Concerning discretion: there is a circunstance to be obserued in thinges, which is committed alwaye to the executours person, and hath respect to his iudgement, which I call no change, bycause in the first setting downe that was also setled, as a most certaine point to rule accidentarie vncertainties, which be no changes, bycause they were foreseene. Such a supplie hath iustice in positiue lawes by equitie in consideration, as a good chauncellour to soften to hard constructions. That is one reason why the monarchie is helde for the best kinde of gouernment, bycause the rigour and seueritie of lawe, is qualified by the princesse mercie, without breche of lawe, which left that prerogatiue to the princesse person. The conspiracie which Brutus his owne children made against their father for the returne of Tarquinius euen that cruell Prince, leanes vpon this ground, as Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Liuie, and others do note. So that discretion to alter vpon cause in some vncertaine circunstance, nay to alter circunstance vpon some certaine cause, is no enemie to certaintie. When thinges are growen to extremities then change proues needefull to reduce againe to the principle. For at the first planting, euery thing is either perfitest, as in the matter of creation: or the best ground for perfitnesse to build on, as in truth of religion: though posteritie for a time vpon cause may encrease, but to much putting to burdeneth to much, and in the ende procures most violent shaking of, both in religious and politike vsurpations.
But this argument is to high for a schoole position, wherefore I will knit vp in few wordes: that as conference is most needefull, so certaintie is most sure, and constancie the best keeper: that it is no change, which discretion vseth in doing but her duetie: but that altereth the maine. Which in matters engraffed in generall conceites would worke alteration by slow degrees, if foresight might rule: but in extremities of palpable abuse it hurleth downe headlong, yea though he smart for the time whom the change doth most helpe. But in our schoole pointes the case falleth lighter, where whatsoeuer matter shalbe offered to the first education, conference will helpe it, certaintie will staye it, constancie will assure it. Thus much concerning the generall positions wherin if I haue either not handled, or not sufficiently handled any particular point, it is reserued to the particular treatise hereafter, where it will be bestowed a great deale better, considering the present execution must follow the particular.
CHAPTER 45.
The peroration, wherin the summe of the whole booke is recapitulated and proofes vsed, that this enterprise was first to be begon by Positions, and that these be the most proper to this purpose. A request concerning the well taking of that which is so well ment.
Thvs bold haue I bene, with you (my good and curteous countriemen) and troubled your time with a number of wordes of what force I know not, to what ende I know. For my ende is, to shew mine opinion how the great varietie in teaching, which is now generally vsed, maye be reduced to some vniformnesse, and the cause why I haue vsed so long a preface, as this whole booke, is, for that such as deale in the like arguments, do likewise determine before, what they thinke concerning such generall accidentes, which are to be rid out of the waye at once, and not alwaye to be left running about to trouble the house, when more important matters shall come to handling. Wherin I haue vttered my conceit, liking well of that which we haue, though oftimes I wishe for that which we haue not, as much better in mine opinion, then that which we haue, and so much the rather to be wished, bycause the way to winne it is of it selfe so plaine and ready. I haue vttered my sentence for these pointes thus, wherin if my cunning haue deceiued me, my good will must warrant me: and I haue vttered it in plaine wordes, which kinde of vtterance in this teaching kinde, as it is best to be vnderstood, so it letteth euery one see, that if I haue missed, they may wel moane me, which meaning all so much good haue vnhappily missed in so good a purpose. Vpon the stearnesse of resolute and reasonable perswasions, I might haue set downe my Positions aphorismelike, and left both the commenting, and the commending of them to triall and time: but neither deserue I so much credit, as that my bare word may stand for a warrant: neither thought I it good with precisenesse to aliene, where I might winne with discourse. Whervpon I haue writen in euery one of those argumentes enough I thinke for any reader, whom reason will content: to much I feare for so euident a matter, as these Positions be, not assailable, I suppose, by any substantiall contradiction. For I haue grounded them vpon reading, and some reasonable experience: I haue applied them to the vse, and custome of my countrey, no where enforcing her to any forreine, or straunge deuise. Moreouer I haue conferred them with common sense wherin long teaching hath not left me quite senselesse. And besides these, some reason doth lead me very probable to my selfe, in mine owne collection, what to others I know not, to whom I haue deliuered it, but I must rest vpon their iudgement. Hereof I am certaine that my countrey is already very well acquainted with them, bycause I did but marke where vpon particular neede, she her selfe hath made her owne choice, and by embrasing much to satisfie her owne vse, hath recommended the residue vnto my care, to be brought by direction vnder some fourme of statarie discipline. Now then can I but thinke that my countreymen will ioyne with me in consent, with whom my countrey doth communicate such fauour? Seeing her fauour is for their furtheraunce, and my labour is to bring them to that, which she doth most allow.
The examining of all the contentes of this booke.
And what conclusion haue I set downe wherin they maye not very well agree with me, either for the first impression which set me on worke, or for the proofe, which confirmeth the impression? My first meaning was to procure a generall good, so farre as my abilitie would reach, I do not saye that such a conceit, deserueth no discourtesie for the very motion, how soeuer the effect do aunswere in rate: but this I may well thinke, that my countreymen ought of common courtesie to countenaunce an affection so well quallified, till the euent either shrine it with praise, or shoulder it with repulse. I do not herein take vpon me dictatorlike to pronounce peremptorily, but in waye of counsell, as one of that robe, to shew that, which long teaching hath taught me to saye, by reading somwhat, and obseruing more. And I must pray my good countrymen so to construe my meaning, for being these many yeares by some my freindes prouoked to publish something, and neuer hitherto daring to venture vpon the print, I might seeme to haue let the raine of all modesty runne to lowse, if at my first onset I should seeme like a Cæsar to offerre to make lawes. Howbeit in very deede my yeares growing downward, and some mine obseruations seeming to some folkes to craue some vtteraunce, vpon shew to do some good: I thought rather to hasard my selfe in hope of some mens fauour, then to burie my conceit with most mens wonder. But before I do passe to mine Elementarie, which I meane to publish next after this booke, I must for mine owne contentation examine what I haue done in this, to see whether I haue hit right, or writen any thing that may call repentaunce. 1. Was I not to cut this course, and to begin at Positions? 2. And are not these the cheife and onely groundes in this argument? 3. And in speking of these haue I in any point passed beyond my best beseeming? 1. For the first. Whether I ought to begin at Positions, or no, that is not in doubte now I hope, bycause I made that pointe very plaine in the beginning of my booke: but whether I haue done well to dwell so long in them, that maye seeme to deserue some excuse, if I mislike it my selfe: or els some cause, to satisfie other.
If I had had to do with either Romain, or Grecian, in their owne language, where these thinges be familiarly knowen, I would not haue taryed in them any long while, but dealing with my countrymen in my countrey toungue, in an argument not so familiar to my countrey, and yet desiring to become familiar vnto her: I thought it good rather to saye more then enough, to leaue some chippinges: then by saying to litle, to cause a new cruste, where none should be: and to referre the rest of my suppressed meaning to my learneddest reader, to whose vse as I needed not to write, so in deede I do not, though I wish him well, and pray the like againe. They that frame happy men, absolute oratours, perfit wisedome, paragonne Princes, faultelesse states, as they haue their subiect at commaundement, which they breede in the commentarie of their owne braines: so their circunstances being without errour, where their maine is without match, neede very few wordes, as being in daunger of very few faultes. But I deale with a subiect, which is subiect to all vncertainties: with circunstances, which are chekt with many obiections, lying open, to much disturbance, cauilled at by euery occasion: where one sillie errour, is of strength enough, to ouerthrow a mans whole labour. I thought it good therefore to declare at large, what my meaning was, to satisfie therby euen the meanest vnderstandinges, that waye to procure mine opinion the freer passage, when it should passe by none, which vnderstood it not. I could not but begin with them, bycause herafter I shall haue so many occasions to make mention of them, to directe the traine by them, to referre my selfe vnto them, which if they had not bene handled here, they might and would haue troubled me there. Besides this, I would gladly (if I could obtaine so much at their handes) that all my countrymen did thinke, as I do in these same pointes, that by their consent my good speede might go on, with the readier and rounder currant, so that I cannot conceiue, but that I was both to begin my treatise at Positions, as the primitiue in such discourses, and to dwell long in them, to satisfie my most readers.
2. Now whether these be the cheife groundes in preparatiue to that, which I entend to deale in, I thinke there is none, but may very easily iudge. For what is it whervnto my trauell to come hath promised her endeuour? to helpe children to be well taught for learning: to tell their maisters, how to exercise them for health: to aide the common course of studie in what I can for the common good. And what accidentes belong vnto such an argument, if these which I haue quoated out do not? Must there not be a time to begin, to continue, to ende the course of schoole learning? Then time must needes come in consideration. Must there not be somthing, wherin this time must be bestowed, both to haue the minde learned, and the body healthfull? Then the matter of traine, and the kinde of exercises could not haue bene passed ouer. Must there not be some vpon whom these thinges are to be imployed in these times, of both the sexes, and of all degrees? Then the generall schooling of all young ones, and the particular training of young maidens, and bringing vp of young gentlemen must needes haue their handling. Could these thinges be done with out conuenient place? cunning teachers? and good schoole orders? I thinke no. And therefore I picked these out, as the onely circunstances, that were proper to mine argument, and that were to be handled eare I entred my argument, if I had neuer seene any writer before vse the same choice.