University of Virginia Library

[A prety Tale of late I heard]

A Gentleman on a time, hauing three Sonnes: and being very desirous to haue them brought vp at an Universitie: being very well acquainted with a yong Gentleman, who he knew had spent some yeares at Oxford, desyred him to choose a Tutor there, for his three Children, which as he thought were fyttest to bring them vp as well in learning as good behaviour: which he was contented to doe: and hauing chosen a Tutor for them, not long after, hauing a great desire to see them doo well, wrote their Tutor a Letter, and with the Letter a pretty Tale in verse, to mooue him to haue a great care of them: the Letter I let alone: but the tale I haue thought good to shew forth among these prety Toyes, as one not the worste: which tale was as followeth.

A little Preface before the Tale.

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The Tale followeth in this manner.

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Another graue gray headed syre,
that harde them reason so,
Thus said: So many shrewd curst boyes,
& wāton wags I know,
And eke so many Schoolemaisters,
that lack good gouernment,
That many prety Boyes will mar,
that are of minds well bent:
That sure I know not what to say,
but, trust me, in my minde,
A good Tutor, whereto a child
is bent, can quickly finde;
And as he findes the nature of
the Childe, euen so he may,
By gentle meanes, euen as he list,
soone leade him euery way.
So, that to keepe him in good awe,
correction, now and than,
He iustly use with gentlenesse,
as a good Tutor can.
Well: at the last, this Gentleman,
when he had heard at large
Their true oppinions euery one,
at last, he gaue in charge
His two Sonnes to two sundry men:
whereof the one was milde,
And euer sought by gentle meanes
for to bring vp a Childe:
The other was of nature fierce,
and, therefore, rather sought
With store of stripes for to bring vp
such children as he taught.
The children both of nature like,
in time did differ much;
The difference of gouernment,
of Tutors, theirs was such.
The one did prooue a proper Youth,
and learned for his time:
And by his learning afterward,
to honour high did clyme.
This, was by him brought vp,
that was of nature milde,
And euer sought by gentle meanes,
for to bring vp a Childe.
The other prooued but a blocke,
a Dunsicus, an Asse:
Because, with too much cruelty,
he often dulled was.
This, was brought vp by him
that was so fierce of minde:
That thought the Rod should be the sword,
to rule a child by kinde.
The Father sory, afterward,
to see his Child so lost:
And seeing, that his other sonne,
did euer profite most:
Tooke him away from that fierce foole,
and put him presently
To him that was the mylder man,
praying him, earnestly,
To see if that he could in time,
quicken his dulled wit:
Desiring him thereto to vse
such meanes as he thought fyt.
Well: at the last, with much adoe
he tooke a little paine:
And tooke in hand to sharpen then,
his dulled braine againe:
And many maisteries did prooue,
but rigour none he vsde:
For that before he had so much
by thother ben abusde:
But euer sought, by gentle meanes,
to make him voide of feare;
And so in time did alter much,
his nature as it were.
He made him boulder to his booke,
therefore, more willing to
His study still: but yet, alas,
whateuer he could doe,
He could not make him like vnto
his brother any way:
Although he striu'de, and tooke great pains,
asmuch as in him lay:
Yet euery way he mended had,
his nature very much:
The gentle meanes, he euer vsde
in teaching him, were such.
Well: to be short, when that
this Gentleman did see,
The difference twixt his two sons:
There shall no more, quoth he,
Of children mine be put to Schoole
to such as still doo vse
To rule the Children by the rod:
I rather aie will chuse
To put my children vnto those,
that are of nature milde,
And know by loue and gentlenesse,
how to bringe vp a childe.
And thus the tale was at an ende.
and now, Sir, euen as he,
The Gentleman that had two sonnes,
desirous was to see
Them both in learning traded vp:
euen so, no lesse, am I
Desirous for to see these youthes,
bothe learnedly
And vertuously brought vp,
as much as if they were
The neerest kinsmen that I haue,
or brethren deere, I sweare.
Wherefore, good Syr, as I in you
my faithfull trust repose:
Vouchsafe to take such pains with them.
that they no time do lose:
And for correction, now and than,
to him that dooth not well,
I meane not to instruct you Sir:
your selfe can better tell

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Then I, what longs thereto:
therefore, as you shall finde,
Vse your discretion Sir, therein
according to your minde.
Thus you haue heard the milder man
the better Scholler made:
And yet, a bridell must be had,
for a wilde brainesicke Jade.
But for your prety Coltes, I hope,
no bridle you shall neede:
I hope you easely shall them bende,
with a small twined threed.
My meaning is, I hope they will
themselues eche order so,
That you shall neede to take small care
almost which way they go.
Yet now and then, though without neede,
somwhat looke out, I pray:
Least that they hap by Company
for to be led astray.
For though their natures well be bent,
yet you know, now & than,
Ill company oft times, God wot,
dooth marre an honest man:
And they, you know, are all but young,
and youth delights in toyes,
And toyes frō learning quite & clean,
withdraweth wanton boyes.
Yet in good faith, I hope, good Syr,
your prety Puples three,
Will bothe in learning, and all things,
by you so ruled be:
And eke vnto their bookes, besides,
will haue so great desire:
That earnest more, or dilligent,
you cannot well require.
Well: I haue put them all to you,
you only must be he,
That as well to their learning, as
behauiour must see.
I sought not out three sundry men,
to put these children too,
To see which of them would doo best,
and which againe would do
Worst of the three: but all vnto
your charge I doo commit,
To teache and gouerne, by such meanes,
as you alone thinke fit.
And as I haue them giuen in charge
to you, euen so I craue
That you will see your Schollers so,
themselues each way behaue;
And bring them vp in learning so,
that when from you they part,
I to haue found a Tutor such,
first will be glad in heart:
And you your selfe another day,
may be full glad to see
Their vertuous life, & then may say,
these were brought vp by me.
Their Father then, whose tender care
is for to see them all,
In learning daily to succeede,
and further there withall
In good behaviour eke,
may well in hart reioyce:
That I in this behalfe haue made
so good and happy choice,
As to finde out, so fit a man,
to put his children too.
As vnder whom, they all in time,
so will are like to doe.
And I my selfe, the more for that,
may stande your bounden friend:
And he reward you for your paines:
and so I make an ende.