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Author: Mulcaster, Richard, 1530?-1611.
Title: Positions vvherin those primitiue circumstances be examined, which are necessarie for the training vp of children, either for skill in their booke, or health in their bodie. VVritten by Richard Mulcaster, master of the schoole erected in London anno. 1561. in the parish of Sainct Laurence Povvntneie, by the vvorshipfull companie of the merchaunt tailers of the said citie
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Print source: Positions vvherin those primitiue circumstances be examined, which are necessarie for the training vp of children, either for skill in their booke, or health in their bodie. VVritten by Richard Mulcaster, master of the schoole erected in London anno. 1561. in the parish of Sainct Laurence Povvntneie, by the vvorshipfull companie of the merchaunt tailers of the said citie
Mulcaster, Richard, 1530?-1611.
Printed at London: By Thomas Vautrollier for Thomas Chare [i.e. Chard], 1581.
Subject terms:
Education -- Early works to 1800.
Exercise for children -- Early works to 1800.
URL: https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A07883.0001.001
How to cite: For suggestions on citing this text, please see Citing the TCP on the Text Creation Partnership website.

Table of Contents
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title page
TO THE MOST VERTV∣OVS LADIE, HIS MOST DEARE, AND soueraine princesse, Elizabeth by the grace of God Queene of England, Fraunce, and Ireland, defen∣dresse of the faith &c.
AVTHOR IPSE AD librum suum.
THE ARGVMEMTES HANDLED IN EVERY PARTICVLAR TITLE.
POSITIONS CONCER∣NING THE TRAINING VP OF CHILDREN.
First Chapter. THE ENTRIE TO THE POSITIONS, conteining the occasion of this present discourse, and the causes why it was penned in English.
Chapter 2. Wherfore these positions serue, what they be, and how necessarie it was to begin at them.
Chapter 3. Of what force circunstance is in matters of action, and how wa∣rily authorities be to be vsed, where the contemplatiue rea∣son receiues the check of the actiue circunctance, if they be not well applyed. Of the alleadging of authors.
Chapter 4. What time were best for the child to begin to learne. What mat∣ters some of the best writers handle, eare they determine this question. Of lettes and libertie whervnto the parentes are subiect in setting their children to schoole. Of the diffe∣rence of wittes and bodies in children. That exercise must be ioyned with the booke, as the schooling of the bodie.
Chapter 5. What thinges they be, wherin children are to be trained, eare they passe to the Grammar. That parentes, and maisters ought to examine the naturall abilities in their children, wherby they become either fit, or vnfit, to this, or that kinde of life. The three naturall powers in children, Witte to conceiue by, Memorie to retaine by, Discretion to discerne by. That the training vp to good manners, and nurture, doth not belong to the teacher alone, though most to him, next after the pa∣rent, whose charge that is most, bycause his commaundement is greatest, ouer his owne child, and beyond appeale. Of Rea∣ding, Writing, Drawing, Musick by voice, and instrument: and that they be the principall principles, to traine vp the minde in. A generall aunswere to all obiections, which arise against any, or all of these.
Chapter 6. Of exercises and training the body. How necessarie a thing exer∣cise is. What health is, and how it is maintained: what sick∣nesse is, how it commeth, and how it is preuented. What a parte exercise playeth in the maintenaunce of health. Of the student and his health. That all exercises though they stirre some one parte most, yet helpe the whole bodie.
Chapter 7. The braunching, order, and methode, kept in this discours of exercises.
Chapter 8. Of exercise in generall and what it is. And that it is Athleticall for games, Martiall for the fielde, Physicall for health, prae∣paratiue before, postparatiue after the stāding exercise: some within daores, for soule whether, some without for faire.
Chapter 9. Of the particular exercises, why I do appoint so manie, and how to iudge of them, or to deuise the like.
Chapter 10. Of lowd speaking. How necessarie, and how proper an exercise it is for a scholler.
Chapter 11. Of loude singing, and in what degree it commeth to be one of the exercises.
Chapter 12. Of loude and soft reading.
Chapter 13. Of much talking and silence.
Chapter 14. Of laughing, and weeping. And whether children be to be forced toward vertue and learning.
Chapter 15. Of holding the breath.
Chapter 16. Of daunsing, why it is blamed, and how deliuered from blame.
Chapter 17. Of wrastling.
Chapter 18. Of fensing, or the vse of the weapon.
Chapter 19. Of the Top and scourge.
Chapter 20. Of walking.
Chapter 21. Of Running.
Chapter 22. Of Leaping.
Chapter 23. Of Swimming.
Chapter 24. Of Riding.
Chapter 25. Of Hunting.
Chapter 26. Of Shooting.
Chapter 27. Of the Ball.
Chapter 28. Of the circumstances which are to be considered in exercise.
Chapter 29. The nature and qualitie of the exercise.
Chapter 30. Of the bodies which are to be exercised.
Chapter 31. Of the exercising places.
Chapter 32. Of the exercising time.
Chapter 33. Of the quantitie that is to be kept in exercise.
Chapter 34. Of the maner of exercising.
Chapter 35. An aduertisement to the training maister. Why both the tea∣ching of the minde, and the training of the bodie be assigned to the same maister. The inconueniences which ensue, where the bodie and soule be made particular subiectes to seuerall professions. That who so will execute any thing well, must of force be fully resolued of the excellency of his owne subiect. Out of what kinde of writers the exercising maister may store himselfe with cunning. That the first groundes would be laid by the cunningest workeman. That priuate discretion in any executor is of more efficacie then his skill.
Chapter 36. That both young boyes, & young maidens are to be put to learne. Whether all boyes be to be set to schoole. That to many lear∣ned be to burdenous: to few to bare: wittes well sorted ciuill, missorted seditious. That all may learne to write and read without daunger. The good of choice, and ill of confusion. The children which are set to learne, hauing either riche or poore freindes: what order and choice is to be vsed in admitting either of them to learne. Of the time to chuse.
Chapter 37. The meanes to restraine the ouerflowing multitude of scholers. The cause why euerie one desireth to haue his childe learned, and yet must yelde ouer his owne desire to the disposition of his countrie. That necessitie and choyce be the best restrayners. That necessi∣tie restrayneth by lacke and lawe. Why it may be admitted, that all may write & read that can, but no further. What is to be thought of the speaking and vnderstanding of Latine, and in what degree of learning that is. That considering our time & the state of religion in our time, lawe must needes helpe this re∣straint: with the answere to such obiections as are made to the contrary. That in choice of wittes, which must deale with lear∣ning, that wit is fittest for our state, which answereth best the monarchie, and how such a wit is to be knowne. That choice is to helpe in scholing, in admission into colledges, in proceeding to de∣grees, in preferring to liuinges, where the right and wrong of all the foure pointes be handled at full.
Chapter 38. That young maidens are to be set to learning, which is proued, by the custome of our countrey, by our duetie towardes them, by their naturall abilities, and by the worthy effectes of such as haue bene well trained. The ende whervnto their educa∣tiō serueth, which is the cause why & how much they learne. Which of them are to learne, when they are to begin to learne. What and how much they may learne. Of whom and where they ought to be taught.
Chapter 39. Of the traning vp of yong gentlemen. Of priuate and publike education, with their generall goods & illes. That there is no better way for gentlemen to be trained by in any res∣pect then the common is being well appointed. Of richmens children which be no gentlemen. Of nobilitie in generall. Of gentlemanlie exercises. What it is to be a nobleman, or a gentleman. That infirmites in noble houses be not to be tri∣umphed ouer. The causes and groundes of nobilitie. Why so many desire to be gentlemen. That gentlemen ought to pro∣fesse learning and liberall sciences for many good & honora∣ble effectes. Of trauelling into forraine countries: with all the braunches allowance and dissallowance thereof: and that it were to be wished, that gentlemen would professe, to make sciēces liberall in vse, which are liberall in name. Of the tray∣ning vp of a yong Prince.
Chapter 40. Of the generall place, and time of education. Publike places, E∣lementarie, Grammaticall, Collegiate. Of bourding of childrē abroad from their parentes houses, and whether that be best. The vse and commoditie of a large, and well situate training place. Obseruations to be kept in the generall time.
Chapter 41. Of teachers and trainers in generall, and that they be either Elementarie, Grammaticall, or Academicall. Of the Elemen∣tarie teachers abilitie, and entertaiment. Of the Grammer maisters abilitie aud his entertaiment. A meane to haue both excellent teachers, and cunning professors in all kindes of lear∣ning, by the diuision of colleges according to professions: by sorting like yeares into the same roumes: by bettering the stu∣dentes allowance and liuing: by prouiding and maintaining notable well learned readers. That for bringing learning for∣ward in his right and best course, there would be seuen ordi∣narie ascending colleges for Toungues, for Mathematikes, for Philosophie, for Teachers, for Physicians, for Lawyers, for Di∣uines, and that the generall studie of Lawe would be but one studie: Euery of these pointes with his particular proofes, sufficient for a position. Of the admission of teachers.
Chapter 42. How long the childe is to continue in the elementarie ear he passe to the toungues, & grammer. The incurable infirmities which posting hast worketh in the whole course of studie. How necessarie a thing sufficient time is for a scholer.
Chapter 43. How to cut of most inconueniences wherwith schooles and scho∣lers, maisters and parentes be in our schooling now most trou∣bled. Wherof there be two meeanes, vniformitie in teaching and publishing of schoole orders. That vniformitie in tea∣ching hath for companions dispatch is learning, and sparing of expenses. Of the abbridging of the number of bookes. Of curtesie and correction. Of schoole faultes. Of friendlinesse betwene parentes and maisters.
Chapter. 44. That Conference betwene those which haue interest in children: Certainetie of direction in places where children vse most: and Constancie in well keeping that, which is certainely ap∣pointed, be the most profitable circumstances both for ver∣tuous manering and cunning schooling.
Chapter 45. The peroration, wherin the summe of the whole kooke is reca∣pitulated and proofes vsed, that this enterprise was first to be begon by Positions, and that these be the most proper to this purpose. A request concerning the well taking of that which is so well ment.
To the curteous reader.