If the maisters stipend do rise by foundacion, and standing payment, yet the place may not be ouercharged with number: nor the maister with care to prouide things needfull any other wayes then onely by his trade. For what reason is it to haue a mans whole labour, and to allow him liuing stant [scant?] sufficient for a quarter? or what pollicie is it, to haue him that should teache well, to be enforced for neede, to meddle with some trade, quite different from the schoole. In this pointe the _Pope_, and Canon lawe weare merueilous freindly to maisters, and helped them still with some Ecclesiasticall maintenaunce, as it appeareth in _Gregories_ Decretales, the fifth title of the fifth booke, _De Magistris_. And the Glose ripping further then the text, is yet more freindly. And our owne countrey also, in benefit of priuiledge, by the common lawe at this day, doth not frowne vpon vs, and for certaine immunities, letteth vs enioye that benefit, which the _Canonist_ meant vs. And the good Emperour _Frederick_ did further by his freindly and favourable constitution, which he caused to be placed in the fourth booke of _Iustinians_ new Codex, the thirtenth title, _Ne filius, pro patre_, where the Glosse, making an anatomie of the Emperours meaning, and desirous to do vs good, helpeth vs particularly and properly to.
Among many causes which make schooles so vnsufficiently appointed, I know not any, nay is there any? that so weakneth the profession as the very nakednesse of allowance doth. The good that commeth from and by schooles is great and infinite: the qualities required in the teacher many and resolute: the charges which his freindes haue bene at in his bringing vp much and heauy: and in the way of preferment, will ye wish any of any worth to set downe his staffe at some petie portion, which euen they that praise it, would not be content to haue their owne sit downe with, though the founder follow his president, and the time haue bene, when with the Church helpe some litle would haue serued? but the case now is quite altered. In these our dayes eche man will enhaunce in his owne, without reason or remorse: but in professions of greatest neede and most account, they will yeelde no more allowance, then the auncient rent, where all thinges be improued. Yet oftimes they meete with bookmen in some kinds, which wil bite them coursdly. But those bookmen be neither Elementarie teachers, nor yet Grammarians. Our calling creepes low and hath paine for companion, stil thrust to the wall, though still confessed good: Our comfort perforce is in the generall conclusion, that those thinges be good thinges, which want no praising,[67] though they go a cold, for want of happing. For our schoole places, which I do know, the most are either commodiously situate already, or being in the hart of townes might easely be chopt for some field situation, farre from disturbaunce, and neare to all necessaries. It were no small part of a great and good erection, euen to translate roumes to more conuenient places, either by exchaunge or by new purchace: and I do thinke that licences to that ende, will be more easely graunted then to build moe schooles. The inconueniences which I my selfe haue felt that waye, both for mine owne, and for my scholers health, and the checking of that, which of long I haue wished for: I meane some traine in exercise, do cause me so much to commend field roome. Though I my selfe be not the worst appointed within a citie for roome, thorough the great good will towardes the furtherance of learning, and the great cost, in the purchasing, and apparelling the roome to that vse, done by the worshipfull companie of the _marchaunt tailours_ in London. In whose schoole I haue bene both the first, and onely maister sence the erection, and their haue continued now twenty yeares.