of Ryming, beginneth not now of any 
 newfangle singularitie, but hath bene long misliked of many, 
 and that of men, of greatest learnyng, and deepest iudgemet. 
 And soch, that defend it, do so, either for lacke of knowledge 
 
the ready way to the Latin tong. 291 
 
 what is best, or els of verie enuie, that any should performe that 
 in learnyng, whereunto they, as I sayd before, either for 
 Ignorance, can not, or for idlenes will not, labor to attaine vnto. 
 And you that prayse this Ryming, bicause ye neither haue 
 reason, why to like it, nor can shew learning to defend it, yet I 
 will helpe you, with the authoritie of the oldest and learnedst 
 tyme. In Grece^ whan Poetrie was euen at the hiest pitch of per- 
 fitnes, one Simmias Rhodius of a certaine singularitie wrote a 
 booke in ryming Greke verses, naming it to'oi/, conteyning the 
 fable, how lupiter in likenes of a swan, gat that egge vpon Leda^ 
 whereof came Castor^ Pollux and faire Elena. This booke was , 
 so liked, that it had few to read it, but none to folow it: 
 But was presentlie contemned : and sone after, both Author and 
 booke, so forgotten by men, and consumed by tyme, as scarse 
 the name of either is kept in memorie of learnyng : And the like 
 folie was neuer folowed of any, many hondred yeares after 
 vntill ye Hunnes and Gothians, and other barbarous nations, of 
 ignorance and rude singularitie, did reuiue the same folie agayne. 
 The noble Lord Th. Earle of Surrey, first of all English 
 men, in traslating the fourth booke of Virgill : The Earle of 
 and Gonsaluo Periz that excellent learned man, Surrey. 
 and Secretarie to kyng Philip of Spaine, in Gonsaluo 
 translating the Flisses of Homer out of Greke into Periz. 
 Spanish., haue both, by good iudgement, auoyded the fault of 
 Ryming, yet neither of them hath fullie hite perfite and trew 
 versifiyng. In deede, they obserue iust number, and euen feete : 
 but here is the fault, that their feete : be feete without ioyntes, ; 
 that is to say, not distinct by trew quantitie of sillables : And so, 
 soch feete, be but numme feete : and be, eue as vnfitte for 
 a verse to turne and runne roundly withall, as feete of brasse or 
 wood be vnweeldie to go well withall. And as a foote of wood, 
 is a plaine shew of a manifest maime, euen so feete, in our 
 English versifiing, without quatitie and ioyntes, be sure signes, 
 that the verse is either, borne deformed, vnnaturall and lame, 
 and so verie vnseemlie to looke vpon, except to men that be 
 gogle eyed the selues. 
 
 The spying of this fault now is not the curiositie of English 
 eyes, but euen the good iudgement also of the best ^enese 
 that write in these dayes in Italic : and namelie of />&« 
 that worthie Senese Felice Figliucci, who, writyng Figliucci. 
 
 T 2 
 
292 T'he second booke teachyng 
 
 vpon Aristoths Ethkkes so excellentlie in Italian, as neuer did yet 
 any one in myne opinion either in Greke or Latin, amongest 
 other thynges doth most earnestlie inuey agaynst the rude 
 ryming of verses in that tong : And whan soeuer he expresseth 
 Aristoths preceptes, with any example, out of Homer or 
 Euripides, he translateth them, not after the Rymes of Petrarke, 
 but into soch kinde of perfite verse, with h'ke feete and quantitie 
 of sillables, as he found them before in the GreJie tonge : ex- 
 hortyng earnestlie all the Italian nation, to leaue of their rude 
 barbariousnesse in ryming, and folow diligently the excellent 
 Greke and Latin examples, in trew versifiyng. 
 
 And you, that be able to vnderstand no more, then ye finde 
 I in the Italian tong : and neuer went farder than the schole of 
 Petrarke and Ariostus abroad, or els of Chaucer at home though 
 you haue pleasure to wander blindlie still in your foule wrong 
 way, enuie not others, that seeke, as wise men haue done before 
 them, the fairest and rightest way : or els, beside the iust 
 reproch of malice, wisemen shall trewlie iudge, that you do so, 
 as I haue sayd and say yet agayne vnto you, bicause, either, for 
 idlenes ye will not, or for ignorance ye can not, cum by no 
 better your selfe. 
 
 And therfore euen as Virgill and Horace deserue most 
 worthie prayse, that they spying the vnperfitnes in Ennius and 
 Plautus, by trew Imitation of Homer and Euripides, brought 
 Poetrie to the same perfitnes in Latin, as it was in Greke, euen 
 so those, that by the same way would benefite their tong 
 and contrey, deserue rather thankes than disprayse in that 
 bejialfe. 
 
 And I reioyce, that euen poore England preuented Italie, 
 first in spying out, than in seekyng to amend this fault in 
 learnyng. 
 
 And here, for my pleasure I purpose a litle, by the, way, to 
 play and sporte with my Master Tully : from whom commonlie 
 I am neuer wont to dissent. He him selfe, for this point of 
 learnyng, in his verses doth halt a litle by his leaue. He could 
 not denie it, if he were aliue, nor those defend hym now that 
 „ ... loue him best. This fault I lay to his charge : 
 
 saying a- bicause once it pleased him, though somwhat 
 
 gainst Eng- merelie, yet oueruncurteslie, to rayle vpon poore 
 land. England, obiecting both, extreme beggerie, and 
 
the ready way to the Latin tong. 293 
 
 mere barbariousnes vnto it, writyng thus vnto his frend Aniens : 
 I here is not one scruple of siluer in that whole ^d Att 
 Isle, or any one that knoweth either learnyng or Lib. iv.' Ep 
 letter. ^ ^ 16. 
 
 But now master Cicero, blessed be God, and his sonne lesu 
 Christ, whom you neuer knew, except it were as it pleased him 
 to lighten you by some shadow, ascouertlie in one place ye 
 cofesse saying ; Veritatis tantum vmbra consectamur, 
 as your Master Plato did before you : blessed be '^^'^■ 
 God, I say, that sixten hudred yeare after you were dead and \ 
 gone, it may trewly be sayd, that for siluer, there is more 
 cumlie plate, in one Citie of England, than is in foure of the 
 proudest Cities in all Italie, and take Rome for one of them. 
 And for learnyng, beside the knowledge of all learned tongs and 
 liberall sciences, euen your owne bookes Cicero, be as well read, ^ 
 and your excellent eloquence is as well liked and loued, and as 
 trewlie folowed in England at this day, as it is now, or euer 
 was, sence your owne tyme, in any place of Italie, either at 
 Arpinum, where ye were borne, or els at Rome where ye were 
 brought vp. And a litle to brag with you Cicero, where you 
 your selfe, by your leaue, halted in some point of learnyng in^ 
 your owne tong, many in England at this day go streight vp, 
 both in trewe skill, and right doing therein. 
 
 This I wfite, not to reprehend Tullie, whom, aboue all 
 other, I like and loue best, but to excuse Terence, because in his 
 tyme, and a good while after, Poetrie was neuer perfited in 
 Latin, vntill by trew Imitation of the Grecians, it was at length 
 brought to perfection : And also thereby to exhorte the goodlie 
 wittes of England, which apte by nature, & willing by desire, 
 geue the selues to Poetrie, that they, rightly vnderstanding the 
 barbarous bringing in of Rymes, would labor, as Virgil and 
 Horace did in Latin, to make perfit also this point of learning, 
 in our English tong. 
 
 And thus much for Plautus and Terence, for matter, tong, and 
 meter, what is to be followed, and what to be exchewed in them. 
 After Plautus and Terence, no writing remayneth vntill 
 Tullies tyme, except a fewe short fragmentes of L. Crassus 
 excellent wit, here and there recited of Cicero for example sake, 
 whereby the louers of learnyng may the more lament the losse 
 of soch a worthie witte. 
 
294 '^^^ second booke teachyng 
 
 And although the Latin tong did faire blome and blossome 
 in L. Crassus, and M. Antonius, yet in Tullies tyme onely, and 
 in Tullie himselfe chieflie, was the Latin tong fullie ripe, and 
 growne to the hiest pitch of all perfection. 
 
 And yet in the same tyme, it began to fade and stoupe, as 
 Tullie him selfe, in Brutus de Claris Oratoribus, with weeping 
 wordes doth witnessc. 
 
 And bicause, emongs them of that tyme, there was some 
 difference, good reason is, that of them of that tyme, should be 
 made right choice 'also. And yet let the best Ciceronian in 
 Italie read Tullies familiar epistles aduisedly ouer, and I beleue 
 he shall finde small difference, for the Latin tong, either in 
 propriety of wordes or framing of the stile, betwixt Tullie, and 
 those that write vnto him. As ser. Sulpitius, A. Cecinna, 
 M. Calius, M. et D. Bruti, A. Pollio, L. Plancus, and diuerse 
 Epi. Planci other : read the epistles of L. Plancus in x. Lib. 
 X. lib. Epist. and for an assay, that Epistle namely to the Coss. 
 8- and whole Senate, the eight Epistle in number, 
 
 and what could be, eyther more eloquentlie, or more wiselie 
 written, yea by Tullie himselfe, a man may iustly doubt. Thies 
 men and Tullie, liued all in one tyme, were like in authoritie, 
 not vnlike in learning and studie, which might be iust causes of 
 this their equalitie in writing : And yet surely, they neyther 
 were in deed, nor yet were counted in mens opinions, equall 
 with Tullie in that facultie. And how is the difference hid in 
 his Epistles ? verelie, as the cunning of an expert Sea man, in 
 a faire calme fresh Ryuer, doth litle differ from the doing of 
 a meaner workman therein, euen so, in the short cut of a 
 priuate letter, where, matter is common, wordes easie, and 
 order not moch diuerse, small shew of difference can appeare. 
 But where Tullie doth set vp his saile of eloquence, in some 
 broad deep Argument, caried with full tyde and winde, of his 
 witte and learnyng, all other may rather stand and looke after 
 him, than hope to ouertake him, what course so euer he hold, 
 either in faire or foule. Foure men onely whan the Latin tong 
 was full ripe, be left vnto vs, who in that tyme did florish, and 
 did leaue to posteritie, the fruite of their witte and learning : 
 Varro, Salust, Ctesar, and Cicero. Whan I say, these foure 
 onely, I am not ignorant, that euen in the same tyme, most 
 excellent Poetes, deseruing well of the Latin tong, as Lucretius, 
 
the ready way to the Latin tong. 295 
 
 CattuUus, Virgin and Hora«, did write: But, bicause, in this 
 litle booke, I purpose to teach a yong scholer, to go, not to 
 daunce: to speake, not to sing, whan Poetes in deed, namelie 
 Epici and Lyrici, as these be, are fine dauncers, and trime 
 singers, but Oratores and Historici be those cumlie goers, and 
 faire and wise speakers, of whom I wishe my scholer to wayte 
 vpon first, and after in good order, & dew tyme, to be brought 
 forth, to the singing and dauncing schole : And for this consi- 
 deration, do I name these foure, to be the onelie writers of that 
 tyme. 
 
 1 Varro. 
 
 Varro, in his bookes de lingua Latina, et Analogia as these be 
 left mangled and patched vnto vs, doth not enter ^^^^ 
 there in to any great depth of eloquence, but as 
 one caried in a small low vessell him selfe verie nie the common 
 shore, not much vnlike the fisher me of Rye, and Hering men 
 of Yarmouth. Who deserue by common mens opinion, small 
 commendacion, for any cunning saling at all, yet neuertheles 
 in those bookes of Varro good and necessarie stufFe, for that 
 meane kinde of Argument, be verie well and learnedlie gathered 
 togither. 
 
 His bookes of Husbandrie, are moch to be regarded, and 
 diligentlie to be read, not onelie for the proprietie, ^^ ^^ 
 but also for the plentie of good wordes, in all Rustier.' 
 contrey and husbandmens affaires : which can not 
 be had, by so good authoritie, out of any other Author, either 
 of so good a tyme, or of so great learnyng, as out of Varro. 
 And yet bicause, he was fourescore yeare old, whan he wrote 
 those bookes, the forme of his style there compared with Tullies 
 writyng, is but euen the talke of a spent old man : whose 
 wordes commonlie fall out of his mouth, though verie wiselie, 
 yet hardly and coldie, and more heauelie also, than some eares 
 can well beare, except onelie for age, and authorities sake. And 
 perchance, in a rude contrey argument, of purpose and ludge- 
 ment, he rather vsed, the speach of the contrey, than talke of 
 
 the Citie. t u . 
 
 And so for matter sake, his wordes sometyme, be somewhat 
 
 rude : and by the imitation of the elder Cato, old and out of vse: 
 
296 T^he second booke teachyng 
 
 And beyng depe stept in age, by negligence some wordes do so 
 scape & fall from him in those bookes, as be not worth the 
 
 taking vp, by him, that is carefiill to speake or 
 r' \ write trew Latin, as that sentence in him, Romania 
 
 in pace a rusticis alebantur, et in hello ah his tuebantur. 
 A good student must be therfore carefull and diligent, to read 
 with iudgement ouer euen those Authors, which did write in the 
 most perfite tyme: and let him not be aiFrayd to trie them, 
 both in proprietie of wordes, and forme of style, by the touch 
 stone of Casar and Cicero^ whose puritie was neuer soiled, no 
 not by the sentence of those, that loued them worst. 
 
 All louers of learnyng may sore lament the losse of those 
 The loue bookes of Varro^ which he wrote in his yong and 
 
 of Var- lustie yeares, with good leysure, and great learnyng 
 
 roes of all partes of Philosophic : of the goodliest argu- 
 
 °° *^" mentes, perteyning both to the common wealth, 
 
 and priuate life of man, as, de Ratione studij, et educaridis liheris, 
 which booke, is oft recited, and moch praysed, in the fragmentes 
 of Nonius, euen for authoritie sake. He wrote most diligentlie 
 and largelie, also the whole historie of the state of Rome: the 
 mysteries of their whole Religion: their lawes, customes, and 
 gouernement in peace: their maners, and whole discipline in 
 warre: And this is not my gessing, as one in deed that neuer 
 saw those bookes, but euen, the verie iudgement, & playne 
 testimonie of Tullie him selfe, who knew & read those bookes, 
 in these wordes : Tu cetatem Patria: Tu descriptiones temporum: 
 
 Tu sacrorum, tu sacerdotum lura : Tu domesticam, 
 O est^ " ^" hellicam disciplinam: Tu sedem Regionum, locorum, 
 
 tu omnium diuinarum humanarumi reru nomina, 
 genera, officio, causas aperuisti. ^c. 
 
 But this great losse of Varro, is a litle recompensed by the 
 happy comming of Dionysius Halicarnassteus to Rome in 
 Jugustus dayes: who getting the possession of Varros librarie, 
 out of that treasure house of learning, did leaue vnto vs some 
 frute of Varros witte and diligence, I meane, his goodlie bookes 
 de Antiquitatihus Romanorum. Varro was so estemed for his 
 excellent learnyng, as Tullie him selfe had a reuerence to his 
 
 iudgement in all doutes of learnyng. And 
 Cic. ad Antonius Triumuir, his enemie, and of a contrarie 
 
 Att • . 
 
 faction, who had power to kill and bannish whom 
 
the ready way to the Latin tong. 297 
 
 he listed, whan l^arros name amongest others was brought in a 
 schedule vntohim, to be noted to death, he tooke his penne and 
 wrote his warrant of sauegard with these most goodlie wordes, 
 ymatVarro vir doaissimus. In later tyme, no man knew better, 
 nor liked and loued more Varros learnyng, than did S. Augustine, 
 as they do well vnderstand, that haue diligentlie read ouer his 
 learned bookes de Ciuitate Dei: Where he hath this most 
 notable sentece : Whan I see, how much Farro wrote, I 
 meruell much, that euer he had any leasure to read : and whan 
 I perceiue how many thinges he read, I meruell more, that euer 
 he had any leasure to write. &c. 
 
 And surelie, if Farros bookes had remained to posteritie, as 
 by Gods prouidence, the most part of Tullies did, than trewlie 
 the Latin tong might haue made good comparison with the 
 Greke. 
 
 Saluste. 
 
 Sa/ust, is a wise and worthy writer : but he requireth 
 a learned Reader, and a right considerer of him. 
 My dearest frend, and best master that euer I had ■^"^"^i- 
 or heard in learning, Syr /. Cheie, soch a man, as Syr lohn 
 if I should liue to see England breed the like Chekes 
 againe, I feare, I should liue ouer long, did once and^coun-' 
 giue me a lesson for Salust, which, as I shall neuer sell for rea- 
 forget my selfe, so is it worthy to be remembred ^y^Z °^ 
 of all those, that would cum to perfite iudgement " "^ "' 
 of the Latin tong. He said, that Salust was not verie fitte for 
 yong men, to learne out of him, the puritie of the Latin tong : 
 because, he was not the purest in proprietie of wordes, nor 
 choisest in aptnes of phrases, nor the best in framing of 
 sentences : and therefore is his writing, sayd he neyther plaine 
 for the matter, nor sensible for mens vnderstanding. And what 
 is the cause thereof, Syr, quoth L Verilie said he, bicause in 
 Salust writing, is more Arte than nature, and more labor than 
 Arte : and in his labor also, to moch toyle, as it were, with an 
 vncontented care to write better than he could, a fault common 
 to very many men. And therefore he doth not expresse the 
 matter liuely and naturally with common speach as ye see 
 Xenophon doth in Greeke, but it is caried and driuen forth 
 
298 I'he second booke teachyng 
 
 artificiallie, after to learned a sorte, as Thucydides doth in his 
 orations. And how cummeth it to passe, sayd I, that dssar 
 and Ciceroes talke, is so natural! & plaine, and Salust writing so 
 artificiall and darice, whan all they three lined in one tyme ? 
 I will freelie tell you my fansie herein, said he : surely, Casar 
 and Cicero^ beside a singular prerogatiue of naturall eloquence 
 geuen vnto them by God, both two, by vse of life, were daylie 
 orators emonges the common people, and greatest councellers in 
 the Senate house : and therefore gaue themselues to vse soch 
 speach as the meanest should well vnderstand, and the wisest 
 best allow : folowing carefullie that good councell of Aristotle^ 
 loquendum vt multi, sapiendum vt pauci. Salust was no soch man, 
 neyther for will to goodnes, nor skill by learning : but ill geuen 
 by nature, and made worse by bringing vp, spent the most part 
 of his yougth very misorderly in ryot and lechery. In the 
 company of soch, who, neuer geuing theyr mynde to honest 
 doyng, could neuer inure their tong to wise speaking. But at 
 last cummyng to better yeares, and hying witte at the dearest 
 hand, that is, by long experience of the hurt and shame that 
 commeth of mischeif, moued, by the councell of them that 
 were wise, and caried by the example of soch as were good, 
 first fell to honestie of life, and after to the loue of studie and 
 learning : and so became so new a man, that desar being 
 dictator, made him Pretor in Numidia where he absent from his 
 contrie, and not inured with the common talke of Rome, but 
 shut vp in his studie, and bent wholy to reading, did write the 
 storie of the Romanes. And for the better accomplishing of 
 the same, he red Cato and Piso in Latin for gathering of matter 
 and troth : and Thucydides in Greeke for the order of his storie, 
 and furnishing of his style. Cato (as his tyme required) had 
 more troth for the matter, than eloquence for the style. And 
 so Salust, by gathering troth out of Cato, smelleth moch of the 
 roughnes of his style : euen as a man that eateth garlike for 
 helth, shall cary away with him the sauor of it also, whether he 
 will or not. And yet the vse of old wordes is not the greatest 
 cause of Salustes roughnes and darknesse : There be in Salust 
 J. ., „ some old wordes in deed as patrare helium, duSiare 
 
 Cap. 3. exercitum, well noted by Quintilian, and verie 
 
 De Oraa- much misliked of him : and supplicium for suppli- 
 
 *"• catio, a. word smellyng of an older store, than the 
 
the ready way to the Latin tong. 299 
 
 other two so misliked by Quint : And yet is that word also in 
 Varro^ speaking of Oxen thus, bouei ad viSiimas faciunt, atg ad 
 Deorum suppUcia : and a few old wordes mo. Read Saluste and 
 Tullie aduisedly together : and in wordes ye shall finde small 
 difference : yea Salust is more geuen to new wordes, than to 
 olde, though som olde writers say the contrarie : as Claritudo 
 for Gloria : exaffe for perfeSie : Facundia for eloquentia. Thies 
 two last wordes exaSle and facundia now in euery mans mouth, 
 be neuer (as I do remember) vsed of Tullie^ and therefore 
 I thinke they be not good : For surely Tullie speaking euery 
 where so moch of the matter of eloquence, would not so 
 precisely haue absteyned from the word Facundia^ if it had 
 bene good : that is proper for the tong, & common for mens 
 vse. I could be long, in reciting many soch like, both olde & 
 new wordes in Salust : but in very dede neyther oldnes nor 
 newnesse of wordes maketh the greatest difference The cause why 
 betwixt Salust and Tullie, but first strange phrases Salust is not 
 made of good Latin wordes, but framed after the '^^^ TuUy. 
 Greeke tonge, which be neyther choisly borowed of them, nor 
 properly vsed by him : than, a hard composition and crooked 
 framing of his wordes and sentences, as a man would say, 
 English talke placed and framed outlandish like. As for 
 example first in ph-rases, nimius et animus be two vsed wordes, 
 yet homo nimius animi, is an vnused phrase. Fulgus, et amat, et 
 fori, be as common and well known wordes as may be in the 
 Latin tong, yet id quod vulgh amat fieri, for solet fieri, is but 
 a strange and grekish kind of writing. Ingens et vires be 
 proper wordes, yet vir ingens virium is an vnproper kinde of 
 speaking and so be likewise, 
 
 (ceger consilij. 
 promptissimus belli, 
 territus animi. 
 
 and many soch like phrases in Salust, borowed as I sayd not 
 choisly out of Greeke, and vsed therefore vnproperlie in Latin. 
 Againe, in whole sentences, where the matter is good, the 
 wordes proper and plaine, yet the sense is hard and darke, and 
 namely in his prefaces and orations, wherein he vsed most 
 labor, which fault is likewise in Thucydides in Greeke, of whom 
 Salust hath taken the greatest part of his darkenesse. For 
 
300 'The second booke teachyng 
 
 Thucydides likewise wrote his storie, not at home in Grace, but 
 abrode in Italic, and therefore smelleth of a certaine outlandish 
 kinde of talke, strange to them of Athens^ and diuerse from their 
 writing, that liued in Athens and Grece, and wrote the same 
 tyme that Thucydides did, as Lysias, Xenophon, Plato^ and 
 Isocrates, the purest and playnest writers, that euer wrote in any 
 tong, and best examples for any man to follow whether he 
 write, Latin, Italian, French, or English. Thucydides also 
 semeth in his writing, not so much benefited by nature, as 
 holpen by Arte, and caried forth by desire, studie, labor, toyle, 
 and ouer great curiositie : who spent xxvii. yeares in writing his 
 eight bookes of his history. Salust likewise wrote out of his 
 _. contrie, and followed the faultes of Thuc. to 
 
 Halycar. moch : and boroweth of him som kinde of writing, 
 
 ad Q. which the Latin tong can not well beare, as Casus 
 
 Tub. de nominatiuus in diuerse places absolutk positus, as in 
 
 that place of lugurth, speaking de leptitanis,'itag ah 
 imperatorefaciU ques petebant adepti, missa sunt eo cohortes ligurum 
 quatuor. This thing in participles, vsed so oft in Thucyd. and other 
 Greeke authors to, may better be borne with all, but Salust vseth 
 the same more strangelie and boldlie, as in thies wordes, Multis 
 sibi quisg imperium petentibus. I beleue, the best Grammarien in 
 England can scarse giue a good reule, why quisg the nominatiue 
 case, without any verbe, is so thrust vp amongest so many 
 oblique cases. Some man, perchance will smile, and laugh to 
 scorne this my writyng, and call it idle curiositie, thus to busie 
 my selfe in pickling about these small pointes of Grammer, not 
 fitte for my age, place and calling, to trifle in : I trust that man, 
 be he neuer so great in authoritie, neuer so wise and learned, 
 either, by other mens iudgement, or his owne opinion, will yet 
 thinke, that he is not greater in England, than Tullie was at 
 Rome, not yet wiser, nor better learned than Tullie was him 
 selfe, who, at the pitch of three score yeares, in the middes of 
 the broyle betwixt Casar and Pompeie, whan he knew not, 
 whether to send wife & children, which way to go, where to 
 hide him selfe, yet, in an earnest letter, amongest his earnest 
 Ad Att. councelles for those heuie tymes concerning both 
 
 Lib. 7. Epi- the common state of his contrey, and his owne 
 stola. 3. priuate great affaires he was neither vnmyndfull 
 
 nor ashamed to reason at large, and learne gladlie of Atticus, 
 
the ready way to the Latin tong. 301 
 
 a lesse point of Grammer than these be, noted of me in Salust, 
 as, whether he should write, ad Piraea, in Piraea, or in 
 Pirteeum, or Piraeum sine prapositione : And in those heuie 
 tymes, he was so carefull to know this small point of Grammer, 
 that he addeth these wordes Si hoc mihi ^ijrrjfia persolueris, 
 magna me molestia liberaris. If Tullie, at that age, in that 
 authoritie, in that care for his contrey, in that ieoperdie for him 
 selfe, and extreme necessitie of hys dearest frendes, beyng also 
 the Prince of Eloquence hym selfe, was not ashamed to descend 
 to these low pointes of Grammer, in his owne naturall tong, 
 what should scholers do, yea what should any man do, if he do 
 thinke well doyng, better than ill doyng : And had rather be, 
 perfite than meane, sure than doutefull, to be what he should 
 be, in deed, not seeme what he is not, in opinion. He that 
 maketh perfitnes in the Latin tong his marke, must cume to it 
 by choice & certaine knowledge, not stumble vpon it by chance 
 and doubtfull ignorance : And the right steppes to reach vnto it, 
 be these, linked thus orderlie together, aptnes of nature, loue of 
 learnyng, diligence in right order, constancie with pleasant 
 moderation, and alwayes to learne of them that be best, and so 
 shall you iudge as they that be wisest. And these be those 
 reules, which worthie Master Cheke dyd impart vnto me con- 
 cernyng Salust, and the right iudgement of the Latin tong. 
 
 1 desar. 
 
 Casar for that litle of him, that is left vnto vs, is like the 
 halfe face of a Fenus, the other part of the head beyng hidden, 
 the bodie and the rest of the members vnbegon, yet so 
 excellentlie done by Apelles^ as all men may stand still to mase 
 and muse vpon it, and no man step forth with any hope to 
 performe the like. 
 
 His seuen bookes de hello Gallico^ and three de hello Ciutli, be 
 written, so wiselie for the matter, so eloquentlie for the tong, 
 that neither his greatest enemies could euer finde the least note 
 of parcialitie in him (a meruelous wisdome of a man, namely 
 writyng of his owne doynges) nor yet the best iudegers of the 
 Latin tong, nor the most enuious lookers vpon other mes 
 writynges, can say any other, but all things be most perfitelie 
 done by him. 
 
302 The ready way to the Latin tong. 
 
 Brutus^ Caluus, and Calidius, who found fault with Tullies 
 fulnes in woordes and matter, and that rightlie, for Tullie did 
 both, confesse it, and mend it, yet in Casar, they neither did, 
 nor could finde the like, or any other fault. 
 
 And therfore thus iustlie I may conclude of Ciesar, that 
 where, in all other, the best that euer wrote, in any tyme, or in 
 any tong, in Greke or Latin, I except neither Plato, Demosthenes, 
 nor Tullie, some fault is iustlie noted, in Cessar onelie, could 
 neuer yet fault be found. 
 
 Yet neuertheles, for all this perfite excellencie in 
 
 him, yet it is. but in one member of eloquence, and 
 
 that but of one side neither, whan we must 
 
 looke for that example to folow, which hath 
 
 a perfite head, a whole bodie, forward 
 
 and backward, armes and 
 
 legges and all. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
ERRATA OF THE ORIGINAL COPIES. 
 
 p. xix. 1. 13. Herhen for Hethen. 
 
 p. 8 1. 13 up. thinges, onelie /or thinges onelie, p. 24 1. 16. some 
 copies read, dealyng crafty for dealyng, crafty p. 27 1. 12 up. stode, 
 by /or St ode by, do doynge /or doynge p. 30 1. 17. tymes: it /or 
 
 tymes it p. 33 1. 14. (and if for and (if p. 46 1. a. some 
 
 copies read, healtli for welth p. 47 1. 10 up. some copies read, 
 Pertians for Parthians p. 48 1. 8 up. some copies read, ill wyll for 
 euelwyll 1. 7 up. some copies read, open battayle for contention 
 p. 56 1. 2 up. doch for doth p- 57 last line, ye for yet (as in 
 
 ed. 15 71) p. 61 1. 5 up. shouthfulnesse /or slouthfiilnesse p. 72 
 1. 3 up. lesse /or leste p. 78 1. 16. that \ for than I p. 80 
 
 1. 3 up. peeces to farre for peeces, to farre 1. 2 up. drawynge, 
 brake /or drawynge brake p. 81 1. 26. bowe /or A bowe (the catch- 
 word on the previous page is And) p. 83 1. 16. yarde. for yarde, 
 1. 9 up. woodes. as. /or woodes, as, p. 85 1. 21. studding /or scudding 
 I. II up. conclude that, for conclude, that p. 86 1. 12 up. wyde 
 some for wyde, some p. 89 1. 4 up. gouse, for gouse. last line, 
 belonging /)r belonging p. 91 1. 4 up. is, /or is p. 93 1. 2. Peno- 
 lepe/)r Penelope p. 96 1. 4 up. ought, to /or ought to p. 99 1. 29. 
 hansomely, they /ir hansomely they p. 100 11. 13, 14. shootynge, is... 
 shootynge \i\xt for shootynge is... shootynge, but 1. 27. man, woulde 
 for man woulde p. 105 1. 2. lefte for right 1. 12. ovriSavov for 
 ovTiSavov p. 113 1. 8 up. worst /ir worst. p. 114 1. 9. braye/>r 
 braye, p. 115 1. 6 up. ieopardyt /or ieopardye p. 116 1. 10 up. 
 waies. /or waies, p. 126 1. 4. First, point /)r First point 1. 15 up. of 
 in for of 1. 3 up. or in for in p. 128 last line, ceased, to for ceased 
 to p. 130 1. 15. meaner /)r meanes p. 133 1. 7. Fraunce. is for 
 Fraunce, as p. 137 1. 12 up. Gionan for Giouan p. 139 1. 11. it 
 for it. 1. 15. y^ for y= p. 145 11. 20, 21. reproch which /or reproch. 
 Which 1. 9 up. doyng. And/or doyng, and p. 146 marg. nvpn. 
 for Kvpov. p. 147 1. 8. Geeke /or Greeke p. 148 1. 6. prodest /or 
 poorest (?) p. 15a 1. 6 up. Maurice for Maurice p. 153 1. 2 up. 
 wife children for wife, children p. 156 1. 5. dishinherite /or disinherite 
 1. 10 up. suspected. But /or suspected, but p. 161 11. 23, 26. emig 
 fox einig p. 165 1. 7 up. y'/or y« p. 167 1. 8 up. Mauricus for 
 
304 Errata 
 
 Maurus p. 168 1. 4. any /or my 1. 17. lesse /or leste p. 178 
 1. \%. concerning, the /or concerning the 1. 5 up. frend. /or frend, 
 p. 186 1.8 up. Exardescere iot Exardescere. last line, abijcereior abjicere 
 p. 188 1. 4 up. yonge for yonge. p. 193 1. 5. I speaking /or in 
 speaking(?) p. 195 1. 15. sadle /or sadle. 1. 20. learning: /or learning, 
 p. 199 1. 10 up. werison for werisom p. aoo 1. 4 up. God, for God 
 p. 102 1. 7 up. withall for with all p. 204 1. i. Crasus for Creenu 
 p. ao7 1. 18. greatie /or gteatlie p. ai3 1. i- Eph : for Ephorus (as in 
 ed. IJ71) 1. 14 up. laie for sale p. 215 1. 2. Courte. for Courte, 
 p. 224 1. 13 up. sillabes/)r Billables (as elsewhere) 1. 12 up. verifiyng 
 for versifiyng p. 228 1. 9 up. sutlie for suttle p. 231 1. 7. 
 aduoulteres /or aduoulteries pp. 236 1. 11 up and 239 1. 12 up. with in 
 for within p. 241 1. 7 up. soivne. for joiune, 1. 5 up. ill for will 
 (asin ed. 1571) p. 243I.2. all/oralso(asin ed. 1571) 1. i2marg. de. 
 Or. for de Or. p. 244 marg. Epist. lib. 6, 7 li. Epist. /or Epist. lib. 7, 
 Epist. 9. p. 247 1. 17. Iliodos for Iliados marg. \.for 'IX. 1. 12 up. 
 Andration for Androtion p. 249 1. 5 up. liuyng ybr louyng p. 25 1 
 
 I. 12 up. meraui ior meram 1. 10 up. (rvvra^fos for a-uvra^eioi 1. 9 up. 
 Candaulus for Candaules p. 253 last line, it Gnmmer for it in Grammer 
 (as in ed. 1571) p. 255 1. 13. de Rep for de Rep. p. 257 1. 11 up. 
 Stalenus for Staienus p. 264 1. 16. plerungj for plerumqj p. 267 
 
 II. 4, 5. materei for materiel (as in ed. 1571) 1. 25. Erasmus, wishe /)r 
 .ErflJOTK/ wishe 1. 27. .Mneados ior ^neidos p. 268 1. 14. cunnigest 
 /)r cunningest (as in ed. 1571) p.. 272 1. 19. Adriadna for Ariadna 
 
 1. II up. Turmis for Turnus p. 273 1. 12 up. pake for place p. 276 
 marg. Thucid. 10. /)r TAucid. i. p. 280 1. 2 up. Apor for Aper 
 p. 282 1. 5 up. choselie /or choiselie 1. 3 up. portiacture for portraic- 
 ture p. 283 1. 7 up. Genus, for Genus p. 284 1. 6. Aristophanus 
 for Aristophanes p. 285 1. 16. in Sermonem for Sermonem p. 286 
 1. II. some _/or sone p. 287 1. 8. storehose/)r storehouse 1. 8 up. 
 be cum/ir becum p. 288 1. 8. Lilius iox Lalius 1. 11 up. Cerilius 
 for Cacilius euidentie for euidentlie p. 289 1. 7 up. dastylus 
 
 for dactylus 11. 3 and 4 up. Monasyllabis for Monosyllabis p. 290 
 1. 19. sillabes /or sillables (pp. 291 1. 13 up, 292 1. 8) 1. 13 up. 
 Petrach for Petrarch p. 291 1. 7. as for at last line and marg. 
 
 Figlincci for FigUucd p. 292 marg. Enland/)r England p. 294 1. 15. 
 Pollia for Pollio 11. 15, 16. Plaucus for Plancus marg. Plauci /or 
 Planci p. 295 1. 3. (whan /)r whan p. 296 1. 10. foiled for 
 soiled p. 298 marg. omata /or omatu p. 299 1. 3 up. oration 
 for orations p. 301 1. 4 up. ludegers/;r iudegers 
 
 CAMBRIDGE: PRINTED BY J. AND C. F. CLAY, AT THE UNIVERSITY FRES5.