Friday 17 November 2023

Rules for a Renaissance School

 Scholasticorum officia in literatorio ludo a Murmellio Alcmariae insigni Hollandiae oppido discipulis praescripta.
 
   Scholastici Deum in primis timento eiusque praecepta diligenter observanto.
   Parentibus et magistris obediunto.
   Sacerdotibus, magistratibus et praeceptoribus, reverentiam exhibento.
   Cum dominis contubernii, contubernalibus et condiscipulis humaniter honesteque versantor.
   Nemini vim inferunto.
   Rebus alienis manibus abstinento.
   Extra contubernium nocte non dormiunto, neque per vicos divagantor.
   Lupanaria, paneasque ne ingrediuntor, neque cum feminis rem habento.
   Ensiculum, pugionem, sicamve ne gestanto.
   Aleam ne ludunto.
   Ebrietatem vitanto.
   Capillo tonso, vestituque decenti apparento.
   Dominicis feriatisque diebus rem divinam sacramque concionem audiunto.
   Pecuniae parcunto.
   In tempore scholam literariam frequentanto.
   Grati benevolique sunto.
   Dociles et attentes se praebento.
   A magistris audita domi relegunto et audienda praemeditantor.
   Bene vivere et latine loqui assuescunto.
   Venter, pluma, venus laudem fugienda sequenti.
 
School rules prescribed for the students in the grammar school of the excellent Dutch city of Alkmaar by Johannes Murmellius (c.1480-1517).
 
   Students will fear God first and diligently observe His commandments.
   They will obey their parents and teachers.
   They will show reverence to clerics, government officials and instructors.
   They will show consideration and act honourably towards the house-keepers, their room-mates and schoolfellows.  
   They will not resort to violence against anyone.
   They will keep their hands off the possessions of others.
   They will not sleep outdoors or spend the night drifting along the streets.
   They will not enter brothels or pubs nor consort with women.
   They will not wear swords, knives or daggers.
   They will not gamble.
.  They will avoid drunkenness.  
   They will keep their hair short and dress in accordance with decency.
   On Sundays and Holy Days they will witness the Mass and the sermon.
   They will be thrifty with money.
   They will arrive at school on time.
   They will be grateful and courteous.
   They will responsive to the lessons and give them their full attention.    
   They will reread what they heard from the teachers at home and prepare themselves for the next day’s lessons.
   They will accustom themselves to live and speak in Latin.
   They will strive for praise by avoiding gluttony, sloth and lust.
H.E. van Gelder, Geschiedenis der Latijnse school te Alkmaar (Alkmaar: Coster & Zoom, 1905), I [De Groote School tot 1572], p.151. My translation. The second volume of this work was apparently never published.