Lot 3869: Ascham, Roger (1515-1568). , The scholemaster or plaine and perfite way of teachyng children, to understand, write, and speake, the Latin tong. London: John Daye, 1570

4to (191 x 137mm.), ff. [6], 67, [1], illustration : title within typographic border, large woodcut printer's device on recto of final leaf, woodcut initials, typographic tailpieces, binding : nineteenth-century blue boards, pencil marginalia throughout, manuscript notes in two hands on verso of final leaf, corners of some pages torn with slight loss, some spotting, rebacked, spine cracking

STC 832; Pforzheimer 15; PMM 90

first edition of probably the most important tudor work on education and a major influence on the development of classical humanism in renaissance england. Ascham wrote from heady first-hand experience, having been appointed tutor to Princess Elizabeth in 1548, Latin Secretary to Queen Mary in 1553 (remarkably he was permitted to fulfil this role whilst remaining staunchly Protestant), and private tutor to Queen Elizabeth in 1558. His handwriting was famously beautiful. The scholemaster, supposedly written as a consequence of a debate over dinner with Sir William Cecil on the subject of flogging children (with Ascham vehemently opposed to the practice) propounds humane teaching methods. Ascham also wrote from a desire to show his own sons "the right way to good learning". The first of the work's two books presents a Platonic portrayal of the ideal tutor and scholar, whilst the second, more Ciceronian, book investigates the artes docendi. Ascham skilfully combines elucidations of complex classical concepts for an audience who may have been unable to read the originals with an Anglicised interpretation of Johann Sturm's educational philosophy.

A manuscript version of the first book is in the British Library (Royal MS 18 B. XXIV, with the title "[Asch]ams institution [to] hys chylde" in a slightly later hand) reveals that Ascham began work on his opus in December 1563. However, it remained unpublished at his death and the impetus for its appearance in 1570 came from Ascham's widow, Margaret. The scholemaster went through five editions between 1570 and 1590 (for two of these see lots 3870 and 4262).