If I had had to do with either _Romain_, or _Grecian_, in their owne language, where these thinges be familiarly knowen, I would not haue taryed in them any long while, but dealing with my countrymen in my countrey toungue, in an argument not so familiar to my countrey, and yet desiring to become familiar vnto her: I thought it good rather to saye more then enough, to leaue some chippinges: then by saying to litle, to cause a new cruste, where none should be: and to referre the rest of my suppressed meaning to my learneddest reader, to whose vse as I needed not to write, so in deede I do not, though I wish him well, and pray the like againe. They that frame happy men, absolute oratours, perfit wisedome, paragonne Princes, faultelesse states, as they haue their subiect at commaundement, which they breede in the commentarie of their owne braines: so their circunstances being without errour, where their maine is without match, neede very few wordes, as being in daunger of very few faultes. But I deale with a subiect, which is subiect to all vncertainties: with circunstances, which are chekt with many obiections, lying open, to much disturbance, cauilled at by euery occasion: where one sillie errour, is of strength enough, to ouerthrow a mans whole labour. I thought it good therefore to declare at large, what my meaning was, to satisfie therby euen the meanest vnderstandinges, that waye to procure mine opinion the freer passage, when it should passe by none, which vnderstood it not. I could not but begin with them, bycause herafter I shall haue so many occasions to make mention of them, to directe the traine by them, to referre my selfe vnto them, which if they had not bene handled here, they might and would haue troubled me there. Besides this, I would gladly (if I could obtaine so much at their handes) that all my countrymen did thinke, as I do in these same pointes, that by their consent my good speede might go on, with the readier and rounder currant, so that I cannot conceiue, but that I was both to begin my treatise at Positions, as the primitiue in such discourses, and to dwell long in them, to satisfie my most readers.
2. Now whether these be the cheife groundes in preparatiue to that, which I entend to deale in, I thinke there is none, but may very easily iudge. For what is it whervnto my trauell to come hath promised her endeuour? to helpe children to be well taught for learning: to tell their maisters, how to exercise them for health: to aide the common course of studie in what I can for the common good. And what accidentes belong vnto such an argument, if these which I haue quoated out do not? Must there not be a time to begin, to continue, to ende the course of schoole learning? Then time must needes come in consideration. Must there not be somthing, wherin this time must be bestowed, both to haue the minde learned, and the body healthfull? Then the matter of traine, and the kinde of exercises could not haue bene passed ouer. Must there not be some vpon whom these thinges are to be imployed in these times, of both the sexes, and of all degrees? Then the generall schooling of all young ones, and the particular training of young maidens, and bringing vp of young gentlemen must needes haue their handling. Could these thinges be done with out conuenient place? cunning teachers? and good schoole orders? I thinke no. And therefore I picked these out, as the onely circunstances, that were proper to mine argument, and that were to be handled eare I entred my argument, if I had neuer seene any writer before vse the same choice.