The Grammar School, Title page – Dedication
LVDVS LITERARIVS: OR, THE GRAMMAR SCHOOLE; SHEWING HOW TO PROceede from the first entrance into learning, to the highest perfection required in the GRAMMAR SCHOOLES, with ease, certainty and delight both to Masters and Schollars; onelyonly according to our common Grammar, and ordinary Classicall Authours:
BEGVN TO BE SOVGHT OVT AT THE desire of some worthy fauourers of learning, by searching the experiments of sundry most profitable Schoolemasters and other learned, and confirmed by tryall:
Intended for the helping of the younger sort of Teachers, and of all Schollars, with all other desirous of learning; for the perpetuall benefit of Church and Common-wealth.
It offereth it selfe to all to whom it may doe good, or of whom it may receiue good to bring it towards perfection.
foreign
foreign,
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Theognis.
Nullum munus Reipub. affere maius meliúsue possumus, quam sidoceamus at que erudimus iuuentutem. Cic. 3. de Diuin.
Quaerendi defatigatio turpis est, cum id quod quaeritur sit pulcherrimum. 2. de Finibus.
LONDON, Printed for THOMAS MAN. 1612.
TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE, Henry, Prince of Wales; and to the most Noble and excellent Duke, Charles, Duke of Yorke; I. B. vnfainedly wisheth all grace and glory, and humbly commendeth the Patronage of his Labours.
SEeing that all of vsus of this Nation (most Gratious and Excellent) doe aboue all people, owe vntounto the Highest, our liues and Religion, with all our blessings; and next vnderunder him, to his Anoynted, your most royall Father, our drad Soueraigne; to whom he hath giuen vsus, by whose hand he hath so miraculously saued vsus, and doth still preserue vsus aliue in the midst of our enemies: we are therfore eueryevery one alwaies bound (in what thing soeuer he shall inable vsus thereunto) to testifie our acknowledgement. Pardon then the desire of your deuoted and most affectionate poore seruant, if he shall endeauour in all humility, to witness his thankefulnesse vntounto the Lord of heauen, and to his Annoynted, by seeking to adde somewhat vntounto the Honour, and deserts of his royall progenie: euen of you, who are the rich gifts of the heauenly bountie, and the flourishing branches, of that happy spreading Cedar. And what is it, which might still more aduance you in the eyes and hearts of all the people of your most noble Fathers Dominions; then if now from your first yeares, you might beginne to be the blessed instruments of the Almighty, of an euerlasting benefite to the present and all succeeding generations? whereby you might knit all hearts more surely vntounto the holy God, and his supreame deputy here amongst vsus; as also to your selues his Regall issue, and vntounto yours for euer. Accept therefore, to this purpose (I beseech you) this weake labour thus begun, of searching out, and inquiring of all the speediest, surest and most easie entrance and way to all good learning in our Grammar schooles. To the end, that those rare helpes of knowledge, which the Lord hath graunted to this last Age (some of the principall wherof hauehave been scarce knowen, or very little practiced, so farre as I can find; and most of the rest hauehave bin only knowen amongst some few) might by your Princely fauours, be made common vntounto all, for the publique good of the present Age, and of all times to come. The Lord God hath giuen vntounto your Highnesse and Excellency, to be born, and to liue in the time of most glorious light, and knowledge; in which, if the experiments of sundry of the learnedest, & most happily experienced Schoolemasters and others, were gathered into one short sum, all good learning (which is the chiefest glory of a nation) would daily flourish more & more, and be conueyed to all places & times; that not only this age present, but also al posterity should hauehave iust cause euermore to magnifie the God of glory for you: for how must this needes oblige all sorts, if this heauenly gift of learning, might thorough you be attained with much more ease, delight, & certainty; and also in shorter time, with lesse charges to Parents, without that extreame sharpnes vsed ordinarily in schools amongst the poore children? How shall it increase your lasting comfort & honour, if by your Highnesses fauours, the work thus entred into, shall soone come to an happy end! For as some very learned and of much experience, hauehave begun already to help herein; so others of the chiefest gifts and imploiments in this kind, shall not disdaine to lay-to their hands to bring it in time to some perfection. Why should wee the liege subiects of IESVS CHRIST, and of this renowned kingdome, be ouergone herein, by the seruants of Antichrist? many of whom bend all their wittes and ioine their studies, for the greatest aduantage of their learning, euen in the Grammar schooles, onelyonly to the aduancement of Babylon, with the ouerthrow of this glorious nation, and of all parts of the Church of Christ; to bring vsus vnderunder that yoake againe, or else to vtter confusion. Or why should we omit any time or opportunity, which the Lord offereth hereunto? The hope therfore of your poore seruant is, that your Highness and Excellency will not impute anie presumption to this indeuor, (though thus vndertaken by me the vnablest of many thousands) but that you will accept it, according to the desire that hath bin in me, to do good thereby to this Church and Nation. And the rather, for the vndoubted assurance of the exceeding benefit, which must needs come in time, by the best courses once found out and made publick: and for that though such a work hauehave bin long talked of and wished, yet it is still generally neglected. The experience also which the Lord hath shewed,In the true Watch and Rule of life, made farre more perfect and plaine in this 5. Editiō. in the readinesse of sundrie very learned, in a worke of not much lesse difficulty, to helpe most louingly, with their best aduices, to bring still to better perfection, dooth giuegive your seruant certain hope of the like cheerfull assistance herein. Howsoeuer; yet it shall remaine for a further testimony of duety to the heauenly Majesty, of thankfulnesse and loyall affection towardes our Liege Soueraigne, and you his Royall Progenie. That as you are the worthy sons of a Father most renowned of all the Kings of the earth, for singular learning, and for holding vp, and aduauncing by all meanes the glorious light therof; and as you are not inferior to anie of the Princes of the world in your education and first yeeres: so all sorts may thorough you receiue an increase of the same shining light, and all hearts may be still more firmly bound by your perpetual benefits. To you thrice happy Prince, I offer it most humbly, as the poore Widowes mite, amongst the great gifts presented vntounto your Highnesse: And to you right noble Duke, the study of your seruant, if he might but in any one thing further you in that sweet and pleasant way of learning, wherin you are so graciously proceeding. Finally, I trust that it shal euer stand as a true witnesse of an vnfained desire towardes the perpetuall flourishing of this Nation, with all the Church of CHRIST. And in this humble desire, I commend your Highnesse and Excellency vntounto him who aduaunceth and setteth vp Kings in their throne, and hath sayde that he will honor those who honor him. The whole successe I commit to that Supreame Grace, who looketh at the heart, and accepts the will: whom you desiring to follow shall reigne with him in that most blessed light eternally.
Your Highnesse & Graces humbly deuoted in all loyall and faithfull obseruance, IO. BRINSL….