| | and heavenly kingdom. Certes the greatest multitude of our parents at this day,
although they profess Christ, and glory to be called Christians, are much inferior
to the heathen, which knew not God nor any point of godliness rightly, if we should
respect the good and virtuous bringing up of youth. To whom is this unknown, that the very gentiles spared neither cost nor labour
that their children might lie brought up learnedly and virtuously, and at the last become
worthy citizens of the commonweal? Read we not, that when it was objected unto
Lycurgus, that noble prince of the Lacedemonians, that he gave too much it liberal
stipend to the teacher and bringer up of his children, he answered on this manner:
"If any man will take upon him to bring up my children, and to render them unto
me better than be received them, I will not only give him large sums of money, but
also the half of all my goods"? Read we not, that Philip, king of the Macedonians,
when his son Alexander was born, wrote letters unto Aristotle, the philosopher, in
the which he gave thanks unto God, not only because lit, had given him a son, which
should succeed him in his kingdom, but also that it chanced him to be born in the
time of so noble a philosopher, which should bring him up in virtue, learning, and
knowledge, and make him a prince worthy of such a father and of so flourishing a
kingdom 2? Read we not, that a certain noble woman of Rome, called Cornelia, when
a strange lady, which lodged in her house, shewed unto her her ornaments and jewels,
yea, and those so precious and goodly as none could be found more precious nor more
goodly, prolonged the talk with her until her children came home from school, and
then brast out into these words, Et hœc ornamenta mea sunt 3? That is in English:
"And these," saith she, "are my ornaments and jewels;" signifying by this her an-
swer, that nothing is so precious and goodly a jewel to a discreet, wise, and sober
matron, as children virtuously and learnedly brought up. Read we not, that when
Alphonsus, king of the Aragones, was demanded how it came to pass that he had
so flourishing a realm, whether it was that he was so excellently learned, or of so
good success in martial affairs, whereof he also had singular knowledge, he answered
on this manner: "Of books I learned both armours and the law of armours 4 "?--hereby
confessing, that learning was the alone occasion of all his good success and of so
flourishing a commonweal: so truly is it maid of Plato, that blessed, fortunate, and
happy is that commonweal, wherein either philosophers do bear rule, or else kings
that be studious of philosophy and of good letters do reign. | The earnest
study of the
gentiles for
the virtuous
bringing up
of their
youth
Lycurgus. Philip, king
of the Mace-
donians. Cornelia. Alphonsus,
king of the
Aragones. Plato. | But wherefore do I tarry so long in rehearsing these profane and heathenish his-
tories concerning the good and virtuous bringing up of youth, seeing that in the holy
bible, which containeth the words of everlasting life, examples do abound? As I may pass over with silence those holy, grave, and ancient patriarchs, Adam,
Seth, Enos, Henoch, Noha, Thare, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, &c., which lived
before Moses, of whose industry and diligence in the godly and virtuous bringing up
of their younglings to doubt, I think it more than double wickedness; who is able
to express what study and care that most excellent and prince-like prophet David,
the most worthy and most noble grandfather of our Lord and alone Saviour Jesu
Christ, took for the godly and honest education of his children, specially of Salomon,
that for his godliness, learning, and wisdom he might be counted of all men worthy
to enjoy the imperial crown after him? He was so diligent in exhorting him son
Salomon unto virtue and true religion, that, lying upon his death-bed, he ceased not
continually to put him in remembrance of his duty toward the Lord his God. Among
other were not those his words: "I go the way of all the world: be strong therefore,
and shew thyself a man. Keep thou the watch of the Lord thy God, and see that
thou walk in his ways, and keep his statutes and his precepts, his judgments and
his testimonies, even as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper
in all that thou doest, and in every thing that thou meddlest withal; that the Lord
also may make good his word, which he spake unto me, saying, If thy children take | The earnest
study of
God's people
in times past
for the godly
bringing up
of their
children.
David, king
of Israel. 1 Kings ii. | ____________________
| 2 | A. Gell. Noctes Attic. Lib. IX. cap. iii. | | 3 | Valer. Max. Lib. IV. cap. iv. 1. | | 4 | Alphonso V.--Anton. Panorm. De Dict. et
Fact. Alphons. Reg. Arag. at Neap. Witeb. 1585.
Lib. IV. 19. p. 87. It is to this monarch that a say-
ing, erroneously attributed in the former volume,
p. 398, to the king of Castile, really belongs. | -5- | |
