¶ Whyle they be compelled in the declinynge of nownes and verbes to can by roote in howe manye cases, moodes and tenses one worde is put: as muse in the genetiue and datiue singuler, the nominatiue and vocatiue plurel? Legeris of legor, and of legerim, and legero? What a beatyng is thẽ in the schole, whẽ chyldren be axed these thynges? ¶ Some light teachers to boast their lerynge are wonte of purpose to make these thynges somewhat harder. Whyche faute maketh the beginnynges almost of all sciences in doute, and paynfull, specially in logicke. And if you shewe them a better waye, they answere they were brought vp after thys fashion, and wyll not suffer that anye chyldren shulde be in better case, then they them selues were when they were chyldren. All difficultye eyther therefore muste be auoided, whyche is not necessarye, or that is vsed oute of tyme. It is made softe and easy, that is done whẽ it shuld be. But when tyme is, that of necessitie an harde doute muste be learned, than a cunnynge teacher of a childe shall studye as muche as he may to folowe the good and frendlye Phisicians, [Sidenote: A good schol master in teachyng, muste folow a phisicion in medicines.] whych whan they shalt gyue a bytter medicyne do anoyut, as Lucrecius faith, the brimmes of their cuppes with honye, that the chylde entised by pleasure of the swetenes shuld not feare the wholesome bytternes, or else put suger into y^e medicine it selfe, or some other swete sauoryng thynge. Yea they wyl not be knowen that it is a medicine, for the only imaginacion sometyme maketh vs quake for feare. Finally thys tediousenes is sone ouercome, if things be taught them not to much at once, but by lytle and litle, and at sundrie times. Howebeit we ought not to distrust to much chyldrens strength, if perhaps they muste take some paines. A chyld is not myghty in strength of bodye, but he is stronge to continue, and in abilitie strong inough. He is not myghty as a bull, but he is strong as an emet. [Sidenote: Note the sentence.] In some thinges a flye passeth an elephant. Euerye thyng is mighty in that, to the whyche nature hathe made hym. Do we not se tender chyldren rũne merueylouse swyftlye all the daye long, and feele no werinesse. What is the cause? Because playe is fitte for that age, and they imagine it a playe and no labour. And in euerye thynge the gretest part of payne is imaginacion, whych somtyme maketh vs feele harme, when there is no harme at all. Therefore seynge that the prouidence of nature hath taken awaye imaginacion of laboure from chyldren, And howe muche they lacke in strengthe, so muche they be holpen in thys part, that is, that they feele not labour, It shal be the masters parte, as we sayde before, to put away the same by as many wayes as he can, and of purpose to make a playe of it. ¶ There be also certen kindes of sportes meete for chyldren, wherwyth theyr earnest studye must somwhat be eased after they be come to that, they muste lerne those