School-Lavves. OR, QƲI MIHI IN ENGLISH.
By J. M.
Train up a child in the way he should goe, and when he i [...] old, he will not depart from it, Prov. 22.6.
LONDON, Printed MDCL.
[...]
QƲI MIHI IN English.
WHO so my Scholer do'st desire to be,
Observe these Laws, and I do welcome thee.
Thou shalt get up betimes, soft sleep forsake,
Humble thy self, and daily prayer make.
Thy hands must washed be, also thy face,
Thy garments trim, and head comb'd in first place.
Thou must not truant, when our School doth call;
Absence in health, knows no excuse at all.
Greet me thy Master, as thou passest by,
And all thy fellow-students orderly.
Sit where I bid thee, and not thence depart,
Till I remove thee for thy just desert:
For as thou learnest, so must be thy place,
Thy good desert shall never want due grace.
Pen, ink, and paper, books of each degree,
See these thy weapons in due posture be.
What I thee dictate, thou shalt fairly write.
Thou shalt not blur, nor blot that I indite.
To papers loose and torn do not commit
Thy exercises, which for books are fit.
Conn 'ore thy lesson once and once agen.
Ask when thou doubt'st now these, now other men.
Who doubts, and asketh oft, pleaseth me best,
The most conceited sure conceiveth least.
Endeavour now my child, mark what I say,
So shall it be thine own another day.
Attend, I say, for what will 't me avail,
To teach thee oft, if thou to learn shalt fail?
Thou must not count that hard, in time shall be,
As now thy paines, so thy great dignity.
The earth yields not increase of flow'r or grain,
Vnless manured well by painfull swain:
So without exercise thy time is lost,
Thy wit decaies, and all thy hopes are crosst.
Now lest thy twatling should my pat'ence wrong,
I give thee rules and precepts for thy tongue.
Do'st get thy less'n, let not thy voice be stout.
Do'st it rehearse to me, then speak thou out:
And when thou say'st, be sure th' hast conn'd it well
'Tis very good without book to excell:
Let none thee prompt, for that comick fash'on,
Hath harmed much the learned nation.
If ought I ask thee, answer in such sort,
I may approve it well, and praise thee for't.
Thy tongue must not be glibb, nor yet too flow,
[...]ledg [...] mean most vert'ous is, as all do know:
And when thou speak'st, see thou speak'st properly.
Both uncouth words and phrase shun warily.
Moreover if thy fellowes ought thee ask,
Instruct them right, and help me in my task.
Who so does others teach, unlearn'd though he,
[...]ledg [...]n time not long shall better learned be.
Beware of smatt'rers, follow not their race,
The Romane language who do much disgrace:
Of whom there's none so foppish or so ball'd,
That of the simple is not Master call'd.
If thou the Grammer rules would'st rightly know,
And in the same most elegantly flow;
Addict thy self to those both grave and old,
Whom gowned men do classick Authours hold.
Now take thy Virgil, Terence now desire;
Bove all be sure, thy Tullie thee inspire.
These who reject, do nothing else but dreame,
And in much darkness strive against the stream.
There are some boies, do walk in no good way,
But triftle out their time both night and day.
There are, that joy to smite with foot and hand,
And any way to vex in fear not stand.
One brags his birth, and boasts his progenie,
And twitteth those are not of high degree:
But thou, my child, take heed thou do'st not so,
Lest thou thereby do'st purchase mickle wo.
Thou shalt not chop and change, nor buy, nor sell,
To gain by others loss is not so well.
The root of evill ('tis monie so I deem,)
Let be; money a child doth ill beseem.
Hooting, wrangling, scoffes, lies, and ribaldrie,
Let me not hear, nor any fighting see.
In no wise utter that is vild or wrong,
For weal and wo dependeth on the tongue.
Tremble to curse, or sweare, Oh, do not swear:
Why should'st thou him blaspheme, thou ought'st r [...] vere?
Lastly keep safe thy books, and ev'ry thing,
And as thou go'st and com'st, them with thee bring
Shun all occasion, that may work thee shame,
Chiefely for which I must thee also blame.
FINIS.