A Childs Patrimony, Part 1 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. An ordinary and great neglect in point of education; The ground of that neglect. For the helping thereof, the Parent is adviſed to fix upon two concluſions: what they are: Of the Schoole and School-maſter, and the way he muſt go.
THus farre, as my method or way led me, touching the good culture of the childe; It preſcribes a way to no man; no matter what way he takes ſo he doth his dutie, and ſo the work be done, and the end attained, which is, The tilling over the whole man, by the well improving of this ſeed-time: A ſeaſon very much neglected, willingly or ignorantly let ſlip and paſſed-over by the moſt. Parents too many, make but a waſte of thoſe ſo precious houres, as was ſaid ePreface pag. 20., and as it were an emptie ſpace, which yet, being improved, would ſerve to fill and ſtore up that, which would be of more uſe to promote the childe, then the Parents purſe, though therein he puts more confidence.
Thus I ſay, it is for the moſt part, and we cannot eaſily believe, how much the Family, the Common-wealth, the Church, how much all ſuffer for this neglect herein. And, which is the loſſe indeed; The higher the perſons are, and the more promiſing their parts; the more, for the moſt part, they are neglected in point of culture, and due manurance. It was Mr. Calvins complaint; fHoc erat ſummū decus nobilibus nibil prorſus tenere doctrinae; & gloriati ſunt etiam nobiles hoc nomine, quod non eſſent clerici, quemadmodum vulgò loquunt… &c. cal. in Dan. cap. 1.The honourable of the land, account it a point of their honour, that they have no learning, none at all; And in this they glory, that they are no Clarks, as the uſuall ſaying is. Charron relates (for it is out of another) to the ſame purpoſe; That Noblemens children learn nothing by order and rule, but to manage the Horſe; he gives the reaſon; Becauſe the Horſe is neither Flatterer nor Courtier, he will caſt a Noble-man as well as a meaner perſon gOf wiſdome firſt book: chap. 49. pag. 203.: Our learned Perkins obſerved the like in his time; Mr. Aſcham, a worthy Tutour to an excellent Princeſſe hAs the Roſe the Queen of flowers, ſo ſhe the Queen of Queens, and of Kings alſo for Religion, pietie, magnanimitie, juſtice: you cannot queſtion what Roſe I mean, ſith ſo ſhe was by deſart, and deſcent. Lord Cooke Preface to Littleton., tells us as much, and it is very notable, which he tells us, this it is.
Some of our young Gentlemen count it their ſhame to be counted learned: and perchance, they count it their ſhame, to be counted honeſt alſo. For I heare ſay, they meddle as little with the one, as with the other. A marvellous caſe, that Gentlemen ſhould be ſo aſhamed of good learning, and never a whit aſhamed of ill manners; ſuch do lay for them, that the Gentlemen of France do ſo▪ But that is not ſo; many good Schollers there, young and Gentlemen indeed do prove that to be moſt falſe. Though yet we muſt grant, that ſome in France, who will needs be Gentlemen, whether men will or no, and have more Gentleſhip in their hat, then in their head, be at deadly feude, with both learning and honeſty. So he in his Grammar-Schoole page 18. five pages before *Page 13., The ſame goodman doth caſt up the reckoning for theſe young Gentlemen, that at the foot of the account, they may read the iſſue and product of their caſt-away houres; and much abuſed good parts, thus he ſaith;
The fault is in your ſelves, ye Noble-mens ſonnes, and therefore ye deſerve the greater blame, that commonly, the meaner mens children come to be the wiſeſt Counſellours, and greateſt doers, in the weightie affaires of the Realme. And why? for God will have it ſo of His providence, becauſe you will have it no otherwiſe by your negligence. And God is a good God, and wiſeſt in all His doings, that will place vertue, and diſplace vice, in thoſe Kingdomes, where he doth govern: For He knoweth that Nobilitie, without vertue and wiſdome, is bloud indeed, but bloud truly, without bones and ſinewes: and ſo of it ſelf, without the other, very weake to beare the burthen of weightie affaires. Thus touching the great neglect of our young Gentlemen in former times. And the evidence of the preſent time doth cleare it. That the moſt hopefull plants are moſt neglected, and our Seminaries filled with the leſſe promiſing ſlipp's too ſoone ſet there, before they can ſuck any juyce or ſap; or too late, when they are firſt run out to ſeed and wilde in ſome other place. We ſee a great part of our Gentry, Citizens and others, running out very farre this way; ſo as they are like the ſluggards field, and by their cut and garb, they make their Parents feare, as much as that great Gamaliel ſpake-out in his laſt teſtament, That the childe will ſcatter as faſt as the Parent gathered, and emptie with as quick an hand, as the father did take in. For the end anſwers the meanes; The childe was taught no obedience, when it might, now it is too old to learn: The childe was not bended when it was tender, now it is too ſtiffe, it will follow its own bent: The Parent hath ſlighted the grave counſell given him before iChap. 1. p. 6. and chap. 2.and neglected his precious ſeaſon and ſeed-time alſo; And now, that it is too late to call back yeſterday, he may thank himſelf for the evill conſequences from that neglect, and humble himſelf to ſmart patiently, for ſmart he muſt, if he have any feeling of the weight of his charge, or of his childes miſcarriage. He had his childe in his hand, and he might have carried him on fairely, and have taught him to know God, himſelf, and his parents; But the parent neglects this faire opportunitie, till the childe be ſlipt out of his parents hands, and from under his own alſo, whereto, he was at firſt, too ſoon and ill truſted; And then what follows, we ſee; and how the parents and childe complaines, we have heard.Pag. 18. & 24.
This neglect is manifeſt; ſo is the hurt which iſſueth there-from. The ground or bottom of this neglect is as manifeſt, which is this, as appeares by full diſcovery.
The largeneſſe of the childes patrimony, cauſeth a barrenneſſe, or ſcantneſſe in its education. He is heire of all, no matter how the Georgicks are neglected: He ſhall have goods enough; for the goods of the minde the leaſt care; Learning will be but a burden, at the beſt but a needleſſe acceſſary; ſo it is accounted, and ſo it falls out commonly, that the eldeſt childe is bred in ſuch a way, as that he can be of little uſe to himſelf, and of no uſe at all, to others amongſt whom he lives. If meanes fall ſhort, as commonly they do, ſhort enough to the younger brothers, then they are deſigned to a trade, and then writing and cyphering fits them for the beſt, whether in citie or town. If there be a third brother, and he the loweſt, and weakeſt of all, then he is deſigned for the Preacher, as the Parents word is, he muſt be the Scholler: For the Parent hath a friend at Court, he is ſure in his purſe (as the wittie Knight ſaid) he knows a ready and road-way for his preferment. My words here may be credited, for I beleeve my own eares; it is ordinary with Parents, thus to ſay, and to deſigne their children, long before the time, one to the Innes of Court, the ſecond to a trade, the third to the Pulpit (as we heard;) and accordingly thePreface, pag. 26. Parent will, and the Maſter ſhall, order them: while yet we may well diſcern, that the Parent diſcovers his own inclination, not his childrens fitneſſe; rather what he is reſolved and will do, then what the children can do.
For the helping of this great deceit, and taking off this vaile of falſe opinion, I would adviſe the parent to fix on two concluſions, and accordingly to order his childe; firſt this;
That learning is the principall; riches, but an acceſſary: Learning makes the man; it fits him, and inables him both to ſerve himſelf and others; whereas without it, a man is commonly but a ſlave to himſelf, and a burden to others; The ſecond is,
That the parents duty is, and his endeavour muſt be with all his power, to give the childe inſtructions univerſally good and profitable, whereby the childe may be capable and ready to whatſoever. This is (ſaith Charron) to go upon a ſure ground, and to do that, which muſt alwayes be done; and may be done before their yeares will admit their deſignation to any courſe for afterwards. Accordingly now the parent muſt order the childe, firſt in the fit choice of a ſchool; then, when the ſchool hath ſufficiently promoted the childe, in the fit choice of a calling; touching both theſe, and firſt of the ſchool.
There muſt be a good foundation and ground-work layed in the parents houſe: The parent muſt leade on the childe, as farre as the light and underſtanding he hath, can carry him. But we ſuppoſe a parent cannot do all, he muſt take the help of a maſter; but whether is moſt convenient, within his own walls, or without, admits ſome diſpute, which is not proper to this place. Experience, the oracle of time, concludes, that without the parents houſe is the fitteſt kQuint. Inſ…it. lib. 1. cap. 2.: For children learn beſt in company, and the better, the leſſe cockered by parents; that is out of all doubt: The maſter is more tied and ſtraightned then is convenient in a parents houſe, and muſt ſometimes do and ſpeak more to pleaſe then to profit; which is not to be queſtioned neither. But whether the parent brings a maſter home to his children, or ſends his children abroad to the maſter; the difference will not be much, ſo the parents be well able to govern themſelves and their houſe, and can ſhew the ſame wiſdome in choice of a maſter; That he be ſuch an one, who is a maſter in his art, (it is an art, and not quickly learnt to govern children) That he be a knowing man and conſcientious; that knows his work and can skill of it, and hath an heart unto it: for ſuch an one he ſhould be, who can inſtruct the life of his ſcholler, as well as his tongue; can teach him, as well how to live, as how to ſpeak; for theſe doctrines, muſt not be ſeparated as the Heathen man could ſay lNe que disjuncti Doctores, ſed iidem erant vivendi praeceptores at que dicendi: ut ille apud Homerum Phoenix. Cic. orat. p. 140. in fol. foreign, &c. Hom. Il. 9. p. 328. Doctrin â ore tenus imbutus, animum bonis artibus non imbucrat. Tacit. lib. 15. cap. 11.. In a word, ſuch an one he ſhould be, who can promote the ſoul of his childe, I mean, that the childe may proſper as his ſoul may proſper; that is the prime and eſſentiall part both in father and childe; and this is the very maſter-piece of a mans skill, and evidenceth his faithfulneſſe, nothing more, then doth the promoting thereof: And note we; that this price is put into the maſters-hand; I mean, he hath the faireſt opportunitie for promoting the childes good this way, that can be wiſhed; if he have an heart unto the price, his means and opportunitie is much every way, more then the miniſter or paſtour hath. But I will open this light no further; The adverſary knows it too well, and we know it, by his practiſe in all hard difficult and perillous times mAug. de civil. 18. 52. A Elian. de var. Hist. l. 3. Advanc. firſt book pag. 60.. Our times are not ſuch now, yet my words here will be a complaint.
That in this choice we want the parents diſcretion and judgement very much, in no one thing more. If the parents chooſe ought for the childes body; be it garters, ſtockins, ſhoes, he will have them good nAug. de verbis Domini ſe. 16. & de civit. Dci lib. 3. cap. 1. Res nulla mineris conſtabit patri, quam filius Juven 7.; he is not ſo carefull in the choice of the maſter, who ſhould make the childe good. The parent commonly will put forth his childe more careleſly, then he will his childes coat, or his own ſuit of apparell, and yet both, if we obſerve it, put forth to making. The clark of the Church ſhall ſerve the turn, or he that onelyonly reades there, two moſt ordinarily, the unfitteſt men in a whole countrey. But if the parent do happen upon one, (for it is hap and not choice) that hath more knowledge and skill; yet then the converſation of the man is not looked unto, how well able he is to command himſelf, though that be the chief thing to be regarded, for it works moſt upon the childe; Mr Aſchams obſervation requires ours; He will make others but bad ſchollers, who is an ill maſter to Himſelf oSchool. p. 23.. Mr. Hooker gives us a good rule alſo, The onelyonly way to repaire old ruines, breaches, and offenſive decayes in others, is to begin reformation at our ſelves pVponUpon Jude. foreign.. For children are taken by example, we have heard qpag. 11.. Therefore the parents care and foreſight at this point is more eſpecially required; and no more but what he will take in putting forth his cloth to making; he puts it forth to ſuch an one who can make it ſo, as that it ſhall give a gracefull comelineſſe to the body, and commend the workman. So carefull a man is in putting forth his cloth, not ſo in putting forth his childe, though, as was ſaid, both put forth to making: daily experience tells us ſo much; and the little good the childe hath found now after ſix yeers ſchooling, either for the informing his underſtanding, or reforming his manners; The little in both, which the childe gained, ſpeaks it out plainly, that a wiſe choice was not made: And if the parent could underſtand the language, he ſhould then heare, that his loſſe hereby were more, and the injurie greater, then the thief had done him, who hath taken away his purſe, or broken his houſe. Therefore let a parent ſhew his diſcretion in the choice of him, to whom he will commit his childe; for he muſt remember, that he puts the childe out to making as he doth his cloth; and he cannot but remember alſo, that there holds little proportion betwixt his childe and his cloth, though he would have them both made, and then certainly he will chooſe a workman for both.
And now that I think of this; that when a childe is put to a maſter, he is put out to making, for ſo much we muſt needs grant: And when I think again what a treaſure a childe is, and what a charge comes along with it; and then again what a faire opportunitie the maſter hath in his little nurcerie or ſeminary to prune and manure this little plant, ſo as it may grow fruitfull, that the Church, and State, and Parents, that all may rejoyce together; when I conſider the opportunitie the maſter hath, even to his hearts deſire; ſo farre exceeding the opportunitie which the Paſtor hath, (at leaſt doth take) as that he hath not a day for a week, nor ſearce an houre for his day, nor hath he the opportunitie to call his diſciples to an account: When I conſider this, I ſhrink at the thought of this charge, for I muſt needs think, that a maſters charge is very weighty, and that his neglect muſt be very much, if he do not very much good.
So much touching the choice of a ſchool-maſter, and the weight of his charge; if he be anſwerable unto it, the uſe the Church hath of him, is much more then is ordinarily conceived, and the ſervice he doth, greater then he is by the moſt accounted for, but he ſerveth a good maſter, The God of recompences, Whoſe paiment is ſure. If (ſaith the Father rChryſoſt in Eph. Hom. 21. foreign.) they, who draw the Kings picture, have an anſwerable reſpect and reward; what are they worthy of who adorne and poliſh Gods Image? (ſuch is man) in what eſteem ſhould they be had? or what reward do they deſerve? If this their due be not paid them, there is yet comfort in this; that they who do the Lords work diligently, in helping, what they can, to repair and beautifie this Defaced Image, ſhall have reward anſwerable to the greatneſſe of their ſervice, a great reward. For the place of paiment, it is not ſet down, whether here or hereafter, that muſt be left to the wiſdome of our great Maſter, but the paiment is certain and anſwerable to the honour of the work.
And ſo much alſo briefly to the dignitie of this work. As briefly now touching the method or way of performing the ſame.
The way the Maſter muſt take with his Scholler (I ſhall but point at it a gain) is clean contrary to the common practiſe, which is the tasking the memorie in the firſt place. But I will not repeat what was before ſpoken ſ; theſe twoPreface p. 8. Book. p. 97. & 98. things I will addde,
1. The Maſter muſt make the Mother-tongue, I mean that, wherein the childe is daily verſed and underſtands, a precognition to that tongue he underſtands not; it is the onelyonly ready means to informe a childes underſtanding in both, and to ſpeed his courſe.
2. A Maſter muſt make great uſe of the childes ſenſes; but ſo he doth not do, unles he makes the ſame uſe of examples. It is moſt certain, that a childe underſtands more by one example, if in all mildneſſe he be taught how the example containes the rule, and concludes it, then by ſaying the rule twentie times over. The rule is too generall; But the eye can ſix upon the example, and ſo fixeth the underſtanding; and then the underſtanding is a leading-hand to memory; now the childe goes on, with eaſe and delight. It is an old ſaying, but the truth thereof is more ancient; That by precepts the way is long, but by examples we make a ſhort cut, and very compendious. This is the principall thing to be noted and practiſed, in the promoting the childe; provided ſtill, we do not caſt-off the dull Boy, for he may, prove a ſolid and underſtanding Man. The childe ſeemes the duller, the quicker the Maſter is, and becauſe he leades on the childe in a dull way. Our proceeding at this point is very prepoſterous; and indeed Lilly hath led the way, and we follow him hood-winkt, as if we would not ſee more (low ſtatured-men though we are) then he did an hundred yeares ago, and more, and ſtanding ever ſince, as it were, upon his and others ſhoulders. He begins with compoſition firſt, whereas he ſhould have begun with ſimple tearmes, as all know, who are acquainted with Art or reaſon. Your Maſterbuilder, from whoſe Art we borrow our word of Art, knows that very well, for he fits his Stone and Timber firſt, then raiſeth the building; and when the firſt work is done, he counts all is done. Nature proceeds orderly without skipping or leaping tNaturanon ſacit ſaltum.: ſo muſt Art too, and ſo muſt we alſo: For, if we would build like good work-men, we muſt fit our materialls firſt, ſimple words I mean, before we joyn them. And when we have done ſo according to the rule of Grammar and Art (for it takes all along with it) The childe is as fit for Aeſop, Cicero, or Ovid, as for the Childiſh book: YetPucril. ſuch our cuſtomes are, and ſo we fit our books, this part of Ovid for this form, that part for another; Virgil to the fourth; and Horace to the fifth, ſo making the formes more, and our labours too, but the benefit the leſſe.
All books are alike to the Engliſh and Latine Scholler, when once the grounds are well laid in letters and ſyllables for the Engliſh tongue, and in declenſion and verb for the Latine; though yet there muſt be great choice of the matter, ſuch ever, as is beſt ſutable, which will be ever that, which is moſt ſenſuall. But the main thing is, and which gives ſtrength to the building, what foundation is laid in declenſion and verb. And it is ſtrange that we do ſo much fail at this point, and are ſo much out of the way, becauſe our way herein hath been pointed out unto us by one, who was a famous Grammarian more then fifteen hundred yeares ſince vNomina & verba declinare inprimis pueri ſciant: ne que enim aliter pervenire ad intellectum ſèquentium poſſint. Quod etiam, &c. Quint. orat. lib. 1. cap. 4.. I ſhould ſay more of this point, if others had not ſaid all, therefore I leave this and the remainder, which ſhould have been ſaid (for it is a great deale) to thoſe, whoſe work and ſtudy it hath been to make a more full diſcovery thereof unto the world, whereunto I ſhall onelyonly ſay this.
That the chiefeſt help for the ſpeeding the childe in the attaining to the tongues, and the moulding the ſpeech thereunto, is not yet by any of our men, made known to our Countrey. I know well what Mr Aſcham hath done; A man of an approved judgement, and his work, of the greateſt uſe of any we have printed in our tongue. I know as well what Mr Brimſely hath written, and the cleareneſſe of his intent therein. Our Grammar, (the beſt and eaſieſt of any for a learner) hath been viewed and reviewed; but it hath happened to that, as to the picture, which we reade xPlin Nat. Hiſt. 35. 10., was expoſed to publick cenſure. Something hath been added to it; letters I mean, which hindred the underſtanding very much, leading the childe in that common Rode-way, which no wiſe Maſter will ſuffer the childe to go in. This I am ſure of; That the Grammar was eaſier, and plainer, and better for the learner, twenty yeares ago and ten, then now it is, after all this reviſing; how it may prove, when it comes forth again, (for it is in hand now) we may ſhortly ſee. And when we ſee it, this we ſhall ſee by it, that, though the faults in the firſt inventers (to whom we ow moſt) are in good part corrected, and the rules of Etym. &c. are brought into better order (for after thoughts are more digeſted) yet can it help little the tediouſneſſe of our common courſe, nor much promote a ſpeedier and quicker way. Theſe helps before mentioned (if we may call them ſo, becauſe ſo intended) are above and in ſight, other things of more ſubſtance lie under hatch and cannot appeare.
Here at this point, I muſt make mention of two, the oneMr Brook. projecting, the other digeſting a very exact method, wherebyMr Horne. the tongue may be moulded and framed to a ſpeedy attaining of three languages. The former was a ſeeing aMultorum ingeniorum magnae dotes veluti debiles & ipſa paupertate aegrae jacent. Barcl. Euph. 3. 226.man though outwardly dark, and had a clearer inſight into the way of training-up youth, then any man that hath yet appeared in ſo weighty a buſineſſe, wherein he laboured above ſtrength, and ſo broke himſelf in the work. God hath now removed his ſhoulder from theburthen; he is taken away from us, and a poore widow with foure children, the eldeſt not nine, left behinde; Gods peculiar care theſe, and it is well they are; for the common care is no bodies in particular; we traverſed this way, and that, and the other; all three wayes, but found no way, for relief of the Mother and her orphanes, ſo they are reſigned unto His hand, who makes a way in the wilderneſſe, and will be ſeen in the Mount, providing a lamb for a ſacrifice; He will provide alſo, that the children of ſuch a Father ſo carefull, ſo faithfull, ſhall not periſh for want of bread, nor periſh yet worſe for want of breeding. But I recall my ſelf remembring what I was ſpeaking, this, That had this perſon before mentioned found incouragement and help (for it is a work too hard for one or two) he had then very much promoted the publick good, for he had ſet out the cleareſt light to Grammar, for the clearing and ſpeeding the childes underſtanding and way therein, that ever yet our Church hath ſeen. And in good forwardneſſe this work was ſet by him (Mr Horne) who was more then an eye and hand to Mr Brookes therein;) but, there being little hope then and leſſe now, that there can be a hand, wch can widwife forth that birth, if it ſhould be perfected and fitted; therefore it was but coldly proceeded in then, and is like to lie now as a thing not thought upon, or forgotten. And therefore the forementioned Mr Horne hath taken the beſt and ſafeſt courſe, and but according to the advice of his Elders▪ he hath laboured for himſelf, and is ſetting forth a work of his own, whereby he leades on the childe to Rhetorick & Oratorie (Grammar is touched upon too in paſſage) in a clearer way then any man yet hath gone before him in. So Schollers like wells; are the fuller the more they are drained xPag. 71. foreign. Chryſ. Tom. 5. ſerm. 55 foreign.: The more they let out themſelves for the good of others, the more they are filled. And a fulneſſe this man hath, if the skill in the languages and arts may be accounted ſo; and, which is the crown of all, he hath an heart to lay forth his treaſure and to ſpend himſelf for the common good. And that is the way to encreaſe even to a fulneſſe, to empty our ſelves continually for the publick good, as Chryſoſtome writes very uſefully.
I have ſpoken this, at this point, in a zeal I have to promote the childes good, my ſubject now; and he, who gives another his due, doth not in ſo doing, detract from any other. I know there are many able and faithfull Miniſters this way, and the Lord encreaſe the number of them: But I conſider, Schollers muſt be wound-up within the ſame common winding-ſheet, and laid to the ſame mould; In that very day, though their works follow them, for their labour cannot be in vain in the Lord, yet their thoughts periſh. It is good to know them, and to uſe them while we have them.
Thus farre, touching the way the Maſter muſt go, and ſuch helps, which ſerve very much to promote the Scholler in the ſame way. The Maſters duty follows; and that is, to do his work throughly and fully in point of reformation, and information before the childe paſſe from under his hand: And Parents muſt have patience and ſuffer both to be done, before the childe be other-where diſpoſed of. It proves no ſmall diſadvantage to the childe and Church, that he is haſted to an higher Forme or place while his minde is empty and unfurniſht of ſuch matter, whereof, before he came thither, he ſhould be well furniſhed: or that he is poſted into a ſtrange countrey to learn the language, before he hath learnt his Religion, or attained any ſtayed or fixed carriage, or command over himſelf. The ſucceſſe muſt needs be anſwerable, for the childe is then moſt left to himſelf, when he is leaſt himſelf; when he is in the moſt ſlipperie age, and place yforeign, &c. Chryſ. in Gen. Hom. 44. foreign. Reade Aſcham. ſchol. p. 13., I mean, when the furnace of concupiſcence is moſt heated (as the Father ſpeaks) when affections are ſtrongeſt from within, and provocations more ſtirring from without. Therefore till the childe hath ſome good underſtanding of himſelf, and book; till he can command the one, and well uſe the other, what ſhould he do abroad, either at the Vniverſitie, Innes of Court, or in a farre Countrey? We can neither teach nor learn how to weigh, meaſure, or point the winde, as the Noble Advancer ſpeaketh, againſt the ſending of children abroad too ſoon and too unripe. Humanitie will not down nor Logick neither, and Littleton worſe then either of the former. They that go too unripe to thoſe places, quickly grow rotten. In all probabilitie, and we cannot eaſily conceive otherwiſe, youth will leave that they underſtand not, and can finde no ſweetneſſe in; And they will to that, which they can do, and their natures muſt needs reliſh; They will to ſuch companions (their books they underſtand not) whoſe language they can skill off; and when they cannot draw at the fountain, they will to the ſinke in thoſe places; and you may ſent them as ſtrongly, that there they have been, as if they had fell into a veſſell wherein is no pleaſure. There is great cauſe, we ſhould labour to ſet our children as upright as we can, and to fix their carriage before we ſend them forth from us, elſe there is great danger of miſcarrying, conſidering what our natures are, as was ſaidzPag. 44.
The ſumme then touching this point is, That there be a Graduat proceeding with the childe, as up a paire of ſtaires; That the childes ſeed-time be improved to the utmoſt. And for the daughter that ſhe have generall inſtructions, all qualities the parent can beſtow, which may ſet off, and yet ſtand with decency, and ſobrietie; more ſpecially, that ſhe be accuſtomed to the eſſentialls of huſwifery: unto all that may make her rejoyce in time to come. And when the Parent in his houſe, and the Maſter in the Schoole, ſhall have thus fully diſcharged this care touching the childe, then may the Parents have thoughts touching the diſpoſing of it, to ſome lawfull calling, whereof as followeth.