-- The exposicion.
IN that he saieth, the roote of learnyng is bitter, and the fruictes pleasaunt: he signifieth no excellent qua- [Sidenote: All excellen- cie with labor is attained.]
litie or gift, vertue, arte or science can bee attained, except paine, labour, diligence, doe plant and sette thesame: [Fol. xvij.v]
but when that n.o.ble gift, either learnyng, or any excellente qualitee, is lodged and reposed in vs, then we gather by pain- full labours, greate profite, comforte, delectable pleasures, wealth, glorie, riches, whiche be the fruictes of it.
-- The cause.
AND seyng that of our owne nature, all men are en- clined from their tender yeres and infancie, to the ex- tirpacion of vertue, folowyng with all earnest studie and greedie, the free pa.s.sage to vice, and specially children, whose iudgementes and reason, are not of that strengthe, to rule their weake mindes and bodies, therefore, in them chief- lie, the roote of learning is bitter, because not onely many ye- res thei runne their race, in studie of arte and science. With care and paine also, with greuous chastisment and correccio[n], thei are compelled by their teachers and Maisters, to appre- hende thesame: the parentes no lesse dreaded, in the educacio[n]
of their children, in chastis.e.m.e.nt and correction, so that by all [Sidenote: The roote of learnyng bit- ter.]
meanes, the foundacion and roote of all learnyng, in what sort so euer it is, is at the firste vnpleasaunte, sower, and vn- sauerie. To folowe the times and seasons, appoincted for the same, is moste painfull, and in these painfull yeres: other greate pleasures, as the frailtie of youth, and the imbecilitie of nature iudgeth, dooeth pa.s.se by, but in miserable state is [Sidenote: Who is a vn- fortunate childe.]
that childe, and vnfortunate, that pa.s.seth the flower of his youth and tender yeres, instructed with no arte or Science, whiche in tyme to come, shalbe the onelie staie, helpe, the pil- ler to beare of the sore brent, necessitie, and calamities of life.
[Sidenote: Good educa- cion the foun- dacion of the Romaine Empire.]
Herein the n.o.ble Romaines, laied the sure foundacion of their mightie dominion, in the descrite prouidente, and poli- tike educacion of children: to whom the Grecians gaue, that necessarie bulwarke and faundacion, to set vp all vertue, all arte and science. In Grece no man was knowen, to liue in that common wealth, but that his arte and science, gaue ma- nifest probacion and testimonie, how and after what sorte he liued. The Romaines in like sorte, the sworde and aucthori- [Fol. xviij.r]
tie of the Magistrate, executyng thesame, did put forthe, and draw to the attainment of learnyng, art or science, all youth hauyng maturitie and ripenesse to it, and why, because that in a common wealth, where the parentes are vndescrete and foolishe, as in all common wealthes, there are not a fewe, but many, thei not ponderyng the state of the tyme to come, bringing vp their children without all ciuilitie, vnframed to vertue, ignoraunt of all arte and science: the children of their owne nature, vnbrideled, vntaught, wilfull, and heddie, doe run with free pa.s.sage to all wickednes, thei fall into al kinde of follie, oppressed with all kinde of calamitie, miserie, and [Sidenote: Euill educa- cion bringeth to ruine migh[-]
tie kingdoms[.]]
vnfortunate chaunces, whiche happen in this life. Nothyng doeth soner pulle doune a kyngdome, or common wealthe, then the euill and leude educacion of youth, to whom neither substaunce, wealth, riches, nor possessions doe descende, from their auncestours and parentes, who also of them selues wa[n]t all art, science and meanes, to maintain them to liue, who of them selues are not able to get relief, for onely by this mea- nes, life is maintained, wealth and riches ar possessed to ma- ny greate siegniories, landes, and ample possessions, left by their parentes, and line of auncetours, haue by lacke of ver- tuous educacion, been brought to naught, thei fell into ex- treme miserie, pouertie, and wantyng learnyng, or wealth, to maintaine their state and delicate life, thei haue robbed, spoiled, murthered, to liue at their owne will. But then as rotten, dedde, and putride members fro[m] the common wealth thei are cutte of by the sworde, and aucthoritie of the Magi- strate. What kyngdome was more mightie and strong, then [Sidenote: Lydia.]
the kyngdome of Lidia, whiche by no other meanes was brought to ruine and destruccion, but by idlenes: in that thei were kepte from all vertuous exercise, from the studie of ar- tes and sciences, so longe as thei meditated and liued in the schoole of vertuous life: no nacion was hable to ouerthrowe them, of them selues thei were p.r.o.ne and readie, to practise all [Sidenote: Cyrus.]
excellencie. But Cyrus the kyng of Persians, by no other [Fol. xviij.v]
meanes was able to bring them weaker. He toke from the[m] al furtherance to artes, destroied all occupacio[n]s of vertue wher- vpon by commaundeme[n]t aud terrour, wer driuen to practise [Sidenote: The decay of a kyngdome.]
the vaine and pestiferous practise, of Cardes and Dice. Har- lottes then schooled them, and all vnhoneste pastyme nurte- red them, Tauernes an quaffyng houses, was their accusto- med and moste frequented vse of occupacion: by this meanes their n.o.bilitie and strengthe was decaied, and kyngdome made thrall. Ill educacion or idlenes, is no small vice or euill when so mightie a prince, hauyng so large dominions, who[m]
all the Easte serued and obaied. Whose regimente and go- uernemente was so infinite, that as Zenophon saieth, tyme [Sidenote: The mightie dominions of Cyrus.]
would rather want, then matter to speake of his mightie and large gouernement, how many nacions, how diuerse people and valiaunte nacions were in subieccion to hym. If this mightie Prince, with all his power and populous nacions, was not hable to giue the ouerthrowe, to the kyngdome of [Sidenote: Euill educa- cion.]
Lidia, but by ill educacion, not by marciall atte[m]ptes, sworde or battaill: but by giuyng them scope and libertie, to dooe as he would. No doubt but that Cyrus sawe, by the like exam- ple of other kyngdomes, this onelie pollicie to bee a ruine [Sidenote: Pithagoras.]
of that kyngdome. Pythagoras the famous and G.o.dlie Phi- losopher, saued the kyngdome and people of Crotona, thei leauyng all studie of arte, vertue and science. This people of [Sidenote: Catona.]
Crotona, was ouercome of the people of Locrus, thei left all exercise of vertue, neclectyng the feates of chiualrie, whervpo[n]
Pythagoras hauyng the profitable and G.o.dlie lawes of Ly- curgus, which he brought from Lacedemonia: and the lawes of Minos kyng of Creta, came to the people of Crotona, and by his G.o.dlie teachyng and Philosophie, reuoked & brought backe the people, giuen ouer to the neglectyng of all vertue, declaryng to them the n.o.bilitie and excellencie thereof, he li- uely set foorthe the beastlinesse of vice. Pithagoras recited to them, the fall and ruine of many regions, and mightie king- domes, whiche tooke after those vices. Idlenes beyng forsa- [Fol. xix.r]
ken, vertue embrased, and good occupacions practised, the kyngdome and people grewe mightie.
[Sidenote: Lycurgus.]
Emong the G.o.dlie lawes of Lycurgus, Lycurgus omit- ted not to ordaine Lawes, for the educacion of youthe: in the whiche he cutte of all pamperyng of them, because in tender yeres, in whose bodies pleasure harboreth, their vertue, sci- ence, cunnyng rooteth not: labour, diligence, and industrie [Sidenote: Uertue.
Uice.]
onelie rooteth vertue, and excellencie. Uices as vnprofitable weedes, without labour, diligence and industrie growe vp, and thereby infecteth the minde and bodie, poisoneth all the mocions, incensed to vertue and singularitie. Who euer at- tained cunnyng, in any excellent arte or science, where idle- nes or pleasure helde the swaie. Philosophie sheweth, plea- [Sidenote: Pleasure.
Idlenes.
Ignoraunce.]
sure to bee vnmete for any man of singularitie, for pleasure, idlenes, and ignoraunce, are so linked together, that the pos- session of the one, induceth the other. So many G.o.dlie monu- me[n]tes of learning, had not remained to this posteritie of ours and of all ages: if famous men in those ages and tymes, had hu[n]ted after immoderate pleasure. Thindustrie of soche, who left to the posteritie of all ages, the knowlege of Astronomie is knowen: the monumentes of all learnyng of lawes, and of all other woorkes of antiquitie, by vertue, n.o.ble, by indu- strie, labour, and moderacion of life in studie, not by plea- sure and wantones, was celebraied to all ages. The migh- tie volumes of Philosophers, bothe in morall preceptes, and in naturall causes, knewe not the delicate and dissolute life of these our daies. Palingenius enueighyng against the pa[m]- pered, and lasciuious life of man, vttereth a singulare sente[n]ce
_Qui facere et qui nosce, cupit quam plurima et altum, In terris virtute aliqua sibi querere nomen: Hunc vigilare opus est, nam non preclara geruntur, Stertendo, et molles detrectat gloria plumas._
Who so coueteth to purchase fame by actes, or whose minde hunteth for aboundaunte knowledge, or by vertue in this life, to purchause good fame. He had not nede to slugge [Fol. xix.v]
and slepe in his doynges: for good fame is not vpholded by gaie Pec.o.c.kes feathers. Of this, Demosthenes the famous Oratour of Athens, vttereth a worthie saiyng to the Athe- nians in his Epistle: if any will iudge Alexander the greate, to be famous and happie, in that he had successe in all his do- [Sidenote: Alexander the great, co[m]- mended for diligence.]
ynges, let this be his cogitacion, that Alexander the greate, alwaies did inure hymself to doe thynges, and manfullie to a.s.saie that he enterprised. The felicitie of his successe came to hym not slepyng, or not cogitatyng thereof: Alexander the greate now dedde, Fortune seketh with whom she maie ac- companie, and a.s.sociate her self.
Thusidides comparyng the Lacedemonians, and the A- thenians together, shewed a rare moderacion, and tempera- ture of life, to be in the Athenians: wherupon thei are moste commended, and celebrated to the posteritie.
-- The contrarie.
EUen as idlenes and a sluggishe life, is moste pleasant to all soche, as neglecte vertuous exercises, and G.o.d- lie life. So paine, labour, and studie, bestowed and emploied, in the sekyng out of vertue, arte, or science is moste pleasaunt to well affected mindes: for no G.o.dlie thyng can be attained to, without diligence and labour.
-- The similitude.
EUen as housbandmen, with labour and trauaile, dooe labour in plantyng and tillyng the grounde, before thei receiue any fruicte of thesame. Euen so no vertue, arte, or science, or any other thyng of ex- cellencie is attained, without diligence and labour bestowed thereto.
-- The example.
LEt Demosthenes, the famous Oratour of Athenes, bee an example of diligence to vs, who to auoide all let from studie, vsed a meanes to kepe hymself ther- to: preuentyng also the industrie of artificers. Thesame De- [Fol. xx.r]
mosthenes, wrote seuen tymes out the storie of Thusidides, to learne thereby his eloquence and wisedome.
-- The testimonie.
PLinie, Plato, and Aristotle, with many other mo, are like examples for diligence to vs: who wrote vpon vertue and learnyng like sentences.
-- The conclusion.
THerefore, Isocrates dooeth p.r.o.nounce worthelie, the roote of learning and vertue to be bitter, and the fru- tes pleasaunte.
-- A Sentence.
THe Oracion, whiche must be made by a sente[n]ce is in al partes like to _Chria_, the profitable exer- cise, onelie that the Oracion made vpon a sen- tence, as aucthours do saie: hath not alwaie the name of the aucthour prefixed in the praise, a small matter of difference, who so can make the one, is ex- pert and exquisite in the other, aucthours doe define a sente[n]ce in this maner. A sentence is an Oracion, in fewe woordes, shewyng a G.o.dlie precept of life, exhorting or diswadyng: the [Sidenote: _Gnome._]
Grekes dooe call G.o.dly preceptes, by the name of _Gnome_, or _Gnomon_, whiche is asmoche to saie, a rule or square, to direct any thyng by, for by them, the life of manne is framed to all singularitie. Thei are diuers sortes of sentences, one exhor- teth, an other diswadeth, some onely sheweth: there is a sen- tence simple, compounde, profitable, true, & soche like. Frame your Oracion vpon a sentence, as in the Oracion before.
{ 1. The praise of the aucthour.
{ 2. The exposicion of the sentence.
{ 3. A confirmacion in the strength of the cause.
{ 4. A conference, of the contrarie.
{ 5. A similitude.
{ 6. The example.
{ 7. The testimonie of aucthors, shewing y^e like.
{ 8. Then adde the conclusion.
[Fol. xx.v]
-- An Oracion vpon a sentence.
-- The sentence.
In a common wealthe or kyngdome, many kynges to beare rule, is verie euill, let there be but one kyng.
-- The praise of the aucthour.
HOmere, who of all the Poetes chiefly excelled, spake this sentence in the persone of Ulisses, vpon the king Agamemnon, kyng of Grece. This Homere intrea- ting of all princely affaires, and greate enterprices of the Grecians: and of the mightie warre againste the Troians, emong whom soche discorde rose, that not onely the warre, for lacke of vnitie and concorde, continued the s.p.a.ce of tenne yeres. But also moche blood shed, hauocke, and destruccion, came vpon the Grecians, vttered this sente[n]ce. This Homere for his learnyng and wisedome remaineth, intteled in many monumentes of learnyng: with greate fame and commen- [Sidenote: The praise of Homere.]