consumed awaye, and in deede folowed therof a quartaine ague. When at laste he had perceiued hys faute, among his friendes he bewailed it. ¶ This wyt (quod he) I had almoste destroyed before I knewe it. For he was a man both wyttye and well learned, and as I thynke, a good mã. He repẽted him, but to late for my parte. Here nowe (good syr) cõiecture me howe many frowarde wyttes these vnlerned greate beaters do destroye, yet proud in their owne conceite of learnyng, wayeward, dronken, cruel, and that wyl beate for their pleasure: them selues of suche a cruell nature, that they take plesure of other mens tormentes. These kynde of men shuld haue ben bouchers or hangmẽ, not teachers of youth. Neyther do any torment chyldren more cruelly, thẽ they that canne not teache them. ¶ What shulde thei do in scholes but passe the daye in chydyng and beatynge? I knewe a diuine and that familierly, a man of greate name, whych was neuer satisfied wyth crudelity against his scholers, whẽ he him selfe had masters that were very great beaters. He thought y^t dyd much helpe to caste downe the fiersnes of their wittes, & tame the wãtonnes of their youth. He neuer feasted amonge hys flocke, but as Comedies be wont to haue a mery endyng, so contrary when they had eaten theyr meat, one or other was haled oute to be beaten wyth roddes: and sometime he raged against them that had deserued nothynge, euen because they shuld be accustumed to stripes. I my selfe on a time stode nerre hym, when after diner he called out a boie as he was wõt to do, as I trow ten yere olde. And he was but newe come frome hys mother into that compani. He told vs before that the chyld had a very good woman to hys mother, and was earnestly committed of her vnto hym: anon to haue an occacion to beate hym, he beganne to laye to hys charge I wotte not what wãtonnesse: When the chylde shewed hym selfe to haue nothyng lesse, and beckened to hym to whome he committed the chyefe rule of hys colledge, surnamed of the thynge, a tormentoure, to beate, hym ne by and by caste doune the chylde, and beate hym as thoughe he had done sacrilege. The diuine sayde once or twyse, it is inoughe, it is inoughe. But that tormentour deaffe with feruentnes, made no ende of his bochery, tyl the chylde was almost in a sounde: Anon the diuine turninge to vs, he hathe deserued nothynge quod he, but that he muste be made lowe. Who euer after that maner hath taught hys slaue, or hys Asse? A gẽtle horse is better tamed with puping of the mouth or softe handlyng, then wyth whyp or spurres. And if you handle hym hard, he wil whynche, he wyll kycke, he wyll byte, and go backwardes. An oxe if you pricke hym to harde wyth godes, wyl caste of his yocke, and run vpon hym that pricked hym. So muste a gentle nature be handled as is the whelpe of a Lion. Onlye arte tameth Elephantes, not violence, neyther is there any beaste so wylde, but that it wyl be tamed by gentlenes, neyther any so tame, but immoderate cruelnes wil anger it.