The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Schoolmaster, by Roger Ascham

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Title: The Schoolmaster

Author: Roger Ascham

Posting Date: January 24, 2009 [EBook #1844] Release Date: August, 1999

Language: English

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SCHOOLMASTER ***

Produced by Judy Boss

[Transcriber's Note: I have omitted signature designations, have transcribed Greek characters but not italicized them, and have expanded the usual Renaissance contractions for "m" and "n" as well as the abbreviation for Latin terminal "que"; marginalia are separated from textual line by // and a curly bracket or vertical line vertically exending over more than one line is represented by a curly bracket on each successive line. I have also closed : and ? with the word preceding.]

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THE

SCHOLEMASTER

Or plaine and perfite way of tea- chyng children, to vnderstand, write, and speake, the Latin tong, but specially purposed for the priuate brynging vp of youth in Ientle- men and Noble mens houses, and commodious also for all such, as haue forgot the Latin tonge, and would, by themselues, with- out a Scholemaster, in short tyme, and with small paines, recouer a sufficient habilitie, to vnder- stand, write, and speake Latin.

By Roger Ascham.

An. 1570.

AT LONDON.

    Printed by Iohn Daye, dwelling
    ouer Aldersgate.

Cum Gratia & Priuilegio Regiæ Maiestatis, per Decennium.

[page intentionally blank]

To the honorable Sir William

Cecill Knight, principall Secretarie to

the Quenes most excellent Maiestie.

SOndry and reasonable be the causes why learned men haue vsed to offer and dedicate such workes as they put abrode, to some such personage as they thinke fittest, either in respect of abilitie of defense, or skill for iugement, or priuate regard of kindenesse and dutie. Euery one of those considerations, Syr, moue me of right to offer this my late husbands M. Aschams worke vnto you. For well remembryng how much all good learnyng oweth vnto you for defense therof, as the Vniuersitie of Cambrige, of which my said late husband was a member, haue in chosing you their worthy Chaunceller acknowledged, and how happily you haue spent your time in such studies & caried the vse therof to the right ende, to the good seruice of the Quenes Maiestie and your contrey to all our benefites, thyrdly how much my sayd husband was many wayes bound vnto you, and how gladly and comfortably he vsed in hys lyfe to recognise and report your goodnesse toward hym, leauyng with me then hys poore widow and a great sort of orphanes a good comfort in the hope of your good continuance, which I haue truly found to me and myne, and therfore do duely and dayly pray for you and yours: I could not finde any man for whose name this booke was more agreable for hope [of] protection, more mete for submission to iudgement, nor more due for respect of worthynesse of your part and thankefulnesse of my husbandes and myne. Good I trust it shall do, as I am put in great hope by many very well learned that can well iudge therof. Mete therefore I compt it that such good as my husband was able to doe and leaue to the common weale, it should

174 Preface.

    be receiued vnder your name, and that the world should owe thanke
    therof to you, to whom my husband the authour of it was for good
    receyued of you, most dutiefully bounden. And so besechyng you, to
    take on you the defense of this booke, to auaunce the good that may
    come of it by your allowance and furtherance to publike vse and
    benefite, and to accept the thankefull recognition of me and my poore
    children, trustyng of the continuance of your good me-
    morie of M. Ascham and his, and dayly commen-
    dyng the prosperous estate of you and yours to
    God whom you serue and whoes you
    are, I rest to trouble you.
    Your humble Margaret
    Ascham.

    A Præface to the
    Reader.

    WHen the great plage was at London, the yeare 1563.
    the Quenes Maiestie Queene Elizabeth, lay at her
    Castle of Windsore: Where, vpon the 10. day of December,
    it fortuned, that in Sir William Cicells chamber, hir Highnesse
    Principall Secretarie, there dined togither these personages,
    M. Secretarie him selfe, Syr William Peter, Syr J. Mason,
    D. Wotton, Syr Richard Sackuille Treasurer of the Exchecker,
    Syr Walter Mildmaye Chauncellor of the Exchecker, M.
    Haddon Master of Requestes, M. John Astely Master of the
    Iewell house, M. Bernard Hampton, M. Nicasius, and J.
    Of which number, the most part were of hir Maiesties most
    honourable priuie Counsell, and the reast seruing hir in verie
    good place. I was glad than, and do reioice yet to remember,
    that my chance was so happie, to be there that day, in the
    companie of so manie wise & good men togither, as hardly
    than could haue beene piked out againe, out of all England
    beside.
         M. Secretarie hath this accustomed maner, though his head
    be neuer so full of most weightie affaires of the Realme, yet, at
    diner time he doth seeme to lay them alwaies aside: and findeth
    euer fitte occasion to taulke pleasantlie of other matters,
    but most gladlie of some matter of learning: wherein, he will
    curteslie heare the minde of the meanest at his Table.
         Not long after our sitting doune, I haue strange newes
    brought me, sayth M. Secretarie, this morning, that diuerse
    Scholers of Eaton, be runne awaie from the
    Schole, for feare of beating. Whereupon, M. //M. Secreta-
    Secretarie tooke occasion, to wishe, that some //rie.

176 A Præface to the Reader.

more discretion were in many Scholemasters, in vsing correction, than commonlie there is. Who many times, punishe rather, the weakenes of nature, than the fault of the Scholer. Whereby, many Scholers, that might else proue well, be driuen