The Scholemaster Part 6

in them selues, contempt of others, the very badge of all those that serue in _Circes_ Court. The trewe meenyng of both _Homer_ and _Plato_, is plainlie declared in one short sentence of the holy Prophet of G.o.d // Hieremias _Hieremie_, crying out of the vaine & vicious life // 4. Cap.

of the _Israelites_. This people (sayth he) be fooles and dulhedes to all goodnes, but sotle, cunning and bolde, in any mischiefe. &c.

The true medicine against the inchantmentes of _Circes_, the vanitie of licencious pleasure, the inticementes of all sinne, is, in _Homere_, the herbe _Moly_, with the blacke roote, and white flooer, sower at the first, but sweete in the end: which, _Hesiodus_ termeth the study of vertue, hard and // Hesiodus irksome in the beginnyng, but in the end, easie // de virtute.

and pleasant. And that, which is most to be marueled at, the diuine Poete _Homere_ sayth plainlie that this medicine against sinne and vanitie, is not found // Homerus, out by man, but giuen and taught by G.o.d. And // diuinus for some one sake, that will haue delite to read // Poeta.

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that sweete and G.o.dlie Verse, I will recite the very wordes of _Homere_ and also turne them into rude English metre.

chalepon de t oryssein andrasi ge thnetoisi, theoi de te panta dynantai.

In English thus.

_No mortall man, with sweat of browe, or toile of minde, But onely G.o.d, who can do all, that herbe doth finde._

_Plato_ also, that diuine Philosopher, hath many G.o.dly medicines agaynst the poyson of vayne pleasure, in many places, but specially in his Epistles to _Dionisius_ the tyrant of Plat. ad // _Sicilie_: yet agaynst those, that will nedes bec.u.m Dio. // beastes, with seruyng of _Circes_, the Prophet _Psal._ 32 // _Dauid_, crieth most loude, _Nolite fieri sicut equus et mulus_: and by and by giueth the right medi- cine, the trewe herbe _Moly, In camo & freno maxillas eorum constringe_, that is to say, let G.o.ds grace be the bitte, let G.o.ds feare be the bridle, to stay them from runnyng head- long into vice, and to turne them into the right way agayne.

_Psal._ 33. // _Dauid_ in the second Psalme after, giueth the same medicine, but in these plainer wordes, _Diuerte a malo, & fac bonum_. But I am affraide, that ouer many of our trauelers into _Italie_, do not exchewe the way to _Circes_ Court: but go, and ryde, and runne, and flie thether, they make great hast to c.u.m to her: they make great sute to serue her: yea, I could point out some with my finger, that neuer had gone out of England, but onelie to serue _Circes_, in _Italie_. Vanitie and vice, and any licence to ill liuyng in England was counted stale and rude vnto them. And so, beyng Mules and Horses before they went, returned verie Swyne and a.s.ses home agayne: yet euerie where verie Foxes with suttle A trewe // and busie heades; and where they may, verie Picture of // wolues, with cruell malicious hartes. A mer- a knight of // uelous monster, which, for filthines of liuyng, for Circes // dulnes to learning him selfe, for wilinesse in Court. // dealing with others, for malice in hurting without cause, should carie at once in one bodie, the belie of a Swyne, the head of an a.s.se, the brayne of a Foxe, the wombe of a wolfe. If you thinke, we iudge amisse, and write to sore

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against you, heare, what the _Italian_ sayth of the English man, what the master reporteth of the scholer: who // The Ita- vttereth playnlie, what is taught by him, and what // lians iudge- learned by you, saying, _Englese Italianato, e vn_ // ment of _diabolo incarnato_, that is to say, you remaine men // Englishmen in shape and facion, but bec.u.m deuils in life // brought vp and condition. This is not, the opinion of one, // in Italie.

for some priuate spite, but the iudgement of all, in a common Prouerbe, which riseth, of that learnyng, and those maners, which you gather in _Italie_: a good Scholehouse // The Ita- of wholesome doctrine: and worthy Masters of // lian diffa- commendable Scholers, where the Master had // meth him rather diffame hym selfe for hys teachyng, than // selfe, to not shame his Scholer for his learning. A good // shame the nature of the maister, and faire conditions of the // Englishe scholers. And now chose you, you _Italian_ English men, // man.

whether you will be angrie with vs, for calling you monsters, or with the _Italianes_, for callyng you deuils, or else with your owne selues, that take so much paines, and go so farre, to make your selues both. If some yet do not well vnder- // An Eng- stand, what is an English man Italianated, I will // lish man plainlie tell him. He, that by liuing, & traueling // Italiana- in _Italie_, bringeth home into England out of _Italie_, // ted.

the Religion, the learning, the policie, the experience, the maners of _Italie_. That is to say, for Religion, // {1 Religion.} Papistrie or worse: for learnyng, lesse // {2 Learn- } commonly than they caried out with // { ing. } them: for pollicie, a factious hart, a // {3 Pollicie. } discoursing head, a mynde to medle in // The{ }gotten in all mens matters: for experience, // {4 Experi- }_Italie_.

plentie of new mischieues neuer // { ence. } knowne in England before: for maners, // {5 Maners. } varietie of vanities, and chaunge of // filthy lyuing. These be the inchantementes of _Circes_, brought out of _Italie_, to marre mens maners in England: much, by example of ill life, but more by preceptes of fonde // _Italian_ bookes, of late translated out of _Italian_ into // bokes trans- English, sold in euery shop in London, com- // lated into mended by honest t.i.tles the soner to corrupt // English.

honest maners: dedicated ouer boldlie to vertuous and honor-

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able personages, the easielier to begile simple and innocent wittes.

hand.gif // It is pitie, that those, which haue authoritie and charge, to allow and dissalow bookes to be printed, be no more circ.u.mspect herein, than they are. Ten Sermons at Paules Crosse do not so moch good for mouyng men to trewe doctrine, as one of those bookes do harme, with inticing men to ill liuing. Yea, I say farder, those bookes, tend not so moch to corrupt honest liuyng, as they do, to subuert trewe Religion.

Mo Papistes be made, by your mery bookes of _Italie_, than by your earnest bookes of _Louain_. And bicause our great Phisicians, do winke at the matter, and make no counte of this sore, I, though not admitted one of their felowshyp, yet hauyng bene many yeares a prentice to G.o.ds trewe Religion, and trust to continewe a poore iorney man therein all dayes of my life, for the dewtie I owe, & loue I beare, both to trewe doctrine, and honest liuing, though I haue no authoritie to amend the sore my selfe, yet I will declare my good will, to discouer the sore to others.

S. Paul saith, that sectes and ill opinions, be the workes of Ad Gal. 5. // the flesh, and frutes of sinne, this is spoken, no more trewlie for the doctrine, than sensiblie for the reason. And why? For, ill doinges, breed ill thinkinges.

And of corrupted maners, spryng peruerted iudgementes. And Voluntas} {Bonum. // how? there be in man two speciall } Respicit. { // thinges: Mans will, mans mynde, Mens } { Verum. Where will inclineth to goodnes, the mynde is bent to troth: Where will is caried from goodnes to vanitie, the mynde is sone drawne from troth to false opinion. And so, the readiest way to entangle the mynde with false doctrine, is first to intice the will to wanton liuyng.

Therfore, when the busie and open Papistes abroad, could not, by their contentious bookes, turne men in England fast enough, from troth and right iudgement in doctrine, than the sutle and hand.gif // secrete Papistes at home, procured bawdie bookes to be translated out of the _Italian_ tonge, whereby ouer many yong willes and wittes allured to wantonnes, do now boldly contemne all seuere bookes that sounde to honestie and G.o.dlines. In our forefathers tyme, whan Papistrie, as a standyng poole, couered and ouerflowed all England, fewe bookes were read in our tong, sauyng certaine bookes of Cheualrie, as they

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sayd, for pastime and pleasure, which, as some say, were made in Monasteries, by idle Monkes, or wanton Chanons: as one for example, _Morte Arthure_: the whole pleasure // Morte Ar- of which booke standeth in two speciall poyntes, // thur.

in open mans slaughter, and bold bawdrye: In which booke those be counted the n.o.blest Knightes, that do kill most men without any quarell, and commit fowlest aduoulteries by sutlest s.h.i.+ftes: as Sir _Launcelote_, with the wife of king _Arthure_ his master: Syr _Tristram_ with the wife of king _Marke_ his vncle: Syr _Lamerocke_ with the wife of king _Lote_, // hand.gif that was his own aunte. This is good stuffe, for wise men to laughe at, or honest men to take pleasure at. Yet I know, when G.o.ds Bible was banished the Court, and _Morte Arthure_ receiued into the Princes chamber. What toyes, the dayly readyng of such a booke, may worke in the will of a yong ientleman, or a yong mayde, that liueth welthelie and idlelie, wise men can iudge, and honest men do pitie. And yet ten _Morte Arthures_ do not the tenth part so much harme, as one of these bookes, made in _Italie_, and translated in // hand.gif England. They open, not fond and common wayes to vice, but such subtle, cunnyng, new, and diuerse s.h.i.+ftes, to cary yong willes to vanitie, and yong wittes to mischief, to teach old bawdes new schole poyntes, as the simple head of an English man is not hable to inuent, nor neuer was hard of in England before, yea when Papistrie ouerflowed all.

Suffer these bookes to be read, and they shall soone displace all bookes of G.o.dly learnyng. For they, carying the will to vanitie, and marryng good maners, shall easily // hand.gif corrupt the mynde with ill opinions, and false iudgement in doctrine: first, to thinke ill of all trewe Religion, and at last to thinke nothyng of G.o.d hym selfe, one speciall pointe that is to be learned in _Italie_, and _Italian_ // hand.gif bookes. And that which is most to be lamented, and therfore more nedefull to be looked to, there be moe of these vngratious bookes set out in Printe within these fewe monethes, than haue bene sene in England many score yeare before. And bicause our English men made _Italians_, can not hurt, but certaine persons, and in certaine places, therfore these _Italian_ bookes are made English, to bryng mischief enough

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openly and boldly, to all states great and meane, yong and old, euery where.

And thus yow see, how will intised to wantonnes, doth easelie allure the mynde to false opinions: and how corrupt maners in liuinge, breede false iudgement in doctrine: how sinne and fleshlines, bring forth sectes and heresies: And therefore suffer not vaine bookes to breede vanitie in mens willes, if yow would haue G.o.ddes trothe take roote in mens myndes.

That Italian, that first inuented the Italian Prouerbe against our Englishe men Italianated, ment no more their The Ita- // vanitie in liuing, than their lewd opinion in lian pro- // Religion. For, in calling them Deuiles, he carieth uerbe ex- // them cleane from G.o.d: and yet he carieth them pounded. // no farder, than they willinglie go themselues, that is, where they may freely say their mindes, to the open contempte of G.o.d and all G.o.dlines, both in liuing and doctrine.

And how? I will expresse how, not by a Fable of _Homere_, nor by the Philosophie of _Plato_, but by a plaine troth of G.o.ddes word, sensiblie vttered by _Dauid_ thus. Thies men, _abhominabiles facti in studijs suis_, thinke verily, and singe gladlie the verse before, _Dixit insipiens in Corde suo, non est_ _Psa._ 14. // _Deus:_ that is to say, they geuing themselues vp to vanitie, shakinge of the motions of Grace, driuing from them the feare of G.o.d, and running headlong into all sinne, first, l.u.s.telie contemne G.o.d, than scornefullie mocke his worde, and also spitefullie hate and hurte all well willers thereof. Than they haue in more reuerence, the triumphes of Petrarche: than the Genesis of Moses: They make more accounte of _Tullies_ offices, than _S. Paules_ epistles: of a tale in _Bocace_, than a storie of the Bible. Than they counte as Fables, the holie misteries of Christian Religion. They make Christ and his Gospell, onelie serue Ciuill pollicie: Than neyther Religion c.u.mmeth amisse to them: In tyme they be Promoters of both openlie: in place againe mockers of both priuilie, as I wrote once in a rude ryme.

_Now new, now olde, now both, now neither, To serue the worldes course, they care not with whether._

For where they dare, in c.u.mpanie where they like, they

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boldlie laughe to scorne both protestant and Papist. They care for no scripture: They make no counte of generall councels: they contemne the consent of the Chirch: They pa.s.se for no Doctores: They mocke the Pope: They raile on _Luther_: They allow neyther side: They like none, but onelie themselues: The marke they shote at, the ende they looke for, the heauen they desire, is onelie, their owne present pleasure, and priuate proffit: whereby, they plainlie declare, of whose schole, of what Religion they be: that is, Epicures in liuing, and atheoi in doctrine: this last worde, is no more vnknowne now to plaine English men, than the Person was vnknown somtyme in England, vntill som Englishe man tooke peines, to fetch that deuelish opinion out of Italie. Thies men, thus Italianated abroad, can not abide our G.o.dlie // The Ita- Italian Chirch at home: they be not of that // lian Chirche Parish, they be not of that felowshyp: they like // in London.

not y^t preacher: they heare not his sermons: Excepte som- tymes for companie, they c.u.m thither, to heare the Italian tonge naturally spoken, not to hear G.o.ds doctrine trewly preached.

And yet, thies men, in matters of Diuinitie, openlie pretend a great knowledge, and haue priuatelie to them selues, a verie compendious vnderstanding of all, which neuertheles they will vtter when and where they liste: And that is this: All the misteries of _Moses_, the whole lawe and Cerimonies, the Psalmes and Prophetes, Christ and his Gospell, G.o.d and the Deuill, Heauen and h.e.l.l, Faith, Conscience, Sinne, Death, and all they shortlie wrap vp, they quickly expounde with this one halfe verse of _Horace_.

_Credat Iudaeus Appella._ Yet though in Italie they may freely be of no Religion, as they are in Englande in verie deede to, neuerthelesse returning home into England they must countenance the profession of the one or the other, howsoeuer inwardlie, they laugh to scorne both. And though, for their priuate matters they can follow, fawne, and flatter n.o.ble Personages, contrarie to them in all respectes, yet commonlie they allie them- // Papistrie selues with the worst Papistes, to whom they be // and impie- wedded, and do well agree togither in three // tie agree in proper opinions: In open contempte of G.o.ddes // three opini- worde: in a secret securitie of sinne: and in // ons.

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a bloodie desire to haue all taken away, by sword or burning, _Pigius._ // that be not of their faction. They that do read, with indifferent iudgement, _Pygius_ and _Machiaue-_ // _Machiauel,/i>, two indifferent Patriarches of thies _lus._ // two Religions, do know full well that I say trewe.

Ye see, what manners and doctrine, our Englishe men fetch out of Italie: For finding no other there, they can bring no Wise and // other hither. And therefore, manie G.o.dlie and honest tra- // excellent learned Englishe men, not manie yeares uelers. // ago, did make a better choice, whan open crueltie draue them out of this contrie, to place themselues there, where _Germanie._ // Christes doctrine, the feare of G.o.d, punishment of sinne, and discipline of honestie, were had in speciall regarde.

I was once in Italie my selfe: but I thanke G.o.d, my _Venice._ // abode there, was but ix. dayes: And yet I sawe in that litle tyme, in one Citie, more libertie to sinne, than euer I hard tell of in our n.o.ble Citie of London in _London._ // ix. yeare. I sawe, it was there, as free to sinne, not onelie without all punishment, but also without any mans marking, as it is free in the Citie of London, to chose, without all blame, whether a man l.u.s.t to weare Shoo or pantocle. And good cause why: For being vnlike in troth of Religion, they must nedes be vnlike in honestie of liuing.

Seruice of // For blessed be Christ, in our Citie of London, G.o.d in // commonlie the commandementes of G.o.d, be more England. // diligentlie taught, and the seruice of G.o.d more reuerentlie vsed, and that daylie in many priuate mens houses, Seruice of // than they be in Italie once a weeke in their G.o.d in I- // common Chirches: where, masking Ceremonies, talie. // to delite the eye, and vaine soundes, to please the eare, do quite thrust out of the Chirches, all seruice of The Lord // G.o.d in spirit and troth. Yea, the Lord Maior Maior of // of London, being but a Ciuill officer, is com- London. // monlie for his tyme, more diligent, in punis.h.i.+ng sinne, the bent enemie against G.o.d and good order, than all The In- // the bloodie Inquisitors in Italie be in seauen yeare.

quisitors in // For, their care and charge is, not to punish Italie. // sinne, not to amend manners, not to purge doctrine, but onelie to watch and ouersee that Christes trewe

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Religion set no sure footing, where the Pope hath any Iurisdiction. I learned, when I was at _Venice_, that there it is counted good pollicie, when there be foure or fiue // An unG.o.d- brethren of one familie, one, onelie to marie: & // lie pollicie.

all the rest, to waulter, with as litle shame, in open lecherie, as Swyne do here in the common myre. Yea, there be as fayre houses of Religion, as great prouision, as diligent officers, to kepe vp this misorder, as Bridewell is, and all the Masters there, to kepe downe misorder. And therefore, if the Pope himselfe, do not onelie graunt pardons to furder thies wicked purposes abrode in Italie, but also (although this present Pope, in the beginning, made som shewe of misliking thereof) a.s.signe both meede and merite to the maintenance of stewes and brothelhouses at home in Rome, than let wise men thinke Italie a safe place for holsom doctrine, and G.o.dlie manners, and a fitte schole for yong ientlemen of England to be brought vp in.

Our Italians bring home with them other faultes from Italie, though not so great as this of Religion, yet a great deale greater, than many good men can well beare. For commonlie they c.u.m home, common contemners of mariage // Contempt and readie persuaders of all other to the same: // of mariage.

not because they loue virginitie, but, being free in Italie, to go whither so euer l.u.s.t will cary them, they do not like, that lawe and honestie should be soch a barre to their like libertie at home in England. And yet they be, the greatest makers of loue, the daylie daliers, with such pleasant wordes, with such smilyng and secret countenances, with such signes, tokens, wagers, purposed to be lost, before they were purposed to be made, with bargaines of wearing colours, floures, and herbes, to breede occasion of ofter meeting of him and her, and bolder talking of this and that &c. And although I haue seene some, innocent of all ill, and stayde in all honestie, that haue vsed these thinges without all harme, without all suspicion of harme, yet these knackes were brought first into England by them, that learned them before in _Italie_ in _Circes_ Court: and how Courtlie curtesses so euer they be counted now, yet, if the meaning and maners of some that do vse them, were somewhat

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amended, it were no great hurt, neither to them selues, nor to others.

An other propertie of this our English _Italians_ is, to be meruelous singular in all their matters: Singular in knowledge, ignorant of nothyng: So singular in wisedome (in their owne opinion) as sca.r.s.e they counte the best Counsellor the Prince hath, comparable to them: Common discoursers of all matters: busie searchers of most secret affaires: open flatterers of great men: priuie mislikers of good men: Faire speakers, with smiling countenances, and much curtessie openlie to all men. Ready bakbiters, sore nippers, and spitefull reporters priuilie of good men. And beyng brought vp in _Italie_, in some free Citie, as all Cities be there: where a man may freelie discourse against what he will, against whom he l.u.s.t: against any Prince, agaynst any gouernement, yea against G.o.d him selfe, and his whole Religion: where he must be, either _Guelphe_ or _Gibiline_, either _French_ or _Spanish_: and alwayes compelled to be of some partie, of some faction, he shall neuer be compelled to be of any Religion: And if he medle not ouer much with Christes true Religion, he shall haue free libertie to embrace all Religions, and bec.u.m, if he l.u.s.t at once, without any let or punishment, Iewish, Turkish, Papish, and Deuillish.

A yong Ientleman, thus bred vp in this goodly schole, to learne the next and readie way to sinne, to haue a busie head, a factious hart, a talkatiue tonge, fed with discoursing of factions: led to contemne G.o.d and his Religion, shall c.u.m home into England, but verie ill taught, either to be an honest man him self, a quiet subiect to his Prince, or w.i.l.l.yng to serue G.o.d, vnder the obedience of trewe doctrine, or within the order of honest liuing.

I know, none will be offended with this my generall writing, but onelie such, as finde them selues giltie priuatelie therin: who shall haue good leaue to be offended with me, vntill they begin to amende them selues. I touch not them that be good: and I say to litle of them that be nought. And so, though not enough for their deseruing, yet sufficientlie for this time, and more els when, if occasion so require.

And thus farre haue I wandred from my first purpose of teaching a child, yet not altogether out of the way, bicause

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this whole taulke hath tended to the onelie aduauncement of trothe in Religion, and honestie of liuing: and hath bene wholie within the compa.s.se of learning and good maners, the speciall pointes belonging in the right bringyng vp of youth.

But to my matter, as I began, plainlie and simplie with my yong Scholer, so will I not leaue him, G.o.d willing, vntill I haue brought him a per- fite Scholer out of the Schole, and placed him in the Vniuersitie, to bec.u.m a fitte student, for Logicke and Rhetoricke: and so after to Phisicke, Law, or Diuinitie, as aptnes of na- ture, aduise of frendes, and G.o.ds disposition shall lead him.

_The ende of the first booke._