No More Learning

¶ What coulde
a stoycke saye more sagely? and yet dothe a merye tale
teache the same. In a thynge that is manifest I wyll
not make the tarye with many exãples. [Sidenote:
Bucolicall, where y^e herdmen do speke of nete and
shepe. ] Also what is more mery conceited thẽ the
verses called Bucolicall? what is sweter then a
comedie, whych standing by morall maners, deliteth
bothe the vnlearned and chyldren? And heare how great
a parte of philosophye is lerned by playe? Adde vnto
thys the names of all thynges, in the whych it is
meruell to see howe now a dayes, yea euẽ they be blind
which are taken for wel lerned mẽ. Finally, shorte and
mery conceited sentences, as commonly be prouerbes,
and quicke shorte sayinges of noble men, in the whiche
onlye in tyme paste philosophie was wonte to be taught
to the people. Ther appeareth also in the very
chyldren a certen peculier redines to some sciences,
as vnto musicke, arithmetique, or cosmographie. For I
haue proued that they whych were very dull to lerne
the preceptes of grammer and rethorique, were found
verye apte to lerne the subtile artes. Nature therfore
must be holpen to that parte wherunto of it selfe it
is inclined. And down the hyll is very litle labour,
as contrary is great. Thou shalt nether do nor saye
anye thynge agaynst thy naturall inclinacion. I knewe
a child that could not yet speake whych had no greater
pleasure, than to open a booke, and make as thoughe he
read. And when he dyd that sometyme many houres, yet
was he not weery. And he neuer wept so bitterli, but
if you had offered hym a booke, he wolde be pleased.
That thynge made hys friendes hope that in time to
come he wolde be a well lerned manne. His name also
brought some good lucke: for he was called Hierome.
[Sidenote: That is a teacher of holye lernynge. ] And
what he is now I can not tel, for I sawe hym not
beynge growẽ vp. To the knowledge of the tonge it wyll
helpe verye muche if he be broughte vp amonge them
that be talkatiue. Fabels and tales wyll the chylde
lerne so muche the more gladly, and remember the
better, if he maye see before his eyes the argumentes
properly paynted, and what soeuer is tolde in the
oracion be shewed him in a table. The same shall helpe
as much to lerne without boke the names of trees,
herbs, and beastes, and also their properties,
inespecially of these whych be not common to be seene
in euerye place, as is Rhinoceros, whyche is a beaste
that hathe a horne in hys nose, naturall enemye to the
Elephant: Tragelaphus, a goate hart, Duocrotalus,
a byrd lyke to a swã, whyche puttyng hys head into the
water brayeth lyke an asse, an asse of Inde and an
Elephant. The table maye haue an Elephant whom a
Dragon claspeth harde aboute, wrapping in his former
feete with his tayle. The litle chyld laugheth at the
syght of thys straunge paintynge, what shall the
master do then? He shall shewe him that ther is a
greate beaste called in Greeke an Elephante, and in
Latine lykewyse, saue that sometyme it is declined
after the latine fashion. He shall shewe, that that
whyche the grekes cal proboscida, or his snout, the
latines call his hande, because wyth that he reacheth
hys meate. He shall tell hym that that beaste doth not
take breath at the mouthe as we do, but at the snoute:
& that he hath teth standyng out on bothe sides, and
they be iuory, which rich mẽ set much price by, and
therwith shal shew hym an iuory combe. Afterwardes he
shall declare that in Inde ther be dragons as greate
as they. And that dragon is bothe a greke worde and a
latine also, saue that the grekes says dracontes in
the genitiue case. He shall shewe that naturallie
betwyxte the dragons and the Elephantes is great
fyghte. And if the chylde be somewhat gredy of
learnynge, he maye rehearse manye other thynges of the
nature of Elephantes and dragons. Manye reioyse to see
huntinges paynted. Here howe manye kyndes of trees,
hearbes, byrdes, foure footed beastes maye he lerne
and playe? I wyll not holde you longe wyth examples,
seynge it is easye by one to coniecture all. ¶ The
master shall be diligent in chosynge them oute, and
what he shall iudge moste pleasaunt to chyldren, most
mete for them, what they loue best, and is most
floryshyng, that inespecially let hym set before them.
The fyrste age lyke vnto the spring tyme, standeth in
pleasaunt sweete flowres, and goodly grene herbes,
vntyl the heruest time of ripe mans age fyll the barne
full of corne. ¶ Then as it were agaynst reason in ver
or springe tyme to seeke for a rype grape, and a rose
in autumne, [Sidenote: Autumne is the tyme betwyxt
somer and wynter. ] so muste the master marke what is
mete for euerye age. Mery and plesaunte thynges be
conueniente for chyldehod, howbeit all sourenesse and
sadnes muste be cleane awaye from all studies.
[Sidenote: The meaning of y^e poetes deuise touching
the muses & Charites. ] And I am deceyued except the
olde men ment that also, whyche ascribed to the muses
beynge virgins, excellent bewtye, harpe, songes,
daunses, and playes in the pleasaunt fieldes, and
ioyned to them as felowes the Ladies of loue: and that
increase of studies dyd stande specially in mutual
loue of myndes, and therefore the olde men called it
the lernyng that perteined to man. And ther is no
cause why profite maye not folowe pleasure, and
honestie ioyned to delectacion. [Sidenote: Wherfore
lernyng is called humanitie] For what letteth that
they shulde not lerne eyther a proper fable, arte of
poets, or a sentence, or a notable prety hystorie, or
a learned tale, as well as they lerne and can wythout
boke a piuyshe songe, and oftẽtimes a baudy one to,
& folishe old wiues tatlynges, & very trifles of
triflyng womẽ? What a sũme of dreames, vaine ryddels,
and vnprofitable trifles of spirites, hobgoblines,
fayries, witches, nightmares wood men and gyauntes,
how manye naughty lies, how many euyll sayings
remember wee, yea euen when we be men, whych beyng
lytle chyldrẽ we lerned of our dadies, graũdmothers,
nurses, & maydens whyle they were spynnynge, and heard
thẽ when they kissed & plaied wyth vs? And what a
profite shuld it haue bene to lernynge, if in stede of
these moste vaine garringes, not only folyshe, but
also hurtfull, wee had lerned those thynges that we
rehearsed a litle before. Thou wylt saye, what lerned
man wyll lowly hys wyt to these so small thynges? Yet
Aristotle hym selfe beynge so greate a philosopher was
not greued to take vpon hym the office of a teacher,
to instruct Alexander. ¶ Chiron fashioned the infancy of
Achilles, and Phenix succeded hym. Hely the priest
brought vp y^e childe Samuell. And ther be now a daies
whych eyther for a lytle money, or for theyr plesure
take almost more payne in teachyng a pye or a
popiniay. There be some that for deuocions sake take
vpon them iourneys that both be farre of and
ieoperdeous, and other laboures besyde almost
intollerable. Why dothe not holynes cause vs to do
thys office seynge nothyng can please god better?
Howbeit in teachinge those thynges that we haue
rehearsed, the master must neyther be to much callyng
vpon, neither to sharpe: but vse a continuaunce rather
then be wythout measure. Continuaunce hurteth not so
it be mesurable, & spiced also wyth varietie and
plesaũtnes. Finally if these thynges be so taught,
that imaginaciõ of labour be awaye, and that the
chylde do thynk al thinges be done in playe. Here the
course of our talkyng putteth vs in remẽbraunce
briefely to shewe by what meanes it maye be brought to
passe that lernyng shuld waxe swete vnto the chylde,
[Sidenote: How learnyng may be made swete vnto y^e
chyld. ] which before we somwhat touched. To be able to
speake redely, as I told you is easely gotten by vse.
After thys cõmeth the care to reade and write whych
of it selfe is somwhat tedious, but the griefe is
taken awaye a great parte by the cũnyng handling of
the master, if it be sauced w^t some pleasaunt
allurementes. For you shall fynde some whych tarye
long and take great paine in knowyng & ioynynge their
letters & in those fyrst rudimẽtes of grammer, whẽ
they wyl quyckely lerne greater thyngs. The yrksõnes
of these thinges must be holpẽ by some pretie craft,
of the which y^e old fathers haue shewed certẽ
fashions. Some haue made the letters in sweete crustes
and cakes that chyldren loue well, that so in manner
they myghte eate vp their letters. ¶ When they tell
the letters name, they geue the letter it selfe for a
rewarde. Other haue made the fashion of iuorie, that
the chylde shulde playe wyth them, or if there were
any other thyng wherin that age is specially delited.
[Sidenote: The practise of a certen englishe man to
teache hys chyld hys letters by shootyng. ] The
englyshe mẽ delyte principally in shotynge, and teache
it their chyldren fyrst of all: wherefore a certen
father that had a good quicke wyt perceiuinge his
sonne to haue a greate pleasure in shotyng, bought hym
a prety bowe & very fayr arrowes, & in al partes both
of hys bowe & arrowes were letters painted. Afterwards
insted of markes, he set vp the fashiõ of leters,
fyrste of Greke, and after of latẽ: when he hyt,
& tolde the name of the letter, besyde a greate
reioysinge, he had for a reward a cherye, or some
other thynge that chyldrẽ delyte in. Of that playe
commeth more fruite, if two or thre matches playe
together. For then the hope of victorie and feare of
rebuke maketh them to take more heede, and to be more
chereful. By thys deuise it was broughte aboute that
the chylde wythin a fewe days playing, had perfitely
lerned to know & sound all hys letters whych ye cõmõ
sort of teachers be scarse able to brynge to passe in
thre whole yeres whyth their beatynges threatyngs, and
brawlynges. Yet do not I alowe the diligence of some
to painful, whych drawe out these thyngs by playinge
at chesses or dyce. For when the playes them selues
passe the capacitie of chyldren, how shal they lerne
the letters by them? ¶ This is not to helpe the
chyldrens wyttes, but to put one labour to an other.
As there be certen engins so full of worke and so
curious, that they hynder the doynge of the busines.
Of thys sorte commonly be all those thynges whych some
haue deuised of the arte of memorye for to gette
money, or for a vayne boastynge, rather then for
profite: for they do rather hurte the memorye.
[Sidenote: The beste craft for memmorie. ] The best
crafte for memorie, is thorowlye to vnderstande,
and then to brynge into an order, last of al oftẽ to
repete that thou woldest remember. And in litleons
there is a natural great desyre to haue the mastry
inespecially of suche as be of lustye courage, and
lyuely towardnes. ¶ The teacher shall abuse these
inclinacions to the profite of hys study. If he shall
profite nothing by prayers, and fayre meanes, neyther
by gyftes mete for chyldren, nor prayses, he shal make
a contencion with hys equales. Hys felowe shall be
praysed in the presẽce of the duller. Desyre to be as
good shall quicken forwardes, whom only adhortacion
coulde not do. Yet it is not meete so to geue the
mastrie to the victor, as thoughe he shulde haue it
for euer: but somtime he shall shewe hope to hym that
is ouercome, that by takyng hede he may recouer y^e
shame: whych thynge capteyns be wonte to dooe in
batayle. And sometyme we shall suffer that the chyld
shuld thynke he hadde gotten the better, when he is
worse in deede. Finally by enterchaungyng, prayse and
disprayse, he shall noryshe in them, as Hesiodus
sayth, a stryfe who shall do best. Perchaunce one of a
sadde wyt wyl be loth so to play the child among
chyldren. And yet the same is not greued, neyther yet
ashamed to spende a greate parte of the day in playing
wyth little puppies and marmesettes, or to babble wyth
a pie or popiniay, or to play the foole wyth a foole.
By these tryfles, a verye sadde matter is broughte to
passe, and it is meruell that good men haue litle
pleasure herein, seeing y^t natural loue of our
children, and hope of great profit is wunt to make
those thynges also pleasaũte, whyche of them selues be
sharpe, sowre and bytter. I confesse that the
preceptes of grammer be at the beginnynge somewhat
sowre, and more necessary then pleasant. But the
handsomnes of the teacher shal take from them also a
greate parte of the payne. The beste thynge and
playnest muste be taughte fyrste. ¶ But nowe wyth what
compasses, and hardenesse be chyldren troubeled whyle
they learne wythout the booke the names of the letters
before they knowe what manner letters they bee?

¶ Whyle they be compelled in the declinynge of nownes
and verbes to can by roote in howe manye cases, moodes
and tenses one worde is put: as muse in the genetiue
and datiue singuler, the nominatiue and vocatiue
plurel? Legeris of legor, and of legerim, and legero?
What a beatyng is thẽ in the schole, whẽ chyldren be
axed these thynges? ¶ Some light teachers to boast their
lerynge are wonte of purpose to make these thynges
somewhat harder. Whyche faute maketh the beginnynges
almost of all sciences in doute, and paynfull,
specially in logicke. And if you shewe them a better
waye, they answere they were brought vp after thys
fashion, and wyll not suffer that anye chyldren shulde
be in better case, then they them selues were when
they were chyldren. All difficultye eyther therefore
muste be auoided, whyche is not necessarye, or that is
vsed oute of tyme. It is made softe and easy, that is
done whẽ it shuld be. But when tyme is, that of
necessitie an harde doute muste be learned, than a
cunnynge teacher of a childe shall studye as muche as
he may to folowe the good and frendlye Phisicians,
[Sidenote: A good schol master in teachyng, muste
folow a phisicion in medicines. ] whych whan they shalt
gyue a bytter medicyne do anoyut, as Lucrecius faith,
the brimmes of their cuppes with honye, that the
chylde entised by pleasure of the swetenes shuld not
feare the wholesome bytternes, or else put suger into
y^e medicine it selfe, or some other swete sauoryng
thynge. Yea they wyl not be knowen that it is a
medicine, for the only imaginacion sometyme maketh vs
quake for feare. Finally thys tediousenes is sone
ouercome, if things be taught them not to much at
once, but by lytle and litle, and at sundrie times.
Howebeit we ought not to distrust to much chyldrens
strength, if perhaps they muste take some paines.
A chyld is not myghty in strength of bodye, but he is
stronge to continue, and in abilitie strong inough. He
is not myghty as a bull, but he is strong as an emet.
[Sidenote: Note the sentence. ] In some thinges a flye
passeth an elephant. Euerye thyng is mighty in that,
to the whyche nature hathe made hym. Do we not se
tender chyldren rũne merueylouse swyftlye all the daye
long, and feele no werinesse. What is the cause?
Because playe is fitte for that age, and they imagine
it a playe and no labour. And in euerye thynge the
gretest part of payne is imaginacion, whych somtyme
maketh vs feele harme, when there is no harme at all.
Therefore seynge that the prouidence of nature hath
taken awaye imaginacion of laboure from chyldren, And
howe muche they lacke in strengthe, so muche they be
holpen in thys part, that is, that they feele not
labour, It shal be the masters parte, as we sayde
before, to put away the same by as many wayes as he
can, and of purpose to make a playe of it. ¶ There be
also certen kindes of sportes meete for chyldren,
wherwyth theyr earnest studye must somwhat be eased
after they be come to that, they muste lerne those
higher thynges whyche can not be perceiued wythoute
diligence and laboure: as are the handling of Themes,
to turne latine into Greeke, or greeke into latine, or
to learne cosmographie wythout booke. But moste of all
shall profite, if the chylde accustume to loue and
reuerence hys master, to loue and make muche of
learnyng, to feare rebuke, and delyght in prayse.
[Sidenote: The last obieccion touching the profit of
y^e chyld in his young yeres. ] There remayneth one
doute, wonte to be obiected by those whych saye: The
profite that the chylde getteth in those thre or foure
yeres to be so lytle, that it is not worthe the
laboure, eyther to take so muche payne in teachynge,
or bestowe so much coste. And these in dede seme vnto
me, not so muche to care for to profite the chyldren,
as for the sparyng of theyr money, or the teachers
labour. But I wyl saye he is no father, whyche when
the matter is of teaching his child, taketh so greate
care for expenses. Also it is a folyshe pitie, to
thintent the master shuld saue his labour, to make his
sonne lose certen yeres. I graunt it to be true indede
y^t Fabius sayth, y^t more good is done in . i. yere
after, then in these . iii. or . iiii. why shuld we set
light by this litle y^t is won in a thyng far more
precious. Let vs graunt that it is but a very lytle,
yet were it better the chylde to do it, then eyther
nothyng at al, or lerne somewhat that after muste be
vnlerned. Wyth what businesse shall that age be better
occupied as sone as he beginneth to speake, whiche in
no wyse can be vnoccupied? Also how lytle soeuer it be
that the former age doth bringe, yet shal the chylde
lerne greater thynges, euen in the same yeres, when
smaller shuld haue ben lerned, if he had not lerned
them before. Thys sayth Fabius, euery yere furthered
and increased profiteth to a great summe and as much
tyme as is taken before in the infancie, is gotten to
the elder age. It nedeth not to rehearse that in those
first yeres certen thinges be easely lerned, which be
more hard to be lerned whẽ we be elder. For it is very
easely lerned, that is lerned in time conueniente. Let
vs graunt that they be small and litle thynges, so we
confesse them to be necessarye. Yet to me in deede it
semeth not so litle a furtheraunce to lerning to haue
gotten though not a perfit knowledge, yet at the least
waye a taste of bothe the tongues, besydes so many
vocables and names of thinges, and finally to haue
begun to be able to reade and write prõptly. It
greueth vs not in thinges much more vile, to gette all
the vauntage we can, be it neuer so lytle. A diligente
marchaunt setteth not light bi winning of a farthing,
thinkyng thus in hys mynde: it is in dede of it selfe
but a litle, but it groweth to a summe, and a litle
often put to a lytle, wyll quyckelye make a great
heape. The Smithes ryse before daye, to wyn as it were
parte of the day. Husband men vpon the holy daye do
some thynges at home, to make an ende of more worke
the other dayes. And do we regarde as nothyng the
losse of . iiii. yeres in oure chyldren, when there is
nothyng more costly then tyme, nor no possession
better thẽ lerning? It is neuer lerned tymely inoughe
that neuer is ended. For we muste euer learne as longe
as we lyue. ¶ And in other thyngs the lucre that is
loste by slackenes, maye be recouered by diligence.
Time whẽ it is once flowen awaye (and it flyeth
awaye very quickely) may be called againe by no
inchauntmentes. For the poets do trifle whyche tell of
a fountayne, wherby olde men do as it were waxe yong
agayne: and the phisicions deceiue you, whych promise
a gay floryshyng youth to old men thorowe a certeyn
folishe fyft essence I wote not what. Here therfore we
ought to be verye sparyng, because the losse of tyme
may by no meanes be recouered. Beside this the fyrst
part of our lyfe is coũted to be best, and therfore
shuld be bestowed more warelye. Hesiodus aloweth not
sparynge, neyther at the hyest, nor at the lowest,
because when the tunne is full it semeth to hasty, and
to late when it is spente: and therefore byddeth vs
spare in the myddes. But of tyme we muste nowher cast
away the sparing, and if we shuld spare when the tunne
is ful for thys cause that wyne is best in the
myddest, then shulde we most of all saue our yonge
yeres, because it is the best parte of the life, if
you exercise it, but yet y^t goeth swyftest awaye. The
husbande manne if he be anye thynge diligente, wyll
not suffer anye parte of hys lande to lye vacante,
and that that is not meete to brynge forthe corne, he
setteth it eyther wyth yonge graffes, or leaueth it to
pasture, or storeth it wyth potte hearbes. And shall
we suffer the beste parte of our lyfe to passe awaye
wyth oute all fruite of lerning? Newe falowed ground
must be preuented wyth some fruitfull thynge, leste
beynge vntylled, it brynge forthe of it selfe naughty
cockle. For needes muste it brynge forthe somewhat.
Lykewyse the tender mynde of the infante, except it
bee strayghte wayes occupyed wyth fruitefull
teachynges, it wyl be ouercoued wyth vyce. An earthen
potte wyll keepe longe the sauoure of the liquore that
it is fyrste seasoned wyth, and it wyll be long or it
go out. But as for an earthen vessell beynge newe and
emptye, you maye keepe it for what liquore ye wyll.

¶ The mynde eyther bryngeth forth good fruite, if you
caste into it good seede, or if ye regard it not, it
is fylled wyth naughtines, whych afterwardes must be
pulled vp. And not a litle hath he wonne whyche hathe
escaped the losse, neyther hathe he brought small
helpe to vertue, whiche hath excluded vyce. But what
nede many wordes? Wylt thou see howe muche it
auayleth, whether one be brought vp in learnynge or
not? Beholde how excellently lerned in the olde tyme
men were in their youth, and how in oure daies they
that be aged be hable to do nothyng in studie?
[Sidenote: Ouide. ] Ouide beyng a verye yonge man wrot
hys verses of loue. What olde man is hable to do lyke?
[Sidenote: Lucane. ] What maner of man Lucane was in
hys youth hys workes declare. Howe came thys? Because
that beynge but . vi. moneths old he was brought to
Rome, & strayght waie deliuered to be taught of two
the best gramarians, Palemõ, and Cornutus. [Sidenote:
Bassus. ] Hys companions in studye were Salcius Bassus,
and Aulus Persius: [Sidenote: Persius. ] that one
excellente in historye, that other in a Satyre.

Doubtles hereof cam that most perfite knoweledge that
he had in all the seuen sciences, & his so marueylous
eloquence, that in verse he was both an excellente
oratoure, & also a Poet. In thys our time ther wãteth
not exemples of good bringing vp (although thei be
veri few) & y^t as wel in womẽ as mẽ. Politiã praised
y^e wit of y^e maidẽ Cassãdra. ¶ And what is more
marueylous thã Vrsinus a childe of . xii. yeres olde?
for the remẽbraunce of him, he also in a very eligãte
epistle put in eternall memorye. How fewe men shal you
nowe fynd, whiche at one time be able to endite two
epistles to so manye notaries, that the sẽtence in
euerye one do agree, and that there shoulde happen no
inconueniente speache. That chylde did it in fyue
epistles & gaue the argumentes w^tout any study, & was
not prepared afore hãd to do it. Some men when they se
these things, thinking that thei passe al mens
strength, ascribe it to witchcraft. It is done in dede
by witchcrafte, but it is an effectual enchaũting,
to be set in time to a learned, good, and vigilant
master. It is a stronge medicine to learne the best
things of learned men, and emonge the learned.

[Sidenote: Alexander. ] By such wytchcrafte Alexander
the greate, whan he was a yonge man, besides
eloquence, was perfit in al the parts of Philosophie,
and except the loue of warres, & swetenes to raygne
had quite raught away his inclinaciõ, he might haue
bene counted the chiefe among the beste Philosophers.
By the same meanes Caius Cesar beinge but a yonge man,
was so eloquent & wel sene in the mathematical
sciences. So well sene also were many Emperors: Marcus
Tullius, also Virgil, and Horace in their lusty youth
were so excellent in learninge and Eloquence, all
bycause they were strayght waye in their tender age
learned of their parentes & nourses the elegancy of
the tonges, and of the beste maisters the liberal
sciences: as Poetry, Rhetorique, Histories, the
knowledge of antiquities, Arithmetique, Geographye,
Philosophye, moral and political. And what do we I
praye you? wee kepe our children at home till they be
past fourtene or fiftene yere old, and whan they be
corrupted wyth idlenes, ryot, & delicatenes, with
muche worke at the laste we sende them to the cõmen
scholes. There to further y^e matter wel, they taste a
little grammer: after, whan they can declyne words, &
ioyne the adiectiue and the substãtiue togither, they
haue learned al the grammer, and thã be set to that
troubled Logike, wher they must forget againe if they
haue learned to speake anie thynge well. But more
vnhappye was the tyme whan I was a child whiche al to
vexed the youth with modes of signifiinge, and other
folyshe questions, & teching nothinge els then to
speake folishelye. Verely those masters bicause they
wold not be thought to teach folish thinges, darckened
grammer wyth difficulties of Logike and Metaphisike:
euen for this verelye, that afterwardes they shold
returne backwardelye to learne grammer, whã they were
olde, which we see happeneth nowe to some diuines that
be wyser, that after so manye hye degrees and all
their titles, wherby they maye be ignoraunte in
nothing, they be faine to come againe to those bookes,
which are wonte to be reade vnto children.
I blame thẽ
not, for it is better to lerne late then neuer, that
thing which is necessary to be knowen.

Good Lorde what a world was that, whan wyth greate
boastynge Iohn Garlandes verses wer read to yonge men,
and that with longe and painefull commentaries? whã a
greate parte of tyme was consumed in folyshe verses,
in saying thẽ to other, repetynge them, and hearynge
theim agayne? whan Florista and Florius were learned
without booke? for as for Alexander, I thynke him
worthye to be receiued amonge the meaner sorte.
Moreouer howe muche tyme was loste in Sophistrye, and
in the superfluous mases of Logyke? And bicause I will
not be to longe, howe troublesomelye were all sciences
taughte? howe paynefully? whiles euerye reader to
auaunce him selfe, wolde euen straighte waye in the
begynninge stuffe in the hardest thynges of all, and
sometyme verye folyshe thyngs to. For a thyng is not
therfore goodly bycause it is harde, as to stand a far
of, and to caste a mustarde seede thorowe a nedles eye
& misse not, it is hard in dede, but yet it is a verye
trifle: and to vndo a payre of tariers, it is much
worke, but yet a vayne and idle subilltye.

Adde here vnto, that oftentymes these thynges be
taught of vnlearned men, and that is worse, of lewd
learned men, somtyme also of sluggardes and
vnthriftes, which more regarde takynge of money thã
the profite of their scholers. Whã the commune
bryngynge vp is suche, yet do wee maruayle that fewe
be perfitly learned before they be old. [Sidenote:
Nota. ] The beste parte of oure lyfe is loste wyth
idlenes, with vices, wherewith whan we be infected,
we giue a litle parte of our tyme to studies, and a
greate parte to feastes and plaies. And to an yll
matter is taken as euil a craftes manne, either
teachynge that is folyshe, or that whiche must be
vnlearned againe. And after this we make our excuse
that the age is weake, the wyt not yet apte to learne,
the profite to be verye small, and manye other
thinges, whan in dede the fault is to be ascribed to
euill brynginge vp. I wil not trouble you any lẽger,
onelie wil I speake to your wisdome whyche is in other
thynges verye sharpe and quycke of syght. [Sidenote:
A goodli brief rehearsall of the thinges before
spokẽ. ] Consider howe deare a possession youre sonne
is, howe diuerse a thynge it is and a matter of muche
worke to come by learnynge, and how noble also the
same is, what a redines is in all childrens wyttes to
learne, what agilitie is in the mynd of mã howe easily
those thynges be learned whyche be beste and agreable
to nature, inespeciallye if they be taught of learned
and gentle maisters by the waye of playe: further how
fast those thynges abide with vs, wherew^t we season
fyrste of all the emptye and rude myndes, whiche selfe
thynges an elder age perceyueth boeth more hardelye,
and soner forgetteth: Beside thys how dear and the
losse neuer recouered, tyme is, howe much it auayleth
to begin in seasõ, and to learne euery thyng whan it
shold be, how much continuaunce is able to do, & howe
greately the heape that Hesiodus speaketh of, doeth
increase by puttinge to little and litle, how swiftly
the time flieth away, how youth wyll alwayes be
occupied, & howe vnapte olde age is to be taught: If
thou consyder these thynges thou wilt neuer suffer
that thi litle child shoulde passe away (I wil not
say) seuen yere, but not so much as thre dayes, in the
whiche he maye
be eyther prepared or in-
structed to learnynge
though the profit
be neuer so
litle.


FINIS.




¶ Impryn-
ted at London by Iohn Day,
dwellinge ouer Aldersgate, beneth
saint Martyns. And are to be sold
at his shop by the litle conduit
in Chepesyde at the sygne
of the Resurrec-
tion.

Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum
solum. Per septennium.

A dialoge
or communication of
two persons, deuysyd
and set forthe in the la-
tê tonge, by the noble
and famose clarke.
_Desiderius Erasmus_
intituled ye pyl-
gremage of
pure de-
uoty-
on.

Newly trãslatyd into
Englishe.

* * * * *

|| [+] ij. ||

To the reder.

Amongest the writinges of all men, dearly belouyd
reder, not onely of the diuersyte of tongues, but also
the noble drawghts of so artificyall paynted figures,
whiche haue so lyuely expressed to ye quycke ymage, the
nature, ordre, & proporcyon of all states, as
concernynge the gouernaunce of a Christen comêwealthe,
that ther is (as I suppose) no parte of the scripture,
which is not so enpowndyde, furnysshed, and set forthe,
but that euery Christen man, therby may lerne his dewty
to god, hys prynce, and hys nebure, and so consequently
passe thourough the strayte pathe of the whiche
scripture doth testyfye vpõ, very fewe can fynde ye
entrye, wherby thorough faythe in the redêptyon of the
worlde thorowe ye bloode of Christe the sone of god, to
rayne || with the father and the holy goste eternally,
accordynge to the promyse of Christe, sayinge. In my
fathers hawse ther be many placys to dwell in, we wyll
come to hym and make a mansyon place with hym and I
haue and shall open thy name vnto them, that the same
loue with the whiche thou louydest me, may be in theym,
and I in thê, and thys is the kyngdome of god so often
mouyd to vs in holy scripture, whiche all faythfull
shall possesse and inheret for euermore: where as ye
vnfaythfull, vnryghtswye, and synner shall not entre in
to the kyngdome of god, bycause, of chaûgynge the glory
of gode immortall in to the ymage of a corruptyble man,
and therfore to incentiously he hathe suffrede them to
wandre in theyr clowdes of ygnoraunce, preferrynge the
lyes and corrupte || [+] iij. || iudgmentes of man the
veryte and the truthe of god, rather seruynge the
creature then the creator, amongest all the parties of
the whiche (as was spoken at the begynnyng) thys alwaye
not alonely in the newe law, but also in the olde
Testament was as a thynge moost abhomynable and
displesant in the sight of gode prohybyte and forbyden:
but our nature whiche hath in hym, the dampnable
repugnaûce of synne agaynst the omnypotêt power of
gode, lest euyn frome owre fyrst father Adam, is so
enclyned to vyces, amongest the whiche it hath not
gyuen the least parte to thys desperate synne of
ydolatrye, agaynst the immaculate, and fearefull
commandement of god. Thou shalt haue no straunge Gods
in my syght, that it is sore to be dreadde the same
iudgement to be gyuyn || vpon vs that was gyuen vpon
the cytye of Ninyue to be absorped of the yerthe in to
the yre and vengeannce of gode, whiche hathe ben the
cause that so many wryters bothe of late dayes, and
many yeres passede, haue euyn to deathe, resisted thes
dampnable bolsterers of ydolatrye, gyuen theyr selues
to the crosse in example of reformacyon to theyr
bretherne, bothe in wrytinge and cownsell, exhortynge
the flocke of Christe frome soche prophane doctryne,
amongest whome the noble and famouse clerke _Desiderius
Erasmus_ hath setforthe to the quycke ymage, before
mennys eyes, the supersticyouse worshype and false
honor gyuyn to bones, heddes, iawes, armes, stockes,
stones, shyrtes, smokes, cotes, cappes, hattes, shoes,
mytres, slyppers, sadles, rynges, bedes, gyrdles,
bolles, || [+] iiij. || belles, bokes, gloues, ropes,
taperes, candelles, bootes, sporres, (my breath was
almost past me) with many other soche dampnable
allusyones of the deuylle to use theme as goddes
contrary to the immaculate scripture of gode, morouer
he notethe as it were of arrogancye the pryuate
iudgment of certayne that of theyr owne brayne wolde
cast out ymages of the temple, with out a comen consent
and authoryte, some there be that alway seke halowes,
and go vpon pylgramages vnder a pretense of holynes,
whervpon thes brotherhoddes and systerhoodes be now
inuented, morouer they that haue ben at Hierusalem be
called knightes of the sepulcre, and call one an other
bretherne, and vpon palme-sondaye they play the foles
sadely, drawynge after them an asse in a || rope, when
they be not moche distante frome the woden asse that
they drawe. The same do they conterfayte that haue ben
at saynt Iames in Compostella. But they be more
pernycyouse, that set forthe vncertayn relyques, for
certayne, and attrybute more to them than they oughte
to haue, and prostytute or sett theym forthe for
fylthye lukre. But now whan they perceyue, that this
theyr dãpnable *Corbane [*A tresure boxe of ye Iewes. ]
dothe decay, and that theyr most to be lamented blyndnes
and longe accustomed errours shuld be redressed, they, all
fayre bothe of god and man set asyde, rebelle and
make insurrectyones contrary to the ordynaunce of gode,
agaynst theyr kynge and liege lorde, prouokynge and
allurynge the symple comynaitye to theyre dampnable
ypocrysye and conspyracy, myndyng || [+] v. || and goynge
about to preuente our most soueraigne lordes iudgment,
not yet gyuê vpon theyr Sodomiticall actes, and most
horryble ypocrysy. But the worde of the lorde whiche
they so tyrannously go aboute to suppresse with all the
fauerours therof shall ouercome & destroy all soch most
to be abhorred & deceyuable inuegelers & dysturbers of
ye symple people to soch detestable treason. And that
it may so do to the terryble example of thes and a11
other rebelles and most dysloyal subiectes, and to ye
greate comforthe & cõsolacyõ of his gracys faythfull
and true comens. I requyre him which brethethe where he
willithe and raygnethe eternall gode to graût vnto our
seyde most dradde soueraygne lorde whose maiesty as it
euydently appereth onely applieth his diligence to the
aduaunsynge || & lettynge forthe of the most holsome
documenth and teachyng of almyghty god, to the redres
of long accustome euylls and damnable sectes, to the
supportacion and mayntenaunce of godly and alowable
ceremonyes, to the suppressynge and most to be desired
abolishyng of the deuelishe and detestable vsurped
aucthoryties, dampnable errours and prophane abuses
brought in by that myghty Golyas, that obdurated
Phareo, that proude Nembroth (whome god amêde) the
byshope of Rome, to graunte (I say) vnto hys hyghnes,
suche hys godly ayde and assistence, that hys grace
with hys moost honorable counsell (agaynst whome this
arrogant conspyracy is nowe moued and begonne) may
ouercome and debelle the stud traytres as in tymes
paste hys maiestye hath prudently || do other, that haue
hertofore attempted to perpetrate and brynge to passe
like sedicyous mishief, and so to establishe the hartes
of hys gracys true subiectes that they may wyllyngly
and according to theyr dueties, obey and fulfyll hys
most lawfull and godly ordened lawes and commaundements
wherby they shall not onely do the thyng agreable to
goddes wylle and teachynges, in that he willeth euery
soule to be subiected to the hygher power and obedyent
to theyr prynce, but also (to theyr greate laude and
prayse) shall shewe them selfe to be redy and
confirmable to do theyr dueties in aydyng hys excellent
hyghnes to the reformacyon of all pernicious abuses &
chiefly of detestable ydolatrye, whiche is so muche
prohibited in holy scripture and most displeasant to
god, || for whiche intent and purpose the sayd most
noble and famous clarke _Desiderius Erasmus_, compiled &
made this dialoge in Laten, as it foloweth herafter
nowe lately translated into our mother the Englishhe
tonge. Auoyd therfore, most deare readere, all abuses
whereby any inconuenyence may growe, other to the
hynderaunce of godes worde, to the displeasure of thy
prynce, (whome thou arte so straytly commaunded to
obaye, or to the domage of a publike weale, whiche
aboue all vices is noted most to be abhorred, not
alonely of the most holy wryteres and expownderes of
scripture, but also of prophane gentylles, whiche neuer
perceyuyd other thinge than nature enclyned theyr
hartes vnto, and so consequently to obtayne the
fruytion of the godhode thorowe the faythe that was
|| spoken of at the begynnynge to the
whiche the lorde Iesus Chri-
ste brynge vs all with a
perfaycte quyetnes,
So be it.
+

* * * * *

|| A. ||

A pylgremage, for pure deuocyõ.

_Menedemus. _ [*Signifieth to forsake. ] What new thynge
ys it, that I se? doo I nat see _Ogygyus_ my neybur,
whom no mã could espie of all thes sex monthes before?
yt was a sayng that he was deed, It is euen he, except
that I be ferre deceyuyd. I wyll go to hym, & byd hym
good morow. Good morow Ogygyus. [*was faynyd of an old
kynge of Thebanes. ] Good morow to you Menedemus.
_Mene. _ I pray you frome what contray do you come to vs
ayen so saffe. For here was a great comunicacyõ that
you dyd sayle streght to hell. _Ogy. _ No, thankyd be
god, I haue faryd as well syns I went hens, as euer I
dyd in all my lyffe. _Me. _ Well, a man may well
perceyue that all soche rumours be but vanytye. But I
pray you what araye is this that you be in, me thynke
that you be clothyd with cokle schelles, and be || ladê
on euery syde with bruches of lead and tynne. And you
be pretely garnyshyd with wrethes of strawe & your arme
is full of *snakes egges. [*Signifyeth bedes. Malsyngam
ys callyd parathalassia by cause it is ny to ye see. ]
_Ogy. _ I haue bene on pylgremage at saynt Iames in
Compostella, & at my retourne I dyd more relygyously
vysyte our lady of Walsyngã in England, a very holy
pylgremage, but I dyd rather vysyte her. For I was ther
before within this thre yere. _Me. _ I trowe, it was but
for your pleasure. _Ogy. _ Nay, it was for pure
deuocyon. _Me. _ I suppose you learnyd that relygyõ of
the Grecyanes. _Ogy. _ My mother in law dyd make a vowe
that if her dougther shuld be delyueryd of a man chyld
alyue, than that I shuld go to saynt Iames on
pylgremage, and ther to salute and thãke hym. _Me. _ Dyd
you salute saynt Iames alonly in your name, and your
mothers. _Ogy. _ No, in the name of all owre house.
_Me. _ || A ij. || Verely I thynke that your howshold as
well shold haue prosperd, in case you had not salutyd
hym at all. But I pray you what answer dyd he make to
your salutacyon. _Ogy. _ Nothynge at all. But whã I dyd
offre, me tought he dyd lawghe vpon me, and becke at me
with hedde, & dyd reche to me this cokleshell. _Me. _
Wherfore dothe he gyue rather suche schelles, than
other thynges. _Ogygy. _ For the see, whiche is nye vnto
hym dothe mynystre plenty of suche. _Me. _ O holy saynt
Iames, that bothe is a mydwyffe to women with chyld,
and also dothe helpe his pylgrymes. But I pray you what
new kynd of makyng vowes is that that whan a mã is ydle
he shall put the burden apon an other mannes bakke? In
case that you doo bynd youre selffe with a vowe, that
yf ye matter chaunche happyly whiche you haue in hande,
that I for you || shall fast twyse in on weke, do you
beleue that I can fulfyl youre vow? _Ogy. _ No, I doo
not beleue it if that you dyd vowe it in youre awne
name. It is but a sport with yow to mokke sayntes. But
this was my mother in law, I must nedys obey her, you
know womenes affectyones, & I must obaye heres. _Me. _
If that you had not perfourmyd your vowe, what iopertye
had you be in? _Ogy. _ I graunt, he could not haue had
an accyon ayenst me in ye law, but he myght from
hensforthe be deafe to my vowes, orels pryuyly send
some calamytye or wretchednes amongste my housholde,
yow know well enuffe the maneres of great men. _Me. _
Tell me now what that same honest mã saynt Iames dothe,
and howe he farythe. _Ogy. _ Moche colder thã he was
wontyd to do. _Me. _ What is the cause of it? His age?
_Ogy. _ Oh you scoffer, yow || A iij. || know wel enoghe
that sayntes wax nat olde. But this new learnynge,
whiche runnythe all the world ouer now a dayes, dothe
cause hym to be vysytyd moche lesse than he was wontyd
to be, for if any doo come thay salute him alonly, but
they offre lytle or nothinge, and say that theyr monaye
may bettre be disposyd amongste pore people. _Me. _ O a
wykyd comunicacyon. _Ogy. _ Ye & so great an Apostle
whiche was wõtyd to stand all in precyous stones &
gold, now stãdythe all of wodde hauynge before hym
skaresly a wax candle. _Me. _ If it be trew that I here,
it is great ioperdy lest that same chance to all the
rest of the sayntes. _Ogy. _ I thynk it wel, for ther is
an epistle abrode whiche our lady dyd wryte apon the
same matter. _Me. _ What lady? _Ogy. _ *She that hathe
her name of a stone. [*Our ladi of stone in Raurachia
whiche is a certayne cuntre. ] _Me. _ I trawe it is in
Raurachia. _Ogy. _ That same || is it. _Me. _ yow tell me
of a stony lady, But to whome dyd she wryte? _Ogy. _ The
epistle dothe playnely shew his name. _Me. _ By whome
was it sent? _Ogy. _ No dowbt but by an angell, whiche
dyd lay the wrytynges apõ the aultre, wherof he
prechythe to whome it was sent. And lest there shuld be
any suspectyõ of crafty cõuayance in you, you shall se
the epistle wryten with his owne hande. _Me. _ Do you
know so well the hand of thangell whiche is secretary
to our lady? _Ogy. _ Yee why nat? _Me. _ By what argumêt?
_Ogy. _ I haue redde that *Epithaphe [*Is a scripture
wryten on a graue. ] of Bede which was grauyd of the
angell: and the letteres agre in all thynges. I haue
redde also ye obligacyõ whiche was sent to saynt Gyles
as dothe aper. Dothe not thes argumentes proue that
mater to be good enoghe. _Me. _ May a man loke apon
them? _Ogy. _ ye and if you wyll swere to kepe it ||
A iiij. || preuy. _Me. _ Oh you shall speake to a stone.
_Ogy. _ Ther be stones now a dayes of that name very
slawnderous, that wyll hyde nothynge. _Me. _ you shall
speake to a domme man, & yow trust nat a stone. _Ogy. _
Apon ye condycyon I wyll tell it, loke that you here
with bothe youre eyares. _Me. _ So I doo.

[The epistle of our Lady. ]

_Ogy. _ Mary the mother of Iesu to *Glaucoplutus
[*Glaucoplutus desirus of ryches. ] sêdythe gretynge.
Insomoche as you folowe Luther, you nobly perswade,
that it is but in vayne to call apõ sayntes, do ye well
know for that to be grettly in my fauore. For vntyll
thys day I haue almost be slayne with the importunate
prayers of men. Of me alone they askyd althynges, as
who shuld say my sone were alway a babe, because he is
so faynyd and payntyd apõ my breste, that yet he wold
be at my commaundemêt and durst nat denye my petycyon,
dredynge that if he denye my petycyon, || that I shuld
denye hym my teate whan he is a thurst: and very oft
thay requyre that of me, whiche a shamfast yongman dare
scantly aske of a Bawde, yee they be suche thynges as I
am ashamyd to put in wrytynge. Now comythe ye
marchauntman and he redy to sayle into Spayne for a
vantage, dothe cõmytte hys wyues honesty to me. Than
commythe thet lytle preaty Nunne and she castythe away
her vayle redy to runne away, she leuythe with me the
good name of her vyrgynytye, whiche shortly she
entendythe to take monay for. Than cryeth the wykyd
soudyer purposyd to robbe & saythe, blessyd lady send
me a good praye. Now cõmythe the vnthryfty dyasser and
cryethe, send me good chance Lady & thow shalt haue
parte of my wynnynges: and if the dyasse runne ayenst
hym, he blasphemes, and cursythe me, bycause || I wyll
nat fauor his noghtynes. Now cryeth she that sellythe
her selffe for fylthye lukre & saythe, swete lady send
me some costomers, & if I denye it, they exclame ayenst
me & say, thou arte not the mother of marcy. Moreouer
the vowes of some women be no lesse wykyd thã folishe.
The mayd cryeth & saythe, O swet Mary send me a fayre
and riche husbond. The maryed womã saythe send me
goodly chylderen. Now laborythe the woman with chyld,
and cryeth dere lady dylyuer me of my bondes. Than
cõmythe ye olde wyffe, and saythe flowre of all women
send me to lyue longe withowt coghe and drynes. Now
crepythe the the dotynge old man & saythe, lady send me
for to wax yonge ayê. Thã cõmythe forth the phylosopher
and cryethe send me some argumêtis that be îsoluble.
The great prest cryeth send me a fat benefyce. Thã ||
saythe the bysshope kepe well my churche. Thã cryethe
ye hye Iustyce shew me thy sone or I passe out of this
worlde. Thã saythe ye Cowrtyer send me trwe confession
at the howre of my deathe. The husbondman saythe send
vs temperate wether. The mylke wyffe cryethe owt
blessyd lady saue our catell. Now if I denye anythynge
by & by I am crwell. If I cõmytte it to my sone, I here
them say, he wyll what so euer you wyll. Shall I than
alone bothe a woman and a mayd helpe maryneres,
sawdyeres, marchantmen, dyasseres, maryed mê, women
with chyld, iudges, kynges, and husbondmen? ye and this
that I haue sayd is the least parte of my payne. But I
am nat now so moche trobled with soche busynes, for
that I wold hartely thanke you, but that this
commodytye dothe brynge a greater discõmodytye with
hym. I || haue now more ease, but lesse honor &
profett. Before this tyme I was callyd quene of heuen,
lady of the world, but now any man wyll skarsly say aue
Maria or hayle Mary. Before I was clothyd with precyous
stones and gold, and had my chaunges, and dayly ther
was offeryd gold and precyous stones, now I am skarsly
coueryd with halffe a gowne and that is all beeyten
with mysse. My yerly rentes be now so smalle that I am
skarsly able to fynde my pore quere kepar to light a
wax cãdle before me. Yet all this myght be sufferyd,
but you be abowt to pluke away greater thynges, you be
abowt (as they say) that what so euer any saynte hathe
in any place, to take hyt frome the churches, but take
hede what you doo.