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Ebook has 344 lines and 148544 words, and 7 pages

Contributor: Robert Hebert Quick

Transcriber's Notes

No attempt has been made to rationalise the spelling within the text.

Sidenotes, in italics and embedded in the text in the original, have been placed at the beginning of the relevant paragraphs and marked

The Latin poem that follows the Dedication contains several words ending in q with an acute accent. These are shown thus .

Footnotes are placed at the end of Chapters.

POSITIONS:

RICHARD MULCASTER, First Headmaster of Merchant Taylors' School ;

ROBERT HEBERT QUICK,

LONDON: LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO., AND NEW YORK: 15, EAST 16^ STREET. 1888.

POSITIONS

WHEREIN THOSE PRIMITIVE CIRCVMSTANCES BE EXAMINED, WHICH ARE NECESSARIE FOR THE TRAINING

vp of Children, either for skill in their booke, or health in their bodie.

WRITTEN BY RICHARD MVLCASTER, MASTER OF THE SCHOOLE ERECTED IN LONDON ANNO. 1561, IN THE PARISH OF SAINCT LAURENCE POVVNTNEIE, BY THE VVORSHIPFULL COMPANIE OF THE MERCHAUNT TAILERS OF THE SAID CITIE.

Imprinted at London by Thomas Vautrollier, dvvelling in the blacke Friers by Ludgate, 1581.

Reprinted for Henry Barnard and R. H. Quick by Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St. Martin's Lane, London, 1887.

My booke by the very argument, most excellent princesse, pretendeth a common good, bycause it concerneth the generall traine and bringing vp of youth, both to enrich their minds with learning, and to enable their bodies with health: and it craues the fauour of some speciall countenaunce farre aboue the common, or else it can not possiblie procure free passage. For what a simple credit is myne, to perswade so great a matter? or what force is there in common patronage, to commaunde conceites? I am therefore driuen vpon these so violent considerations, to presume so farre, as to present it, being my first trauell, that euer durst venture vpon the print, vnto your maiesties most sacred handes. For in neede of countenaunce, where best abilitie is most assurance, and knowne vertue the fairest warrant, who is more sufficient then your excellencie is, either for cunning to commend, or for credit to commaunde? And what reason is there more likely to procure the fauour of your maiesties most gracious countenaunce, either to commende the worke, or to commaunde it waie, then the honest pretence of a generall good, wherein you cannot be deceiued? For of your accustomed care you will circumspectlie consider, and by your singular iudgement, you can skillfully discerne, whether there be any appearance, that my booke shall performe so great a good, as it pretendeth to do, before you either praise it, or procure it passage. In deede it is an argument which craueth consideration, bycause it is the leader to a further consequence: and all your maiesties time is so busily employed, about many and maine affaires of your estate, as I may seeme verie iniurious to the common weale, besides some wrong offered to your owne person, to desire your Maiestie at this time to reade any part therof, much lesse the whole, the booke it selfe being very long, and your Maiesties leasure being very litle.

Your Maiesties most humble and obedient subiect

Insita naturae nostrae sitis illa iuuandi Ignauum vitae desidis odit iter. Parca cibi, saturata fame, deuota labori, Prodiga nocturni luminis vrget opus. Quod, simul ac lucis patiens fore viderit, edit Inde licet multo plena timore gemat. Poenitet emissam per mille pericula prolem, Quae poterat patriae tuta latere domi. Iudicium timens alieni pallida iuris Omine spem laedit deteriore suam. Sed sine sole nequit viui, prodire necesse est, Cura quod peperit publica, iura vocant. Fortunae credenda salus, quam prouida virtus Quam patris aeterni dextera magna regit. Sic sua Neptuno committit vela furenti Spem solam in medijs docta phaselus aquis. Sic mihi spes maior, cui res cum gente Deorum, Quae certo dubijs numine rebus adest. Perge igitur, sorti tuae te crede, parentis Tessera parue liber prima future tui. Et quia, qu? perges, hominum liberrima de te Iudicia in medijs experiere vijs, Quidnam quis notet, quidnam desideret in te, Quo possim in reliquis cautior esse, refer. Interea veniam supplex vtrique precare, Nam meus error erat, qui tuus error erit. Qui neutrius erit, cum, quis sit, sensero, quippe Nullum in correcto crimine crimen erit. Ergo tuae partes, quae sint errata, referre: Emendare, mei cura laboris erit. Nam rei nouitas nulli tentata priorum Hac ipsa, qua tu progrediere, via, Vtri errores multos, lapsus; minatur, Quos cum resciero, num superesse sinam? Cui tam chara mei lectoris amica voluntas, Vt deleta illi displicitura velim.

THE ARGVMEMTES HANDLED

IN EVERY PARTICVLAR TITLE.

Cap. 1.

The entrie to the Positions, conteining the occasion of this present discourse, and the causes why it was penned in English.

Cap. 2.

Wherfore these Positions serue, what they be, and how necessarie it was to begin at them.

Cap. 3.

Of what force circunstance is in matters of action, and how warily authorities be to be vsed, where the contemplatiue reason receiues the check of the actiue circunstance, if they be not well applyed. Of the alledging of authours.

Cap. 4.

What time were best for the childe to begin to learne. What matters some of the best writers handle eare they determine this question. Of letes and libertie, whervnto the parentes are subiect in setting their children to schoole. Of the difference of wittes and bodies in children. That exercise must be ioyned with the booke, as the schooling of the bodie.

Cap. 5.

What thinges they be, wherein children are to be trained, eare they passe to the Grammar. That parentes, and maisters ought to examine the naturall abilities in children, whereby they become either fit, or vnfit, to this, or that kinde of life. The three naturall powers in children, Witte to conceiue by, Memorie to retaine by, Discretion to discerne by. That the training vp to good manners, and nurture, doth not belong to the teacher alone, though most to him, next after the parent, whose charge that is most, bycause his commaundement is greatest, ouer his owne childe, and beyond appeale. Of Reading, Writing, Drawing, Musicke by voice, and instrument: and that they be the principall principles, to traine vp the minde in. A generall aunswere to all obiections, which arise against any, or all of these.

Cap. 6.

Of exercises and training the body. How necessarie a thing exercise is. What health is, and how it is maintained: what sicknesse is, how it commeth, and how it is preuented. What a parte exercise playeth in the maintenaunce of health. Of the student and his health. That all exercises though they stirre some one parte most, yet helpe the whole bodie.

Cap. 7.

The braunching, order, and methode, kept in this discourse of exercises.

Cap. 8.

Of exercise in generall, and what it is. And that it is Athleticall for games, Martiall for the fielde, Physicall for health, preparatiue before, postparatiue after the standing exercise: some within dores, for foule whether, some without for faire.

Cap. 9.

Of the particular exercises. Why I do appoint so manie, and how to iudge of them, or to deuise the like.

Cap. 10.

Of lowd speaking. How necessarie, and how proper an exercise it is for a scholer.

Cap. 11.

Of lowd singing, and in what degree it commeth to be one of the exercises.

Cap. 12.

Of lowde, and soft reading.

Cap. 13.

Of much talking and silence.

Cap. 14.

Of laughing, and weeping. And whether children be to be forced toward vertue and learning.

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