The Grammar School, Chapter 28
CHAP. XXVIII.
Of Preferments and incouragements.
Phil.
FOr the rewardes of learning by preferments and incouragements;Incouragements to be by these meanes; thus I finde best to doe it:
1 By often elections of eueryevery fourme,1 Often elections and preferments therein. in such manner as was shewed; and so euer preferring the best thereby, to higher places as they grow in learning.
2 By gracing all the Seniors,2 Countenancing and gracing the Seniours, and all the best and most painefull. all best in each fourme, both to incourage them, and to prouoke their fellowes to emulate them, to striue in all things to bee like vntounto them: and also to cause all their fellowes in all things to reuerence, and preferre them, both by giuing place to them and otherwise.
3 By preferring or putting vp those into higher fourms,3 Putting vp into higher fourmes. Giuing places. who profite extraordinarily.
Also daily (if you see good) to giuegive higher places to them who do better, vntill the other recouer their places againe, by the election of the whole fourme, or by their diligence.
4 To vse to commend eueryevery thing in their exercises,4 Commending eueryevery thing wel done. which is well or painefully done; passing ouer the lesser faults onelyonly with a word, shewing our dislike: and that which is absurd, with some pretty speech; sharpely reprouing or disgracing their absurdity, without further correction, if there doe not appeare in them extreame negligence.
Yet in praising them, you are to beware of making any of them wantonly proude,Caueat in praysing. or letting them to be any way ouerbolde or malepart, or of vsing them ouer-familiarly: for familiarity will certainely breede contempt, and sundry inconueniences; whereas a reuerend awe and louing feare, with these incouragements, shall continually nourish all vertue and diligence.
5 This might be vsed also with much fruite,5 Disputation for the victorship. to incourage and prouoke: but this as shall be found meet; To hauehave a disputation for the victorship once eueryevery quarter of the yeare: as the last Wednesday or Friday of each Quarter in the afternoone; the manner thus:
Cause the two Seniours of the two highest fourmes to sit together in the vpper end of the Schoole;Manner of the Disputation. and all the Schollars from the lowest which take construction, vntounto the highest▪ to aske of eyther of them, each two questions in order▪ of the best questions, which they hauehave learned in their Grammar or Authours: first the two Seniour aduersaries of the highest fourme to answere, then two of the next. And then let those two of them foure, who answered best (that is, one of either fourm who answered most questions) bee the victours for that Quarter. Two other of their next fellowes, or moe, to take note, and set downe to how many questions each answered; and so the victorship to be decided.
After this, some vse to cause the schollars eueryevery of them, to giuegive something for a Praemium, Praemia giuen to the two victours.to the Victours: as each one a point or a counter, or moe; or else better gifts if they be well able, of such things as they may without their hurt, or the offence of their parents, and as eueryevery one will himselfe. These to bee diuided equally betweene the two Victours, as a reward of their diligence and learning; to incourage them, and all the rest of them by their ensample to striue at length to come vntounto the Victorshippe; because then besides the honour of it, each may come to receiue againe more then euer they gaue before.
The practice of this disputation must needes bee very profitable;☜ though some good Schoolemasters doe doubt of the expediency for Schollars to giuegive any thing, but to honour them otherwise.
The two victours in regard of this dignity, and the applause from their fellowes,Office of the victours for their Praemia. should vse to make some exercises of Verses, or the like, to get leaue to play on eueryevery Thursday, when there was no play day in the weeke before. And so they two continually to hauehave that day for their fellowes, as a further reward and honour of their learning; I meane onelyonly in such weekes when they had no play before, or at the Masters discretion. But this (as was aduised) as Masters shall finde it most expedient.
6 Aboue all these,☞ this may be vsed as a notable incouragement and prouocation,Solemne examination to be made once eueryevery yeare. both to Masters and schollars, and very necessary; That eueryevery yeare, at least once in the yeare, there be a solemne examination by the Gouernours of the schoole, or some specially appointed thereunto.
Against which time,Exercises to be prouided against that time. all of any ability should prouide some exercises faire written; as eyther Translations, Epistles, Theames, or Verses, according to the daily exercises of eueryevery fourme: and withall some declamations where there are auncient schollars, an Oration by the highest, to giuegive the visitours intertainement. That in these their exercises, all may see their profiting, at least in writing, and receiue some other contentment.
Also all to keepe their chiefe exercises faire written in bookes,To keepe their daily exercises faire written in bookes for tryall then by comparing. to be shewed then; that by comparing them together with the former yeares, both the Masters diligence and their profiting may appeare, and hauehave due commendation.
Besides these also,A course of examination to be appointed, and to be performed first by the Masters and Vshers. for the full examination of the schollars in all their learning, the Schoolemasters and Vshers are to be appointed an order and course in their examination; and themselues first to make a demonstration before the Visitours, what the children can doe in eueryevery fourme, both in their Grammar and Authours, and each kinde▪ as shall be fit. It would be done first by themselues, because the schollars are best acquainted with their manner of examining,After by others not satisfied. and will be most bolde to answere them. After them the Visitours and others, who are not satisfied, to examine where, and as they please.
Then when all is done,All who do wel to be praised. as the Visitours are to incourage all who doe well, with praise; so those who doe best, would be graced with some Praemium from them:The best specially graced. as some little booke, or money; to eueryevery one something: or at least with some speciall commendation.
It were to be wished that in great schooles,Some Praemia giuen. there were something giuen to this end, to be so bestowed; fiue shillings or ten shillings. It would exceedingly incourage and incite all to take paines.
This set solemne publike examination,☜ will more inforce all,Benefit of set and solemne examination. both Masters, Vshers and Schollars, to take paines, and tye them to make conscience of their dueties, and to seeke to profite and increase daily in knowledge, that they may then answere the expectation of all men, and giuegive vp a good account; then any augmentation of maintenance, or statutes, or whatsoeuer deuise can possibly doe:
Although all necessary prouision is to bee made, both for the best statutes and orders; and chiefly for sufficient maintenance, and rewardes to giuegive all kinde of hartning and incouragement both to Masters, Vshers, and Schollars.
Also if at such examinations,Something giuen to some painefull poore schollar to help the Vsher. something were giuen by the Visitors or other benefactors, to be allowed vponupon some poore schollar of the schoole, who is of speciall painefulnesse and towardlinesse; to the end he might be assistant to the Vsher: it would much help both Vsher and the younger schollars, and animate all such to take paines; striuing who should hauehave that preferment.
Before such publique examinations,All parents to hauehave notice before su…h examination. all the parents of the children should hauehave notice giuen them: that all of them may know certainely, the hopes of their children, and contrarily; and all who will may take tryall.
That so neyther the parents may bee abused, neyther schooles, nor schollars discredited, nor any lose their time, nor be wearied out, in that to which they are not fitted by nature; but eueryevery one to be imployed to that in due time, to which he is most apt.
Spoud.
These meanes constantly obserued, together with that strift and contention by aduersaries, must needes prouoke to a vehement studie and emulation; vnlesse in such who are of a very seruile nature, and bad disposition: but how will you deale with them? you must needs vse extreame seuerity towards them, who regard neyther preferment, nor credite, nor feare ought but stripes.
Phil.
For these and all the rest (besides the former preferments) to the end to auoyde this cruelty, which is so odious to all, we are to striue to this one thing following:
7 Aboue all,7 To labour euer to worke conscience in al to do all of conscience to God. to labour to worke in them some conscience of their dueties, by planting grace in them, and the feare of the Lord; with childelike affections towards the Lord, as towards their heauenly Father.
And that also, besides al other means of Religion, spoken of before,By calling on them to remember these things: by calling oft vpō all, to remember these things:
1 That in their calling they serue not men,1 That in their calling they are Gods seruants. but God; that they are Gods children and seruants. As the very drudge is Gods seruant: so they are much more, being imployed in so holy a calling, as to get knowledge and good nurture, for the good of the Church of God, and their owne saluation; and principally that they may be most seruiceable to God in all their liues after, in what calling soeuer.
And therefore euer to bethinke themselues, that Gods eye is vponupon them,His eye is vponupon them. and he markes all their labour, and of what conscience to him they doe it; and so will accept and reward them according to their faithfulnesse: so to be painefull and obedient, not for feare of their Master, nor of the rodde; but for the feare and louelove of God, because hee hath appointed them so. And so herein to make a full demonstration, who they are amongst them that are truely wise, who feare and louelove God indeede; and who otherwise.
2. To call on them oft, to aime at this, to vse all their wit,2. To study to get le…rning to honor God with, & do seruice to his Church. their labour, time, and all their gifts, which are Gods, to get the best learning that they can; to doe the Lord the greatest honour which they are able, whilst they shall remaine in the earth, and the best seruice to his Church▪ and thereby to walke towards eternall life. Because, thus they shall be sure that God will honour them seeking to honour him; & wil cast learning vponupon them so far as shall be good.
3. To put them oft in mind of the reward of their learning,3. To put them in mind of the rewards which follow learning which they may looke for euen in this life. As those rewards which accompanie great learned men; namely, riches, honours, dignities, fauour, pleasures, and whatsoeuer their hearts can desire; and much more that rewarde which shal be eternall; that if men should be vnthankfull, yet God wil reward al our labor & study aboundantly, euen eueryevery thought & meditation that euer we had for his name.
To this end,Excellent sentences to be oft incu…cated, to worke in the schollars a louelove of learning. Pro. 3. 13. to inculcate oft vntounto them som of Salomons Prouerbs, cōcerning the excellency of learning & wisdom.
As, Pro. 3. 13. Blessed is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth vnderstanding.
14. For the merchandize thereof is better than the merchandize of siluer, and the gaine therof is better then gold.
15. It is more pretious then pearls; and all things that thou canst desire, are not to be compared vntounto her.
And so forth, the 16. 17, & 18. verses. Also Prou. 4. 7. 8. & 8. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. &c. & 33. 34. &c. These and the like, being indeed chiefly meant, of the diuine wisdom, comprehend also this learning, which is the way and meanes vntounto that diuine and heauenly wisdome.
By these meanes, and remembring well the generall obseruations to put them in practice (as,To keepe groūds perfect. to make all grounds exceeding perfect as they go, chiefly their Accedence and Grammar, and to keepe them by continual… repetitions and examinations, that they may goe on with ease,☜ and feeling a sweetnesse of learning,To … the nature of each …, and fra… our selues thereto accordingly. and keeping a constant course in your gouernment; obseruing wisely the nature and disposition of euerie one, and framing your selfe therto accordingly) you shall vndoubtedly see the Lord so bringing them in obedience by your prayers, as a very small punishment shall serue.
Spoud.
It cannot he, but if we can plant the feare of the Lord in them, to worke in them a conscience of their duties, it must needs be most auaileable; and much more all these: but yet seeing that punishments also must needs be inflicted on some oft times and on all sometimes (because otherwise as you sayd, iustice cannot be executed, nor any gouernment or authority maintained) I pray you let mee heare, how you would proceed in the same.