CHAP. XX.

INCREASED PRICES.

97

doctor his opinion on his profession, saying, “ If“ I were of the queene’s counsell, I would set you to“ the plough and carte, for the devil a whit of good“ yee doe with your studies but to set men together“ by the ears, some with this opinion, and some“ with that, some holding this way, and some“ another, and that so stiffly as though the troth“ must, as they say that have the upper hand in con-“ tencion ; and this contencion is not also the least“ cause of former uprores of the people, some“ holding of the one learning, and some of the“ other. In my minde, it made no matter though“ we had no learned men at all.”

The knight objects to this opinion, and veryproperly asks, “ if we had no learned men, how“ should the prince have counsailors ? how should“ we have Christian religion taught us ? how“ should we know the estate of other realmes, and“ have conference with them of all countryes,“ except it were through learning, and by the“ benefit of letters ?”

The capper, after some observations from thedoctor, concedes to this view taken by the knight,and says, “ I meane not but I would have men to“ learn to wryte and reade, yea, and to learne the“ languages used in countrys about us, that we“ might tell our minds to them and they to us, yea“ a nd that we might reade the holy scriptures in‘ °ur mother tongue; and as for your preaching,“ (except yee agree better) it made no matter how

vol. ir.

H