Specimens of English literature from the 'Ploughmans crede' to the ...

244 ^^I' ii^JGH LATIMER.I speake it to thy shame. Is there neuer a noble-man tobe a Lorde-president, but it muste be a prelate ? Is there220 neuer a wyse man in the realme to be a comptroller of theminte ? I speake it to your shame, I speake it to youreshame. Yf there be neuer a wyse man, make a waterbearer,a tinker, a cobler, aslaue, a page, comptroller of themynte. ISIake a meane gentylman^ a groome, a yeoman,2 2p make a poore begger Lorde-president: Thus I speake notthat 1 would haue it so, but to your shame : Yfthere beneuer a gentleman meete nor able to be Lorde-presidente.For whye are not the noble-men and yong gentlemen ofEngla;/dso brought vp in knoweledge of God and in learn-2.^0 ynge that they maye be able to execute offices in the communeweale ? The Kynge hath a greate meanye of wardes,and I trowe there is a courte of wardes ; why is there nota schole for the wardes, as well as there is a courte for theirlandes ?Whye are they not set in scholes, where they mayeJ.?; learne ? Or why are they not sent to the vniuersities, thatthey maye be able to serue the kyng whe^z they come toage ? Yf the wardes and yonge gentlemen were well broughtvp in learnyng and in the knowledge of God, they wouldenot when they come to age, so muche geue them-selues to240 other vanities.And if the nobilitie be wel trayned in godly learnynge, thepeople would folowe ihQ same traine. For truly such as thenoble-men be, suche wyll the people be. And nowe theonely cause, why noble-men be not made Lorde-presidentes,2 4.- is because they haue not bene brought vp in learninge.Therefore, for the loue of God, appoynte teachers &s[c]holemaisters, you that haue charge of youth, and giuethe teachers stipewdes worthy their paynes, that they maye* Old text ' gentylmam.*