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tions of good Latin speech, by imitating whom the boys must learn to speak and write elegant Latin. Other writers might aid, but Tully and Terence alone could be recommended for this purpose without reserve.
Kempe is but consciously carrying on the tradition thus briefly summed up by Ascham in making imitation the fundamental principle underlying his grammar school curriculum. The four stages of the imitative process Kempe adapts from Ramus, perhaps through the schematic eyes of Freigius. On imitation as the fundamental principle, with its four stages as outlined, Kempe founds his ideal curriculum. This ideal curriculum departs in certain respects from the usual six or seven form model found in the statutes. The chief departure is that Kempe provides a nine year curriculum divided ito eight forms, and so occupying the boy from seven to sixteen, instead of from seven to thirteen or fourteen as is the normal statement.
The traditional age of entrance to grammar school proper was seven for ordinary schools, though for special reasons attaching to their organization it was some years later in the cathedral schools, as it might be for certain other types of schools. Besides the occasional provisions in the statutes, there are numerous references to and specific illustrations of the age requirements. Early in the century one of Stanbridge's vulgars is, "I was set to scole whan I was seuen yere olde."i6 Ascham had expected that the boy would ordinarily require seven years in grammar school and another seven in university." Mulcaster claimed in 1582 that by his magic methods a boy would get more Latin from twelve to sixteen than he then did from seven to seventeen 17 John Lyster has the catechizing father say to the catechized son, "I haue comitted thee to the gouernement of a learned and Godlie Maister, these seauen yeeres past."18 We have seen that Francis Willoughby had required about the time expected by Ascham to get to university through Saffron Walden, but without Greekl9 William Cavendish had entered the second form at Eton at nine, and after seven years entered Cambridge, though we do not know whether all the intervening time was spent at Eton.4¬ Thomas
u White, Sianbridgr, p. 1~. "Ascham, Srho/moarr (1570), PP. Bqv, 32v. 1T Mulcaster, Elementorie (1915), p. 68.
is Lyster, John, A rule how to Bring Pp Children, p. 1r (copy belonging to the library of the University of Illinois). As Father questions, son sums up with texts from the Bible the whole body of Christian doctrine. There is no further connection with school
" See above, pp. 375 if. ss See above, p. 375.
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