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Forasmuch
as the good education of children is of singular behoof and benefit to
any Common-wealth; and wheras many parents & masters are too
indulgent and negligent of their duty in that kinde.
It
is therfore ordered that the Select men of everie town, in the severall
precincts and quarters where they dwell, shall have a vigilant eye over
their brethren & neighbours, to see, first that none of them shall
suffer so much barbarism in any of their families as not to indeavour to
teach by themselves or others, their children & apprentices so much
learning as may inable them perfectly to read the english tongue, &
knowledge of the Capital Lawes: upon penaltie of twentie shillings for
each neglect therin.
Also
that all masters of families doe once a week (at the least) catechize
their children and servants in the grounds & principles of Religion,
& if any be unable to doe so much: that then at the least they
procure such children or apprentices to learn some short orthodox
catechism without book, that they may be able to answer unto the
questions that shall be propounded to them out of such catechism by
their parents or masters or any of the Select men when they shall call
them to a tryall of what they have learned of this kinde.
And
further that all parents and masters do breed & bring up their
children & apprentices in some honest lawful calling, labour or
imployment, either in husbandry, or some other trade profitable for
themselves, and the Common-wealth if they will not or cannot train them
up in learning to fit them for higher imployments.
And
if any of the Select men after admonition by them given to such masters
of families shal finde them still negligent of their dutie in the
particulars aforementioned, wherby children and servants become rude,
stubborn & unruly; the said Select men with the help of two
Magistrates, or the next County court for that Shire, shall take such
children or apprentices from them & place them with some masters for
years (boyes till they come to twenty one, and girls eighteen years of
age compleat) which will more strictly look unto, and force them
to submit unto government according to the rules of this order, if by
fair means and former instructions they will not be drawn into it. |
