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THE

ENGLISH WORKS

O F

ROGER ASCHAM,

Preceptor to Queen ELIZABETH:

CONTAINING,

I. A Report of the Affairs of Germany, and the Em-

peror Charles's Court.

II. ToxoPHiLus, or the School of Shooting.

III. The Schoolmaster, orperfe6l Way of bringing up Youth,

illuftrated by the late learned Mr. Upton.

IV. Letters to Queen Elizabeth and others, now firft

publiflied from the Manufcripts.

With Notes and Observations, and the Author's Life.

By JAMES BENNET,

Mafter of the Boarding-School at Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire.

LONDON:

Printed for R. and J. Dodsley, in Pall-Ma!l, and J. Newbery, in St. Paul's Church-Yard.

M,DLC,LXI.

T O

The right HONOURABLE

ANTHONY ASHLEY COOPER,

Earl of Shaftesbury, Baron Ashley, Lord Lieutenant and Gustos Rotulorum of Dorsetshire, F. R. S.

My L O R D,

I"FAvmg endeavoured, by an elegant and ufcful edition, to J recover the efteem of the publick to an authour unde- iervcdly negleded, the only care which I now owe to his me-

A 2 mory,

i-Lb.^5'"- i:

4 DEDICATION.

mory, is that of infcribing his works to a patron whofe ac- knowledged eminence of charader may awaken attention, and attracfl regard.

I have not fuffered the zeal of an editor fo far to take pof- fcfTion of my mind, as that I fhould obtrude upon your Lord- {l»p any produdions unfuitable to the dignity of your rank or of your fentiments. Afcham was not only the chief orna- ment of a celebrated college, but vifited foreign countries, fre- quented courts, and lived in familiarity with ftatefmen and princes ; not only inftruded fcholars in literature, but formed Elizabeth to empire.

To propagate the works of fuch a writer will be not un- worthy of your Lordfhip's patriotifni : for I know not what greater benefit you can confer on your country, than that of prefcrv'ing worthy names from oblivion, by joining them with your own.

I am,

My Lord,

Your Lordlliip's Mo ft obliged,

Mofl: obedient, and

Moft humble fervant.

JAMES BENNET.

A LIST of SUBSCRIBERS.

A.

HIS Grace John Duke of Argyle His Grace the Duke of Athol Richard Allen, Efq-, Prior Park, lo

books Lawrence Aikenhead, Efq-, Arthur Annefley, Efq-, The Rev. Mr. Philip Allen, fellow of

St. John's college, Cambridge The Rev. Mr. Allen of Eaftwick The Rev. Mr. Abbot, A. M. fellow of

St. John's college, Cambridge The Rev. Mr. Allen Mr. Barrage Angier Mr. Samuel Angier Mr. Thomas Attwood Mr. William Atkinfon, furgeon Mr. Rupert Atkinfon Anonymous

B. The Right Hon. Vifcount Beauchamp,

Grofvenor-ftreet The Hon. Pat. Boyle, brother to the

Earl of Glafgow Sir Walter Blacker, Bart.

Sir Bennet, Bart. Scotland

The Rev. Edw. Barnard, D. D. head

mailer of Eaton fchool The Rev. Will. Brackenridge, D. D.

Sion college The Rev, John Blair, chaplain to her

Royal Highnefs the Princefs-dowager

of Wales The Rev. Mr. Samutl Bulkeley T ho. Barrat, Efq; 6 bocks George Byam, Efq-, George Bryant, Efq; William Burlton, Efq; Tho. Bowdler, Efq; Edward Bacon, Efq; one of the lords

commiffioners for trade and planta- tions, and member for Norwich

The Rev. Mr. James Bindly

Mr. John Bindly, jun. Alderfgate-ftreet

Mr. John Belhngton, of Hochefidd in

Kent Mr. Tho. Bufey, of Hothefield in Kent.

Mr. John Bladwell

Mr. Bowen

Mr. Samuel Bricl

Mr. Tho. Bromwich, Ludgat&-Hi!l

Mr. Williani Eennet

Mr. Tho. Otto Bayer

Mr. Richard Brooke

Mr. Baker, in the Strand

Tho. Blackhall, Efq;

Mrs. Anna Maria Bagnall, Hatton- Garden

Mrs. Anne Byas

Mrs. Harriot Bowdler

Mr. William Bates C.

The Right Hon. Earl Cowper

The Hon. Henry Seymour Conway, Grofvcnor-ftreet

Henry Crcifdale, Efq;

The Right Hon. the Lord Frederick Campbell

Tho. Cowflad, Efq;

Tho. Carleton, Efq;

Felix Calvert, Efq;

Grey Cooper, Efq; of the Temple

John Cooper, Efq;

Mr. Will. Cowky, jun. Mill-Bank, Wcftminfler

John Cale, Efq; 2 hocks

Mr. Adam Cleghorn

Mr. Francis Caryl

Mr. Robert Cawley, of the Strand, apo- thecary

Mrs. Margaret Calderwood of Polton

Mrs. Cochran

Mils Cochran

Mifs Cowper

Mrs.

A LIST of S Mrs. Catharine Collins, Hoddefdon Mr. Jofcpli Cottcrcl, juii. Archibald Cochran, Kfq-, Mils Harriot Cochran D. The Rev. Dr. D.ilton, D. D. The Rev. Mr. Drake, B. D. fellow of

St. John's college, Cxfoid J.imcs Durham, E"l"q; of Largoe, North

Britain Andrew Douglas, IJ'q-, Mr. Richard Dakon Mr. John Doughty Mr. Dehulle, jun. Mifs Efther Dehulle E. Sir Jeftery Elwes, 2 hocks The Rev. Mr. F'.llillon, mafter of Sid- ney Suflex college, Cambridge James Egan, Efq; Queen- fquare, Or-

mondibeet George t gan, Efq; Queen-fquare, Or-

mond ftreet Mrs. Ewer

F. The Rev. Mr. Fowler, redor of Great

Parndon in Eflex Richard Falkner, Efq-, Mount Falcon,

in Ireland William Frafer, Efq-, Rowland Frye, Efq; William Fielde, Efq; of Stanfted Bury Paul Fielde, Efq; of Lincoln's- Inn Mr. John Forbes, merchant Mr. John Fletcher Mr. George Fowler, Cornhill Mr. William Frye Mrs. Frye

G. The Right Hon. the earl of Godolphin Sir Alexander Grant, Bart. Billiter-lane William Grant, M. D. Edward Gardiner, Efq; of Piflioeberry,

J lertforillhi^e Ch.irles Gardiner, Efq; of Ayot, Hert-

fordfliire Richard Gough, Efq; Thomas Gyll, Efq;

3

UBSC RISERS.

John Gwilr, Efq;

John Gilbert, Elq;

Mr. Green

Mr. Tho. Goodwin

Mr. John Gomm

Mr. George Giifcwood

Rev. Mr. Gordon

Mr. Richard Gildart, jun.

Mr. Barnard Gold

Mr. Robert Grifewood

Mr. Francis Garden, Pater nofter-row

Mrs. Gardiner

Mifs Gough

H.

Sir Tho. Harrifon, knt. chamberlain of the city of London

Robert Flarper, Efq; Lincoln's-Inn

Tho. Hutchinfon, Efq; of Hatfield Woodhall, Hcrtforddiire

John Hamilton, Efq; of B.irgainy, M. P.

William Harrifon, Efqv

Flenry Hatfell, Efq;

Adam Hamilton, Efqi Bafil Heme, Efq; John Hitch, Efq; John Flatfell, Elq; Will. Hammond, Efq; borough Mr. Will. Humphreys, merchant The Rev. Mr. Samuel Hare, B. L. rec- tor of Beauchampton The Rev. Mr. Hey, fellow of Sidney

Suflex college, Cambridge Mr. John Hudgebout, 2 books Mr. Oliver Humphreys, fenior, 5 books Mr. Oliver Humphreys, junior, ^books Mr. Thomas Harvey of Newcaftle Mr. Nevile Henfon Mr. John Hawkins Mrs. Bridgett Houghton Mrs. Hulberc Mr. John Hoole Mr. A. W. Humphreys Mrs. Mary Hindc, Rome-houfc, Chat- ham.

I. Sir Conyers Jocelyn, Bart. Charles Jennings, Efq; Mr. Richard Jones, Furnival's-Inn

K.

A LIST of SUBSCRIBERS.

K. The Rev. Mr. Kynafton The Rev. Mr. Keate, redor of Hatfield Mr. John Knight, merchant Mrs. Frances King

L. The Right Hon. the Earl of Lincoln Sir Matthew Lamb, Bart. 2 books Henry Lyell, Efq; Saviile-Row Bibye Lake, Efq; Stephen Law, Efq; Broxbourn Rev. Mr. John Lehunt, 2 books Capt. Archibald Lundin Mr. Lucas Mr. Henry Long Mrs. Lehunt, 2 books St. John's library, Cambridge

M. The RightHon. the Earl of Macclesfield The Right Hon. the Lord Monfoa The Hon. Charles Monfon The Right Hon. Lord Charles Grevil

Montagu John Martin, Efq;

Will. Mure, Efq; of Caldwall, M. P. James Mitchell, Efq; 2 books James Moate, Efq; Tho. March, Efq; The Rev. Mr. Merrick Mr. John MoncriefF Mr. Frederick Maurer Mr. Philip Margafs Major Roger Morris Mr. James Morris Mr. George Mercer Mr. Jofeph Mercer Mr. William Mercer Mr. James Mercer Mr. Douglas Mercer Mr. George Mercer Mr. Daniel Meffman, junior Mfs. Martin Mifs March

N. The Rev. Dr. Newcomb?, dean of Ro- chtfter, and mafter of St. John's col- lege, Cambridge Mr. Archibald Napier of Chefhunt

Mr. Alderman Niccoll of St. Alban's

Mr. Tho. Nicholls of Drayton, Shrop- (hire

The Rev. Mr. John Norcrofs, red:or of Hothefield in Kent

Mr. Jofeph Nixon

Mrs. Newcome

Mifs Nixon

O.

The Rev. Mr. Ofborne

Mr. Thomas Ord, St. Martin's Lc Grand

P.

The Rev. Dr. Powell, of St. John's, Cambridge

The Rev. Dr. Paris, late mafter of Sid- ney Suflex college

William Poyntz, Efq; Old Burlington Street, 2 books

Philip Parfel, Efq;

Geo-i-ge Prefect, Efq; member for Stock- bridge

Mr. Kenrick Peck

Mr. John Pyle

Mr. Philip Palmer, junior

Mr. Henry Paulin

Mr. Johnfon Piftor

Mr. Henry Pollard

Mr. John Prodor

Mrs. I'ollen

Mifs Pollen

R.

The Right Hon. the Marquis of Rock- ingham

The Right Rev. the Lord Bifhop of Ro- chefter

Nathaniel Ryder, Efq;

Mr. Samuel Richardfon, 2 books

Mr. George Ringwood S.

The Right Hon. the Earl of Shaftefbuvy, 20 books

The Right Hon. the Earl of Scarborough

Sir Simeon Stewart, Bart.

George Lewis Scott, Efq; commilTioner of excife, Lciceflcr-fquare

Alexander Stnhan, Efq; D. LL. Suf- folk-ftreet

William

LIST

or

S U

William Sharpe, Efq-,

John Scaranchc, h.i'q;

John Alexander Stainiby, Efq;

Julin Shelly, L'-lq-,

Henry Spencer, F.fq-,

Andrew Spankeman, Efq-,

'I homas Sheridan, Efq-,

Charles Stanhope, Efq;

Andrew Stone, Efq;

Willi.-m Seymour, Efq; of the Middle

Temple John Stevens, Efq-,

The Rev. Mr. Anthony Nourfe Sanderfon The Rev. Mr, George Stockwell The Rev. Mr. Thomas Salt The Rev. Mr. Walter Scrocold The Rev. Mr. Summer, fellow of King's

college, Cambridge Mr. Mofes Smith The Rev. Mr. Thomas Smith Mr. Jamts Searanche Mr. John Sleorgin, fenior Mr. John Slcorgin, junior Mr. William Smiton Dr. Ifaac Schomberg Edward Southwell, Efq; Mrs. Anne Singleton Mrs. Winifred Smart Mr. Scot

T. The Right Hon. the Earl of Thanct Lady Agnes Trelawney Sir Benjamin Trucman Feir.es Trotman, Efq-, Rev. Mr. Taylor Rev. Mr. James Trail, redor of St.

John's, Horfly-downe John Turvin, Efq; Mr. John Turner, 6 hoks Mr. William Trinder, merchant, 2 l>ooks Mrs. Parth. Traill, Hatton-Gardcn Mr. Tuckfidd Mr. Randolph Tooke Mr. Tohn Till Mr. Richard Till

BSCRIBERS.

Mr. William Tayleure Mr. Charles Tricquet V. Francis Vernon, Efq; James Vercheld, Efq; James Unwin, Efq; CaflleyarJ Mrs. Vickers of Hoddcfdcn

W. The Right Rev. Dr. Hoadley, late Lord

Bifliop of Winchcilcr The Right Rev. Dr. Thomas Lord Bi-

fhop of Winchc-fter The Rev. Dr. Walker, vice-mafler of

Trinity college, Cambridge The Rev. Mr. William Waterman The Rev. Mr. Wife, of Harlow The Rev. Mr. Willis, A. M. The Right Hon. Lord Sondes Charles Gregory Wade, Efq; of Dray- ton in Shroplhire Nathaniel Wilkes, Efq; of Lofts in Ef-

fcx, 20 tooks John Weyland, Efq; John Waters, Efq; Tho. Wilkinfon, merchant. Crooked

Lane Mr. John Welles, Bofwelj-court Mr. John WalQi Mr. Wigan Mr. Wilfon, King's Street, Guildhall*

3 l>ooks Mr. Crook Wilfon Mr. John Warrington Mr. Robert Woodefield Mr. Whalley

Mr. John Worfeley, of Hertford Mifs Rebecca Watfon, New Norfolk.-

ftreet The Rev. Mr. Hugh Wyat

y.

Hon. and Rev. James Yorke

Hon. John Yorke

Mr. Edward Younge, fellow of King's

college, Cambridge Mr. Tbo. Young.

T H E

THE

L I F E

O F

ROGER A S C H A M.

IT often happens to writers, that they are known only by their works ; the incidents of a literary life are feldom obferved, and therefore feldom recounted ; but Afcham has efcaped the common fate by the friendfliip of Edward Graunt, the learned mafler of We/lmin^ Jler fchool, who devoted an oration to his memory, and has marked the various viciflltudes of his fortune. Graunt either avoided the labour of minute inquiry, or thought domeftick occurrences unworthy of his no- tice • or preferring the chara6ter of an orator to that of an hiflorian, northe only fuch particulars as he could bell: exprcfs, or moft happily embeir v.. His narrative is therefore fcanty, and I know not by what materials it can now be amplified.

Roger AJcham was born in the year 1 5 1 5, at Kirhy Wijke^ (or Kirby Wlcke) a village near Northallerton in 7orkJJ.nre, of a family above the vulgar. His father John Ajcham was houfe-Iteward in the family of Scroop, and in that age, when the different orders of men were at a greater difVance from each other, and the manners of gentlemen were regularly formed by menial fervices in great houfcs, lived with a very confpicuous reputation. Margaret Afchamy his wife, is faid to have

b ■ • been

ii T II E L I F E O F

been allied to many confulerable families, but her maiden name is not recorded. She iiad three fons, of whom Roger was the youngeftj and fomc daughters ; but who can hope, that of any progeny more than one ihall dclcrve to be mentioned ? They hved married fixty-feven years, and at h\ll died together almoft on the fame hour of the fame day.

Roger having pafled his firft years under the care of his parents, was adopted into the family of Antony WingfielJ, who maintained him, and committed his eckication, with that of his own fons, to the care of one Bond, a domellick tutor. He very early difcovercd an unufual fondncfs for literature by an eager perufal of Englijh books, and having pafled happily through the fcholallick rudiments, was put, in 1530, by his patron IVingJield, to St. Johns college in Cambridge.

Afcham entered Cambridge at a time when the lafl great revolution of the intellectual world was filling every academical mind with ardour or anxiety. The deflrutStion of the Conjiantinopolitan empire had driven the Greeks with their language into the interiour parts of Europe, the art of printing had made the books eafdy attainable, and Greek now began to be taught in England. The do6lrines of Luther had already filled all the nations of the RomiJJo communion with controverfy and diflention. New fludlcs of literature, and new tenets of religion, found employment for all who were defirous of truth, or ambitious of fame. Learning was at that time profecuted with that cagernefs and perfeverance which in this age of indifference and diflipation it is not eafy to conceive. To teach or to learn was at once the bufmefs and the plea lure " ♦•he academical life ; and an emulation of fludy was raifed by CI and Smith, to which even the prefent age perhaps owes many advantages, without remembering or knowing its benefactors.

Afcham foon refolved to unite himfclf to thofe who were enlarging the bounds of knowledge, and immediately upon his admiflion into the college, applied himfclf to the fludy of Greek. Thofe who were zealous for tlic new learning, were often no great friends to the old religion j and Afcham, as he became a Grecian, became a proteflant. The re- formation was not yet begun, difaffection to popery was confidered as a crime juftly puniflied by exdufion from favour and preferment,

and

R O G E R A S C H A M.' iii

and was not yet openly pi-ofefled, though fuperflition was gradually lof- ing its hold upon the publick. The ftudy of Greek was reputable enough, and Afcbam perfued it with diligence and fuccefs equally con- fpicuous. He thought a language might be moft eafily learned by teach- ing it; and when he had obtained fome proficiency in Greek, read lec- tures, while he was yet a boy, to other boys who were dcfirous of in- ftru6lion. His induftry was much encouraged by Petnber, a man of great eminence at that time, though I know not that he has left any monuments behind him, but what the gratitude of his friends and fcho- lars has beftowed. He was one of the great encouragers of Greek learn- ing, and particularly applauded Afcbam% ledlures, affuring him in a let- ter, of which Graunt has preferved an extra<5l, that he would gain more knowledge by explaining one of JEfop's fables to a boy, than by hearing one of Homers poems explained by another. ^

Afcbam took his bachelor's degree in 1534, February 18, in the eigh- teenth year of his age ; a time of life at which it is more common now to enter the univerfities than to take degrees, but which, according to the modes of education then in ufe, had nothing of remarkable prema- turity. On the 23d of March following, he was chofen fellow of the col- lege ; which election he confidered as a fecond birth. Dr. Metcalf] the mafter of the college, a man, as Afcbam tells us, meaiily learned himfelf, but no mean encourager of learning in otbers, clandeftinely promoted his ele6lion, though he openly feemed firft to oppofe it, and afterwards to cenfure it, becaufe Afcbam was known to favour the new opinions; and the mafter himfelf was accufed of giving an unjuft preference to the northern men, one of the fadions into which this nation was divided, before we could find any more important reafon of difi^ention, than that fome were born on the northern and fome on the fouthern fide of Trent. Any caufe is fufficient for a quarrel, and the zealots of the north and fouth lived long in fuch animofity, that it was thought neceflary at Ox- ford to keep them quiet by chufing one pro6lor every year from each.

He feems to have been hitherto fupported by the bounty of WingficU, which his attainment of a fellowfhip now freed him from the neceflity of receiving. Depcndance, though in thofe days it was more common, and therefore lefs irkfome than in the prefent ftate of things, can never

b 2 have

iv T H E L I F E O F

have been free from difcontent ; and therefore he that was releafed from it niLift always have rejoiced. The danger is, left the joy of efcaping fjom the patron may not leave fuflicient memory of the bencfaclor. Of this forgetfulnefs ylfcbam cannot be accufed ; for he is recorded to have prefcrved the moft grateful and affeflionate reverence for Wingjield^ and to have never grown weary of recounting his benefits.

His reputation ftill increafed, and many reforted to his chamber to hear the Greek writers explained. Pie was likewife eminent for other ac- compliflmients. By the advice of Pember, he had learned to play on mulical inftruments, and he was one of the few who excelled in the me- chanical art of writing, which then began to be cultivated among us» and in which we now furpafs all other nations. He not only wrote his pages with neatnefs, but embelliflied them with elegant draughts and il- luminations ; an art at that time fo highly valued, that it contributed much both to his fame and his fortune.

He became mafter of arts in March isi7' i" '^'^ twenty-firft year; and then, if not before, commenced tutor, and publickly undertook the education of young men. A tutor of one and twenty, however accom- pliflied with learning, however exalted by genius, would now gain littls reverence or obedience ; but in thofe days of difcipline and regularity, the authority of the ftatutes eafily fupplied that of the teacher; all power that was lawful v^'as reverenced. Befides, young tutors had fti'll younger pupils,

AJcham is faid to have courted his fcholars to ftudy by every incite- ment, to have treated them with great kindnefs, and to have taken care at once to inftill learning and piety, to inlighten their minds and to form tlieir manners. Many of his fcholars rafe to great eminence, and among them IViUtam Grindal was fo much diftinguiflied, that by Cheke's recommendation he was called to court as a proper mafter o£ languages for the lady Elizabetb.

There was yet no eftabliftied le6lurer of Greek; the unlverfity there- fore appointed Afcham to read in the open fchools, and paid him out of the publick purfc an honorary ftipend, fuch as was then reckoned fufficiently

liberal -

ROGERASCHAM. v

liberal : a Ie6lure was afterwards founded by King Henry, and he then quitted the fchools, but continued to explain Greek authours in his own college.

He was at firft an opponent of the new pronunciation introduced, or rather of the ancient reftored about this time by Cheke and Smith, and made fome cautious ftruggles for the common practice, which the cre- dit and dignity of his antagonifts did not permit to defend very pub- lickly, or with much vehemence : nor were they long his antagonifts ; for either his afFeclion for their merit, or his convi6lion of the cogency of their arguments, foon changed his opinion and his practice, and he adhered ever after to their method of utterance.

Of this controverfy it is not necelTary to give a circumftantlal account ; fomething of it may be found in Strypes Life of Smith, and fomething in Bakers Reflexions upon learning : it is fufficient to remark here, that Cheke's pronunciation was that which now prevails in the fchools of England. Difquifittons not only verbal, but merely literal, are too mi- nute for popular narration.

rie was not lefs eminent as a writer of Latin, than as a teacher of Greek. All the publick letters of the univerfity were of his compofition j and as little qualifications muft often bring great abilities into notice, he was recommended to this honourable employment not lefs by the neat- nefs of his hand, than the elegance of his ftyle.

However great was his learning, he was not always immured in his chamber ; but being valetudinary, and weak of body, thought it necellary to fpend many hours in fuch exercifes as might beft relieve him after the fatigue of fludy. His favourite amufement was archery, in which he fpent, or, in the opinion of others, loft fo much time, that thofe whom either his f?ults or virtues made his enemies, and perhaps fome whofc kindnefs wiflied him always worthily employed, did not fcruple to cen- fure his pra(5lice, as unfuitable to a man profefling learning, and per- haps of bad example in a place of education^

To free himfelf from this ccnfure was one of the rcalbns for which he publiflied, in 1544, his Toxopbilns, or the Schole or Fanitions of

1 Shooting,.

vi T H E L I F E O F

Shooting, in which he joins the praifc with the precepts of archery. He defigned not only to teach the art of Hiooting, but to give an exam- ple of didtion more natural and more truly Englip than was ufed by the common writers of that age, whom he cenlures for mingling exotick terms with their native language, and of whom he complains, that they were made authours not by Ikill or education, but by arrogance and temerity.

He has not failed in either of his purpofes. He has fufficiently vin- dicated archery as an innocent, falutary, ufeful, and liberal diverfion ; and if his precepts are of no great ufe, he has only (hown by one exam- ple among many, how little the hand can derive from the mind, how little intelligence can conduce to dexterity. In every art praflice is much ; in arts manual pradice is almoft the whole. Precept can at moll: but warn againft errour, it can never beflow excellence.

The bow lias been fo long difufed, that mofl Etiglijl:) readers have forgotten its importance, though it was the weapon by which w^e gained the battle of Agincourt, a weapon which when handled by EjigliJJo yeo- men, no foreign troops were able to refifl. We were not only abler of body than the French, and therefore fuperiour in the ufe of arms, which are forcible only in proportion to the ftrength with which they are handled, but the national practice of fliooting for pleafure or for prizes, by which every man was inured to archery from his infancy, gave us infuperable advantage, the bow requiring more practice to ikilful ufe than any other initrument of offence.

Fire-arms were then in their infancy ; and though battering pieces had been fome time in ufe, I know not whether any Ibldiers were arm- ed with hand-guns when the Toxophilus was firfl publiflied : they were foon after ufed by the SpaniJJj troops, whom other nations made hafte to imitate : but how little they could yet effect, will be undpltood from the account given by the ingenious authour of the exercife for the AV- folk militia.

" The firft mufkets were very heavy, and could not be fired without " a relt ; they had match-locks, aild barrels of a wide bore, that car-

" ried

ROGERASCHAM. vii

♦< lied a large ball and charge of powder, and did execution at a greatei' •' diftance.

" The mufketeers on a march carried only their refts and ammuni- " tion, and had boys to bear their mufkcts after them, for which they " were allowed great additional pay.

" They were very flow in loading, not only by reafon of the un- *' wieldinefs of the pieces, and becaufe they carried the powder and " balls feparate, but from the time it took to prepare and adjuft the " match ; fo that their fire was not near fo brill; as ours is now. Af- " terwards a lighter kind of match-lock mufket came into ufe, and they " carried their ammunition in bandeliers, which were broad belts that ** came over the flioulder, to which were hung feveral little cafes of *' wood covered with leather, each containing a charge of powder; the " balls they carried loofe in a pouch ; and they had alfo a priming horn

hanging by their fide.

(<

" The old Engli/h writers call thofe large mufkets calivers : the har- *' quebuze was a lighter piece, that could be fired without a rcfl:. The *' match-lock was fired by a match fixed by a kind of tongs in the fer- *' pentine or cock, which by pulling the trigger, was brought down ■" v/ith great quicknefs upon the priming in the pan j over which there *' was a Aiding cover, which was drawn back by the hand juft at the *' time of firing. There was a great deal of nicety and care required " to fit the match prc;,'erly to the cock, fo as to come down exa6lly true *' on the priming, to blow the. aflies from the coal, and to guard the " pan from the fparks that fell from it. A great deal of time was alfo " loft in taking it out of the cock, and returning it between the fingers " of the left hand every time that the piece was fired ; and wet weather " often rendered the matches ufelefs."

"While this was the ftate of fire-arms, and this ftate continued among us to the civil war with very little improvement, it is no wonder that the long bow was preferred by Sir John Smithy who wrote of the choice of weapons in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, when the ufe of the bow ftill continued, though the mufket was gradually prevailing. Sir John

Haywardf

viii THE LIFE OF

UayivarJ, a writer yet later, has \\\ his hiftory of the Norman kings en- deavoured to evince the luperiority of the archer to the mulketeer: however, in the long peace of King James, the bow was wholly forgot- ten. Guns have from that time been the weapons of the Englijh, as of other nations, and as they are now improved, are certainly more effica- cious.

Afcham had yet another reafon, if not for writing his book, at lead for prefenting it to King Henry. England was not then what it may be now juftly termed, the capital of literature, and therefore thofe who afpired to fuperiour degrees of excellence thought it necelTary to travel into other countries. The purfc of Afcham was not equal to the ex- pence of peregrination ; and therefore he hoped to have it augmented by a penfion. Nor was he wholly difappointed ; for the King rewarded him with an yearly payment of ten pounds.

A penfion of ten pounds granted by a king of England to a man of letters, appears to modern readers io contemptible a benefaction, that it is not unworthy of enquiry what might be its value at that time, and how much Afcham might be enriched by it. JNothing is more uncertain than the eftimation of wealth by denominated money ; the precious me- tals never retain long the fame proportion to real commodities, and the fame names in different ages do not imply the fame quantity of me- tal ; fo that it is equally difficult to know how much money was con- tained in any nominal fum, and to find what any fuppofed quantity of gold or filver would purchafc j both which are neccllary to tlie com- menfuration of money, or the adjuftment of proportion between the lame fums at different periods of time.

A numeral pound in King Henrys time contained, as now, twenty fliillings; and therefore it muf\ be inquired what twenty fliilHngs could perform. Bread-corn is the moll certain flandard of the neceffaries of life. Wheat was generally fold at that time for one fliilling the bufhel : if therefore we take five Ihillings the bufliel for the current price, ten pounds were equivalent to fifty. But here is danger of a fallacy. It may be doubted, whether wheat was the general brc..d-corn of that age ; and if rye, barley, or oats, were the common food, and wheat, as I

fufpect,

ROGERASCHAM. ix

fiifpe^t, only a delicacy, the value of wlieat will not regulate the piice of other things. This doubt is however in favour of yjfcham ; for if we raife the worth of wheat, we raifc that of his penfion.

But the value of money has another variation, which we are ftill Icfs able to afcertain : the rules of cuftom or the different needs of artificial life, make that revenue little at one time which is great at another. Men are rich and poor, not only in proportion to what they have, but to what they want. In fome ages, not only neceflaries are cheaper, but fewer things are neceflary. In the age of AJcha?n, moft of the elegan- cies and expences of our prefent fafliions were unknown : commerce had not yet diftributed fuperfluity through the lower dalles of the people, and the charaifler of a ftudent implied frugality, and required no fplen- dour to fupport it. His penfion, therefore, reckoning together the wants which he could fupply, and the wants from which he was ex- empt, may be cflimated, in my opinion, at more than one hundred pounds a-yearj which, added to the income of his fellowfliip, put him far enough above diftrefs.

This was an year of good fortune to Ajcham. He was chofen orator to the univerfity on the removal of Sir "John Cheke to court, where he was made tutor to Prince Edward. A man once diftinguifhed foon gains admirers. Afcham was now received to notice by many of the nobility, and by great ladies, among whom it was then the fafliion to ftudy the ancient languages. Lee archbifliop of York al- lowed him an yearly penfion ; how much, we are not told. He was, probably about this time, employed in teaching many illuflrious perfons to write a fine hand, and among others Hairy and Charles, dukes of Suf- folk, the princefs Elizabeth, and prince Edward.

Henry VIII. died two years after, and a reformation of religion being now openly profecuted by King Edward and his council, Ajcham, who was known to favour it, had a new grant of his penfion, and continued at Cambridge, where he lived in great familiarity with Biicer, who had been called from Germany to the profeflbrfliip of divinity. But his re- tirement was foon at an end j for in 1548 his pu])il Grindal, the madcr

c of

X THELIFEOF

of the princcfs FJ/zakib, died, and the princefs, who had aheady fome acquaintance with Jfc!:am, called him from his college to diixct her (Indies. He obeyed tlie fuinmons, as we may eafily believe, with readincfi., and for two years inllru6led her with great diligence ; but then being dilgufl-ed either by her or her domcfticks, or perhaps eager for another change of life, he left her without her confent, and return- ed to the univerlity. Of this precipitation he long repented ; and as thofe who are not accuftomed to difrefpeifl, cannot eafily forgive it, he probably fdt the effects of his imprudence to his death.

After having vifitcd Cambridge, he took a Joumey into Torkf.'ire to fee his native place and his old acquaintance, and there received a letter from tlie court, informing him, that he was appointed fecretary to Sir Richard Morifme, who was to be difj)atched as ambafTador into Germany. In his return to London he paid that memorable vifit to lady °Jane Gray, in which he found iier reading the Phado in Greek, as he has related in his Schoolma/ier.

In the year 1550 he attended Morifme to Germany, and wandered over a great part of the country, making obfervations upon all that appeared worthy of his curiofity, and contracting acquaintance with men of learning. To his corrcfpondent Sturmius he paid a vifit, but Sturmiiis was not at home, and thofe two illuftrious friends never faw each other. During the courfe of this embady, j^Jlham undertook to improve Mori- Jine in Greek, and for four days in the week explained fome pages of Herodotus every morning, and more than two hundred verfes of Sophocles. or Euripides every afternoon. He read with him likewife feme of the orations of Demojlhenes. On the other days he compiled the letters of bufind's, and in the night filled up his diary, digefted his remarks, and wrote private letters to his friends in England, and particularly to thoib of his college, whom he continually exhorted to perfeverance in ftudy. Amidft all the plcafures of novelty, which his travels fupplied, and in the dignity of his publick ftation, he preferred the tranquillity of private Itudy, and the quiet of academical retirement. The icafonablencfs of this choice has been always difjnited ; and in the contrariety of human interefts and difpofitions, the controverfy will not eafily be decide J.

4 He

ROGERASCHAM. , xi

. He made a fliort excurfion into Italy^ and mentions in his School- majler with great feverity the vices oi Venice. He was dcfirous of vifit- ing Trent while the council were fitting; but the fcantinefs of his purfe defeated his curiofity.

In this journey he wrote his Report and Difcourfe of the Affaires in Ger- many, in which he defcribes the difpofitions and interefts of the German princes like a man inquiutive and judicious, and recounts many parti- cularities which are loll in the mafs of general hiftory, in a ftyle which to the ears of that age was undoubtedly mellifluous, and which is now a very valuable fpecimen of genuine EngUjh.

By the death of King EdwarJ In 1553, the reformation was ftopped, Morifine was recalled, and Afchams penfion and hopes were at an end. He therefore retired to his fellowfliip in a ftate of difappointment and defpair, which his biographer has endeavoured to exprefs in the deepeft flrain of plaintive declamation. He was deprived of all his fupport, fays Graunt, ft ripped of his pe}iJion, and cut off from the affiftance oj his Jr lends, •who had 71010 loft their influence ; fo that he had nec prjemia nec pr^- DiA, 7ieither penfion 7tor eftate to fupport him at Cambridge. There is no credit due to a rhetorician's account either of good or evil. The truth is, that Afcham ftill had in his fellowfliip all that in the early part of his life had given him plenty, and might have lived like the other inhabitants of the college, with the advantage of more knowledge and higher repu- tation. But notwithflanding his love of academical retirement, he had now too long enjoyed the pleafures and feftivities of publick life, to return with a good will to academical poverty.

He had however better fortune than he expelled, and, if he lamented his condition like his hillorian, better than he deferved. He had during his abfence in Germany been appointed Latin fecretary to King Edrjard ; and by the intereft of Gardiner bifliop of Winchefter, he was inflated in the fame office under Fhilip and Mary, with a falary of twenty pounds a-year.

Soon after his admiffion to his new employment, he gave an extraor- dinary fpecimen of his abilities and diligence, by compofmg and tran-

c 2 fcribing

3,ii T H E L I F E O F

fcribing with his ufual elegance, in three days, foity-feven letters to princes and pcrlonages, of whom cardinals were tlie loweft.

How ylftbam, v/ho was known to be a proteftant, could jjreferve the favour of Gardiner, and hold a place of honour and profit in Queen Mary's court, it muft be veiy natural to inquire. Cheke, as is well known, was compelled to a recantation ; and why ^fcham was fpared, cannot now be dilcovered. Graunt, at a time when tlie tranfadlions of Queen Marys reign mull have been well enough remembered, declares, that Afcham always made open profeflion of the reformed religion, and that ETiglt'sJiclil and others often endeavoured to incite Gardiner againfl him, but found their accufations rejefled with contempt : yet he al- lows, that fufpicions and charges of temporization and compliance had fcmewhat fullied his reputation. The authour of the Biograpbia Bri- tannica conjectures, that he owed his fafety to his innocence and ufeful- nefs ; that it would have been unpopular to attack a man fo little liable to cenfure, and that the lofs of his pen could not have been eafdy fup- plied. But the truth is, that morality was never fufFered in the days of perfecution to prote6l herefy; nor are we fure that Afcham was more clear from common failings than thofe who fuffered more ; and what- ever might be his abilities, they were not fo neceflary but Gardiner could have eafiiy filled his place with another fecretary. Nothing is more vain, than at a dillant time to examine the motives of difcrimination and par- tiality ; for the inquirer having confidered intereli and policy, is obligect at laft to omit more frequent and more adive motives of human con- duct, caprice, accident, and private alleclions.

At that time, if fome were puniflied, many were forborn j and of many why Ihcnild not Afcham happen to be one ? He feems to have been calm and prudent, and content with that peace which he was fuf- fered to enjoy ; a mode of behaviour that feldom fails to produce fecu- rity. He had been abroad in the lafl: years of King Edivard, and had at kafl given no recent offence. He was certainly, according to his own (>l)inion, not much in danger ; for in the next year he refighed his fel- lovvlhip, which by Gardimr's favour he had continued to hold, though not rcfident ; and marrietl Margaret Hoice, a young gentlewoman of a good family.

He

ROGER ASCHAM. xiii

He was diftinguiflied in this reign by the notice c^Gardinal l^oole, a man of great candour, learning, and gentlenefs of manners, and par- ticularly eminent for his fkill in Latin, who thought highly of ^f- cham's flyle ; of which it is no inconfiderable proof, that when Pocle was defirous of communicating a fpeech made by himfelf as legate, in parliament, to the Pope, he employed Afcham io W^niidAQ it..

He is faid to have been not only prote6ted by the officers of flate, but favoured and countenanced by the Queen herfelf ; fo that he had no rea- fon of complaint in that reign of turbulence and perfecution : nor was his fortune much mended, when in 1558 his pupil Elizabeth mounted- the throne. He was continued in his former employment, with the fame ftipend : but though he was daily admitted to the prefence of the Queen, alhfted her private ftudies, and partook of her diverfions ; ibme- times read to hei' in the learned languages, and fometimes played with her at draughts and chefs ; he added nothing to kis twenty pounds a- year ^irtflfcprebend of We/livang in the church of ITork, which was give^l^to Tfie yea|i|Jbllowing. His fortune was therefore not propor- y tiorj^te^R) the ranJPAVliich his offices and reputation gave him, or to the ^* favour in which he feemcd to (land with his miftrefs. Of this parfimo- > 1 ' nious allotment it is again a hopclefs fearch to inquire the reafon. The ■ Queen was not naturally bountiful, and perhaps did not think it necef- fary to diilinguifh by any prodigality of kindnefs a man who had for- merly delated her, -and whom flie might ftill fufpecl of ferving rather for interelt than afte6lion. Graunt exerts his rhetorical powers in praile of AJchams difmtereflednefs and contempt of money ; and declares, that though he was often reproached by his friends v\ith ncglccft of his own intereft, he never would alk any thing, and inflexibly rcfufed all prc- fents which his office or imagined intciefl; induced any to offer him. ^^^■■^.

Camden, however, imputes the narrownefs of his condition to his love C;^

of dice and cock-fights : and Graunt forgetting himfc-lf, allows that Afcham was fometimes thrown into agonies by difappointed expectations. It may be eafily difcovered from his Schoohnafter, that he felt his wants, though he might neglcft to fupply them -, and we are left to fufpccV, that he fliewed his contempt of money only by lofmg it at play. If this was his practice, we may cxcufe Elizabeth, who knew the domeftick cha- rafter of her fcrvants, if flic did not give much to him who was laviii\ of a little.

Howcvr

/

xiv T H E L I F E O F

However he miglit fail in his oeconomy, it were indecent to treat with wanton levity the memory of a man who fliared his frailties with all, but whofe learning or virtues few can attain, and by whofe excellencies many may be improved, while himfelf only fuftered by his faults.

In the reign of Elizabeth nothing remarkable is known to have befallen him, except that, in 1563, he was invited by Sir Edward Sackville to write the Scboohmiftcr, a treatife on education, upon an occafion which he relates in the beginning of the book. This work, though begun with alacrity, in hopes of a confiderable reward, was interrupted by the death of the patron, and afterwards forrowfuliy and flowly finirtied, in the gloom of dilappointment, iir.der the prellurc of didrefs. But of the authour's difmclinaiion or dejection there can be found no tokens in tiie work, which is conceived with great vigour, and finiflied with great accuracy j and perhaps contains the belt advice that was ever given for the Audy of languages.

This treatife he compleated, but did not pubUfli ; for that poverty which in our days drives authours fo hallily in fuch numbers to the prefs, in the time of Afcham, I believe, debarred them from it. The printers gave little for a copy, and, if we may believe the tale of Raleigh's hiftory, were not forward to print what was offered them for notliing. ylfchanis book therefore lay unfeen in his fludy, and was at lalt dedicated to Lord Cecil by his widow.

Afcham never had a robuft or vigorous body, and his excufe for fo many hours of diverfion was his inability to endure a long continuance of fedentary thought. In the latter part of his life he found it neceffary to forbear any intcnfe application of the mind from dinner to bed-time, and rofe to read and write early in the morning. He was for fome years heclically feverifli ; and though he found fome alleviation of his diftempei, never obtained a perfet'-f recovery of his health. The im- mediate caufe of his lall: ficknefs was too clofe application to the com- pofuion of a poem, which he purpofed to prefent to the Queen on the day of her accefTion. To finifli this he forbore to flecp at his accuilomed hours, till in December 1568 he fell fick of a kind of lingering difeafe, which Graunt has not named, nor accurately dcfcribed. The mofl af- flictive

R O G E R A S C H A M. xv

m

fli6live fymptom was want of lleep, which he endeavoured to obtain by .the motion of a cradle. Growing every day weaker, he found it vain to cont'-nd v/ith his diftcmper, and prepared to die with the refignation and piety of a true Chriitian. He was attended on his deathbed by Graved vicar of St. Sepulchre, and Dr. Noivel, the learned dean of St. PauFs, who gave ample teflimony to the decency and devotion of his conck)ding Ufc. He frequently teftified his defire of that diliblution which he foon obtained. His funeral-fermon was preached by Dr. Nowel.

Roger AJcham died in the fifty-tiiird year of his age, at a time when, according to the general courfe of life, much might yet have been ex- peaed from him, and when he might have hoped for much from others : but his abihties and his wants were at an end together ; and who can determine, whether he was cut off from advantages, or refcucd from calamities ? He appears to have been not much qualified lor the im- provement of his fortune. His difpofition was kind and focial ; he de- lighted in the pleafureS'of converfation, and was probably not much in- clined to bufinefs. This may be fufpe6led from the paucity of his wri- tings. He has left little behind him, and of that little nothing was publiflied by himfelf but the ToxophUiis, and the account of Germany. The Schoolmajler was printed by his widow, and tiie Epiftles were col- leQed by Graiait, who dedicated them to Queen Elizabeth, that he might have an opportunity of recommending his fon Giles Ajcham to ' her patronage. The dedication was not loll : the young man was made by the Qiieen's mandate fellow of a college in Cambridge, where he obtained confiderable reputation. What was the effcit of his wi- dow's dedication to Cecil, is not known : it may be hoped that Ajchatns works obtained for his family, after his deceafe, that fupport which he did not in his life very plenteoudy procure them.

Whether he was poor by his own fault or the fault of others, cannot now be decided ; but it is certain that many have been rich with lefs merit. His philological learning would have gained him honour in any country, and among us it may juftly call for that reverence which all nations owe to thofe who firft roufc them from ignorance, and kindle among them the light of literature. Of his manners nothing can be

laid

xvi T H E L I F E O F, 6cc.

faid but from his own telVmiony and that of his contemporaries. Thofe who mention him allow him many virtues. His courtcfy, benevolence, and liberality, arc celebrated ; and of his piety we have not only the telVimony of his friends, but the evidence of his writings.

That his Englijh works have been fo long neglecled, is a proof of the uncertainty of literary fame. He was fcarcely known as an authour in liis own language till Mr. Upton publilhed his Schoolmajkr with learned notes, which are inferted in this edition. His other pieces were read only by thofe few who delight in obfolete books j but as they are now colledfed into one volume, with the addition of fome letters never print- ed before, the publick has an opportunity of recompenfing the in- jury, and zWoiixn^, AJcham the reputation due to his knowledge and his eloquence.

A REPORT

f

REPORT and DISCOURSE

Written by R O G E R A S C H A M, of the Affaires and State of Germany and the Emperour Charles his Court, during certaine Yeares while the fayd ROGER was there.

ATLONDON

Printed by J O H N D A-Y E, dwelling ouer Aldersgate.

Cum Gratia & Priuilegio Regias Maieftatis, per Decennium*

B

JOHN ASTELY to R. ASCHAM.

I Now finde true by experience, which I have oft heard of others, and fometymes read my felfe : that men make no fuch accompt of commodities when they haue them, as when they want them. I meane this by our friendly fellowfhyp together at Chejlon Chelfey, and here at Hatfield her graces houfe : our pleafant ftudies in readying together Ari- flotles Rhetorike, Cicero, and Liuie, our free talke mingled alwayes with honeft mirth, our trimme conferences of that prefent world, and too true iudgementes of the troublefome tyme that followed^

Thefe commodities I now remember with fome grief, which we then vfed with much pleafure, befides many other fruites of frendfhyp that faythful good will could afFourd. And thefe thinckynges caufe me oft to wilh, either you to be here with vs, or me to be there with you^: but what wifliyng is nothyng els but a vayne waylyng for that which will wanteth. I wil ceafe from wifhyng, and feeke the true remedy for this fore : And that is whilefl we meet agayne in deede, in the meane while to eafe our defires with oft writyng the one to the other. I would in deede I had been partaker in your company, of that your pleafaunt abfence out of your countrey : and becaufe I was not, I pray you let me be partaker by your Letters of fbme fruite of tliat your iourney.

We heare of great fturres in thofe parties : and how the Emperour, a Prince of great wifedomeand great power, hath bene driuen to extreme lliiftes, and that by the pollicie of mean men who were thought to be hys frendes, and not by the puifantnes of others who were knowne to be his open enemyes. 1 know you were wont in markyng diligently and notyng truely all fuch great affaires: And you know lykewife how de- firous I am alwayes to read any thing that you write. Write therefore I pray you, that we your frendes beying at home may enioye by your

B 2 letters.

THE WORKS OF

letters a pkafant memory of you in that tyme whilefl: you be abfent abroad. Farewell in Cbrijl, from Hatjidd xiv. Oclohrh 1552.

R. A S C H A M to J O H N A S T E L Y.

SA LU T E M Pkirimam in Chrifto Jefu, That part of your Let- ter from Hatfield, decimo nono Odob. renewing a mofl pleafaunt memory of our frcndly fellowfliip together, and full of your wonted good will towardes me : I aunfvvered immediatly from Spira by Frautices theToft : whiche letter if it be not yet come to your hand, ye might have heard tell of it in M. Secretary Ciccis chamber in the Court.

As concernyng the other part of your letter, for your wifli, to haue bene with me, in this mine abfence from my Countrey : and for your requefl:, to be made partaker by my letters of the fturre of thefe times licrc in Germany. Surely I would you had your wifli: for then fliould not I now nede to bungle up yours fo great a requefl, when prefently you fliould haue fcne with much pleafure, which now peraduenture you fliall read * with feme doubt, lefle thynges may encreafe by writyng which were fo great in doyng, as I am more afrayd to leaue behind me much of the matter, than to gather vp more than hath fprong of the trouth.

Your requefl: conteineth it"^ wordes but comprehendeth both great and diuers matters. As firlt the caufes of the open inuafion by the Turke : of the fecret workying for fuch foddeyne brecheffe in Italy, and Germany : of the fine fetches in the French praclifes : of the double deal- yng of Rome with all partes : then more particular why Duke OSlauio^ the Prince of Salerne, Marches Albert, and Duke Maurice brake fo out with the Emperour, which were all fo fafl knit vnto hym as the bondes of aflinitie, loyaltie, bloud, and benefites could aflinc him of them : Ociauio being his Sonne in law, the Prince one of hys priuy chamber, Marches Albert hys kynfman, and Duke Mc^i/r;V(? foinhamilcd with honor and enriched with benetites by hym, as tiie Duke could not haue wiflied greater in hope, then the Emperour performed in deede. Here is flufle

* jyiih fjtne doubt, lejft, &c.] That is, with fome doubt left I fliould have magnified in my narrative things that were fo great in real adion.

plenty

R O G E R A S C H A M. 5

j)ienty to furnifli well up a trimme hiftory if a workeman hath it in handlyng. When you and I read Liuie together if you do remember, after fome reafonyng we conchided both v^■hat was in our opinion to be looked for at his hand that would well and aduifedly write an hiltory ; P'irft point was, to write nothyng falfe : next, to be bold to fay any truth, whereby is auoyded two great faultes, flattery and hatred : for which two pointes Ccefar is read to hys great Prayfe, and Jonins the Iia-c, Cxfar. lian to hys juft reproch. Then to marke diligently the caufcs, counfels, P- lojius. a6les, and iflues in all great attemptes : And in caufes, which is iuft or vniufl : in counfeles, what is propofed wifely or raflily : in a6les, what is done couragioufly or fayntly : And of euery ifllie, to note fome gene- rail leffon of wifcdnme and warines, for lyke matters in time to come: wherin Polybius in Greeke and Phillip Cominei in French haue done the Polyl^ius- duties of wyfe and worthy writers. Diligence alfo mult be vfed in kep-u^j' yng truly the order of tyme : and defcribyng lyuely, both the fite of places and nature of perfons, not only for the outward fliape of the Body, but alfo for the inward difpofition of the Mynde as ThucydiciesThnzyAxi^s. doth in many places very trimly, and Homer every where and that al- Homer, wayes mofl: excellently, which obfervation is chiefly to be marked in hym } and our Chaucer doth the fame, very praife woithely : marke chaucer. hym well and conferre hym with any other that writeth of in our tyme in their proudcfl toung whofoeuer lyfl:. Yet fometime higher and lower as matters do ryfe and fall : for if proper and natural wordes, in well ioyned fcntences do lyuely exprefle the matter, be it troublefome, quyet, angrey or pleafant, a man flial thincke not to be readyng but prefent in goyng of the fame. And herein Litcie of all other in any tounq;, by, .""^ myne opmion carieth away the prayfe.

Syr Thomas More in that pamphlet of i^/VZ^^^r^ the thyrd, doth in moflTho.Morus. part I beleue of all thefe pointes fo content all men, as if the refl: of our ftory of England were fo done, we might well compare with France^ *

Italy^ or Germany or in that bchalfc. But fee how the pleafant reniem- braunce of our old talk together hath caried me farthei- than I thought to go. And as for your requefl: to know the caufe and maner of thefe late flurres here ye fliall not looke for fuch jirccife order now in writyng, as we talked on then. No it is not all one thing to know perfe(5>ly by reading and to performe perfectly in doyng. I am not fo vnaduilcd to take fo much upon me, nor you lb unfrendly to looke for fo nnich fiom

me.

THE WORKS OF me. But that you may know that I haue not bene altogetlier idle in this my abfcnce, and that I will not come home as one that can fay notiiing of that he liath fene and heard abroad : I will homely and rudely (yet not altogether diforderly) part priuately vnto you fuch notes of affaires as I priuately marked for my felfe : which I either felt and favv, or learned in fuch place and of fuch perfons as had willes to feeke for, and wavs to conic by, and wittes to way the greateft matters that were to be marked in all thefe affaires. For no wieke almofl hath paft in the which there hath not commonly come to my hand for the moft part of the notable thynges that haue bene attempted in Turky, Hungary, Italy, Fraiince, and Germany. In declaryng to you thefe thyngs I will obferue onely the firfl: two pointes of our ♦vont communication : that is to my writyng I will fet forward nothyng that is falfe, nor yet keepe backe any thyng that is true. For I playing no part of no one fide, but fit- tyng downe as indifferent looker on, neither Imferiall nor French, but flat Englijlj, do purpofe with troth to report the matter, and feyng I (hall lyue vnder fuch a Prince, as Kyng Edward is, and in fuch a Countrey as England is (I thanke God J I fhall haue neither neede to flatter the one fide for profite, nor caufe to fear the other fide for difpleafure. There- fore let my purpofe of reportyng the trouth as much content you, as the meane handlyng of the matter may millike you. Yet fpeakyng thus much of trouth, I meane not fuch a hid trouth as was onely in the brefl of Monfieur d' Arras on the Emperours fide, or in Baron Hadeck on Duke Maurice fide, with whom and with on other of his counfell he onely conferred all his purpofes three yeares before he brake out with the Emperour : But I meane fuch a troth as by conferrence and com- mon confent amongeft all the AmbafTadores and Agentes in this Court and other witty and indifferent heades befide was generally conferred and agreed upon. What better commoditie to know the trouth any writer in Greeke, Latine, or other toung hath had, I can not perceiue, except onely Xenophon, Cafar, and Phillip Comines : which two firft: wor- thy writers wrote their owne a6les fo wifely, and fo without all fufpi- cion of parcialitie, as no man hitherto by mine opinion hath borne himfclf fo vprightly in writyng the hiftories of others : The thyrd ha- uing in a manner the like oportunitie hath not deferued lyke commen- dations, at leaft as I fuppofe. England hath matter and England hatlt men furnilhed with all abilities to write: who if they would might biyng both lyke prayfe vnto them felues, and like profite to others, as

th£f£

ROGERASCHAM. y

thefe two noble men haue done. They lay for their excufe the lacke of leyfure which is true in deede : But if we confider the great affaires of Ccefar we may iudge hee was worthy to winne all praife that was fo wil- ling and wittie to winne fuch time when his head and his handes night * and day were euer moil full, would to God that thefe our men as they are ready to prayfe hym were euen as willyng to follow hym, and fo to Wynne like prayfe themfelues.

And to keepe you no longer with my prluate talke from the matter itfelf, 1 will begyn at the fpryng of the matter from whence all thefe mifchiefes dyd flow, the which now hath fo ouerflowed the moll part of Chriftendome, as God onely from Heauen mufl make an end of this miferable tragedie, wherein thefe two great Princes take fuch pleafure flill to play. In Religion and Libertie were fayd to be of many menThecaufeof the very caufes of all thefe (lurries: yet in myne opinion, and as the '^^,^""^^'" matter itfelf (hall well proue it, vnkyndnefs was the very fedc, whereof Germany, all thefe troubles did grow. A Knight of Engkiid of worthy memorie v„j^yndnes, for wit, learnyng and experience, old Syr Thomas Wiat wrote to his fonne that the greatell mifchief amonged men, and leafl puniflied is vnkynd- nes : the greatell mifchief truly and lead puniflied alfo by any ordinary law and fentence, yet as I haue fene here by experience, vnkyndnes hath fo wrought with men, as the meane were not aftrayd to attempt their reuenge, nor the Emperour able to withfland their difpleafe. Yea vnkyndnes was onely the hoke, which Henry the French kyng hath vfed thefe late yeares to plucke from the Emperour and djaw to hymfelfe, fo many Princes and great commodities as he hath : with this hoke bayted with money the bayte of all mifchief, the French kyng hath not ceafed, to angle at as many harts in Italy and Germany as he knew any matter of vnkyndnes to be miniflred vnto, by the Emperour.

There be few Princes in all the Empire but if I had leyfure, I could •

particulaily proue, and when I come home in our priuate talk I wil fully declare that fome good big matter of vnkindnes hath bene offred vnto them by the Emperour. Yea Ferdinando his brothei', Maximilian his nephew and fonne in law, the Duke of Bauaric and Cleues which haue married his nieces haue bene ihrc wdly touchetl therewith. Alio the Papifticall Byfliops as Ment-z, Paniburge, Hcrbipolis, Saltzburgc, and diucis others haue felt their part herein. Few Princes or States, Protcflantes

or

■»

$ T H E W O R K S b P

or Paplrtes, but haue bene troubled therewith. But euen as a quateme in the begynnyng is a wanderyng difcafe in the Body vnknowne what it will tLirnc vnto, and yet at laft it draweth to certaine daycs and houres :| ^uen fo thefe grieues in the whole body of the Empire dyd firft worke lecrctly and not appeare openly, vntill this melancholy vnkyndnes did fo fvvell in mens ftomaches that at len^h'in Injburg/j it braft out into a flirevvd ficknes, whereof the firft fit was felf to be fo daungerous, that if the Eniperour and we had not more fpedely chaunged the ayre,. I am atfrayed and lure I am we were wel affrayd then, the fickries would haue proued alfo to vs that were prcfent with hym veiy contagious.

Well this grief growyng thus to certaine fittes, and I my felfe beyng' not greatly grieued at the liart with it but had Icyfure enough with fmall jeoperdy (I thanke God) to looke quietly vpon them that were ficke, be- caufe I would not be idle amongfl them, I began dayly to note the wor- kyng of this ficknes, and namely from the 19th of Alay 1552, when we ranne from Injburgh til the firft of next January when the fiege of Metz was abandoned. Neucrthclcs before I come to thefe ordinary dayes I will fliortly touch how the Emperour beyng in peace with alt the World 1550, when we came to his Court, had foone after fo many enemyes as he knew not which way to turnehym.

^he T U R K E.

Thebrcch 'HpH E date of Peace betwixt the Emperour and the Turke had to ex- Turk J P"^ ^"* ^SS^' T'"'^ Emperour hearyng what preparation the

I'urkc had made the yearc before for Warre and fpecially by Sea, which muft needes be agaynft Chriftendomc, thought it better for hym to ende tlie Peace with fomc aduantage, then that the T'nrkc fliould begyn the Warre with too much ftrength, and therefore in Sommer 1550, he lent John de Vega Viceroy of Cicile and Andrea Dorea into Barbaria^ who wan the ftrong towne of Affrlca from Dragut Raies fometyme a Pirate and now the Ttirkes chief doer in all the affaires of Aj'ricke and Mare Mcditcrraneo. This Court railed vp other rumors of this brech with the Turke how that this enterpricc was made for Seripho fake, a hethen kyng, but the Emperours friend in Barbaria to whome Dra- gat Raves had done great wrong. Yet men that knew tlie troth, and'

1 are

^J» i

ROGER ASCHAM.

are wont alfo to fay it, haue told me that tovvne of Affrica ftode fo fit to annoy Spaytie for the I'urke when he Hft, that the Emperour was compelled to feeke by all meanes to obtaine it, much fearyng, left when he was abfent in Germany, the Turke would be too nigh and too homely a geft with hym in Spayne whenfoever the Peace fliould be ex- pired.

The whole ftory of winnyng Affrica ye may read when you lift beyng wel written in Latin by a Spaniard that was prefent at it.

Affrica was earneftly required agayne by the Ttirke, and fayre pro- mis'd agayne by the Emperour, but beying indeede not deliuered, the Turke for a reuenge the next yeare, firft aflaulted Malta and after wan ^ripoly from whence the T^urke may eafely and foddenly whenfoeuer hee lift fet vpon Cicelie, Naples, or any coft of Italie or Spayne, and moft commodioufly whatfoeuer the Rmperour doth hold in Barbary : fo tliat the gayne of Affrica is thought nothyng comparable with the lolfe of Tiripoly.

When T'ripoly was befieged by the Turkes, Monjieur Daramont was fent AmbafTadour to Conjlantinople from the French kyng : and ariuyng by the way at Malta, he was defired by the great mafter of the order to go to T'ripoly, and for the Friendftiyp that was betwene Fraunce and the Turke to treat for the Chriftians there. Daramont did fo and had leaue of the Turkes generall to enter the Towne and talke with the Cap- taine. And by this meanes they within yielded, on this condition to part fafe with bag and baggage which was granted by the Generall. But as foone as tht'Turkes entered the Towne they put old and young, man, woman, child to the fword, fauing two hundred of the ftrongeft men to be their Galley flaues for euer. The generall beyng alked why he kept no promife made this anfwere. If the Emperour had kept faith with my mafter for Affrica I would not have broken with them of T'ripoly, and therefore (fayth he) with chriften men which care for no trothe promifes may iuftly be broken. Tiiis Turkijlj crueltie was re- uenged this laft yeare in Hungary, when lyke promife of lyfe was made, and yet all put to the fword, the Chriftians biddyng the Turkes remem- ber ^ripoly. To fuch beaftly crueltie the noble feates of armes be come unto betwixt the Chriften men and the T'urkes. And one fa6l of either

C fide

,o T H E W O R K S O F

fide is notable to bee knovven, yet horrible to be told and fouler to be followed : and it is pitie that mans nature is fuch as will commonlie commend good thynges in readyng and yet will as commonlie follow ill thynges in doyng.

An horrible The Bajfa of Buda tooke in a fkirmifli a gentleman of the kyng of Romanes : for whofe dcliuery men for entreaty and money for his ranfome were fent to Buda. The BaJfa appointed a day to giue them aunfwere, and at time and place affigned, called for them and fent for the gentleman likewife. And foddenly came out two hangmen bare armed with great butchers kniues in theyr harides bringing with them certain bandogges mulled kept hungry without meat of purpofe : the Bafa bat! them do their feate : who commyng to the gentleman ilrip- ped him naked, and bound him to a piller, after with their kniues they cut of his Hefli by gobbets and flang it to the dogges. Thus that poore gentleman fulFrcd grief gieat for the payne, but greater for the fpight : nor fo tormented in feelyng his flefhe mangled with kniues, as in feyng himfelf peece meale deuoured by dogges. And thus as long as he felt any payne they cut him in coUops, and after they let their dogges lofo upon him to eat up the refidue of him, that the grief which was ended in him being dead might yet continue in his frendes look- yng on. They were bad depart and tell what they faw, who ye may be fure were in care enough to cary home with them fuch a cruell meflage.

Not long after this, three Turkes of good eftimation and place, were taken by the chrirtenmen: for whofe raunfome great fummes of gold were offred. Anfwere was made to the meflenger that all the gold in Turky fliould not faue them. And becaufe ye Turkes will eat no fwines flelh, you fliall fee if fwine will eat any Turki/J: flefli. And fo like- wife great bores were kept hungry, and in fight of the meflenger, the three Turkes were cut in collops and throwne amongeft them.

For thefe foulc deedcs I am not fo angry with the Turkes that began

them as 1 am fory for the Chriften men that follow them. I talked with

a worthy gentleman this day both for his great experience and excellent

The great 'carnyng, Marc Antbonio d' Anula Amballadour of Venice with the Em-

Turkc. perour: who told me that the great T^r^r him felf (Religion excepted)

is

ROGERASCHAM. ii

is a good and mercyfull, iufl: and liberall Prince, wife in makyng and true in performyng any couenant, and as fore a reuenger of troth not kept. He prayed God to keep him long aUue : for his eldeft fonne Muftapha is cleane contrary, geuen to all mifchief cruell, falfe, gettyng Muftapha he careth not how vniufHy, and fpendyng he careth not how vnthriftcly the Turkes what foeuer he may lay hand on, wilye in makyng for his purpofe, ^ fonne. and ready to breake for his profite all couenantes, he is wery of quiet- nes and peace, a feeker of rtrife and warre, a great mocker of meane men, a fore oppreflbr of poore men, openly contemnyng God, and a bent enemy agaynft Chrifles name and Chriften men.

But to go forward with my purpofe. The Tin-ke beyng onefl: dif- clofed an open enemy to the Emperour, many meane men began to be the bolder to put out their heades to feeke fome open remedy for theyr pri- uate iniuries : Fraunce beyng at euery mans elbow to harten and to help, whofoeuer had caufe to beaggrieued with the Emperour. And firfb Oc- tauio Duke of Paj'ma, much agreucd as nature well required witli his Brech of Ita- fathers death, and, befides that, fearing the lolie not onely of his ftate, 'y- but alfo of his lyfe, fell from the Emperour in the end of the yeare

Pietro Aloyfio Fnrnefio fonne to Papa Ptiido fercio Duke of Placentia: father to this Duke Othmio Duke oi Parma which maried the Emperours Odauio. bafe daughter, and to Horatio Duke of Cajlro who of late had maried alfo the French kynges bafe daughter, and the two Cardinals Alexandra and Ramu/io Farneje, was flaine men fay by the meanes olFerranto Gcn- xaga gouernour of Millan, by whofe death the flatc of Placentia belong- ing then to the hou'e of Famefia came into the Emperours handes. The whole procefle of this mans death is at length fet out in the ftorics of Italie : my purpofe is onely to touch it, becaufe hereby rofe fuch a heate betwixt the whole famely of Famefia and Don Ferranto Gonzaga as hath flirred vp fuch a fmoke in Italy betwixt the Emperour and Fraunce as is not like to be quenched but with many a poore mans bloud, as Horace notcth wittely out of Homer, faying :

" What follies fo euer great Princes make : " The people therefore go to wrakc."

C 2 Odlanio

,2 THEWORKSOF

OBauto beyng forefl: greeued with his fatliers death and beyng befV able to leuenge it was fo feared of Gonzaga that he thouglit hym felfe neuer allured for Pctro Luis death as long as O^aiiio his fonne fliould Jyue : for men neuer lone when they haue iuft caufe to feare, but mult nedes iVill milbuft without all hope of reconcilyng whom they haue before hurt beyond all remedy of amendes. And yet I heard a gentle- man of Millan fay (who was fent hether to the Emperour by Gonzaga) that OElaulo is fuch a Prince for good nature and gentle behauiour that he fuppofed there was not one in Italy but did loue hym except it were his maifter Gonzaga. Thefe two Princes beyng neighbours the one at Millan the other at Parma fliewed fmal frendfliyp the one to the other. But OSiauio was euermore wrong to the worfe by many and fundry fpites, but chiefly with dayly feare of hys life by poyfoning : for the which fact certain perfons in Parma were taken and layd faft. Neuer- theles OSlouioi nature is fo farre from feekyng bloud and reuenge and fo geuen to pitie and gentlenes, that although they went about not onely to giue away his ftate by trcafon, but alfo to take away his life by poyfonyng, yea, and after that the deede was proued playnly on them, and fentence of death pronounced openly agaynft them, yet he gaue them lyfe and liberty which would haue taken both from hym.

And when Monfieur I'hermes earneftly told him that where the euill were not kept in with feare of Juftice, the good Ihould neuer lyue in furctic and quictnes : his aunfwere was that he fo abhorred the fhed- dyng of Bloud in others as he would neuer wafli his handes in any: let his Enemies do to him the worft they could. Addyng, that he thought it his mofl: honor to be vnlykefl fuch for his gentlenes, which were mifliked of all men for their crueltie : wherby he hath wonne that he which of good nature can hurt none, is now of right loued of all and onely hated of him whom no man in Italy for his cruelty doth loue. And this talk is fo true that it was told in an other language but in the felf fame termes at an honorable table here in Bruxels by a Gen- tleman of Millan an agent in the court, a doer for Gonzaga, who the fame tyme was prifoner in Parma.

And although OBauio by good nature was harmeles in not feekyng reuenge, yet he was not careles by good reafon in icekyng hys remedy but made oft and great complaintes of his grieues to tlie Emperour,

which

ROGERASCHAM. 13

which were not fo hotely made, but they were as coldly heard ; that at length OSiauto findyng leaft comfort, where of right he looked for moft ayde, and feyng that difpleafures could net be ended in Gonizaga nor could not be amended by the Emperour : then he, compelled agaynft his nature, turned his hate due to Gonzagato reuenge this vndeferued vn- kyndnes in the Emperour, euen as Paufanias dyd with Phillip kyng of Macedonie, who conqueryng with pollicie and power all outward ene- myes, was flayne when and where he thought him felf mofl fare of his dearefl frend, for vnkyndnes, becaufe Phillip ought and would not reuenge Paufiwias on him that had done him a foule difpleafure.

OSlauio feyng what was done to his father euen when hys graundfa- ther was Byfhop of Rome, thought, that now as his houfe decayed, fo his ieopardy encreafed. And therefore agaynft a defperate euill began to feeke for a defperate remedie, which was fet from Rome, a fhop alwayes open to any mifchief as you fhall perceiue in thefe few leaues if you markethem well.

O£iauio complained to Julio (era'o of the wronges of Gonzaga and of the vnkindnes of the Emperour, defiryng that by his wifedome and authoritie, he would now fuccor him or els not onely he fhould leefe his life but alfo the Church of Rome fhould lofe her right in Parma, as fhe had done before in Placentia. The Byfhop gaue good eare to this talke, for he fpied that hereby fliould be offered vnto him, a fit occa- fion to fet the Emperour and Fraunce together by the eares. He thought the Emperour was to bigge in Italy, hauyng on the one fide of Rome, Naples vnder his obedience, on the other fide Siene, Florence and Ge?ioa at his connnaundement, befides Placentia, Millan, MonteferratOy and a. great part of Piemoimt.

The Emj)erour beyng thus ftrong in Italy, the Byfhop thought his- own flate to be his I'o long as it plcas'd the Emperour to let him haue, it : and therefore if Parma were not left an entry for Fraunce to come into Italy, he might ouerfoone be fhut vp in prefent miferie when all, outward ayde fhould be fhut out from him.

The Popes counfel was that OBauio fliould put him felfe vnder the French kynges protedion whom liee knew would moft willingly receiue

him :

14. THEWORKSOF

him : Parma lying fo fit for the French kyng, when foeuer he would fet vpon the entcrpi ice of Millan. This practice of the Pope Monfieur de Ibcrmes the French kvnges Ambairadours dyd vtter before the con- filtorie of Cardinals at Rotne : prouing that the Pope, not the kyng his mafter, was the occafion of that Warre.

When Oclauio with the whole houfe of Famefia became thus French, the Eniperour more fearyng the ftate of Millan then lamentyng the loire of Ooiauio perfuaded on his fide the Bylhop of Rome to require Parma as the Churches right, and to punilh Odlauio as the Churches rebell, promifing that he hinifelf as an obedient fonne of the Church would rtretch out his arme and open his purfe in that recouery of the Churches right : neuertheles the Byfliop muft beare the name of the warre becaul'e he might not breake peace with Fraunce. Thus Princes openly countenancing quietnes and priuily brewyng debate altho they got others to broch it, yet God commonly fuffreth themfelues to drinke moll of the mikry thereof in the end. The Byfliop fcyng that he muft either begyu the mifchief or elfe it would not on fo faft as he wifhed to haue it, fet kiftely vpon it : and firft cited OSiauio, after excommu- nicated him, and fhortly after befieged Parma aydcd both with men Breach with and money by the Emperour : which thyng the French kyng began to irauncc. {^omach, thincking that the Emperour dyd offer him both wrong and difhonor in not fuffring him beyng a kyng to help a poore man that fled to his ayde. And thus thefe two princes firft helpyng others be- gan by litle and litle to fall out themfelues. And that the Pope dyd fet thefe two Princes together, a Pafquill made at Rome and fent to this Court doth well declare. And feyng that you fo well vnderftand the Italian toung and that if it were turned into Rnglijl:> it would leefe the whole grace thereof, I will recite it in the toung that it was made in.

Interlocutor! Pas q^u illo et Romano.

Pafq, Hanno bel gioco il Re e 1' Imperatore, Per terzo il Papa, e giocano a Primiera. Rom. Che v'e d'invito? Pafq. Italia tutta intera. Rom. Ciii ve I'ha mefta ? Pafq. II coglion del paftore.

Rom,

ROGER ASCHAM. Rom. Che tien in mano il Re? P^/jr. Punto maggiore :

II Papa ha cinquant' vno e fi difpera. Rom. Cefar che Punto s'ha ? P(jjq- Si (la a Primera ';

Rom. Che gli manca ? Pofq. Danari a far favore

II Papa dice a voi, e vuol partito:

Cefar penfofo fla fopra di quefto,

Teme a fcoprir che di trovar non tenta.

II Re dice, no, no, Scoprite prefto,

Che io tengo Punto, a guadagnar I'invitOi

I'ho i danari, e Cefar fe gli afpetta,

f Tutti ftanno a vedetta. Chi di lor dui guadagni. Rom. II Papa? Paf, E fuora Vinca chi vuol, lui perda, in fua malora.

^ Lo Imperatore ancora Teme, tien ftretto, e fcopre pian le carte, E qui la forte gioca piu che Tarte;

^ Metta quefli in difparte. Stabilito e nel Ciel quelle che elFer de, Ne giova al noflro dir, queilo fara, queilo e.

The French kyng in the fbmmer, 1551, proclaimed warre againft Charles kyng of Spayne, abufing that name for a fottlety to feparate the whole quarrell from the Empire : when the Empcrour would not be perfuaded at Augiijla that either the . Turke would, or the French kyng durft make him open warre, or that any prince in Italy or Germany could be entifed to break out with him.

Motijteur Mariliacke the French AmbafTadour at Augiijla enen bare the Emperour in hand that fuch rumors of war were rayfed of diipleafure,. and that his mafter intended nothyng fo mucli as the continuance of amitie, yea this he durfldo, when many in the Emperours court knew" that the warre was already proclaimed in Fraunce.

The Emperour blinded with the ouer good opinion of his own

wifedome, likyng onely what liimfclfe lilted, and contemnyng eafely

2 ail

^5

i6 T H E W O R K S O F

all nduife of others (which felfe will condition doth commonly follow, and as commonly doth hurt all great vvittes) dyd not onely at this tyme fuffcr him felfe thus to be abufcd: but alio afterward more craftely by tlie Pope for the continuaunce of warre at Parma, and more boldly by Duke Maurice for his repayre to Infpruke, and not the leall of all, now lately at Mctz by fome of his owne counfellours for the recouery of that Towne- But Princes and great perfonages whiche will heare but what and whom they lifl, at the length fayle when they would not, and commonly blame whom they fliould not: But it is well done that as great men may by authoritie contemne the good aduife of others j fo God doth provide by right iudgement that they haue leaue in the ende to bearc both the lofle and fliame therof them felues.

Thus ye fee how the Pope was both the brewer and brocher and alfo bringer of ill lucke to both thefe Princes, and as it came wel to, pafle dranke well of it him felfe both with expences of great treafures, and with the loflb of many lyues, and fpecially of two noble Gentle- men, the Prince of Macedonia and II Seign. Giovan Baptijla di Monte his owne nephew : but the Popes care was neither of money nor men, fo that he might fet the two Princes furely together. And therefore was not onely content (as a man might fay) to hafard Parma on the meyne chaunce- but to make the two Princes better fport and frefher game, fet alfo euen then Mirandula on a bye chaunce that mifchief enough might come together.

p^ When the Princes were well in, and the one fo lufty with good lucke

that hee had no luft to leaue, and the other fo chafed with leefyng, that flill he would venture. Befides their playing in fporte for the Pope Pjrma. at Parma and Mirandula, they fell to it a good them felues in Piemount, Mirandula. Loraigne, Flaundcrs aiid Picardy, the French kyng robbyng by fea and fpoyling by land, with calling in the Turke, and fturryng vp all Princes and ilates that had any occafion to beare any grudge to the Emperour. Of all their neighbours onely our noble kyng, and the wife fenate of Venize would be lookers oil.

And when the Pope faw they were fo hote at it as he well knew as the one would not flart in fo great good lucke, fo the other could not leaue by fo much fliame of loilc. And although it did him good to fee

them

ROGERASCHAM. 17

them fo luftely together j nevertheles he thought it fcarce his furety that they fliould play fo neare his elbow fo earneftly, leaft if they fell to farre out, and the one fhould winne to much of the other, then he peraduenture would compell at length the Pope him felfe which began the play to kepe him fport afterward for that that he had in Italy. And therefore very craftely he gat them to play in an other place, and tooke vp the game for Parma and Mirajidula, taking truce with FraunceThe Popes for certain yeares, and bad them make what fport they would farther P"^^*^"^^' of in Loraigne and Picardy. And that they fliould lacke neither iniurie nor fpite in the Popes doynges, when the Emperour faw that, whether hee would or no, the Pope would needes fall in with Fraunce, then he defired the Pope that fuch baftilians and fortes of fence as were made about Mirandula when it was befiged might either be deliuered to hys mens handes, or els defaced, that the Frenchmen might not haue them, which requefl was very reafonable, feyng the Emperour had been at all the charge in makyng of them : but they were neither deliuered nor defaced, nor left indifferent, but fo put into the French inens handes, that Mirandula now is made very ftrong to the French fadlion by Emperours money and the Popes falfehode.

This fact was very wrongfull of the Pope for the deede : but more fpitefull for the tyme : even when Duke Maurice had wonne Augufta, euen then the Pope gaue vp the fiege of Mirandula, and fel in with Fraunce, that care enough might come vppon the Emperour together both out of Germany, and out of Italy at once. And even this day, 25th "June 1553, when I was writyng this place, commeth nevves to Bruxells, that the Pope hath of new played with the Emperour more foule play at Siena, then he dyd before at Mirandula: for when the Emperour had bene at paffing charges in kepyng a great hoil:, for the recouery of Sic?ia, from December lafl: vnto June : the Pope would needes become ftickler in that matter betwene the Emperour, the French Kyng and Siena, promifmg fuch conditions to all, as neither of the Princes fliould lofe honour, and yet Siena Ihould have had liberties. The Emperour, good man, yet agayne trufl:yng him who fo fpightfully had decciued hym before, difmiflcd hys hofle, which done Siena was left fl:ill in the Frenchmen^ handes : who tiiercby haue fuch oportunitie to fortlfie it, as the Emperour is not like, by force, to recoucr it. Pi- ramw. Secretary to the Emperour, told this tale to Syr Phillip Hobby znd

n the

i8 THEWORKSOF

the Byfliop of IVcflminjier openly at the table : which Piramus is a Papill for his life. And beyng afkcd how he could excufe the Popes vnkynd- nes agaynft his mafter the Emperour ? hee aunfwered fmilyng, Julius tercius is a knaue, but the Pope is an honeft man, which faying is common in tiiis court. And although they will vnderftand both the fpight of the Pope and the Ihame of their mafter, yet are they con- tent ftil to fpeake well of the Pope, though he neuertheles flil do ill to the Emperour. And thus to returne to my purpofe how the Pope fet the two Princes together, and fliift his owne necke a while out of the hal- ter, leauyng molt vnfrendiy the Emperour when he was fartheft behynd hand : and how OSlaiiio for feare of Gonzaga, and vnkyndnes of the Emperour, fell with all hys famely to be French, I haue briefly pall- ed ouer for the hafle I haue to come to the matters of Germany.

f The P R I N C E of S A L E R N E.

THE Emperour beyng thus fet vpon by die Turke and Fraunce with open warre, and troubled by the houfe of Fernefia with fo foddeyne breaches, and mofl: of all encombred with the feare of the fturres in Germany which fecretly were then in workyng: the Prince of Sakrnc alfo declared hym felfe an open enemy.

This Prince in this Court is much beloued for his gentlenes, and openly prayfed for his wifedome, and greatly lamented for his fortune, who before tyme hath done fo good and faythfull feruice to the Em- perour : that I haue heard fome of this Court fay, which loue the Em- perour well, and ferue him in good place, that their mafter hath done the Prince fo much wrong, as he could do no lefl^e than he dyd : who being fo vniuftly handled by his enemies, the Viceroy of Naples, and fo vnkyndly dealt witJi all by hys mafter the Emperour, was driuen by ncceftitie to feek an vnlawfull fhift.

The Viceroy Z)c/7 P/V/ro de Toledo,- \nc\c to the Duke of Alua, and father in law to the Duke of Florence, vfcd him felfe with much cruelty ouer the people of Naples, by exadions of money without meafure, by Inquifition of mens doyngs without order, and rot onely of mens doyngs, but alfo of mens outward lookyngs, anu mward thinkyngs,

vfing

ROGER ASCHAM.

vfmg the leaft fufpicion for a fufficient witnes to fpoyle and to kill whom foeuer he lyfted. Men that had futes vnto him, had as leue bene away with the loffe of their right, as haue come to his prefence to abyde his lokes and taunts : and (as I heard a wife gentleman of Italy fay) he gaue audience in fuch tyme and place, as he may eaflyer in this Court fpeake with Monfieur d Arras then he could in Naples with the Viceroyes Porter. And commonly he would not heare them whileft an hundred futers fliould come at once, and then the porter let them in by one and by one euen as he favoured, not as the matter required, com- mandyng them to be fhort, or els they fhould come fhort in, the next tyme. And fo mens futes were pulled from common law to priuate will, and were heard not in places open to jullice but in priuate par- lors, fhit vp to all that came not in by fauour or money. And there- fore iudgements were allotted not as law appointed, but as the Viceroy lifted. This fault [Cicero fayth) vndyd dejar, who drew the common law into his own houfe, and fo in hauing other mens goods lofl: all mens hartes, and not long after his owne lyfe : for euen thofe that dyd help him pluck downe Pompey, dyd after kill him for pulling down^ the lawes. So we fee that Princes not in gatheryng much money, nor in bearing ouer great fwing, but in keping of frendes and good lawes, lyue mofl: merely, and raigne moft furely : but fuch as gape alwayes for other mens goods commonly neuer enioy the fruite of their owne : for they never ceafe to win by wrong, till at length they leefe by right goodes, lyfe and all. And therefore it is notable that Dio?2 in Plato vi^riteth to Dionyfius the Tyraunt, how Euripides in euery tragedy bring- eth for fome great vice one or other great Prince to ruine, and yet not one doth complaine thus :

Out out:, alas alas, I dye for lacke of goodes.

But every one fmgeth this fong :

Out out J alas alas, I dye for lacke of frendes.

For a Prince that will take mens goods when he liflcth without order, fliall want mens hartes when he needeth without pitie : but in hauyng their hartes he fliall neuer lacke their goodes, as the good Kyng Cyrus fayd to the rich Kyng Cn^fus. And to haue the peoples hartes,

D 2 the

19

2^ THEWORKSOF

the next way is to be gentle to euery one, iull to all, and liberal! to> many, and efpecialiy to fuch as either by excellency of wit or good will ill true (eruice, do well deferue it. Alio to let his chief ioy not on priuate pleafure, like Sardanapalus, but in com- mon wealth, as we haue example of 'Titus Vefpafianm: and to thinke his trcafurc greateft, not when his coffers be fullefV, as Crcsjm dyd, but when his fubiedes be rich, as Cyrm dyd, and that through hys wifedome and care, as all prayfe worthy Princes haue euer hitherto done. And what will the peoj)le render agayn to fuch a Prince : a fmall fubfidy, with a great grudge ? no, but their whole hartcs to loue him, their whole goodes to ayde hym : their handes ready to defend hym whenfoeucr he fliall haue nccde. A Prince that thus doth lyue, and thus is loued at home, may be enuyed with much prayle, and hated with fmal hurte of any power abroad.

And therefore haue I heard wifemen difcommend the gouerncment in Fraunce, in makyng theyr people almoft ilaues, and from thence a. common faying of fome in England^ That would haue the people neither witty nor wealthy, when wit is the mcare gift of God:

^ John ^^ ^'^^' ^° ^^'^^ "^^^ ^'^^^ "^^^ ^"^^^ \'^^^& it, is to count God Gates wiib. fcarce wife that gave it. And wealth of the people, as Scripture- fayth, is the glory of a Prince and furety of hys raigne. But fufpition in all gouerning breedeth fuch fayingcs, when wrong doth- bear fuch fwynge as ill confcience doth always wifh that men fliould lack either wit to perceaue or habilitie to amend what foeuer is done amifTe. But God fend fuch Ackitoplxls better end then their counfels doth deferue, which would feme wife by ether mens folly, ancV would be rich by other mens pouertie.

To return to the Viceroy of Naples, the common opinion of thofe in this Court which have * priuate caufeto fay well on him, do fpcctke it boldly and openly, that he was fuch a one as neuer could content, his couetoufnes with money., nor neuer fatisfie his crueltie with bloiKl : and fo by this foul mean many gentlemen in Naples haue loft fome {heyr lyues, but more theyr liuynges, and almoft all theyr libertie. Ar.d there be at this day as men fay here that know it, a good fort-

if

' Perhaps it (houlJ be read, brut no frivalt tauft,

by

ROGERASCHAM. zi

of thoufandes Neapolitanes, named Fon'enfuti, who beyng fpoyled at home by violence, robbeJ other abroad for neede, which comber fo tlie paf- fage betwixt Rome and Naples, as no man departeth commonly from. Rome without company which cometh to Naples without robbyng.

The whole body of the kyngdome of Naples was fo diftempered In- wardly with this miforder, with a little outward occafion it would eafely have burfl: forth into afoule fore. A lefTe matter then the rauifh- yng of Liic?-ece, a meaner ayde then the help of Brutus, was thought, fufficient to have llirred up this inward grudge to open reuenge. But fee how God prouided for the Emperour and the quyet of that king- dome: for God, in takyng away one Spaniard, hath made Naples now more flrong, then if the Emperour had fet 20 thoufand of the beft in. Spayn there: for euen this laft Lent 1553, T)on Pietro de Toledo dyed at, Florence, by whofe goyng away mens hartes m Naples be fo come agayne to the Emperour, as he fliall now haue lefle neede either to care for the fyne fetches oi Fraunce, or to feare the.great power of the Turke. A gentleman of tliis Court a true feruant to the Emperour, fayd merely in a company where I was, that his mafter the Emperour had v/on more in Naples by the death of the Viceroy, then he had loil in Lor-- raigne by the forgyng of Metz.

But to my purpofe. Not many yearcs agoe diuers in. Naples made, their complaint to the Prince of Salerne of their griefes, who waS' thought would be moft willyng for his good nature, and befl able for his authoritie, to feeke fome remedie for. them by way of interccllion to the Emperour.

The Prince beyng here at Bruxels, humbly bcfought hys MajelVie to pitie the miferie of hys poore fubie<5Ves: who by this fute gat of the Emperour, for hys cliantes, wordes without hope : and of the Vice- roy for him felfe hatred without ende. The Pjince yet alwayes bare, hym felfe fo wifely, that he could", not without fome fturre be thruft. downc openly: and ridyng on his iourney, he was once Ihot with. a, dagge fccretly.

Thus he feyng no cnde of difpleafure in the Viceroy, no hope of remedy in the Emperour, when he favv the Turke on the fea, the

French

22 THEWORKSOF

French Kyng in the field, Duke Maurice and the Marches vp, and a good part of Italy either rilen or ready to rife, thinkyng the tyme come of theyr moll hope for helpe by the Princes, and of leaft fear of punifhment by the Emperour, came forth to play his part alfo amongefl the reft : who when flying firft to the French Kyng, and after, by hys counfeil as it is fayd, to the Turke, is compelled to uenture vppon many hard fortunes. And what fucces he fhall haue either of helpe in Fraunce or comfort of the Turke^ or mercy of the Emperour, I can not yet write. But this laft winter he hath lyen in the He of Cio, and now I heare fay this fommer he is on the fea with 63 gallyes of the Turkes at his commandement ; what enterprice he will make, or what fuccefle he ihall haue, when we fliall heare of the matter, I truft, I fhall, either by fome priuate letter from hence, or by prefent talk at home, fully fatisfie you therein.

^ALBERT Marches of Bradenburge.

bVuboo^J" A 1-BERT Marches of Bradenburge^ in the begynnyng of his and the con- XJL fturre 1 552, wrote a booke and fet it print, wherein he declared tents thereof, ti^e cauft-s of hys fallyng from the Emperour, wittely alledgyng com- mon mifery as a iuft pretence of hys priuate enterprife, makyng other mens hurtes his remedy to heale his own fores, and common wronges hys way to reuenge priuate difpleafures : fliewyng libertie to be loft, and Religion to be defaced, in all Germany^ lamentyng the long cap- tiuitic of the two great Princes: and all the difpofl'efiyng of hys father in law Duke Otto Hcnrick: fore enueying againft the pride of the Spanyariles, and the authoritie of ftraungers, which had now in their Sore and juft handes the leale of the Impire, and in their fwynge the doyng of all coinpiayntes. fj^ypggj^ and at their commaundement all fuch mens voyces as were to be called the Impcriall Dietes : compellyng the Germanes in their owne countrey to vfe ftraunge toungs for their priuate futes, wherein they could fay nothyng at all, or nothyng to the purpofe: \^\ng Camera Im~ pcrialh at Spirei for a common key to open all mens coffers when they lifted, and thcfe were the chiefcft points in Marches booke.

The

ROGER ASCHAM.

23

The Marches alfo fore enueyed aga.ynft Luice de Auila for writyng, The booke and agaynfl the Emperour for fuffring fuch a booke as Luice de Auila °^ .f"'^* ^^ wrote : wherein the honor of Germany and the Princes therof, and by name Marches Albert^ who was in the firft warres on the Empe- rours fide, was fo defamed to all the world : yea the Marches was fo throughly chafed with this booke, that when I was in the Empe- rours Court, he otFred the combat with Liiice de Auila^ which "the Emperour, for good wil and wife refpedtes, would in no cafe ad- mit.

Not onely the Marches, but alfo the Princes at the Diet of Pajjan this laft yeare, made a common complaint of this booke. I knew al- fo the good old Prince Fredericke Paljgraiie of the Rhene, in September laft when the Emperour lay at Landaw befide Spires, goyng with his great army to Metz, complayned to the Emperour hym felfe, and to his counfell, of a certaine fpightfull place in that booke againft him : the good Prince told me this tale hym felfe at hys houfe in Heldibirge, when I caried vnto him Kyng Ed'wardes letters, the Lord Ambaflk- dour hym felfe beyng ficke at Spires.

And wife men fay that the Duke of Bauiere alfo is euill contented The Duke for that which is written in that booke agaynft hys father, when he j^j^^jl^'* deferued of the Imperials to haue bene rewarded rather with prayfe handled. and thankes then with any vnkynde note of blame and difhonour : of whom the Emperour in his warres agaynft the Lanfgraiie and the Duke of Saxonie receiued fuch kyndnes, as no Prince in Germany for all refpe6les in that cafe was able to affburde hym : as firft he had his whole countrey oi Bauiere for a fure footyng place, to begyn the warre in: and had alfo both men and vittaile of hym what he would, and at length Ihould have had that countrey hys onely refuge, if that in warx'e he had come to any vnderdele, as he was like enough to haue done. But it was Gods fecret will and pleafure to haue the matter then go as it did : And for that caufe men fay Duke Albert of Bauiere that now is, that hath maryed the Empcrours niece, was more ftraunge this laft yeare to the Emperour, when he was driuen to that extremi- tie to flye away on the night from Injpiirge^ and was more familiar

with

8

24

THE WORKS OF

with Duke Maurice, and more friendly to the Princes confederate then els peraduenture he would have done.

And here a writer may learne of Princes affaires a good lefTon, to beware of parcialitie either in flattery, or fpight: for although thereby a man may pleafe his owne Prince prefently, yet he may per- chaunce as much hurt hym in the end as Luis de Auila dyd hurt the Emperour his mafter in writyng of this booke.

Indeede this booke was not the chiefeft caufe of this fturre in Ger- many : but fure I am that many Princes in Germany were fore agreeued with it, as the Emperour wanted both theyr hartes and their handes v\hen he ftode in moil nede of frendes.

Jufl: reprehenfion of all vices as folie, vniufl dealyng, cowardice, and vicious liuyng, mull be frely and franckly vfed, yet fo with that mo- derate dilcrellion as no purpofcd malice or bent hatred may feeme to be the breeder of any falfc reproch, which humor of writyng fol- loweth ib full in Pau/us Joui.us bookes, and that by that iudgement of his owne fiendes, as I have heard wile and well learned men fay : that his whole fludy and purpofe is fpent on thefe pointes, to deface the Emperour, to flatter Fraufice, to fpite England, to belye Germany, to prayfe the "turke, to keepe vp the Pope, to pull downe Chrill and Chriiles Religion, as much as lyeth in him. But to my purpofe a- gayne.

The matters before of me briefly rehearfed, were at large declar- ed in Marches Albertes booke: yet that you may know what fecret workyng went before this playne writyng and open doyng, and becaufe the Marches part hath bene fo notable in all this pallime, I will, by more particular circumftaunces, lead you to this generall com- plaintcs.

There be at this day five Marcheifcs of Bradenhurge : Joachimus E- kctoi , Joba73nes his brother, who for ciuile fcruice is Imperiall with might and mayne, and yet in Religion a Chriflian iVince, with hart, toung, and honefty of lyfe : Doftour Cbri(lopher Monte, both a learn- ed and wife man, our Kyngcs Maieftie fcruant, and his Agent in

the

ROGERASCHAM. 25

the affaires of Germany^ hath told me diners tymes that this Marches yohn and the Duke of Sicaburg be two of the worthicil Princes iix all the Empire, either in confidering wyfely, or executing courageouily any affaire. The thyrd is Marches George, who dwelletii in Franconia, not farre from Noretnberg. The fourtli Marches Albert the elder, the mighty Duke of Prusia, hable, for his power, to cope with any ^^\^ °^ Prince, and 15 yeares together he dyd ftoutly withfland, in continual warre, the ffrength of the Kyng of Pole. He hath fo fully banillied Papiftry, and fo furely eftablifhed the doctrine of the gofpell in Prusia, as no where hetherto in Germany is more diligently done; he loueth learnyng and honoreth learned men; and therefore, an. 1544, he founded a new Univei fitie in Pru/ia, called Mo?is Regius, bryngyng thether, with plentyfuU thynges, excellent learned men in all tounges and fciences. He is vncle to this notable Marches Albert, and lackyng children hath made hym hys heyre, and hath already inueffured hym in the duke- dome of Friifia. The fift is Marches Albert, of wiiom I purpofe to write on: whofe father was CaJJiinirus, defcended from the Kynges of Pole; and for his noblenes agaynfl the Tiirke, called Achilles Germanicus: and therefore might very well engender fuch a hoate Pirrbus. Mar- ches Albert, m hys young yeares, as I haue heard wife men fay, was rude in hys maners, nor dyd not Ihew any token of towardnes likely to attempt any fuch affayres as in deede he hath done. It might be either for the lacke of learnyng and good bringyng vp (a great and common fault in great Princes of Germany) or els for his badifuU na- ture in youth, which propertie Xenophon wittely fayned to be in Cyrus Xenoph. a. at lyke yeares, iudgyng bafhfulnes in youth to be a great token of uer- ""f^- tue in age.

Marches Albert is now at this day about 3 i yeares old ; of a good flature, neither very high nor very low, thicke without grofenes : ra- ther wel boned for ftrength, then oucrloded with fieOi : his face fayre, bewtiful, brode, Iterne, and manly : fomcwhat refcmblyng my Lord Marches of Nortbt, when he was of the fame yeares ; hys eyes great and rowlyng, mnkyng hys countenance chercful when he talketh: and yet when he geucth care to other, he kepeth both a faddc looke with- out figne of lufpicion, and alfo a well fet eye without token of ma- lice: and this behauiour I marked well in hym when I dyncd in his company at the fiege of Me4z, in the County John of NaJJaus tent : hys

E voyce

26 THEWORKSOF

voyce is great, nnd hys wordcs not many, more ready to here other than to talke hvmfdfc. And when he talketh he fo frameth hys toung to agree with hart, as fpeakyng and meanyng feemeth to be ahvayes at one in hvm : and herein he may be well called the Ibnne of Achilles, wliom Homer wittcly doth fayne to haue Inch a free open nature: whole faying in Gn-eke is excellent, but beyng turned in the wrong Tide into Englijb, it ihall lelle delight you, yet thus much it fignifieth :

Who, cither in earncft or in fport. Doth frame hymfelfe after fuch fort. This thyng to thinck, and that to tell, My hart abhorreth as gate to hell.

Homer meanyng hereby that a Prince of noble courage fliould haue hys hart, hys looke, hys toung, and hys handes fo ahvayes agrceyng together, in thinkyng, pretendyng, and fpeakyng, and doyng, as no one of thefe foure ihould at any tyme be at iarre with an other ; which agreeyng together in theyr right tune, do make a pleafaunt me- lody in all mens eares both fweeteft and loudeft, called in EtigliJJj Honor, and mofl: fitly in Grecke Ti^**)?, the price and prayfc of vertue.

And though the Marches be free to fay what he thinketh, yet he is both fecret in purpofyng and clofe in workyng what fo euer he goeth about. Now very Ikillfull to do harme to others, and as ware to keepe hurte from hymfelfe, yet firft bet vnto it with his own rod : for in the former warres of Germany, beyng on the Emperours fide, he fell into the handes of Duke "John Fredericke of Saxony, which chaunce he is charged fore withall by Luice de Auila, and that with fo fpightfull and open a mouth, as moued the Marches to offer hym the combat, as I fayd before. He is now moft courageous in hardefl aduenturcs, mofl cherefull in prefent ieoperdy, and moft paynefull in greatcft labours: hauyng no fouldier vnder hym, that can better away with heate and cold, or longer fuffer hunger and thiift then he hym fclfe. Hys apparel! is fouldier-lyke, better knowen by hys fearce doynges then by his gay goyng: his fouldiours feare him for his flout- nes, and loue him for his liberalitie : which winneth to him authoritie 8 fit

R O G E R A S C H A M. 2;^

fit foi' a ftout Captaine, and worketh in them obedience due to good fouldiours.

This lafl: ycare, a litle before hys agreement with the Emperour, hys fouldiours, for lacke of money and meate, fell to mutinyng, and then fell the Marches fafleft to hangyng, not hidyng hym felfe for feare, but comming abroad with courage, did protell that neither the proudeft fliould make miforder without puniflnnent, nor yet the poorefb fliould lacke as long as either he had peny in hys purfe or loafe of bread in hys tent. And after this fort of outward behauiour and inward condition in Marches Albert^ as I have marked his perfon my felfe, and as I have learned hys doynges by fuch as by experience knew them well, and for their honefty would report them right, and now how he fell from the Emperour, 1 wil as briefly declare.

The Marches ferved the Emperour, as I faid before, in the former warres in Germany, agaynft the Lanfgraue and the Duke of Saxotiy, where he loft fome honour, and fpent much money. The Emperour lliortly after came downe hether to Bruxeh, hauyng the Marches in hys company, who lookyng for a great recompence of hys coftes, and receiuyng litle, and feyng hys honor not onely defaced in the field pre- fently when he was taken prifoner, but alfo defamed for euer by writyng confirmed by the Emperours priuiledge to grow abroad in the world, began to take the matter fo unkyndly, that he left commyng to the Court, and kept his owne houfe : rifmg every day very early : and writyng all the forenoone very diligently, yet what he dyd no man knew : fo that his abfence bred a talke in the Court, and his foddein and fecret fludy wrought a wonderfuU geloufy of hys doynges in the. Emperours head: for he knew the Marches to have courage enough to attempt matters ouer great ; and therefore fent Monfieur Grandidlle vnto the Marches houfe, as of hym felfe, to grope out hys doynges, who declared vnto the Marches the Emperours great goodwil towards hym, fhewyng that his Maicf^ic was purpofed to make hym a great perfonage, and to begyn withal, had in mynde to geuc hym a goodly and profitable office in all hys mintes.

The Marches aunfwered roundly and plainly to the firft, that the Emperour could not make hym greater then he was, beyng Marches

E 2 of

28 THEWORKSOF

of BraJenburge : and as for the office in the niinte, he fald fmllyng, he vfed not often to tell his owne money, and therefore he thought not to make the accompt of others; and fo made nothing of the Empe- rours offer : onely hee defired Grandeuill that the Enij)erour would geue him Icaue to go home to his owne, which he obtained : and, at his departure, the Emperour gaue him a patent of 4000 crownes by the yeare : but the Marches was not well foure myles out of Bruxels, when he fent the patent by poll: to the Emperour agayne, faying, his Maieftie might better bellow on fomc that had more neede of it. And indeede the Marches is as loth to receiue of hys frendes by beneuolcnce, as he is ready to take from hys enemies by violence, which commeth fome- what of to flout a courage.

Thus the Marches came home not befl contented, as it may well ap- pear: nor faw not the Emperour after, till he met liym at the fic^e of Metz. Cafmirus, his father, and the Marches hymfelfe were great Ipen- ders and deepe (letters : the one for his floutnes in warre, the other for hys luflines in youth. And tlierefore became quicke borrowers and flow payers, which thyng brought the Marches into fiich trouble as he had with the city of Norcmberge, with his neighbours the Byfliop of HerbipoUs, and with his godfather the Byfhop of Famberge.

The Marches was no fooner come home, but thefe byfhops, fpying' their tyme, when he had left the Emperours court, and had quite loft or much lefTened hys frendfliip there, began to trouble hym with new fuites for old debtes in Camera Imperiali, at Spires, where the Marches, bccaufe he lacked either fauour in the Court, or experience in youngs yeares, or good matter on his fide, was alwayes wrong to the worft ; and to fluffe vp his ftomach with more matter of vnkyndnes againlt the Emperour, it is fayd, that letters from the greates in the Em- perours Court were neuer lackyng at Spires, to helpe forward proceffe agaynfl the Marches.

Shortly after this tyme began the fiege of Madenbiirg, where Duke Maurice, by the Emperour, was appointed generall. The Marches, ei- ther weery of leefyng at home by f lites, or defirous to winne abroad by warre, or els purjiofmg to praclife fome way to reuenge his difplea- fures, made him ready to ferue againft Madcnburg with 500 horfc^.

And

ROGERASCHAM. 29

And in the begynnyng of the Spryng of the yeare 1551, he fet forward, and in his way went to vifite Ernejius, his coufin, Duke of Saxonyy brother to John Fridericke, then prifoner with the Empcrour. The felfe fome tyme Lazarus Swendy was fent from the Emperour as Commif- fary to Duke Ernejius^ with earnsft commandement that the Duke, and all his, fl:iould receive the do6lrine of the Interim. And (tliat I may accomplifli my purpofe, which is to paynt out as truely as I can, by writyng, the very image of fuch perfons as have played any notable part in thefe affaires : and fo you, beyng abfent, fliall with fome more pleafure read their doynges) this Lazarus Sivcndy is a tall and a comely La5,arus perfonagc, and beyng brought vp in learnyng vnder Occolampadiiis at Swendy. Bafile, makyng (as it was told me by an honeft man that was throughly accjuainted with hym there) more account of his tall ftature then of any bevvty of the mynde, began to be wery of learnyng, and became defirous to beare fome bragge in the world : and fo made a fouldiour, mard a fcholer, and becaufe he would make a lufty chaunge from the fcare of God and knowledge of Ch rifts doctrine, he fell to be a peruerfe and bloudy Papifl: : euer at hand in any cruel execution agaynfl the poore Proteftantes, as commonly all fuch do which fo wittyngly fliake of Chrift, and hys gofpell. Such a commiflary, you may be fure, would cruelly enough execute his office. Duke Ernejius told the Commiflary, that he, hys landcs and lyfe, were at his Maiefties commaundement ;. hys Maiefty knew how quietly he bare hym fclfe alwayes, and therefore hys truft was, as he willyngly ferued the Emperour with true obedi- ence, fo he might as freely feme God with right confcience : for he would rather leaue hys landes and goodes and all to the Empcrour, and go beg with hys wyfe and children, then they would forlake the way of the Gofpell, which God hath commaundcd them to fol- low.

And marke how euidently God dyd declare both how much fuch a commiirion fent out abroad in Germany agaynft hym and hys worde dyd difplcafe hym: and alfo ho v/ much the prayers and fighyng hartes of iuft men do in tyme preuayle with him : for as a man of much honelly and great knowledge in all the matters of Germany dyd tell me, aifoone as this commilhon was once abroad, the pra6lyfes in Ger- many began to ftyrre, yet not fo openly as the T-mperour might have iuii caufe to withftand them, nor fo covertly, but he had occafion

enough

30 T H E W O R K S O F

cnouc;h to miftruft them : and thereby he both lacked help for open remedy, and wanted no dil'pleafure for inward griefe.

Duke Ernelliis, Marches Albert ^ and Lazarus Sxvendy fat at fupper to- gethers : and as they were talkyng of the Interim, the Marches foddenly brafl: out into a fury, faying: " What deuill, will the Emperour ne- " uer leaue ftriuyng with God in defacyng true religion, and toflyng " the world, in debarryng all mens liberties : addyng, that he was a " Prince vnkynd to euery man, and kept touch with no man, that " could forget all mens merites, and would deceiue whomfoeuer he " promifed."

The Duke lyked not this hoate talke in hys houfe and at hys table, but fayd : " Cofm, you fpeake but merely, and not as you thincke," addyng much in the prayfe of the Emperours gentlenes flievved to many, and of hys promife kept with all. " "Well, (quoth the Marches) if " he had bene either kynde where men had deferued, or would haue " performed that he promifed : neither fliould I at this tyme accufe " hym, nor you haue fit here in this place to defend hym, for he pro- " mifed to geue me this houfe, with all the landes that thereto belong:- " eth: but ye be affrayd, Cofm, (quoth the Marches) left this talke " be to loud, and fo heard to farre of: when indeede, if the Commif- " farie here be fo honeft a man as I take hym, and fo true to hys " mafter as he fliould be, he will not fayle to fay what he hath heard ; *• and on the fame condition, CommifTary, I bryng the goode lucke:" and drancke of vnto hym a great glafle of wine. Lazarus Swendyes talke then founded gently and quietly, for he was fore aftiayed of the Marches. But he was no foner at home with the Emperour, but word was fent to Duke Maurice, that the Marcl.es, who was as then come to Madenburg, if he would needes ferue there, fliould fcrue with- out wages.

Ye may be fure the Marches was chafed a new with this newes, who already had loft a great fort of hys men, and now muft leefe hys whole labour thcthcr, and all hys wages there, befides the lofTe of hys lionor in takyng fuch fliame of hys enemies, and reeeiuyng fuch vn- kyndnes of the Emperour.

The

^

ROGER ASCHAM.

The Marches was not fo giieued, but Duke Maurice was as well contented with this commaundemeiit : for euen then was Duke Mau- rice fecretary pra^lifyng, by Baron Hadeckes aduife, with the French Kyng for the iturre which dyd follow : and therefoi'e was gladde when he faw the Marches miglit be made hys fo eafely, whiche came uery foone to pafle : io that tiie Marches, for the fame purpofe, in the ende of the fameyeare, went into Fraunce fecretly, and was there with Sbertly as a common Launce Knight, and named hymfelfe Qaptaine Paul, left the Emperours fpials fliould get out hys doynges : where, by the aduife of Sbertly y he praClifed with the French Kyng for the warres which fol- lowed after. Tliis matter was told vnto me by 'John Mccardus, one of the chief preachers in Augu/Ia, who beyng baniflicd the Empire, when and how ye fliall heare after, was fayne to fiye, and was with Sbertly the fame yeare in Fraunce.

The Marches came out of Fraunce in the begynnyng of the yeare 1552, and out of hand gathered vp men, but hys purpofe was not knowne, yet the Emperour miftrufted the matter, beyng at Tnjhurg^ fent Do5l. Hafius, one of hys counfell, to know what caufe he had to make fuch flurre. This D06I. Hafius was once an earneft Pioteftant, and wrote a booke on that fide, and was one of the Palfgraue priuy counfell: but, for hope to clime higher, he was very ready to be en- tifed by the Emperour to forfake firft his mafter and then God : by whom the Emperour knew much of all the Princes Proteftants purpofes, for he was commonly one whom they had vfed in all their dietes and priuate praftifes : which thyng caufed the Emperour to feeke to haue liym: that, byhysheade he miglit the eafelyer ouerthrow the Protef- tantes, and with them, God and hys word in all Germany.

This man is very lyke M. Parrie, her graces cofferer, in head, face, legges, and bellye. What aunfwere Hafius had I cannot tell, but fure I am the Marches then botli wrote hys booke of complayntcs agaynft the Emperour, and fet it out in printe. And alfo came forward with baimer difplayed, and tooke Dillyng vpon Danuby, the Cardinall of ^ugu/lus towne, which Cardinal, with a few Priefles, fled in pofl to the Emperour at In/putg, where he found fo cold chcare, and fo litle com- fort, that forthwith in all hafte, he polled to Rome,

Horfemen

31

32 THEWORKSOF

Horfemen and footcmen in great companies flill gathered to tlic Marches : and in tlie ende of March he marched forward to Augujla, where the Duke Maurice, the young Lanfgrauc, the Duke of Mechelburg, George and Albert, with William Duke of Brunficycke, and other Prin- ces confederate, met together, and befieged that citie, where I will leaue the Marches till I haue brought Duke Maurice and hys doynges to the fame tyme, and to the fame place.

^ DUKE MAURICE.

NOT many yeares agoe, whole Saxony was chiefly under two Princes : the one Duke Jobn Fredericke, borne Eledor, who yet liueth, defender of Luther, a noble fetter out, and as true a fol- lower of Chrill and hys Gofpell : the other hys kynfman, DukQGeorge, who is dead, Knight of the order of the Golden Fleece, a great man of the Emperour, a niayntainer of Cocleus, and a notable piller of Pa- piftry.

Duke John Fredericke is now 50 yeares of age, fo byg of perfonage rickeDukc'ss a very l1:rong horfe is fcarce able to beare hym, and yet is he a of Saxony, great deale bygger in all kynde of vertues, in wifedome, iuftice, libe- ralitie, ftoutnes, temperancy in hym felfe, and humanitic towardes others, in all affaires, and either fortunes vfmg a fmgular trouth and {Icdfaflnes: {o \\\^X. Luice de Auila, and the Secretary of Kr/v/rf, who wrote the ftory of the firft warres in Germany, and profcile to be his erneft enemies both for matters of ftate and alfo of religion, were fo compelled by hys worthynes to fay the trouth, as though thcyr onely purpofe had bene to wryte hys prayfe- He was hue yeares prifoner in this Court, where he wan fuch louc of all men, as the Spanyardes now fay: They would as gladly fight to fet hym vp agaync, as euer they dvd to pull hym downe: for they fee that he is wife in all his doynges, iuft in all his dcalyngcs, lowly to the meaneft, princely with the biggefl, and excellyng gentle to all, whom no aduerfitic could euer moue, nor policy at any tyme entice, to Ihrincke from God and hys word. And here I nuift netdes commend the Secretary of Fcrrore, who bevng a

Papift^

ROGERASCHAM.

Piiplft, and writyng tlic liiftoiy of the late vvarres in Germany, doth not kepe backe a goodly tcftimony of Duke Fredcrickcs conilancy to- ward God and hys Religion.

When the Emperour had taken the Duke prlfoner, he came fliortly after before the citie of Witcmberg : and beyng aduifed by fome bloudy counfellours that Duke Frrderickcs death fhould, by the terrour of it, turne all the Proteftantes from theyr religion, caufed a write to be made for the Duke to be executed the next mornyng vppon a folemne fcaffold, in the fight of his wyfe, children, and the whole citie of JVit- temberg.

This write, figned with the Emperoui-s own hand, was fent ouer night to the Duke, who, when the write came vnto hym, was in hys tent playing at chefiTe with his cofm and fellow prifoner the Lanfgraue oi Litbenberg, and readyng it aduifedly ouer, layd it downe quietly befide, and made no countenance at all at the matter, but fayd, " Cofin, " take good hcede to your game," and returnyng to his play as quietly as though he had receiued fome priuate letter of no great importance, dyd geue the Lanfgraue a trim mate.

The Emperour (I doubt not) chiefly moued by Godj fecondly of his great wifedome and naturall clemency, when he vnderflode his merueilous conflancie, chaunged his purpofe, and reuoked the write i and euer after gaue him more honor, and fliewed him more huma- nitie tlwn any Prince that euer I haue read of haue hethcrto done to his prifoner.

He is alfo fuch a louer of learnyng as his librarie, furnifhed with bookes of all tounges and fciences, paffeth all other libraries wiiich are yet gathered in Chriilendome: for my friend feronimia JVolfms, who tranflated Demojibenes out of Greeke into Lati?ie, who had fene the French kynges librarie at Augujia, hath told me, that though in fix monethes he was not able onely to write out the titles of the bookes in the Fuggers librarie, yet was it not fo byg as Duke FreJen'ckes was which he faw in Saxony. I tliinkc he vnderftandeth no ftraunge toung faue the Latinc and a litle the French: and yet it is merueilous that

F my

33

34 THEWORKSOF

my (i end jfobanfies Sturmius doth report by writyng, what he heard Phillip Mdancthon at a tyme fay of thys noble Duke: that he thought the Duke (lyd pruiately read and write more euery day tlien dyd both he and JD. ylurifaber, which two wxre counted in all mens iudgment to be the greatclt readers and writers in all the vniuerfitie of Wittcmbei-g.

And as he doth thus read with fuch diligence, euen fo he can re- port with fuch a memory whatfoeuer he doth read, and namely hif- tories, as at his table on euery new occafion he is accuftomed to re- cite fome new ftory, which he doth with fuch pleafure and vtterance, as men be content to leaue their meat to heare him talke: and yet he him felfe is not difdaynfull to heare the meaneft, nor will ouertwhart any mans reafon. He talketh without tauntyng, and is mery with- out fcofiyng, deludyng no man for fport, nor nippyng no man for fpight.

Two kyndes of men, as his preachers dyd tell me at Vilacho, he will ncuer long fuffer to be in his houfe: the one a common mocker, who for his pride thincketh fo wel of his owne wit as his moll delight is to make other men fooles, and where God of his Prouidence hatli geucn fmall wit, he for his fport wil make it none, and rather than he fliould leefe his pleafure, he would an other fliould leefe his wit : as I heare fay was once done in England^ and that by the fufferaunce of fuch as I am forry, for the good wil 1 beare them, to heare fuch a repoi t : the other a priuy whifperer, a pickthancke, a tale-teller, medlyng fo with other mens matters, as he findeth no Icyfure to looke to his owne: one fuch in a great houfe is able to turne and tofle the quietnes of all. Such two kynde of men, fayeth the Duke, befides the prefent troublyng of others, neucr or fcldome come to good end them felues. He loueth not alfo bold and thicke Ikinned faces, wherein the meanyng of the harte doth neuer appeare. Nor fuch hid talke as lyeth in wayte for other mens wittes. But would, that wordes Ihould be fo framed with the toung, as they be alwayes ment in the hart.

A noble And therefore the Duke him felfe thincketh nothyng whiche he dare

"""^'^* not fpcak, nor fpeakcth nothyng whiche he will not do. Yet hau-

yng

ROGER ASCHAM.

yng thoughtes grounded vppon wifedome, his talke is al waves fo accom- panyed with diCcretion, and his deedes fo attended vppon true dealyng, as he neither biteth with wordes, nor wringeth witli deedes, except im- pudency follow the fault, which Xenophon wittely calleth the furthefl; point in al doyng, and then he vfeth to fpeake home, as he dyd to a Spanyard this laft yeare at Villacho, who beyng of the Dukes garde, when he was prifoner, and now preafyng to fit at his table when he was at libertie, becaufe many nobles of the Court came that day to dine with the Duke, the gentleman huflier gently defired the Spaiiyard to fpare his rowme for that day for a great perfonage : but he, coun- tenancyng a brauc Spatiifi bragge, fayd, " SeignoTy ye know me well " enough," and fo fat him downe.

The Duke heard him, and preuentyng hys mans aunfwere, fayd: *' In deede you be too well knowen, by the fame token the laft tyme " you were here you tooke a gobblet away with you, and therefore " when you have dyned you may go without farewell, and haue leaue " to come agayne when ye be fent for. In the meane while an honeft " man may occupy your place." But in remembiyng fo good a Prince I haue gone too farre from my matter : and yet the remembraunce of him is neuer out of place, whofe worthynes is neuer to be for- gotten.

DukeG^cr^^ oi Saxony, a litle before he dyed, hauyng no child, dyd difinherite Duke Henry his brother by his laft wil, becaufe he was a Proteftant, and gaue away his whole inheritaunce to Ferdinando Kyng oi Romaincs.

But Duke yohn Freden'cke, by force of armes, fet and kept his cofin "Duke Henry in his right: and he dying foone after left behynd hym two fonnes, Duke Maurice and Duke Auguflusy who likewifc in thcyr youth were defended in theyr right by the wifedome and force of Duke 'john Frcdcricke. Duke Maurice was brought vp in Duke John Frcderickes houfe, as if he had bene his owne fonne, and maryed the Lanfgraues daughter.

After it came to paffe that the Emperour attempted to eftablifli Pa- ;piftiy in Germany with the fword, agaynft which purpofe tiie Lanfgraue

F 2 and

ZS

36 TIIEWORKSOF

and Duke Jobn FreJericke armed themfelues, not to refill: the Emperour, as the Papiftcs fay, but to kepe Gods rehgion vp, if any by violence would pull it downe, refufing neuer, but requiryng alwayes to referre them and theyr doctrine to a lawfull and free general councill, where truth and religion might be fully tryed in the hearyng of euen and * e- qual iudges, and that by the touchftone of Gods Canonicall Scrip- tures.

Duke Maurice in the begynnyng of his warres was fufpeded neither or the Lanf^raue nor of Duke Fredericke, beyng fonne in law to the one and nigh kynfman to the other, and agreeyng in Religion with both. Yea, he was not onely not fufpedled ; but as I heard fkilful men fay, he was ready with his counfell, and promifcd his ayde to helpe for- ward the enterprice, or elfe Ha?ice Fredericke, being a Prince of fuch wifedome, would not haue left at home behind him an enemic of fuch a force.

Francifco, Duke Maurice Agent with the Emperour, was afked, I beyng by at Augufia^ how he could excufe his mafters vnkyndnes to- wards John Fredericke who had bene fuch a father vnto him. He graunted tiiat Duke Fredericke had bene great frend vnto him, and might haue bene a greater if he had would, and then lefle flrife had fol- lowed then did. " And troth it is (fayd he) as Duke Fredericke kept " mymafter in his right, fo afterward he put hym from part of his right, " when in his young yeares he chopped and chaunged landes with him " when he lifted : which thing my mailer complaynyng, could neuer ob- " taync remedy therein. Kyndnes (hould rather haue kyndly encreafed, " then fo unkyndly haue decayed, fpecially when the one was trufted *' with all, and the other of fuch yeares, as he had neither wit to perceiue " nor power to amend if any iniury were ofFred vnto hym. Troth alfo " it is that my mailer was brought vp in Dake FreJrrickes houle: but " he hath more caufe to complain on them that brought hym thether, " then to thanke fuch as brought him vp there, where he had alwayes " plentie of drinke, and as much fcantof good teachyng to come to fuch *' vertuc and learnyng as dyd belong to a Prince of his flatc."

♦ E* iTcif x*i i[*oin(, wordcs alwayes ufcd in Thucldidis in xlecidyng common controverfies.

Now,

R O G E R A S C H A M. 37

Now, whether this talke was altogether true, or, an ill excufe was made to couer a foule facl, I cannot tell : but fure I am Francifco fayd thus. I haue heard wife men fay, that it is not lyke, that for fuch a priuate ftryfe Duke Maurice would have fo foiiaken not only his frend and kinfman, but alfo his father in law, or would for the lolfeof a litle, or rather for the chaunge of a peece, haue fo haffarded his whole cflate, which was once in the firfl: wane all gone faue Lypfia, and one other towne, befide the lofle of loue in whole Germany, and his good name amongeft all Protellantes, in the middefl of whom all his liuyngs do Jye.

Well furely there was feme great caufe that could fturre vp fo great ^^^ P"''^ a ftryfe, and that was, as wyfe men and wel willyng on Duke Maurice \^^l"^eZ A ^ fide, in mine opinion, haue truly iudged, the foule vice of ambition. frenJts and

fell in with ,, , 111- •,/. ^^^ Empe-

O Lord ! how many worthy men hath this one vice beareft fromrour. good common weales, which for all other refpecles were mofi: vnwor- a l-.- thy of that end they came vnto. My hart weepes for thofe noble men of England, whofe valiantnes in warre, whofe wifedome in peace, this realme fhal want and wayle, and v/ifli for in tyme to come, which of late, by x\\\s onely vice, haue bene taken from vs. Examples lefle for our grief, and as fit for this purpofe, be plenty enough in other itates.

Guer many experiences do teach vs, though a Prince be wife, flout, liberall, gentle, mercyfull, and excellently learned ; though he deferue all the prayfe, tliat vertue, nature, and fortune can affourd him, yea, that wit it felfe can wifli for, as we read that noble Julius Ccefar had, and that by the teflimony of thofe that loued him not, neuertheles if. the two foule verfes of Euripides,

Do right alway, and wrong refralne. Except onely for rule and ralgnc.

If thefe verfes, I fay, do not onely found well in his eare, but fincke deepe alfo in his hart, furely there is neither kindred, frendfliip, lavr,

oihc.

38 THEWORKSOF

othe, obedience, countrcy, God, nor his owne lyfc, but he will hafiard to leefe all rather then to purfue this foule vice : for Polynices, for whom this verfe was firft made in Greeke, dyd fill not onely his owne countrey full of dead carcafTes, but alfo whole Greece full of weepyng widdowes. And Cafary for whom the fame verfe was turned into Latiiic, dyd not onely turn vpfidc down the goodlicll common wealth that euer God fuhrcd to ftand vppon the caith: but alfo toflcd the whole world with battayle-and llaughter, euen almoft from the funne fettyng vnto the funne rifyng. And dyd not flop to bryng fouldiours to do mifchief further then any man now dare iourney by land cither for pleafure or profile.

But fee the fruite and end which this vngodly great growing bryngetli men vnto : both thefe Princes were flaine, the one by his brother, the other by his own fonne, of whom in lyfe, nature and benefites would they fliould have taken moft comfort of. But men that loue to clime to hye haue ahvayes lead feare, and therefore by reafon fall moft fuddenly, and alfo fardeft downe ; yea, the very bowghes that helped hym vp will now vvhip him in fallyng downe: for who lb in climyng trufteth when he is goyng vp any bough at all ouer much, though he feeme to tread neuer fo furely vppon it, yet if he once begyn to flyp, the fame fclfe bough is reddieft to beat him that feemed before fureft to beare him. Examples hereof be feene dayly and forgotten hereby.

An other mifchief chaunceth commonly to thefe high climers : that they will heare no man fo gladly as fuch which are euer hartenyng them to clime ftill. If wife and good men durft Ipeake more freely then they do : great men fhould do both others and themfelues lefie hf;: me then they are wont to do. He hateth him felfe, and hafteth his owne hurt, that is content to heare none fo gladly as either a foole or a flatterer. A wonderfuU follie in a great man himfelfe, and fome piece of miferie in a whole common wealth, where fooles chiefly and flat- terers may fpeake freely what they will, and wife men and good men flial commonly be flient, if they fpeake what they fliould.

And how commeth this to pafle: it is the very plague of God for great mens fuines, and the plaine high way to their iuft punifhment.

Acd

R O G E R A S C H A M. -o

And when God fuffieth them fo wilhngly to graunt freedom to fo'lie, and fo gladly to geue hearyng to flattery: but fee when the great man is gone and hath playd his part, fooles and flatterers be ilil vpon the ftage. Such Hue in all worldes, fuch laugh in all miferies : furh Daui and Getcv haue alwayes the longefl: parties : and go out who flia', they tary in place fcill. I know alfo many a good Mitlo, which haue played long partes, whom I pray God kepe long fl:ill vpon the flage. And I trufl no man will be mifcontent with my generall faying, except cOnfciencc do pricke him of his owne priuate ill doyng.

There be common wealthes where freedome in fpeakyng truth hath kept great men from boldnes in doing ill : for free and frendly aduife is >

the trimmefl glafTe that any great man can vfe to fpye his owne fault in : which taken away, they runne commonly fo farre in foule doyng, as fome neuer flay till they pafle all remedy, faue onely to late repentaunce. And as I would haue no flattery but wifli for freedome : fo in no wife do I commend ouermuch boldnes, or any kynd of rayling. But that libertie in fpeakyng fliould be fo mingled with good will and difcre- tion, as no great perfon flrould be vnhonourably fpoken vppon, or any mean man touched out of order either for fport or fpite : as fome vn- quiet heades, neuer contented with any ftate, are euer procuryng either fecretly with raylyng billes, or openly with tauntyng fonges, or els fome fcoffing common play.

An other kynd of to bold talkers furpafle all thefe ; felly rumors, vvho are called, and fo will be, common difcourfers of all Princes affaires. Thefe make a great account of themfelues, and will be commonly for- moft in any preafe, and luftly without blufliing flioulder backe others : thefe will necdes feenie to fee further in any fecret aftayre then the bed and wifeft counfellor a Prince hath. Thefe be the open flatterers and priuy miflikers of all good counfellors doynges. And one common note, the mod part of this brotherhode of difcourfers commonly cary with them where they be bold to fpeake : to like better Tullies Offices then St. Failles Epiftles : and a tale in Bocace, then a ftory of the Bible, and therefore for any Religion earnefl: fetters forth of prefenttyme : with conlciences confirmed with Machiauellcs do6trine to thincke, fay, and do what foeuer may ferue beft for profite or pkafure.

o But

40

THE WORKS OF Eut as concernyng flatterers and raylers to fay mine opinion whether I lyke worfe, furely as I haue read few men to haue bene hurt with bitter povfons: fohaue I heard of as few great men to haue bene greatly harmed with fliarpe talke, L Jt are fo ware tliercin, tliat commonly they wil com- jjlayne of theyr hurt before they feele harme. And flattery agayne is Jo fvveete, that it pleafeth befl when it hurteth moft-, and therefore is alwaycs to be feared, becaufe it alwaycs delighteth. Bat in lookyng a- Tide to thefe liye climers, I haue gone out of the way of mine owne matter.

To return to Diikc Maurice, he faw that Duke Frederickes fallyng might be his rifyng, and perchaunce was moued with fome old in- juries, but beyng of young yeares, and of nature full of dcfire and courage, he was a trimme pray for old praftifers to be eafily caryed away with fayre new promifes, foundyng altogether to honor and j)ro- fite, and fo he forfokc his father and his frend, and became wholy the Emperours till he had brought both them into prifon. Duke Fredericke was taken in the field, and fo became the Emperours iiilt prifoner. Yet as long as the Lanfgraue was abroad, the Emperour thought his purpofe neuer atchieued, and therefore praclifcd a new with Duke Maurice to get him alfo into his handes.

Duke Maurice with Jcachim Eleflor of Bradenhurge became meanes betwixt the Lanjgraue and the Emperour. Conditions both of mercy from the one, and of amendes from the other, were drawen out. Mau- rice and the Marches bound them fclues fureties \.Q\\\t Lanfgraue i chil- dren, for theyr fathers fafe returne: for amongcfl: the reft of conditions this was one of the chiefeft, that he fliould come in no prifon. And fo at Hala in Saxcny, he came boldly to the Emperours prefence, who receiued him not very cherefully, norgaue him not his hande, which in Germany is the very token of an aH'ured leconciliation.

The Duke of Alua made the Lanfgraue a fupper, and called alfo the- ther Duke Maurice, and the Marches of Bradcnburge, where they had great chere : but after fupper it was told Duke Maurice and the Mar- ches that they might depart, for the Lanjgraue muft lodge there that night.

On

ROGERASCHAM. 41

On the morrow, they reafoned of the matter wholly to this purpofe, that the Emperour promifed the Lanfgraues perfon ought not to be kept. Aunfvvere was made that the Emperour went no further then condi- tions led him, which were that he Ihould not be kept in euerlaftyng pri- fon. When I was at Villacho in Carinthia I afked Duke Frederickes Preacher what were the very wordes in Dutch, whereby the La?jfgraue agaynft his lookyng was kept in prifon. He fayd the fallacion was very pretty and notable, and tooke his penne and wrote in my booke the very wordes wherein the very controverfie ftode. Duke Maurice fayd it was,

Nicht in einig gefengknes. i. Not In any prifon. The Imperials fayd no, but thus j

Jslicht in ewig gefengknes. i. Not in euerlaftyng prifon. And how foon eij^ig may be turned into ewig^ not with fcrape of knife, but with the leaft dafh of a pen, fo that it fliall neuer be perceiued, a man that will proue may eafely fee.

Moreouer, huice d'Auila in his booke doth reioyce that the Lanfgraue dyd fo deceaue hym felfe with his owne conditions, in makyng of which, as D'Auila fayth, he was wont to efteeme his owne wit aboue all other mens. Well, how fo euer it came to pafle the Lanjgraue was kept in prifon. And from that hour Duke Maurice fell from the Emperour, thinckyng hym felfe moft vnkyndly handled, that he, by vvhofc meanes chiefly the Emperour had won fuch honor in Saxony, muft now be re- warded with Ihame in all Germany, and be called a traytor to God, and his countrcy, his father, and his frend. And though he was greened at hart, yet he bare all thynges quietly in countenance, purpofing though he had loft will yet would he not leefe his profite, and fo hidyng his hurt prefently, whilcft feme fitter tyme fliould difcouer fome better re- medy, he went with the Emperour to Augufla, where, accordyng to his promife, he was made Eledlor. Yet the flmie night after his folemne creation, two verfes fet vppon his gate might more greue hym, than all that honor could delight hym, which were thefe.

G Seu

42

THE WORKS OF

Seu DuXy feu Princcps, feu tu die arts Ek^or. Maurici es Patria proditor ipfe tua.

After that he had gotten that he looked for, he gat him home into his countrey : from whence afterward the Empcrour with no pohcie could euer br) ng him, he alvvayes alledgyng, the fcare he had of fome fturre by Duke Fredericks children.

Hitherto the GermaiJies much miflyked the doynges of Duke Maurice. But after that he had felt him felfe fo vnkyndly abufed as for his good feruice to be made the betrayer of his father, he tooke fuch matters in hand, and brought them fo to pafTe, as he recouered the loue of his countrey, and purchafed fuch hate of his enemies, as the Spanyardei tooke theyr difpleafure from all other, and beflowed wholly vppon the Duke Maurice : and yet he bare him felfe with fuch wit and courage agaynfl: them, as they had alwayes caufe to feare hym, and neuer occa- fion to contemne hym : yea, if he had liued, he would fooner men thincke haue driuen all Spanyardes out of Germany, then they fhould haue hurt hym in Saxony, for he had ioyned vnto hym fuch ftrength, and there was in hym fuch poUicie, as they durfl neuer haue come vppon hym with power, nor neuer fliould haue gone beyond hym with wit. He had fo difpleafed the Emperour, as he knew wel neither his landes nor his lyfc could make amendes, when lo poundes of bene- fites which he was able to do, could not way with one ounce of dif- pleafure that he had already done : and therefore neuer after fought to feeke his loue which he knew could neuer be gotten : but gaue.hym felfe wholy to fet vp Maximilian, who beyng hym felfe of great power, and of all other moft beloued for his worthynes in all Germany, and now vfyng the head and hand of Duke Maurice and his frendes, and hauyug the helpe of as many as hated the Spanyardes, that is to fay, almoft all Protcftantes and Papifles to in Germany, he fliould eafely haue obtained what foeuer he had gone about. But that bonde is now broken : for euen this day when I was writyng this place, came word to this Court, that Marches filbert and Duke Maurice had fought, where the Marches had loft the field, and Duke Maurice had loft his lyfe : which whole battail, becaufe it is notable, I would here at length de-

IJcrybe,

ROGERASCHAM. 43

fcrybe, but that I fliould wander to farre from my pnrpofed matter: and therefore I in another place, or els fome other with better oppor- tunitic, fliall at large report the matter.

Ye fee the caufe why and the time when Duke Maurice fell from the Emperour. And becaufc he was fo notable a Prince, 1 will defcribe alfo the maner how he proceeded in all thefc doynges, as I learned a- mongeft them that did not greatly loue him. And becaufe it were fmall gayne to flatter hym that is gone, and great fliame to lye vppon hym that is dead, for pleafyng any that be alyue, I fo will report on hym as his doynges fince my commyng to this Court haue deferued.

He was now of the age of 3 2 yeares, well faced, in countenance, compleclion, fauour and beard not much vnlyke to Syr Raffe Sadler, but fome deale higher, and well and ftrong made to beare any labour and payne. He was once (men fay) geuen to drinkyng, but now he had cleane left it, contented with fmall diet and litle fleepe in this lafl yeares, and therefore had a wakyng and workyng head : and became fo witty and fecrct, fo hardy and ware, fo fkillfull of wayes, both to do harme to others, and keepe hurt from hym felfe, as he neuer tooke enterprife in hand wherein he put not his aduerfary al wayes to the worfe. And to let other matter of Germany pafle, euen this lafl yeare, within the com- pafie of eight monethcs, he profefledhym felfe open enemy agaynft fourc the greateft powers that 1 know vppon earth ; the Turke, the Pope, the Emperour, and the French kyng, and obtained his purpofe, and wan prayfe agaynft them all foure : for he in perfon, and pollicie, and cou- rage, difpatched the Tiirkes purpofe and power this laft yeare in Hwi' gary. The Councell of T^rent, which the Pope and the Emperour went fo The Pope, about to eftablilli, he onely brought to none effect : firft by open pro- teftation agaynft that councell, and after by commyng with his army to hijburge, he brought fuch feare to the Bifhops there gathered, that they ran euery one farre away from thence, with fuch fpeed as they neuer durft hetherto fpeake of meeting there agayne. And how he dealt with the Emperour, both in forcyng him to flye from 7;^yZi«r§-r, The Empe- and compellyng him to fuch a peace at Fajfo^ my whole Diar'mm fliall ^°^^: at full inftrudl: you.

G 2 And

44 T H E W O R K S O F

And of all other he feruecl the French kyng beft-, who fayre pretend- French y'^§ ^'^^ dcUuery of the two Prhices captiues, and the maintenaunce of kyng. Rchgion and hbertie in Germany, purpofed in very decde nothyng els, but the dert^ruction of the Emperour, and the houfe of Aufiria : for what cared he for religion abioad, who at home not onely foUoweth none hymfclfe priiiately in his lyfe, but alfo perfecuteth the trouth in others openly with the Iword. But I do hyni wrong to fay he foUow- eth none, who could for his purpofe be content at one time to embrace all : and for to do hurt enough to the Emperor would become at once by folemne league, Proteflant, Papifh, Turkifh, and deuillifli. But fuch Princes that cary nothyng els but the name of bearyng vp Gods word, deferue the fame prayfe and the fame end that that Prince dyd, who femed fo ready to beare vp the Arke of the Lord, and yet otherwife purfued Gods true Prophetes and his word.

Agayne, how much the French kyng cared for the Hbertie of Ger- many he well declared inllealyng away fo vnhonorably from the Empire the City of Metz. But he thinckyng to abufe Duke A/^wr/V^ for Iiis ambitious purpofe, in very deede and in the end Duke Maurice vfed him as he fliould : for firit he made hym pay well for the whole warres in Germany, as it is faid, 200000 crownes a moneth: and after when the French kyng fell to catchyng of Cities, Duke Maurice tendryng the ftate of his countrey, brake of with hym, and began to parle with the good kyng of Romanes at Luiz, which thyng heard when the French kyng came within two myles of the Rhene, he ftraight way hyed more haltly, and with more dlforder, for all his great hafte, out of Germany^ as they fay that were there, then the Emperour beyng ficke without com- pany, and prelTed by his enemy, dyd go from Injburge.

And fee how noble Duke Maurice dyd, which for the loue of his countrey, durft fall from the French kyng before he atchieued any thyng agaynfl: the Emperour. And rather then Germany fliould leefe her cities fo by the French kyng, he had leuer haflard, both the lecfyng of his en- terpricc, and alfo the Icauyng of his father in law ftill in prifon with the Emperour. But as he had wit to take money plenty of the French kyng, fo had he wit alfo to furnifh hym fclfe fo from home as he durft firft fall out with the French kyng, and durft alfo after to fet vppon

the

ROGERASCHAM. 45

the Emperour, till he had brought his honeft purpofe to pafTe. For there is not almoft any in this Court but they will fay Duke Maurice did honeftly in deliueryng his father by ftrong hand, which before left no fayre meane vnproucd to do that humbly by intreaty, which after, he was compelled to bryng to pafTe ftoutly by force. And I pray you marke well what he dyd, and then iudge truly if any thing was done that he ought not to do.

For firft he hym felfe with the Marches of Bradenhurge mofi: humbly 9^'ke Mau- by priuate fute laboured for the Lajijgraues deliuery, offryng to the Em- [h^Lanf. °^ perour, princely offers, and not to be refufed : as a huge fumme of grave deli- money : a fayre quantitie of great ordinaunce, certaine holdes of his, ^^""y* fome to be defaced, fome geuen to the Emperour: and alfo perfonall pledges of great houfes, for his good haberaunce all the refidue of his lyfe.

After when this fute was not regarded, they againe procured all the Princes and ftates oi Germany, beyng at the Diet at Augiifta, an. 1548. to be humbl-e intercefTors for hym, offryng the felfe fame conditions re- hearfed before, addyng this more, to become furetics themfelues in any bande to his Maieflie for his due obedience for tyme to come.

Thirdly by the Prince of Spayne Duke Maurice neuer left to entreat the Emperour, yea, he was fo careful of the matter, that his Ambafla- dors followed the Prince euen to his fliippyng at Gefioa : who had fpo- ken often prefently before, and wrote earneftly from thence to his fa- ther for the Lanfgraues deliuery, and It would not be. And wyfe men may fay it was not the wyfefl deede that euer the Emperour dyd, to de- ny the Prince this fute : for if the Prince had bene made the deliuerer of the two Princes out ofcaptiuity, he had won thereby fuch fauour in all Germany^ as without all doubt he had bene made coadiutor with the K. of Romaincs his vncle, and afterward the Emperour. Which thyng was luftly denyed to the Emperor by the Eleftors, though he laboured in the matter i'o foie as he neuer dyd in any other before.

Fourthly this lafl yeare, a little before the open warres, Duke Maurice procured once agayne, not onely all the Princes and free cflates of Ger~ v^any^ but alfo the kyng of RomaineSy Ferdinand^ Maximiliaji his fonne

Kyng

46 THEWORKSOF

Kyng of Boeme, the Kyng of Pole, the Kyng of Denmarke, the Kyng of Sivecden, to fend alfo theyr Ambaliadours for this fuite, fo that at once 24 AmhafTadours came before tlie Empcrour together at Injburge. To whom wiien the Emperoiir had geuen very fayre wordes in eii"e6l con- teinyng a double meanyng aunfwere, and that was this : " That it dyd " him good to fee fo noble an Ambaffage at once. And therefore fo " many Princes fliould well vnderftand that he would make a good " accompt of their fute. Neuertheles becaufe Duke Maurice was the " chiefcftpartie herein, he would with fpcede fend for him, and vfe his " head for the better endyng of this matter." But Duke Maurice feyng that all thefe Ambaliadours went home without him, and the matter was referred to his prcfent talke, who was neuer heaid in the matter before, he wyfcly met with this double meanyng aunfwere of the Em- perours with a double meanyng replica agayne, for he promifed the Emperour to come; and at lail in dcede came fo haftly, and fo hotely, as the Emperour could not abyde the heat of his breath: for when Duke Maurice faw that all humble futes, all quiet meanes were fpent in vayne, and had to beare hym iuft witnes therin all the Pi inces of Germany : firft with clofe pollicie, after open power both wittely and ftoutly, he atchieued more by force then he required by fuite : for the Emperour was glad to condefcend (which furely in ai^ extreme aduer- fitie was done like a wife Prince) without money, without artillery, without defacyng of holdes, without receiuyng of pledges, to fend the Lanl'g7-aue homt honorably accompanied with (at the Emperours char- ges) the nobilitie of Brabant and Flaunders.

This lafl day I dyned with the Ambafl'adour of Vcjiice in companie of many wyfe heades, where Duke Maurice was greatly prayfed of fome for his wit : of others for the execution of his purpofes. " Well, fayth " a lufty Italian Pried, I cannot much prayfe his wit, which might " haue had the Emperour in his handes and would not." Loe fuch be thefe Macbiauch heades, who thinckc no man haue fo much wit as he fhould, except he do more mifchief then he neede. But 'DwVt Maurice purpofyng to do no harmc to the Empcrour, but good to his father in law, obtainyng the one purfued not the other. Yea I know it to be mofl true when we fled from Infburge fo haflly, Duke Maurice fent a pofl: to the good Kyng of Rc/tiams, and bad hym will the Emperour to make

no

ROGERASCHAM. 47

no fiich fpeede, for he purpofed not to hurt his perfon, but to helpe his frend, whereupon the Diet at Paffo iuimediatly folovved.

I commend rather the iudgement of 'Johii Baptift GafcalJo, the Em- John Baptift perours man and the Kyng of Romanes generall in Hungary, who is -'''''^^'''°- not wont to fay better, or loue any man more than he fhould, fpeci- ally Germaities, and namely Proteftantes. And yet this lall: winter he wrote to the Emperour that he had marked Duke Maurice well in all his doynges agaynft the I'urke, and of all men that euer he had fene, he had a head to forecaft the beft with pollicie and wit, and a hart to fet vppon it with courage and fpeed, and alfo a difcreffion to flay moft wife- ly vppon the very pricke of aduantage.

Marches Marignan told fome in this Court foure yeares ago that Duke Maurice fhould become the greatefl enemy to the Emperour that euer the Emperour had: whiche thing he iudged (I belieue) not of any troubkfome nature which he faw in Duke Maurice, but of the great wronges that were done to Duke Miurlce, knowing that he had both wit to perceiue them quietly, and alio a courage not to bearc them ouer long.

Some other in this Court that loued wot V>wV& Maurice, and hauyng no hurt to do hym by power, went about to fay hym fome for fpight, and therefore wrote thefe two fpightfuU verfes agaynft hym.

* 'Jiigurtham Mauricus prodit Mauricus vltra, Henricum, Patruum, Socerum, cum Ccefare, Galium.

He that gaue me this vcrfe added thereunto this his iudgement, " Well " (fayth he) he that could finde in his hart to betray his frend Duke " Henry of Brunjhvicke, his nigh kinfman Duke Fredericke, his father " in law the Lanfgruuc, his foueraigne Lord the Emperour, his confe- " derate the French Kyng, breakyng all bondes of frcndihyp, nature, " law, obedience, and othe, fhall befides all thefe deceauc all men, if " at length he do not deceaue hym fclfe." Thisverfe and this fentence, the one made of fpight, the other fpoken of difpleallirc, be here com-

* The former diftich was in the old edition corrupt, and ftill remains barbarous in the profody : the fame defect will remain in this, though it he reformed as I believe it was written,

thus, 'Jugurtbam Aiaunis piouit, Alauricius tdlra.

mended

rice

48 THEWORKSOF

Dulte Mau- mended as men be affe6lioned. For my part as I can not accufc hym for all, I'o will I not excufe hym for part. And yet fmce I came to this Court I lliould do hym wrong if I dyd not conlefs that which as wife hcades as be in this Court haue iudged on hym, euen thofe that for countrey and Religion were not his frendes, that is, to haue fliewed hym felfe in all thefe affayres betwixt the Empcrour and hym : firft, humble in intreatyng, diligent in purfuyng, witty in purpofing, fe- cret in workyng, fearce to force by open wane, ready to parley for common peace, wyfe in choyfe of conditions, and iuft in performyng of couenaunts.

And I know he offended the Emperour beyond all remedy of amendes: fo would I be loth to fee as I haue cnce fene, his iMaieftie fall fo agayne into any enemyes handes : left peraduenture IcfTe gentlenes would be found in hym then was found in Duke Maurice, who when he was moil able to hurt, was moft ready to hold his hand, and that agaynft fuch an enemie, as he knew well would neuer loue him, and fliould alwayes be of moft power to reuenge. If Duke Maurice had had a Machiaueh head or a covvardes hart, he would haue worne a bloudyer fword then he dyd, which he neuer drew out in all thefe fturres, but once at the Clucey and that was to faue the Emperours men.

Hitherto I haue followed the order of pei fons, whiche hath caufed me fomevvhat to miforder both tyme and matter, yet where diuers great affayres come together, a man Ihall wryte confufedly for the matter, and vnpleafantly for the reader, if he vfe not fuch an apt kynde of partition as the matter will beft affourdj, " Whiche thyng (Plato fayth) " who can not do, knoweth not how to write." Herein Herodotus de- ferueth in myne opinion a great deale more prayfe then Thucidides, al- though he wrote of a matter more confufed for places, tyme and pcr- fons, then the other dyd.

In this point alfo Appianui Akxandrinus is very commendable, and not by chaunce but by fkil doth follow this order, declaryng in his Prologue iuft caufes why he ftiould do fo. Our wryters in late tyme, both in Liitin and other tounges, commonly confound to many matters together, and fo wrytc well of no one. But fee, iMafter Aflley, I thinck- yng to be in fome prefent talke with you, after our old wont, do feeme to forget both my felfe and my purpofc.

ROGERASCHAM. 49

For the reft that is behhid I will vfe a grofe and homely kind of talke with you : for I will now, as it were, cary you out of England with me, and will lead you the fame way that I went, euen to the Empe- rours Court, beyng at Augu/Ia, an. 1550. And I will let you fee in what cafe it ftode, and what thynges wcic in doyng when we came firft thether. After, I will cary you, and that apace, hecaufe the chiefeft matters be throughly touched in this my former booke, through the greateft affaires of two yearcs in this Court. Yea, in order till we haue brought Duke Maurice (as I promifed you) to ioyne with Marches AU bert in befiegyng Aiigiijla. And then, becaufe priuy pradtifes braft out into open fturres, I might better raarke thynges dayly then I could before. And fo wc will depart with the Emperour from Lijburge, and fee dayly what chaunces were wrought by feare and hope in this Court, till hys Maieftie left the fiege of Metz, and came downe hether to Bruxe/s : where then all thynges were Ihut vp into fecret pradlifes, till, laft of all, they brake forth into new mifchiefcs, betwixt the Em- perour and Fraunce in Picardy, and alfo betwixt Duke Maurice and the Marches in hyghe Germany, which thynges, I truft, fome other fliall marke and defcribe a great deale better then 1 am hable to doe.

II

TOXOPHILUS,

The ScHOLE, or Partitions, of Shooting*

Contayned in II Bookes.

Written by R O G E R A S C H A M. 1544^ And now newlye perufed.

Pleafaunt for all Gentlemen and Yomen of Englande. For theyr paftime to reade, and profitable for theyr ufe to folowe both in warre and peace.

Anno 1 571.'

Imprinted at LO N D O N, in Fletestreate, neareto Saint Dun- stones Churche, by THOMAS M A R S H E.

H 2

( 53 )

In Partltlones Saglttarias Rogeri Aschami, GuAl- TERUS Haddonus Cantabrigienjis * Regius.

MITT ERE qui celeres fumma velit arte Sagittas, Ars erit ex iflo fumma profe6la libro. Quicquid habent arcus ligidi, nervique rotundi,

Sumere fi libet, hoc fumere fonte licet. AscHAMus eit author, magnum quem fecit Apollo,"

Arte fua, magnum Pallas & arte fua. Docla manus dedit hunc, dedit hunc mens dofla libellum

Quae videt ars, ufus vifa parata facit. Optimus haec author quia tradidit optima fcripta.

Convenit haec nobis optima velle fequi;

* of King's College. Haddon was famous for his Latin flile, of which he has here given no (liining fpecimen; but the firft rude efTays of authours compared with the WOrksof their ma* turer years, are ufeful to ftiew how much is in the power of diligence.

\

tr.-

( 55 )

To all the Gentlemen and Yomcn of Englande.

IAS the wyfe man came to Crefus the riche Kinge, on a time, when he was makinge newe fhippes, purpofinge to have fubdued by water the out ifles lying betwixte Grecc and^/Ia Minor. " What newes " nowe in Gncc?" fayth the Kinge to 5/^j-. " None other newes but thefe," fayth Bias : " that the ifles of Grece have prepared a wonderful com- " pany of horfemen to over-run Lydia withal." " There is nothing under •' heaven, fayth the Kinge, that I would {o fcone wifli, as that they durfl " be fo boldc, to meete us on the land with horfe." " And thinke you," fayth Bias, " that there is any thinge which they would fooner vviflie, " then that you fliould be fo fonde, to meete them on the water with " fhippes r" And fo Crefus, hearing not the true newes, but perceyving the wyfe mannes minde and counfell, both gave then over makinge of his fliippes, and left alfo behinde him a wonderful example for al common vvealthes to followe: that is, evermore to regarde and fet moil by that thinge whcrunto nature hath made them mofl apt, and ufe hath made them mofc fitte.

By this matter I meane the fliooting in the longe bow, for EngliJIje- men: which thinge, with al my hart I do wiflie, and if I were of * au- thority, I v.ould counfell a!l the gentlemen and yomen of Englande, not to chaunge it with any other thinge, hovv'c good foevcr it feeme to be, but that nil, according to the okle wont oi Englande, youth fliould ufe it for the mofl: honcll: paflime in peace, that men might handle it as a mofl fure weapon in warrc. Other -f- ftronge weapons, v^'hich both experience doth prove to be good, and the wife-dome of the Kinges Majefly and his counfel provides to be had, are not ordayned to take

* Authori!)' is here nfcd not for Power, but for derlit or Infiuenre.

t Fire-arms began about this time to be made, for the hand ordnance or great guns fcctn to have been near a century employed in war before hand-guns were much uleJ.

4 awaye

56 T H E W O R K S O F

awaye fhooting : but that both, not cornpaied together, vvlictlier fliould be better than the other, but fo joyned togetlier, that the one fhould be alwayes an aydc and helpc for the other, might fo (hcngthen tlic reahne on all fuics, that no kinde of enemyc, in any kinde of weapon, might pafle and go beyonde us.

For this purpofe I, partlye provoked by thecounfell of fomc gentlemen, partlye moved by the love which I have alwayes borne toward flioot- inge, have wiittcn this litle treatifc ; v/heicin, if I have not fatisfycd ariy man, I truft lie uill the rather be content with my doinge, becaufe I am (I fuppofe) the firll, which hath laid any thinge in this mattei', (and fewe beginninges b-; perfe6l, fayth \\7fe men :) and alfo becaufe, if I have faide amille, I am content that any man amende it, or, if I have laid to litle, any man that will to adde what him pleafeth to it.

V My minde is, in profiting and pleafing every man, to hurt or dif- pleafe no man, intending none other purpofe, but that youth might be \, rtirred to labour, honell paftime, and veilue, and as much as laye in me, plucked from ydlenes, unthrifty games, and vice : which thinge I have laboured onlye in this booke, Ihewinge howc fit fhootinge is for all kindes of men ; howe honeft a paflime for the mindej howe liolfomc an exercife for the bodye ; not vile for great men to ufe, not coltly for poore men to fuftayne, not lurking in holes and corners lor ill men at their pleafure to mifufe it, but abydinge in the open fighte and face of the vvorkle, for good men if it fault by tlieyr wyfedome to correct it.

And here I would defire al gentlemen and yomcn to ufe this paftinie in fuch a meane, that the outragioufnefs of great gaminge fliould not hurt the honeftyeof iliootingc, which, of his owne nature, is alwayes joyned with honeftyc : yet for menncs faultes oftentimes blamed un- worthelye, as all good thinges have bene, and evermore llial be.

If any man would blame me, cyther for takinge fuch a matter in hande, or els for wrytinge it in the EiigUjle tongue, this aunfwerelmay make him, that when the beft of the realme thincke it honefl: for them to ule, I, one of the meaneft forte, ought not to fuppofe it vile for me to wryte : and thoughe to have written it in another tongue, had

bene.

ROGER ASCHAM. bene both more profitable for my ftudy, and alfo more * honeft for my name, yet I can thinke my laboure well beflov/ed, if with a little hin- drance of my profite and name, may come any furtherance to the pleafure or commodity of the gentlemen and yomen of Englande, for whofe fake I toke this matter in hand. And as for the La- tine or Greeke tongue, everye thinge is fo excellentlye done in them, that none can do better: In the EngUJJ.^e tongue, contrary, everye tliinge in a maner fo meanlye both for the matter and handelingc, that no man can do worfe. For therein the leaft learned, for the mofl: part, have bene alwayes mofl readye to write. And they which had leafl: hope in Latine, have bene mofl bould in EngltJJx : when furelye everye man that is mofl readye to talkc, is not mofl able to write. He that will write well in any tongue, muft follow this counfel of Arijhtle, to fpeake as the comon people do, to thinke as wyfe men do: as fo flioulde everye man underftand him, and the judgement of wyfe men alowe him. Manye Englipe waiters have not done fo, but ufmge flraunge vvordes, as Latine, Frenche^ and Italian, do make all thinges darke and harde. Ones I communed w^ith a man which reafoned the EngUPje tongue to be enriched and encreafed thereby, fayinge: " Who will not " prayfe thatfeall where a man fliall drincke at a dinner both wyne, ale " and beere ?" " Truly (quoth I) they be al good, everyone taken by him- " felfc alone, but if you put mulvefye and facke, redde wyne and white, " ale and beere, and al in one pot, you fliall make a drincke not eafye " to be knowen, nor yec holfome for the bodye." Cicero, in folowing Ifocrates, Plato and Demojlhenes, encreafed the Latine tongue after ano- ther fort. This way, becaufe divers men that wryte, do not know, they can neyther folow it, becaufe of theyr ignoraunce, nor yet will prayfe it for over arrogancye, two faultes, feldome the one out of the others companye. EngUjlie writers, by diverfity of time, have taken dyvers matters in hand, In our fathers time no thinge was read but bookes of fayned chevahie, whcrin a man by rcadinge flioulde be led to none other ende, but onely to manflaughter and baudrye. If anye man fuppofe they were good enougli to palTe the time with all, he is deceived. For fu rely vaine wordes do worke no fmall thinge in vaine, ignorant, and young mindes, efpecially if they be geven any thinge - thereunto of their owne nature. Thefc bookes (as 1 have heard lay) were made the mofl part in abbayes, and monafleries, a very likely and fit fruitc of fuch an ydle and blind kind of lyving. In our tyme now,

■> Honji is here ufed for honourahU,

I when

S7

58 T H E W O R K S O F

when every man is geven to know, much rather than to Uve wel, very many do write, but after fuch a fafliion as very many do flioote. Some fhooters take in hande ftronger bowes, than they be able to * maintaine. This thinge maketh them fome time to over Ihoote the marke, fome time to fhoote far wyde, and pcrcliaunce hurt fome that looke on. Other that never learned to flioote, nor yet knoweth good fliaft nor bow, wil be as bufy as the bell:, but fuche one commonlyc-f-plucketh down a fide, and crafty archers which be againfl him, will be both glad of him, and alfo ever redye to lay and bet with him : It were better for fuch one to fit down than fhote. Other there be, which have very good bow and fliafts, and good knowledge in fhootinge, but they have been brought up in fuch evill favoured ihootinge, that they can neither flioote J fayre nor yet nere. If any man will applyc thefe thinges together, fhal not fe the one far differ from the other. And I alfo, amonges all other, in wryting this litle treatife, have folowed fome yong (hooters, which both wil begin to fliote, for a litle money, and alfo wil ufe to flioote ones or twife about the marke for nought, afore they begin a good. And therefore dyd I take this litle matter in hand, to aOay my- felfe, and hereafter, by the grace of God, if iudgement of wyfe men, that loke on, thinke that I can do anye good, I may perchance caft my fliaft among other, for better game. Yet in writing this booke, fome man wil marveile perchance, v/hy that I beyng an unperfect fliooter, fhould take in hand to write of makyng a perfe6t archer : the fame man, per- ■ adventure, wil marveile howe a whetftone, whiche is blunt, can make the edge of a knife fharpe : I would the fame man fliould confider alfo, that in going about any matter, there be four things to be confidered, doing, faying, thincking, and perfednefs : Firft, there is no man that doth fo well, but he can fay better, |[ or els fome men, whiche be now fl:arke nought, fliould be too good : Again, no man can utter with his tongue, fo wel as he is able to imagine with his minde, and yet per- fe6lnes itfelfe is far above al thinkingc. Then, feyng that faying is one ftep nerer perfedncs than doing, let eveiy man leave marveyling why my worde flial rather cxprefle, than my dede fliall perfourme, perfect fliootinge.

* To maintain is to manage.

■f To f u.k down af:de, I believe, is to flioot on one fide into the grounJ.

% Neither (hoot gracefully nor exa(5lljr.

II This pafllige is fomewhat confufed. The meaning is, that if from what men fay we could infer what they do, we might thinic many to be good, whom wc hear taiicing wel), whom yet we Icnow to be bjd, becaufe they live ill.

I I

ROGER A S C H A M.

I truft no man will be offended with this litle bookc, excepte it be fome fletchers andbowycrs, thinkinge hereby that many that love fhoot- inge fliall be taught to refufe fuch noughtye wares as they woulde utter. Honcft * fletchers and bowyers do not lb, and they that be unhoneft, ought rather to amende themfelves for doing ill, than be angrye with me for faying well. A fletcher hath even as good a quarell to be an- grye with an archer that refufeth an ill fliaft, as a blade-fmith hath to a fletcher that forfaketh to bye of him a noughtye knyfe ; for as an ar- cher muft be content that a fl.etcher knowe a good fliafte in every pointe for the perfe6ler makyng of it j fo an honefl: fletcher will alfo be con- tent that a fhooter know a good fliafte in everye pointe, for the per- fe£ler ufinge of it ; becaufe the one knoweth like a fletcher howe to make it, the other knoweth like an archer how to ufe it. And feinse the knowledge is one in them both, yet the ende divers ; furely that flet- cher is an enemy to archers and artillery, which cannot be content that an archer knowe a fhaftc, as well for his ufe in fhootinge, as he him- felfe fhoukl knowe a fliafte, for his advantage in fellinge. And the rather, becaufe fhaftes be not made fo much to be fold, but chieflye to be ufcd. And feinge that ufe and ocupyingc is the ende why a fliafte is made, the makyng, as it were, a meane for ocupyinge, furelye the knowledge in eveiy point of a good fliafte, is more to be required in a fliooter than a fletcher.

Yet, as I fayde before, no honefl: fletcher will be angrye with me, feing I do not teache howe to make a fliafte, which belongcth onlye to a good fletcher, but to knowe and handle a fliafte, which belongeth to an archer. And this litle booke, I truft, fliall pleafe and profit both parties : for good bowes and fliaftes fliall be better knowen to the com- modity of all fliooters, and good fliootinge may, perchauncc, be more occupyed to the profit of all bowyers and fletchers. And tlius I praye God that all fletchers, getting their lyving truly, and all archers, ufinge fliootinge honeftlye, and all manner of men that favour artillei ye, maye live continuallye in healthc and mcrineffe, obeying theyr Prince as they flioulde, and loving God as they oughte : to whome, for all thinges, be all honour and glorye for ever. Ame?i.

ROGER ASCHAM.

* Fletcher is an arrow-maker. This vindication of the book againftthc fletchers is trifling and fuperfluous.

I 2 T O X O-

59

>!i'

t

TOXOPHILUS.

The First Booke of the SCHOLE of SHOOTINGE.

PHILOLOGUS. TOXOPHILUS.

Philolo- "TTOU ftudye to fore, I'oxophilus. Tox. I will not

Gus. X hurt myfelfe over much, I warrant you. Phi. Take heede you do not, for we phyfitions faye, that it is neyther good for the eyes in fo cleare a funne, nor yet holefome for the body, fo foone after meate, to looke upon a mans booke. Tox. In eatinge and

ftudyinge I will never folowe any phyficke, for if I did, I am fure I jfhould have fmall pleafure in the one^ and lefTe courage in the other. But what news drave you hither, I pray you ? Phi. Small news,

trulye, but that as I came on walkinge, I fortuned to come with three or four that went to flioote at the prickes : and when I fawe not you amonges them, but at the laft efpyed you lookinge on your booke here fo * fadlye, I thought to come and hold you with fome communication, left your booke flioulde run away with you. For methought by your waveringe pace, and earneft lookinge, your booke ledde you, not you it. Tox. Indeede, as it chaunced, my minde went fafter then

my fcete, for I happened here to reade in Phedro Platonis, a place that entreates wonderfuUye of the nature of foules, which place, wlicthir it were for the paffinge eloquence of Plato, and the Greeke tongue; or for the highe and godlye defcription of the matter, kepte my mindc fo oc- cupyed, that it had no leifure to looke to my feeie. For I ^vas rcad- ynge how fome foules, beinge well feathered, flew alwayes about iica- ven and heavenly matters, other fome havinge their featheis mouted

* So ferioujlj,

aw--

62 THEWORKSOF

awfty aiitl ilr<HijMi>gejTanGk« dow-tt€-4uto eaitlilye tillages. Pui» I

remember the place very well, and it is wondcrfuUye fayd oi Plato, and now I lee it was no marveile thoughe your feete fayled you, feingc your mhide flcvve fo fallc. Tux. I am glad now that you let-

\f^ me, Jt)r my ji.eade _^akes fr^h lookiiTge ,o.ji it, arid bc(feiire yoi^ 'tell me fo, I am very forye that I was not v.iih thofe good fellowes you fpake upon, for it is a very fayre day for a man to ftioote in. Phi. And, methincke, you were a gi^-^t deale better occupycd, and in bet- ter company, for it is a very fayre day for a man to go to his booke in. Tox. All dayes and wethers will ferve for that purpofe,

and furely this occafion was ill loft. Phi. Yea, but cleare we-

ther maketh cleare mindcs, and it is beft, as I fuppofc, to fpendc the beft time upon the bell: thinges: and me thouglit you fliottc verve well, and at that marke, at whichc cverye good Icholer fhoukle moft bufilye Ihote at. And I fuppofc it be a great deale more pleafure alfo to fee a Ibule flye in Plato, than a fliaftc fiye at the prickes. I giaunte you, Ihootinge is not the worfte thinge in the world, yet if we fliote, and time lliotc, we are not like to be great winners at the lengthe. And you know alfo we fcholers have more eameft and wcightye matters in hande, nor v.-e be not borne to pailimc and pli^ye, as you knovve well enoughe who fayeth. Tox. Yet the fame man, in the fame

bff."^'"" '" place, Philologe, by your leave, doth admitte holefome, lioneft, and manerlye palliraes, to be as ncceflVye to be mingletl with fadde mat- ters of the miaide, as eatinge and fleapingc is for the heoltije of the bo- dye, anti yet we be borne for neyther of both. And yli-ijlotk himfclfe

r^bus To'.'a. ''^y'^^^> that althoughc it were a fonde and a chlldilhe thinge to be to earneft in pallime and playe, yet doth he affirme, by the authority of the olde poet EpiclMirmus, that a pian may ufe play for eaiiicfi: matters

. .- p fake. And in another place, that, as reft is for laboure, and mede-

S. 3. cines for heahhe, fo is paftime, at times, for fadde and weightye ftu-

dye. Phi. How muche in this matter is to be gevcn to the au-

thoritye cyther of Arijlotleov Tullye I can not tell, feinge fadde men may well enoughe fpeake merilye for a merye matter: this I am fure, whiche thinge this fayre wheate (God fave it) maketh mee remember, that thofe hulhandmcn whiche ryfe earlycft, and come lateft home, andarecon- tentc to have theyr dinner and other drinkynges broughte into the fielde to them, for fcare of loofmge of tyme, have fatter barnes in the harveft, than they which will either fleape at noone tyme of the

day

M. Cic. in

Arift.de mo-

I

ROGERASCHAM. 63

day, or els make merye with theyr neighbours at the ale. And Co a fcholar that purpofeth to be a good hufbande, and dtfyreth to reape and enioye much fiuite of learninge, muH: till and fowe * thereafter. Our befl- feede tyme, whiche be fcholers, as it is very tymely, and when we be yonge : fo it endureth not over long, and therefore it may not be let flippc one houre : our grounde is very harde, and full of weedes, our horfe wherewith we be drawen very wilde, as Plato fayth. And In Phxdro* intinire other nio lettes, which will make a thriftye fcholer take heede howe he fpendfith his time in fport and playe. Tox. ThditAri/htk

and Tullye fpake earneftlye, and as they thoughte, the earnefte matter whiche they entreate upon, doth plainlye prove. And, as for your huf- bandrye, it was more -j- probablye tolde with apte wordes proper to the thinge, than thoroughlye proved with reafons belonginge to our matter. For, contrarywyfe, I heard myfelfe a good hufbande at his booke once faye, that to omitte fludye fome tyme of the daye, and fome tyme of the yeare, made as much for the encreafe of learnynge, as to let the lande lye fome tyme falloe, maketh for the better increafe of corne. This we fee, if the lande be plowed every yeare, the corne cometh thinne up: the ear is fliort, the grain is fmall, and, when it is brought into the barne and thrcflied, geveth very evill ^ faule. So thofe which never leave poringe on theyr bookes, have oftentimes as thinne inven- tion, as other poore men have, and as fmall witte and weight in it as in other mens. And thus your hufbandrye, me thincke, is more like the life of a covetous fnudgc that ofte very evill proves, then the labour of a good hulbande that knoweth well what he doth. And furelye the beft wittes to learninge muft needes have much recreation and ceaf- ynge from theyr booke, or els they mane themfclvcs; when bafe and dompifhe wittes can never be hurte with continual fludye, as ye fee in lutinge, that a treble minikin ftringe mult alwayes be let downe, but at fuch tymo as when a man mufl needes play, when the bafe and dull ftringe needeth never to be moved out of his place. The fame reafon I finde true in two bowes that I have, whereof the one is quicke of carte, jj tricke, and trimme both for pleafure and profile : the other is a lugge ilowe of cade, followingc the flringe, more fare for to lall:, then pleafant for to ufe. Now, Sir, it chaunced this other night, one in my chamber would needes btndc them to piuve their ftrengthe, but (I can-

* In order to it. -j- Probably is fiecicujly.

X FuiJe or Fail, is Produce. \\ Trickt ot'ir'unjy., is neat, nice, t!cgaiu.

not

64

Ovid,

THE WORKS OF not tell hovve) they were both lefte bente till the next day after dinner : and when I came to them, piirpolinge to have gone on fliootinge, I founde my good bowe clcne * caft on the onefyde, and as weakc as wa- ter, that iuixlye, if I were a riche man, I had rather have fpent a crowne: and as for my lugge, it was not one whit the worfe, but fliotte by and by as well and as farre as ever it did. And even fo, I am fure that good wittes, excepte they be let downe lyke a treble ftringe, and un- bente lyke a good cafling bowe, they will never laft and be able to con- tinue in iludyc. And I know where I fpake this, Phil-Joge, for I would not fay thus much afore younge men, for they will take foone occalion to ftudye litlc ynoughe. But I faye it therefoie, becaufe I knowe, as litle ftudye getteth litlc learnyng, or none at all, fo the mofl: fludye getteth not the mort learninge of all. For a mans witte fore occupyed in earned flLidye mutl: be as well recreated with fome honefl: pallime, as the bodye fore laboured mufte berefrefhed with fleape and quictncffe, or elfe it cannot endure verye longe, as the noble poete fayth :

•f- JFhat thingc ivants quiet and mcry reft, endures but afmall ivhile.

And I promife you fhootinge, by my iinlgement, is the moft honcfle pal^ime of all, and fuche one, I am fure, of all other, that hindcrcth learninge litle or nothinge at all, whatfoever you and fome other faye, which arc a great dealc forer againft it ahvayes than you neede to be. Phi. Hindcreth learninge litle or nothinge at all! that were

a marveile to me trulye, and I am fure, feinge you i'ay io, you have fome reafon wherwith you can defende fhootinge with all, aiid as for will, (for the love that you beare towarde fhootinge) I thincke there Ihall lacke none in you. Therefore, feinge we have fo good Icyfure both, and no bodye by to trouble us : and you fo willinge and able to defende it, and I (o readye and glade to heare what may be laid of it, I fuppofe we cannot paif-; the time better over, neyther you for the % honellye uf your fliootinge, nor I for mine own nnnde fake, than to fee what can be fayed v^ith it, or againll it, and fpecialye in thcfe days, when fo ma- ny doth ufe it, and every man, in a maner, doth commune of it. Tox. To fpeake of fliootinge, P/ji'/o/oge, trulye 1 would I vsere fo able, eyther as I myfelfeam willinge, or yet as the matter defervcth ; but Hinge with wilhinge we cannot have one nowe worthy, whitii fo v/orthye a thinge can worthelye prayfe, and although 1 had rather have any

• C'jji is vjarped. The word is flill ufed by artificers.

t If this line was fo tranflatcd when this treatifc was iirft written in 1544, it is the olc'e.l Englifh hexameter that 1 remember. X Honejly is Honour.

Other

R O G E R A S C H A M. 65

other to do It than myfdfe, yet myfelfe rather then no other, I will not fayle to fay in it what I can. Wherein if I fay litle, laye that of my litle habilitye, not of the matter itfelfe, which deferveth no litle thinge to be fayde of it. Phi. If it deferve no litle thinge to be fayde of

it, T'oxcpbile, I marveile how it chaunceth than, that no man hither- to hath written anye thinge of it: wherein you mulle graunt me, that eyther the matter is nought, unwortliye, and barren to be written up- on, or els fome men are to blame, which both love it and ufe it, and yet coulde never finde in theyr harte, to faye one good woorde of it, ftinge that verye triflinge matters hath not lacked great learned men to fet them oute, as* gnattes and nuttes, and many other more like thinges, wherefore eyther you may honefllye laye very great faulte upon men, becaufe they never yet prayfed it, or els I may iuftlye take away no litle thinge from Ihootinge, becaufe it never yet deferved it. Tox. True-

lye, herein, Philologe, you take not fo much from it, as you geve to it. For great and commodious thynges are never greatlye prayfed, not becaufe they be not worthye, but becaufe theyr excellency^ needeth no man his prayfe, havinge all theyr commendation of themfelfe, not borrowed of other men his lippes, which rather prayfe themfelfe, in fpeakinge muche of a litle thinge, then that matter which they entreat upon. Great and good thinges be not prayfed : " For who ever prayfed " Hercules'?" (fayth the Gnvy^f proverbc.) And that no man hitherto hath written anye booke of fliootinge, the faulte is not to be layed in the thinge which was worthye to be written upon, but of men which were neg'.igente in doinge it, and this was the caufe thereof as I fuppofe. Mennc that ufed fliootinge moft and kncvvfe it beft, were not learned : men that were learned, ufed litle Ihootinge, and were ignoraunt in the nature of the thinge, and fo fewe men have bene that hitherto were able to write upon it. Yet how long fliootinge hath continued, what common vvealthes hath moft ufed it, how honeft a thinge it is for all men, what kinde of lyvinge foever they folowe, whatpleafure and pro- hte conimeth of it, "both in peace and warre, all maner of tongues and writers, Hebrewt, Greeke, and Latiuc, hath fo plentifullye fpoken of it, as of few other thinges like. So what fliootinge is, howc many kindes there is of it, what goodnefle is ioyned with it, is tolde : cnilye how it is to be learned and broughte to a pcrfeftnefle amonges men, is not tolde. Phi. Then, I'oxopbile, if it be fo as you do faye, let

us go forwarde, and examine howe plentifullye this is done that you

* The Gnat of Fbgily and the Nut of Ov'd.

K fpeake ;

66 THEWORKSOF

fpeake ; and, firft, of the invention of it, then what honeflye and profite is in the ufe of it, both for wane and peace, more than in other paf- timcs ; \ai\ of all howe it oughte to be learned amonges men, for the encreafe of it. Which thinge if you do, not onlye I nowe, for your com- munication, but many other mo, when they fliall knowc of it, for your labour, and ihootinge itfelfe alfo (if it could fpeake) for your kind- nefic, will con you very muche thancke. Tox, What goode thinges

men fpeake of fliootinge, and what good thinges fliootinge bringes to men, as my witte and knowledge will ferve me, gladly fliall I faye my minde. But howe the thinge is to be learned, I will furelye leave to fome other, which, both for greater experience in it, and alfo for their learnynge, can fct it out better than I. Phi. Well, as for that,

I knowe both what you can do in fliootinge, by experience, and that you can alfo fpeake well ynough of fliootinge, for your learnynge : but go on with the firfl: part. And I do not doubt, but what my defire, what your love towardes it, the honeftye of Ihootinge, the profit that may come thereby to many others, fliall get the fccond pait out of you at the lall. Tox. Of the firfl finders out of fliootinge, divers

C. C'nuJi- men diverflye do wryte. Claiidiane the poete fayth, that nature geve anusinHif- example of fliootinge firfl:, by the * Porpejttirie, which flioote his prickes, ^"' and will hitte anye thinge that fightes with it: wherebye men learned

afterwarde did imitate the fame, in findinge out both bowe and fliaftes» Plin. 7. 56. Plinie referreth it to Schythes the fonne of Jupiter. Better, and more in Svmpo. noble wryters, brynge lliooting from a more noble invcntour : as in hymn. Plato, CaUmachus, and Galen, from Apollo. Yet longe afore thofe days ^■i? ||^i]|'^ '^ , we do read in the Bible of fliootinge cxprefllyej and alfo, if we fliall Ni.de Lyra; believe Nicholas de Lyra, Lamech killed Cain with a fliafte. So this great continuance of fliootinge dothe not a litlc prayfe fliootynge : nor that neyther dothe not a litle fet it out, that it is referred to the inven- tion of Apollo, for the whicli pointe fhootinge is highlye prayfcd of Ga- cxhor. aJ ^^" • wlicrc he fayth, that meane crafces be firft founde out by men or bonas aries. beafles, as weavinge by a fpider, and fuch other : but high and com- mendable fciences by Goddes, as fliootinge and muficke by Apollo. And thus fliootinge, for the neccllitye of it, uicd in Adams days, for the noble- nefic of it referred to Apollo, hath not bene onlye commended in all tongues and wryters, but alfo had in great [)rice, both in the befl com- mon wcalthes, in warre time, for the defence of their countrye, and of all degrees of men in peace time, both for the honellye that is ioyned

* Porcupine.

with

ROGERASCHAM. 67

with it, and the profite that followeth of it. Phi. Well, as con-

cerninge the findinge out of it, litle prayfe is gotten to fliootingc there- bye, feynge good wittes maye moft eafilye of all findc out a triflinge matter. But whereas you faye, that moft common wealthes have ufed it in vvarre tyme, and all degrees of men may verye honeftlye ufe it in peace tyme: I thincke you can neythcr floew by authoritye, nor yet prove by reafon. Tox. The uie of it in v\^arre tyme, I will de-

clare hereafter. And firft, howe all kindes and fortes of men (what degree foever they be) hath at all tymes afore, and nowe may honeftlye ufe it, the example of moft noble men very well doth proved.

Cyaxares, the Kinge of the Medees, and great grand father to Cyrus, Herod, in kept a fort of Sythians with him onlye for this purpofe, to teache his ^''°- iom-\^. yljlycjges to ihooiQ. Cyrus, beinge a childe, was broughteuppe inxen.inlnau ftiootingej which thinge Zenophon would never have made mention on, "^y"-*' excepte it had bene fitte for all Princes to have ufed : feinge that Zeno- phon wrote Cyrus lyfe, (as Tullye fayth) not to fliew what Cyrus did, Ad Quint, but what all maner of Princes, both in paftymes and earneft matters, ^"' '" *' ought to do.

Darius, the firft of that name, and kinge of Perja, fliewed plain- lye howe fitte it is for a Kinge to love and ufe fliootinge, which com- maunded this fentence to be graven in his tombe, for a princelye me- morye and prayle.

Darius the Kinge lyeth buried here, Strabo. 15.

That in /Jjootinge aiid rydinge had never pere,

Agayne, Domitian the Emperour was fo cunninge in fiiootinge, that Suet. he coulde fliote betwixt a mans fingers ftanding afarre off, and never hurte him. Commodus alfo was fo excellente, and had fo fure a hand in it, that there was nothinge within his reach and fliotc, but he would^"°'^'"' ^' hit in what place he would ; as beafts runninge, eyther in the head, or in the harte, and never milie ; as Hcrodiane fayeth he fawe himfelfe, or els he could never have believed it. Phi. Indeede you prayfe

fhootinge very well, in that you {hew that Domitian and Commodus love fiiootinge, fuch an ungratious couple, I am fure, as a man fliall not finde agayne, if he raked all hell for them. Tox. Well, even as I

K 2 will

68 THEWORKSOF

will not commend tbeyr ilnefTe, fo ougjite not you to difprayfe theyr goodncile; and indcedc, the iudgmente of //trcd'/V?;; up\^on Com mocius is true of them bothe, and that was this : that befyde ftrcngthe of bodye and good fliootinge, they had noprincelye thinge in them ; whiche fay- inge, methincke, commendes fhootingc vvondcrfuUye, caUing it a prince- lye thinge. Forthermore, howe commendable fliootinge is for Princes : Themift. in I'tetniflins, the noble philofopher, fliewethe in a certaine oration made to I'keodcfms the Emperour, wherein he dothe commcnde him for three thinges, that he ufed of a childe : For fliootinge, for ryding of an horfe well, and for feates of armcs.

Moreover, not oncly Kinges and Emperours have been broughte up in fliootinge, but alfo the bell common wealthes that ever were, have made goodlye acts and lawes for it, as the Perfians, whiche under Cyrui

Herod, in conquered, in a maner, all the world, had a lawe that their children flioulde learne three thinges onlye from five yeares oalde unto twenty, to rydcan horfe well, to flioote well, to fpeake truthe alwayes and never

Lcode flra-|yg_ ThtRomayncs (asLrothe Emperour in his book of fleightes of warrs " " telkth) had a lawe that everye man flioulde ufe fliootinge in. peace tyme, while he was forty yeare oulde, and that everye houfe flioulde have a bov.'e, and forty fliaftes, ready for all needes ; the omittinge of which lawe (fayth Leo) amonge the youthe, hathe bene the onlye occafion why ths Romaynes loft a great dealc of theyr empyre. But more of this 1 will fpeake when I come to the profite of fliootinge in warre. If I fhoulds rehearfe the ftatutcs made of noble Princes of Englande in parliamentes, for the fettinge forwarde of fliootinge, throughe this realme, and fpeci- ally that acle made for fliootinge the thirde yeare of the raigne of our iTiofl: dreade Soveraignc Loid Kinge Hcnrye the VIII. I coulde be verye longe. But thefe fewe examples, fpeciallye of fo greate men and noble common wealthes, fliall llande in fl:ecde of nianye. Phi. That

fuche Princes, and fuche common wealthes have muche regarded flioot- inge, you have well declared. B.ut whye fliootinge oughte fo of itfelfe to be regarded, you have fcarcelye yet proved.

Tox. Examples, I graunt, out of hifl-oryes do fliewe a thinge to be fo, not prove a thinge why it flioukl be io. Yet this I fuppofe, that neyther great mens qualltyes, beinge commendable, be withoute great aucloritye, for other men honcftlyc to followe tliemj nor yet thofe

great

ROGERASCHAM. 69

great learned men that wrote fuch thinges, lacke good reafon luftlye at all tymes for anye other to approve them. Princes, beinge children, - oughte to be brought uppe in (hootinge, bothe becaufe it is an exercife moll holiorne, and alio a paftime molte honcft: wherein laboure pre- pareth the bodye to hardnelie, the minde to couragioufnefle, fuiFeringe neyther the one to be marde with tendernefie, nor yet the other to be hurte with ydlenelle, as we reade howe Sardanapalus and llich other were, becaufe they were not brought up with outwarde honefl painfull paftimes to be men, but cockerde up with inwarde noughtye ydle wan- tonnelle to be women. For howe fitte laboure is for all youthe, Jupi- ter or els Minos amonges them of Greece, and Lycurgus amonge the Laccdemojiians, do fliewe by theyr lawes, whiche never ordeyned anye Cic. 2. Tuf. thinge for the bringinge up of youth, that was not ioyned with labour; ^' and that labour whiche is in fliootinge of all other is beft, both becaufe it encreafeth llrengthe, and preferveth healtlie moft, beinge not vehe- ment, but moderate, not overlayinge anye one paite with wearinefle, but foftlye cxercilinge everye parte with equalnelie, as the arms and brealles with drawinge, the other parts witli goinge, beinge not fo pain- full for the labour, as pleafaunt for the paftime, which exercife, by the Galen. 2. iudgment of the befte phyfitionS; is moft alowable. By fliootinge alfo'^eSantuend, is the minde honeftlye exercifed, where a man alwayes defireth to be befl, (which is a word of honellye) and that by the fame way, that vertue itfelfe dothe, coveting to come nigheft a mod perfitte ende, or mean ftandinge betwixte tv\o extremes, elchevvinge (horte, or gone, or eyther fyde wyde, for the which caufes AriJIotle himfelfe fayth, that AHflot. de ihootinge and vertue be very lyke. Moreover, that fliootinge of all'^o^b. other is the mofl honefi: paftyme, and that leafte occafion to naughti- nede is ioyned with it, tv\'o thinges verye plainly do prove, whiche be, as a man would faye, the tutors and overl'eers to (hootinge : daye light, and open place where everye man dothe come, the mainieiners and kepers of fhootinge, from all unhonefle doinge. If ihootinge fault at anye time, it hydes it not, \i lurkes not in corners and huddermother : but openlye accufeth and bewrayeth itfelfe, which is the next way to amend- ment, as wyfe men do faye. And thefe thinges, I fuppofe, be fignes, not of naughtinefle, for anye man to difalowe it, but rather verye plaine tokens of honeftye, for every man to prayfe it. The ufe of Ihootinge alfo in great mennes children fliall greatly encreafe the love and ufe of fliootinge in all the refiduc of youth. For meane mennes

mindes

70

THE WORKS OF

In Nic. miii^^ss love to be like great men, as Plato and Ifocrates do faye. And thateverye bodye flioulde learne to flioote, when they be younge, defence of the common wcalthc doth require when they be olde, whiche thinge cannot be done raightelye when they be men, excepte they learne it per- fetlye when they be boyes. And therefore fhootinge of all pallymes is moll fitte to be ufed in childhoode: becaufe it is an imitation of moft carnelle thinges to be done in manhode. Wherefore, fliootinge is fitte for great mennes children, both becaufe it ftrengtheneth the bodye with holfome laboure, and pleafeth the minde with honeft paftyme, and alfo cncourageth all other youthe earneftlye to foUowe the fame. And thefe reafons (as I fuppole) ftirred uppe both great men to bringe uppe their children in fliootinge, and alfo noble common wealthes fo flraitly to commaunde fhootinge. Therefore feinge Princes, moved by honeft oc- cafions, have in all common wealthes ufed fhootinge, I fuppofe there is no other degree of men, neyther lowe nor hye, learned nor leude, younge nor olde. * Phi. You fliail neede wade no further in this

matter, Toxophik, but if you can prove me that fcholers and men geven to learnynge maye honeftlye ufe fhootinge, I will foon graunt you that all other fortes of men may not onlye lawfidlye, but oughte of dutye to ufe it. But I thincke you cannot prove but that all thefe exam- ples of fliootinge broughte from fo long a tyrnx, ufed of fo noble Prin- ces, confirmed by fo wyfe mennes lawes and iudgements, are fet afore temporal men, onelye to followe them; whereby they maye the better and flronglyer defende the common wealth withall j and nothinge be- longeth to fcholars and learned men, which have another part of the common wealthe, quiete and peaceable put to theyr cure and charge, vvhofe ende, as it is diverfe from the other, fo there is no one way that leadeth to them bothe. Tox. I graunt, Thilohge^ that fcholers and

layemen have divers offices and charges in the common wealthe, which requires divers bringyng uppe in theyr youthe, if they fliall do them as they oughte to do in theyr age. Yet as temporal men of neccffitye are compelled to take fomewhat of learnynge to do theyr ofiice the better withall, fo fcholars may the boldlycr borrovve fomewhat of layemcnnes paftymes to maintcine theyr healthe in ftudye withal. And furelye, of all other thynges, fliootinge is neceflarye for bothe fortes to learne. Which thinge, when it has bene evermore ufed in Englaiide, howe much good it hath done, both old men and chronicles do tell : and

• Here fecms to be forae deficicnce in the copy.

alfo

ROGERASCHAM. 71

alfo onr enemies can bear us recorde. For if it be true as I have heard faye, when the Kinge of Englandc hath bene in Fraunce, the Priefles at home, becaufe they were archers, have bene able to overthrow all Scot- lande. Againe, there is another thynge, which above all other dotke move me, not onlye to love fliootinge, to prayfe Ihootinge, to exhorte all other to fliootinge, but alfo to ufe iliootinge myfelfe : and that is our late Kinge Henrye the eyghte his moft royal purpofe and will, whiche in all his flatutes generallye dothe commaund men, and with his owne mouth mofc gently did exhorte men, and by his great giftes and re- wardes greatlye did encourage men, and with his moft princelye ex- ample verye often did provoke all other men to the fame. But here you will come with temporall man and fcholer. I tell you plainly, fcho- ler or nnfcholer, yea if I were twenty fcholers, I vvoulde thincke it were mye dutye, bothe with exhortinge men to flioote, and alfo with Ihoot- inge myfelfe, to helpe to fet forwarde that thinge which the Kinge his vi'yfedome, and his counfaile, fo greatlye laboure to have go forward : which thinge furelye they did, becaufe they knew it to be, in vvarrc, the defence and wall of our countreye ; in peace, an exercife moft holfome for the bodye, a paftyme moft honefte for the minde, and, as I am able to prove myfelfe, of all other mofte fitte and agreeable with learnynge and learned men. Phi. If you can prove this thynge fo plainlye,

asyoufpeak it earneftlye, then will I not onelye thincke as you do, but become a fhooter, and do as you do. But yet beware, I fay, left you, for the great love you beare towarde fliootinge, blindly iudge of ihoot- inge. For love, and all other too earneft aftedions, be not for noughte painted blinde. Take heede (I fay) left you prefer lliooting afore other paftymes, as one Balbi?jus, through blinde affedlion, preferred his lover before all other women, glthough ftie was deformed with a Polyp- pus in her nofe. And ahhough fliootinge may be meete fome tyme for fome fcholers, and fo forth; yet the fitteft alwayes is to be preferred. Therefore, if you will ncedes graunt fcholers paftyme and recreation of theyr mindcs, let them ufc (as manye of them do) Mu/icke and play- ingc on inftruments, thinckinge moft feemlye for all fcholers, and moft regarded alwayes oi Apollo and the Mujl's. Tox. Even as I cannot denye but fome Muficke is fit for Icarninge, fo I truft you cannot choofe but graunt, that Ihootinge is fit alfo, as Callimaclms doth fignifye in this Cal. hym, verfe :

Both

72 THEWORKSOF

/

Arid. Pol.

— Both merie fongci and good JJ:ooiinge delighteth Apollo.

But as concciningc whether of them is mofl fitte for learninge, and fcholers to ufc, you may faye what you will for your plcafurCj this I am fure that Flato and Arijlotle bothc, in theyr bookes entreatinge of the common wealthc, where they Ihewe howe youthe fhould be brought uppe in four thinges, in readinge, in writinge, in exercife of bodye, and finginge, do make mention of Miificke and all kyndes of it, wherein they bothe agree, that Mufickc ufed amonges the Lydiaiis is very ill for young men, which be ftudcntes for vertue and learnynge, for a certaine nyce, fofte, and fmoothe fwetenelTe of ir, whiche would rather entice them to noughtines, then Itirre them to honellye.

An other kinde oi Mu/icke, invented by the Dor/^;«, they bothe won- derfully prayfe, alowinge it to be very fitte for the ftudye of vertue and learninge, becaufe of a manlye, roughe and floute founde in it, whiche fiiould encourage younge ftomakes to attempte manlye matters. Nowe whether thefe balades and roundeSjthefe galiardes, pavanes and daunces, fo nyctlye fingered, lb fweetlye tuned, be lyker the Muficke of the LydianSy or the Dcrimis, you that be learned iudge. And whatfoever ye iudge, this I am fure, that lutes, harpes, all maner of pypts, barbitons, fiim- bukes, with other inftrumcntes every one, whiche llandeth by fine and quicke fingeringe, be condemned of Ari/lotle, as not to be broughte in and ufcd among them, which ftudye for learnynge and vertue.

Pallas, when flie had invented a pipe, cafle it awaye, not fo muche, fayth Arijlotle, becaufe it deformed her face, but muche rather becaufe fuch an inflrument belonged nothinge to learninge. Howe fuche in- ftrumcntes agree with learninge, the goodlye agreement betwixt Apollo God of learninge, and Marfias the Satyr, defender of pyj)inge, dothe well declare, where Marfiai had his Ikinne quite pulled over his headc for his laboure.

Muche Muficke marreth mcnnes mancrs, fayth Galen, althoughe fome men will faye that it dothe not (o, but rather recreateth and ma- keth quicke a manncs niinde, yet, methincke, by reafon it doth as honyc dothc to mannes ilomackc, whiche at firll receiveth it well, but

afterward

ROGER ASCHAM.

afterward It maketh it unfit to abyde any good flronge nourifliinge meate, or els any holfome fharpe and quicke drincke. And even fo in a maner thefe inftrumentes make a manswittes fofofte and frnothe, fo ten- der and quaifye, that they be leffe able to broke flronge and toughe ftudye. Wittes be not fliarpened, but rather dulled and made blunt, with fuche fweete foftneffe, even as good edges be blonter, whiche men whette up- pon foft chalke ftones.

And thefe thinges to be true, not onlye Plato, Anftotk, and Galen, Herod, in prove by authoritye of reafon, hvX ■aS'io Hcrcdotics and other writers, Ihewe^'"'* by piaine and evident example j as that of Cyrus, which, after he had overcome the Lydiam, and taken their king' Crefui prifoner, yet after, by the meanes of one FaSlyas, a very heady man amonges the Lydiam, they rebelled againft Cyrus againe ; then Cyrus had by and by brouglit them to utter deftruclion, if Crcfus, beinge in good favour with Cyrus, had not heartelye defyred him not to revenge PaByas fauite, in fhcd- dinge their bloode. But if he would folovve his counfaile, he might bringe to pafle, that theye flioulde never more rebel againft him. And that was this, to make them weare long kyrtils to the foote, like wo- men, and that everye one of them flioulde have a harpe or a lute, and learne to playe and finge. Which thinge if you do, fayth Crcfus, (as he did indeed) you fliall fee them quickly of men made women. And thuslutinge and finginge take awaye a manlyeftomacke, whiche fhoulde enter and pearce deepe and harde ftudye.

Even fuch another ftorye dothe Nymphodonis, an olde Greeke hlfto- Nymphod. riographer, write of one Sefoftris King of Egypt, which ftorye, becaufe it is fomevv^hat longe, and very like in all pointes to the other, and alfo \ you do well cnoughe to remember it, feinge you redde it fo late in So- 1 phocks Commentaries, I will now paffe over. Therefore eyther ^/7/?5//(?9°'"'".'^"^* and Plato knowe not what was good and evill for learninge and vertue, '" '"'** and the example of wyfe hiftoryes be vainly fct afore us, or els the min- ftrelfye of lutes, pypes, harpes, and all other that ftandeth by fuch nyce, fine minikin fingeringe, (fuche as the mofte parte of fcholers whom I knowe ufc, if they ufe anye) is farre more fitte for the womannilhnes of it to dwel in the Courte among ladycs, than for any great thinge in it, which ftioulde helpe good and faddc ftudye, to abide in the Univer- fity amongc fcholers. But perhaps you know fomc great goodnefle of

■L fuche

73

y^ THEWORKSOF

fuche Mujicke and fuche inllrumentes, whcreunto Phito and Arijioile his brayne coulde never attaync, and therefore I will fiiye no more a- gainfl: it.

Phi. Well, Toxophile, is it not enough for you to rayle uppon Mujickcy excepte you mocke me to ? but to fay the truthe, I never thoughte my- felfe thefe kyndes of Muficke fittc for learninge, but that whiche I fayde was rather to prove you, than to defend the matter. But yet as I woulde have this forte of Mujicke decaye among fcholers, even fo do I willie from tiic bottom of my hart, that the laudable cuftome of Etig- landc to teache children their plaine fonge and pricke fonge, were not fo decayed throughoute all the realme as it is. Whiche thinge how profitable it was for all fortes of men, thofe knewe not fo well than which had it molte, as they do nowc which lackc it molt. And there- fore it is true that Teiicer fayth in Sophocles:

Sophocles

in A ice. * Seldotne at all good t hinges be kno'wen how good to be

Before a man fuch thinges do miffe out of his bandes.

That milke is no fitter nor more naturall for the bringlnge up of children than Muficke is, both Galen provcth by aufloritye, and daily ufe teacheth by experience. For even the little babes lackinge the ufe of rcafon, are fcai'ce fo well ftilled in fucking their mothers pappe, as in hcaringc their mother fmge : Again, how fit youth is made, by learn- inge to finge, for Grammar and other fciences, both we dailye do fee, and Plutarch learnedly doth prove, and PLito wyfelye did allow, which received no fcholer into his fchole, that had not learned his fong before. The godlye ufe of prayfinge God, by finginge in the churche, needetli not my prayfe, fcinge it is fo prayfed throughe all the Scripture, there- fore now I will fpeak nothing of it, rather than I fliouldc fpeake to lit- tle of it.

Befyde all thefe commodities, truelye t\vo degrees of men, which have the highefl: of]ices under the Kinge in all this realm