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for searching only. CHAPTER XI
EDUCATING THE "PRINCE"; KING EDWARD VI
UPPER SCHOOL WORK
EDWARD IN 1547, though he had become a king, completed the work of lower grammar school like any commoner, and in the expected time. In this same year of 1547, we find him beginning his Justin and Cicero's Familiar Epistles, which belong to upper school. For his reading in history, Edward had special help from Petrus Olivarius, Valentinus. Olivarius had first sent to Edward a chorographical compend containing in alphabetical order the regions, towns, mountains, rivers and seas, villages and villas mentioned in Justin's history, and another of those in Cicero's Familiar Epistles (B. M.; Royal MS. Ig. C. r).' The manuscript of these has a preface which shows that it was presented as a New Year's gift to Edward-and his father-, hence probably on January I, 1547. Olivarius expected this collection to be of great aid to Edward as he read Justin and Cicero's Familiar Epistles, which he is preparing to do, thus in 547. There is a flattering reference for Edward's "eruditissimos preceptores," through whose industry Edward because of his singular and almost divine genius has progressed as never boy progressed before.
Olivarius later prepared for Edward as king a Ratio Legendae Historiae (B. M.; Royal MS. I2. A. LIV, undated), with a long introduction. Edward's teachers have now read to him SalIustius, Curtius, and other historians. Olivarius proposes to give a brief, systematic, and unadorned method of reading, not writing, history. He lists six requisites, (I) a sufficient knowledge of language, which is being taught by Edward's preceptors, (2) collation and comparison of sources, leading to judgment, which is to be deferred till greater maturity, (3) a system of times, "rationes temporum," which also is not to be emphasized, but is best supplied by Eusebius; geography from Ptolemy, Strabo, Pliny; chorography from Heliodorus and in part Strabo for Egypt and Aethiopia, Pliny for Italy, Herodotus for India and Persia; Olivarius has supplied Edward a work on Justin (as above), and Livy (not now known apparently), and is going to do others, (4) geometry from Euclid, and "altimetriam" from Duerer and Horontius, (S) optics, etc., from Euclid, also Vitellius, (6) arms
' A somewhat similar chorographical compend is in B. M.; Royal MS. 12. A. XXXIV, with the name "Will So an" on the manuscript.
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