fellow: but the election being done, he made countenance of great discontentation thereat. This man's goodness, and fatherly discretion used towards me that one day, shall never out of my remembrance all the days of my life. And for the same cause have I put it here in this small record of learning. For next God's providence, surely that day was, by that good father's means, dies natalis to me, for the whole foundation of the poor learning I have, and of all the furtherance that hitherto elsewhere I have obtained. This his goodness stood not still in one or two, but flowed abundantly over all that college, and brake out also to nourish good wits in every part of that university: whereby, at his departing thence, he left such a company of fellows and scholars in St. John's College, as can scarce be found now in some whole university: which, either for divinity, on the one side or other, or for civil service to their prince and country, have been, and are yet to this day, notable ornaments to this whole realm. Yea, St. John's did then so flourish, as Trinity College, that princely house now, at the first erection was but colonia deducta out of St. John's, not only for their master, fellows, and scholars, but also (which is more) for their whole both order of learning and discipline of manners. And yet to this day, it never took master but such as was bred up before in St. John's; doing the duty of a good colonia to her Metropolis, as the ancient cities in Greece, and some yet in Italy at this day, are accustomed to do. St. John's stood in this state, until those heavy times, and that grievous change* that chanced anno * "Anno 1553, et Julii 6to, nobilissimus princeps, Edvardus Sextus, immatura morte, ad hujus regni maximum had either could lack for any nee times was strangers, w worthy Nico Nicolaus, tha deed; but wo I might once in doing like and virtue. An young man, giver went beyond his ness; even the sa encourage him, nor him; as worthy Sir would bear good wit myself, one of the me college, because there show of towardness an favour to further me in le And being a boy, new among my companions to which matter was then in ev Dr. Hains and Dr. Skip were debate the same matter by pr in the university. This happen I stood to be fellow there. My t calfe's ear: I was called before 1 and after grievous rebuke, and som warning was given to all the fell hardy as to give me his voice at th yet for all those open threats, the go privily procured that I should even AT... 1 r 'n our school of And as in por not that work ind, or a wellfurnish up fully a man, woman, good skill, to ir proper kind, natural colour, a man, to the a young babe: our school to atters to teach carry away by or read him; e, or wish can o serve in the own English lence of God e only in the s and perfect seek in the e pattern of we look to rselves, or ddle only and ence, e in his 1553; when mere perfect scholars were dispersed from thence in one month, than many years can rear up again. For when Aper de Silva had passed the seas, and fastened his foot again in England, not only the two fair groves of learning in England were either cut up by the root, or trodden down to the ground, and wholly went to wrack; but the young spring there, and every where else, was pitifully nipt and overtrodden by very beasts; and also the fairest standers of all were rooted up, and cast into the fire, to the great weakening even at this day of Christ's church in England both for religion and learning. * And what good could chance then to the universities, when some of the greatest, though not of the wisest, nor best learned, nor best men neither of that side, did labour to persuade, that ignorance was better than knowledge? which they meant not for the laity only, but also for the greatest rabble of their spirituality, what other pretence openly soever they made. And therefore did some of them at Cambridge (whom I will not name openly) cause hedge priests, fetched out of the country, to be made fellows in the university; saying in their talk privily, and declaring by their deeds openly, that he was fellow good enough for their time, if he could wear a gown and tippet comely, and have his crown shorn fair and roundly; and could turn his portesse and pie readily. Which I speak, not to reprove any order either of apparel or other duty, that may be well and indifferently used; but to note the misery of that time, when the benefits provided for learning were so foully misused. detrimentum, ad piorum omnium ingentem dolorem, ad omnium Anglorum immensum malum, et Rogeri Aschami magnam calamitatem, diem obiit." Edv. Grant. * See this sentence taken out of St. Chrysostom, cited p. 129. And what was the fruit of this seed? Verily, judgment in doctrine was wholly altered, order in discipline very sore changed, the love of good learning began suddenly to wax cold, the knowledge of the tongues (in spite of some that therein had flourished) was manifestly contemned: and so, the way of right study purposely perverted; the choice of good authors, of malice confounded. Old sophistry (I say not well), not old, but that new rotten sophistry, began to beard and shoulder logic in her own tongue: yea, I know that heads were cast together, and counsel devised, that Duns, with all the rabble of barbarous ques tionists, should have dispossessed of their place and room, Aristotle, Plato, Tully, and Demosthenes; whom good Mr. Redman, and those two worthy stars of that university, Mr. Cheke and Mr. Smith, with their scholars, had brought to flourish as notable in Cambridge, as ever they did in Greece and in Italy : and for the doctrine of those four, the four pillars of learning, Cambridge then giving no place to no university, neither in France, Spain, Germany, nor Italy. Also, in outward behaviour, then began simplicity in apparel to be laid aside, courtly gallantness to be taken up, frugality in diet was privately misliked, town-going to good cheer openly used; honest pastimes, joined with labour, left off in the Shooting. fields; unthrifty and idle games haunted corners and occupied the nights: contention in youth no where for learning, factions in the elders every where for trifles. |