NEW ENGLANDS FIRST FRUITS:
IN RESPECT OF THE COLLEDGE,
AND THE PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNING THEREIN.
[Anonymous, 1643, Addressed to English Puritans]
I. After God had carried us safe to New-England, and wee
had builded our houses, provided necessaries for our livelihood, rear'd convenient places
for Gods worship, and setled the Civill Government: One of
the next things we longed for, and looked after was to advance Learning and perpetuate it
to Posterity; dreading to leave an illiterate Ministery to the Churches, when our present
Ministers shall lie in the Dust. And as wee were thinking and consulting
how to effect this great Work; it pleased God to stir up the heart of one Mr. Harvard
(a godly Gentleman, and a lover of Learning, there living amongst us) to give the one
halfe of his Estate (if being in all about £1700) towards the erecting of a Colledge, and
all his Library: after him another gave £300. Others after them cast in more, and the
publique hand of the State added the rest: the Colledge was, by common consent, appointed
to be at Cambridge, (a place very pleasant and accommodate) and is called
(according to the name of the first founder) Harvard Colledge.
The Edifice is very faire and comely within and without, having in it a spacious Hall;
(where they daily meet at Common Lectures) Exercises, and a large Library with some Bookes
to it, the gifts of diverse of our friends, their Chambers and studies also fitted for,
and possessed by the Students, and all other roomes of Office necessary and convenient,
with all needfull Offices thereto belonging: And by the side of the Colledge a faire Grammar
Schoole, for the training up of young Schollars, and fitting of them for Academicall
Learning, that still as they are judged ripe, they may be received into the Colledge
of this Schoole: Master Corlet is the Master, who hath very well approved
himselfe for his abilities, dexterity and painfulnesse, in teaching and education of the
youth under him.
Over the Colledge is Master [Henry] Dunster placed, as
President, a learned conscionable and industrious man, who hath so trained up, his Pupills
in the tongues and Arts, and so seasoned them with the principles of Divinity and
Christianity, that we have to our great comfort, (and in truth) beyond our hopes, beheld
their progresse in Learning and godlinesse also; the former of these hath appeared in
their publique declamations in Latine and Greeke, and Disputations
Logicall and Philosophicall, which they have beene wonted (besides their ordinary
Exercises in the Colledge-Hall) in the audience of the Magistrates, Ministers, and other
Schollars, for the probation of their growth in Learning, upon set dayes, constantly once
every moneth to make and uphold: The latter hath been manifested in sundry of them by the
savoury breathings of their Spirits in their godly conversation. Insomuch that we are
confident, if these early blossomes may be cherished and warmed with the influence of the
friends of Learning and lovers of this pious worke, they will by the help of God, come to
happy maturity in a short time.
Over the Colledge are twelve Overseers chosen by the generall Court, six
of them are of the Magistrates, the other six of the Ministers, who are to promote the
best good of it, and (having a power of influence into all persons in it) are to see that
every one be diligent and proficient in his proper place.
2. Rules, and Precepts that are observed in the Colledge.
1. When any Schollar is able to understand Tully, or such
like classical Latine Author extempore, and make and speake true Latine in Verse
and Prose, suo ut aiunt Marte; And decline perfectly the Paradigm's of Nounes
and Verbes in the Greek tongue: Let him then and not before be capable
of admission into the Colledge.
2. Let every Student be plainly instructed, and earnestly pressed
to consider well, the maine end of his life and studies is, to know God and Jesus
Christ which is eternall life, Joh. 17. 3. and therefore to lay Christ
in-the bottome, as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and Learning.
And seeing the Lord only giveth wisedome, Let every one seriously set himselfe by prayer
in secret to seeke it of him Prov 2.
3. Every one shall so exercise himselfe in reading the Scriptures
twice a day, that he shall be ready to give such an account of his proficiency therein,
both in Theoretticall observations of the Language, and Logick, and in Practicall
and spirituall truths, as his Tutor shall require, according to his ability; seeing the entrance
of the word giveth light, it giveth understanding to the simple, Psalm. I 19. 130.
4. That they eshewing all profanation of Gods Name, Attributes,
Word, Ordinances and times of Worship, doe studie with good conscience, carefully to
retaine God, and the love of his truth in their mindes, else let them know, that
(notwithstanding their Learning) God may give them up to strong delusions, and in
the end to a reprobate minde, 2 Thes. 2. 11, 12. Rom. 1. 28.
5. That they studiously redeeme the time; observe the generall
houres appointed for all the Students, and the speciall houres for their owne Classes:
and then diligently attend the Lectures, without any disturbance by word or gesture. And
if in anything they doubt, they shall enquire, as of their fellowes, so, (in case of Non
satisfaction) modestly of their Tutors.
6. None shall under any pretence whatsoever, frequent the company
and society of such men as lead an unfit, and dissolute life. Nor shall any without
his Tutors leave, or (in his absence) the call of Parents or Guardians,
goe abroad to other Townes.
7. Every Schollar shall be present in his Tutors chamber at the
7th. houre in the morning, immediately after the sound of the Bell, at his opening the
Scripture and prayer, so also at the 5th. houre at night, and then give account of his
owne private reading, as aforesaid in Particular the third, and constantly attend Lectures
in the Hall at the houres appointed. But if any (without necessary impediment) shall
absent himself from prayer or Lectures, he shall bee lyable to Admonition, if he offend
above once a weeke.
8. If any Schollar shall be found to transgresse any of the Lawes
of God, or the Schoole, after twice Admonition, he shall be lyable, if not adultus,
to correction, if adultus, his name shall be given up to the Overseers of the
Colledge, that he may bee admonished at the publick monethly Act.
3. The times and order of their Studies, unlesse experience shall shew cause to alter.
The second and third day of the weeke, read Lectures, as followeth.
To the first yeare at 8th. of the clock in the morning Logick, first three
quarters, Physicks the last quarter.
To the second yeare, at the 9th. houre, Ethicks and Politicks, venient
distances of time.
To the third yeare at the 10th. Arithmetick and Geometry, the first
quarters, Astronomy the last.
Afternoone.
The first yeare disputes at the second houre.
The 2d. yeare at the 3d. houre.
The 3d. yeare at the 4th. every one in his Art.
The 4th. day reads Greeke.
To the first yeare the Etymologie and Syntax at the
eighth houre.
To the 2d. at the 9th. houre, Prosodia and Dialects.
Afternoone.
The first yeare at 2d. houre practice the precepts of Grammar in
such Authors as have variety of words.
The 2d. yeare at 3d. houre practice in Poesy, [with] Nonnus, Duport,
or the like.
The 3d. yeare perfect their Theory before noone, and exercise Style,
Composition, Imitation, Epitome, both in Prose and Verse, afternoone.
The fift[h] day reads Hebrew, and the Easterne Tongues.
Grammar to the first yeare houre the 8th.
To the 2d. Chaldee [i.e. Aramaic] at the 9th. houre.
To the 3d. Syriack at the 10th houre.
Afternoone.
The first yeare practice in the Bible at the 2d. houre.
The 2d. in Ezra and Dan[i]el at the 3d. houre.
The 3d. at the 4th. houre in Trostius New Testament.
The 6th. day reads Rhetorick to all at the 8th houre.
Declamations at the 9th. So ordered that every Scholler may declaime once a moneth. The rest of the day vacat Rhetoricis studiis. The 7th. day reads Divinio Catecheticall at the 8th. houre, Common places at the 9th. houre.
Afternoone.
The first houre reads history in the Winter,
The nature of plants in the Summer
The summe of every Lecture shall be examined, before the new Lecture be read.
Every Schollar, that on proofe is found able to read the Originalls of the Old
and New Testament into the Latine tongue, and to resolve them Logically;
withall being of godly life and conversation; And at any publick Act hath the Approbation
of the Overseers and Master of the Colledge, is fit to be dignified with his first Degree.
Every Schollar that giveth up in writing a System, or Synopsis, or
surnme of Logick, Naturall and Morall Phylosophy, Arithmetick, Geometry
and Astronomy: and is ready to defend his Theses or positions: withall
skilled in the Originalls as abovesaid: and of godly life & conversation: and so
approved by the Overseers and Master of the Colledge, at any publique Act, is fit
to be dignified with his 2d. Degree.
Return to Readings Assignments