The Golden Book of Christian Matrimony, Chapter 18
¶ The. xviii. Chapter.
How chyldren shuld be well and godly brought vp.
GReate ioye & quietnes it bryngethe to the Womē shuld …ourse theyr own chyldrēparētes to se theyr childrē godly & vertue ously brought vp. And agayne, besydes ye sorow yt euell brought vp chyldrē bring to theyr parentes, yet shall they render a strayght rekenyng to God for theyr euell bryngynge vp of them. The women shulde noryshe theyr owne chyldren wyth theyr owne brestes or els yf they maye not for weaknes, yet oughte they to seke honeste and godlye nourses of sober lyuynge that wyth theyr mylke they myght drinkin also vertewe. And the parētes especiallye the mother must endeuour to speake fyrst to the chyld perfectly playne and …ncte wordes, for as they be fyrst enformed to speake so they wyll contynew. Caius and Tyberius the sonnes of Caius & Ci berius.Cornelia Grachy were ornate and eloquent in theyr speche for theyr mother was eloquent of tongue.
And euen from theyr infancy forth let the parentes teach theyr …hyldren no fables nor lyes nor no vayne nor lyght communicaciō but that onelyonly which is godly, honest, graue and frutefull let it be planted in theyr new hertes.
They must teach them fyrst certayne godly sentences, though they yet can not vnderstande them, yet let them commende them to memory and practyse them in speche tyll they maye here after the better perceaue them, as are these folowyng.
As certaynely as thou seyst the heauens and Sentence… to be taugh… chyldren in theyr fyrst… yonge age.the earth: so certaynly muste thou knowe, that ther is one īuysyble god, one alone for all suffycient, hauing hys beyng of himselfe, & all creatures ther being of him.
Heauen and earthe and all that was made, is of goddes owne creacyon. God is the mooste hyghe goodnes. Wythout God theris nothing good. God nedeth no creature to be ioynedde wyth hym in hys dedes and cownselles to forgeue, dampne saue or healpe. It is he alone that vpholdeth all the wor… preserueth it, and gyueth eueryevery thyng the lyfe & beynge, whyche it hath. He is louyng graciouse and mercyful to them that so beleue and trust vponupon him.
God is trewe, and iuste, and holye in all hys workes, God loueth vertue, and hateth synne … vyce. It is good that God commaundeth, and euell that he forbyddeth God punysheth synne & euell. A man must louelove God aboue all thynges. He may not murmur agaynst god, but be wyllynge and thankfull in all aduersite to beare it. He must call onelyonly vponupon God, and complayne to hym onelyonly in all hys nede. And here muste the chyldren be taught thus to praye. Oure father The Lorde… prayer The articles of the fayth… The ten com ma…demētes The prouerbes of Salo mon.which arte in heauē. &c. And to expresse the articles of our fayth distinctly & perfectely. And in processe of tyme lerne thē truly to vnderstād them, and the ten Commaundementes also by harte. Then teache them the Prouerbes of Salomon and the boke of the preachet, and such comonsentences as are these: Uertue excelleth all thynges. To lye is the moost shamefullvice of all. Thou shalte hurte no man, but profyt eueryevery man. Speake euell of no man. Backebyte nor curse no man. All men are brethren. And suche lyke godly sentences, lette them be planted into yonge hartes. Aboue all thynges shall the parē tes vse godly & honest cōuersaciō in y• presence of theyr chyldren, teache them more vertue & goodnes, than theyr wordes. For wordes althoughe they maye do muche, yet shall good ensamples of lyuynge do more to the yougth. Let not your chyldren be conuersaunt wytheuell persons and lyght company, lette them not heare vicious nor wanton communicacion, nor se no synfull sygh tes. The parentes must vse them selues before Cato.them as before GOD and all honest people. Cato the wyse Senatour of Rome expelled Ti tus Flaminius out of the counsell, only because that in the syghte of hys yonge doughter he embrased his wyfe.
Christen folke shulde remember the fearfull Mat. xviii.sentence of Christ, sayeng: Who so euer geueth occasion of euell to any of these yonge chyldren that beleue in me, it were better forhym to be drowned wyth a mylstone tyed about his neck▪ Thou must diligētly beware, lest any in thyne house gyue any euell ensample and speke that at naught is in theyr presence. And take hede leest thou receaue any persone into thyne house, that maye ether by worde or dede corrupte thy chyldren or seruauntes. Remember that euell speach maye soone corrupte & destroy that which thou hast bene long in plantyng & buyldynge. Wanton and euell communicacion (sayth Paul) conrupteth good manners. And begynne by tymers Begynne b… tymes.to plante vertue in thy chyldrennes brestes: for late sowynge bryngethe a late or neuer an apte haruest. Yong braunches wyl be bowed as thou lystest…, but olde trees wyll sooner breake than …ow. And what soeuer good liquour is put first into a newe …arthen potte, it wyll kepe the sent therof euer after, if it therin stand any ceason.
And as for the yeares to set the chylde to the scole, fyrst considre the apte, sharpenes of witte therof, for some are apte at fyue yeares, & some not before syxe or seuen yeares. And what they shall be fyrst taught, it is tolde before.
And here must ye chose out discrete, learned & godly masters for your chyldren, which shall … The scole master.cordyng to theyr capacities …ently & wysely enstructe them, as is contayned in theyr primers in Englysh and dialoges as are there made for them, whiche whan they can read both prynted and written letters, and can well commyt that y• they hauehave l…rned to memory, sayēg it distinct ly & perfectly by hart, t…ē let thē learne to write to cas… a compte, to …yfre, adde, subtray, &c. And let them exercyse theyr penne and theyr tonges Godly councell for the ryghte bryn, gynge vp of yougth.in readyng diuerse prynted bokes pertaynynge to the holye scriptures, and come to & heare the trewe prech…rs of Gods word, and in ony wyse let them not heare the papistike preachers, and whan they come home from any good sermone aske thē what they hauehave borne awaye, & exhort them to marke diligently another tyme and to rehearse it when they come home. Let them saye the gra…es at the tables. Let thē prepare the table & serue you therat clenly and manerly. Let thē spend all the tyme in vertuous vses & neuer be ydle, for the tyme of yougth is preciouse and Math. x.passeth away swyftly. Be ye circumspecte, o pa rentes in fedyng and apparellyng your childrē let thē not be paumpered vp to dilicately withe meates & wines, nor yet arayed to sumptuously & proudly. Daniel was as wel lyking & as pure of cōplexion with a messe of potage eueryevery daye … a draft of water as were they y• were fedeuery Gorgio… apparell & deliciou… fare oughte to be exchewed in chyldren.daye of the kynges table. Excesse of meates & drynckes in yougth and gorgious apparell is y• dore vntounto glotony, dronckennes & lecherye, and the way to pryde & al maner of vyce neuer to be pluckte from thē in age. For the which enormities & vyces, theyr parentes & vp bryngers shal gyue strayght rekenyng vntounto God, let not thy yougth rūne out of thy dores nether by day nor nyght without thy lycence: and take a rekening of theyr behauyoure in thyne absence. Suffre thē not to come into any lyght wantō cōpany.
Se that ye correcte thē dewly & discretely for Correction.theyr faultes, so that they stand in great feare & awe of the, and if wordes wyl not reclayme thē than take the rod or weapō of correcciō discrete ly vsed. For the rodde of correccion ministreth wysedome, but the chyld suffred to do what he listeth, is y• confusiō of his mother. And who so spareth the rod hateth the childe, but he y• loueth pro, xxix. and xiii. xxii. and xxiii.him, nourtereth him in tyme: the childes hert is ful of folyshnes, but the rod of correcciō driueth …t forth. Better it is that chyldrē wepe thē olde men. Se that they pycke not, steale not, nor vse no vnlawfull games, be not to rough nor to hastye weth them, but so order your selues to them that they maye both louelove and feare you.