The School of Beasts, Title page – Introduction
THE SCHOOLE of Beaſtes, Intituled, the good Houſholder, or the Oeconomickes.
¶ Made Dialogue-wiſe, by M. PETER VIRET, tranſlated out of French into Engliſh, by I. R.
GOD IS MY DEFENDER
GOD IS MY HELPER
AT LONDON; Printed by Robert Ʋ Ʋalde-graue 1585
The Contentes of this Booke.
I HaueHave intituled this Dialogue, the good Houſeholder, or the Oeconomicks, becauſe I make compariſon in the ſame, of the good and euil houſeholders with the beastes, which knowe best to prouide for their nouriſhment and conſeruation, aſwell of them as of their yong.
And becauſe alſo that the Philoſophers, hauehave called the knowledge of wel and wiſe gouerning the houſes and families, by the name of Oeconomicks, and alſo the bokes which they hauehave compoſed and made of ſuch matter: It ſeemeth to me that this title agreeth very wel to this Dialogue. As touching the principal matters whiche are intreated of in it, firſt I declare, in what degree of humanitie we may put the wyſest men of this worlde, which are without the true knowledge of God, and without true religion, and which neuertheleſſe gouerne themſelues more wiſely then any others, as touching their houſholdes and worldly affayres.
And therefore, I compare the reaſon and prudence of men, with the ſame of Beaſtes, touching their domeſticall gouernement, and chiefely with the ſame of the Antes.
And proſecuting that matter, I ſpeake of the transformation of Antes into men.
Afterwardes I declare howe Salomon doth ſend vsus vntounto the ſchoole of the Ants, Connies, Graſhopers and Spyders.
And by that occaſion, I ſpeake of the nature of thoſe Beaſtes, and do declare what thinges we ought to learne of them.
Item, of the compariſon of the workes of thoſe Beaſtes, and of thoſe of men.
Of the transformation of Arachna, and of Acteon, and of the prouidence of God, the whiche manifeſteth it ſelfe in the nature of the brute beaſtes, and cheefely in thoſe which are the leaſt.
And becauſe that the cheefeſt thing that is required in a good houſholder, is the amitie and louelove of the huſbande and the wife, the one towardes the other, and the care that the fathers and mothers of the familie, ought to hauehave of their children and families: I make a certaine diſcourſe, touching the nature of the Beaſtes whiche hauehave ſome ſinguler gyfte more then the others hauehave, in the coniunction of the male with the female, and in the affection towardes their litle ones, and the care they hauehave of them.
And therefore I ſpeake, cheefely of the nature of the Pigeons, of the Swallows, of the Partridge, of the Hares, and of the Hedge-hogges, touching that point? and make compariſon with thoſe men, which doo not their dutie ſo well towardes theirs, as thoſe beaſtes doo in their behalfe.
I doo adde alſo vntounto thoſe, the Halſion a Byrde of the Sea. And afterwardes I do alſo make mention of certayne fiſhes, and certayne Sea beaſtes, as the Phyces, the Lamprey, the Tortice, the ſea Calfe, and the Crocodiles.
And after to conclude, I declare what is the office of fathers and mothers towards their children, according to the doctrine of Saint Paule.