Editing Roger Ascham (section)

===''The Scholemaster''===
In 1563 Ascham began the work ''The Scholemaster'', published posthumously in 1570, which ensured his later reputation. [[Richard Sackville (escheator)|Richard Sackville]], he states in the book's preface, told him that "a fond schoolmaster" had, by his brutality, made him hate learning, much to his loss, and as he had now a young son, whom he wished to be learned, he offered, if Ascham would name a tutor, to pay for the education of their respective sons under Ascham's orders, and invited Ascham to write a treatise on "the right order of teaching". ''The Scholemaster'' was the result.

Not a general treatise on educational method, the book concentrates on the teaching of Latin; and it was not intended for schools, but "specially prepared for the private brynging up of youth in gentlemen and noblemens houses". It advocated "the double translation of a model book", the book recommended being [[Johannes Sturm|Sturm]]ius's ''Select Letters of Cicero''; the method itself was not new. The book's plea for gentleness and persuasion instead of coercion in schools, was contemporary: it was being practised and preached at that time by [[Christopher Jonson]] ({{circa|1536}}–1597) at [[Winchester College]]; and had been repeatedly urged by [[Erasmus]] and others. Along with its suggestions for educational practice, Ascham's book includes a famous warning against the dangers of Italy, which he calls "inchantementes of Circes".<ref>''The Scholemaster'', fol. 26v.</ref>

The ''Scholemaster'' was reprinted in 1571 and 1589. It was edited by [[James Upton (schoolmaster)|James Upton]] in 1711 and in 1743, by [[John Eyton Bickersteth Mayor]] 1863, by Edward Arber in 1870 (reprints in 1888, 1895, 1903, 1910, 1927), by J. Holzamer (Vienna, 1881), and by Henry Morley in 1888 (Cassell's National Library, no. 137; and reprints). In the twentieth century, it was included in series of English classics, in editions for use in schools: Methuen's English Classics (1934, ed. D. C. Whimster), Dent University Paperbacks (1966, ed. R.J. Shoeck), Folger Shakespeare Library (1967, ed. L.V. Ryan).