A public and PIOUS DESIGN FOR THE PRESERVING THE Generous YOUTH, And Consequently the NATION From RUINE.  Difficilia quae pulchra. 
LONDON: Printed for the AUTHOR. 1676.   

THe Designer having long sadly considered the great Dishonour and Prejudice this Nation receives by sending the Sons of our prime Nobility and Gentry too early into France, before they are wellprincipled in Religion, and practised in active virtue at Home; He believed he could not do a greater Service to GOD, his KING and Country, than to set forth a Model, or Method pursuant to that end.  
And forasmuch as nothing is more Essential and Conservative of the Weal and Happiness we see and enjoy within this iceland, walled, watered, warmed and enriched with the Daily Flowings of the Sea, than that the Successive noblesse, and infinite Gentry of His MAJESTIES Kingdoms and Dominions, stand Qualified and Enabled to serve His MAJESTY substantially in the Support of the Crown and Government, by an Exemplary Life and Behaviour to the rest of their Fellow-Subjects, and Foreigners flocking to Us: And that Experience hath shewed how troublesome, Dangerous and Costly it hath been, and is sure long to be, for our Young Nobility and Gentry to be sent Abroad raw, with or without Governours and Tutors, or Servants, ere they be principled and seasoned in good measure at Home; have Languages, Exercises, and competent judgement to use their Travels with Advantage; as may appear by the following Disparities.  

A Short Survey of Profitable Disparities, incident to the Design of This ACADEMY.  

WHereas Noblemens and Gentlemens Sons are not sent beyond Sea at any Age, but under a very sensible Charge, and Yearly expense, and are the more exposed to the Humours, and self-concerned practices of Strangers, being at great distance from Home:  
THey will in this Academy, close to London, be entred from their Parents own Laps and Coaches, unchargeably and safely, and will be there cherished as their tenderness may require, and observed how they profit, and grow capable for travail, secured so long from the Plots and Humours of unknown and unseen Teachers, and Debaucheries in Religion and Manners, till reasonably confirmed in both.   

WHereas at Paris, and other Academies beyond the Seas, our Noblemen and Young Gentry are not much esteemed, if they spend not 5. or 600 l. per ann. a piece, at the least, and more as they advance in Age:  
THey may in this Academy Learn twice as much, and be better Treated for two thirds, with full Reputation; and by consequence in five or six Years save at least so much as they will need to spend in their Travels Abroad, if requisite.   

WHereas Diseases are frequentest upon Youth from 15. or 16. Years Old downward, and more afflictive to Parents, and dangerous to themselves, when overearly shifted to a Foreign Climate:  
THe like Accidents will be more tolerable and hopeful for recovery in this Academy; whence, as occasion presses, Patients will be easily removed to Parents, Friends, Bath, and Change of Air, till they can travail in a more confirmed state of Health.   

WHereas some of our Neighbouring and Remoter Countries have undervalued and dis-esteemed our Noblemen and Young Gentry, sometimes for not having Lived or Studied in their Academies:  
BY this Seasonable Frequentation of our( hoped) Incomparable One at Home, we shall soon be quit with them, and draw over the whole Reputation to Ours, as much as our Universities carry the Bays away from all that are in the World besides.    

These Previous Arguments, besides the Love of my Country, with the Encouragements following, made me, to my great Charge and Trouble, set up this Method of Breeding at Piccadille: which as soon as it was made Practicable, was Obstructed by certain Persons, whom I forbear yet to mention, reserving them for another time and place: Hoping now all Noble and Generous PATRIOTS will give Assistance to so Worthy an Undertaking; and have their Names Recorded in the Book of famed for True Lovers of their Country.    

To the KINGS Most Excellent MAJESTY: The Humble PETITION of EDWARD PANTON, Your MAjESTIES Servant:  
SHEWETH,  
THat the Petitioner, out of a just Zeal to the Glory of GOD, and the Service of Your MAJESTY and Kingdoms, doth humbly Propose the Erecting of a Society at Chelsey, or in some other Convenient Place near London, to be, by Your Gracious Favour and Commands, made capable, and Encouraged to Train up here at Home, the Generous Youth of Your said Kingdoms, securely, in all Manly good Sciences and Exercises; to which any Young Gentlemen from beyond the Seas, may also resort for the same purpose.  
Now to the end this Proposal, which several of the Nobility and Gentry are ready to give a happy Beginning unto, and do exceedingly want the Benefit of, to Initiate and Season their Sons, before they step into Sway and Liberty, may take the more speedy Effect:  
May it please Your most Sacred MAJESTY, to bestow upon the said Intended Society, the Honour to call it, Your Royal Academy; and that a Warrant be issued in good form, signifying Your Will and Pleasure to Mr. Attorney and solicitor General, or one of them, to prepare a Bill for Your Royal Signature to pass the Great Seal, containing Your MAJESTIES Grant of such a Society to be forthwith Erected and Settled at Chelsey, or elsewhere conveniently near London, bearing the Name of Your Royal Academy, to consist of Your Petitioner, as Regent thereof for his Life; and of a competent number of Fellows, to be desired, by him, out of the Body of the Royal Society, and other Personages of Learning, Quality, and known Reputation; together with able and trusty sufficient Officers within the said Academy, to be a Body politic, Active and Passive, to all the Ends and Purposes before intended, for ever; capable of Gifts, Legacies and Endowments, Real and Personal, Pleading, and being Impleaded, in as full and ample manner as by Patent heretofore was Granted, or intended to be Granted unto Sir Francis Kynaston Knight, deceased, by Your MAJESTIES most Royal Father, of Immortal Recordation, in the Eleventh Year of His Reign; and comprehending such further Expressions and Clauses, privileges, Immunities, Provisions and Grants to the said Academy, Regent and Members thereof, as Your said Attorney and solicitor General, or either of them, with the Petitioners Council Learned, shall advice to be most Legal, and conducing to the Erection, Subsistence and Increase of this Your Royal Academy: Vouchsafing to that end, unto the present, or first and future Regents, Liberty to choose and employ a sufficient Deputy; and to Intercede with the most Reverend Father in GOD, His Grace the Lord Archbishop, Metropolitan of England, and the Lord Chancellor, or Lord Keeper of the Great Seal pro tempore, or one of them, that upon any emergent great Occasion, requiring Visitation and Change, or Amendment of the Local Rules and Statutes which the said Regent, with his Assisting Council, have from time to time made for the Good and Advantage of the said Academy, on due Supplication, and Notice thereof in Writing presented, their Lordships, or one of them, be especially Willed by Your MAJESTIES Order, finally, de plano, to determine all such Grievance, or Matter of Change or Amendment, and to be for ever Friends and Protectors of this Your Royal Academy and Foundation. Where Your Indulgence is humbly craved for Gentlemen also, Strangers born, and resorting to this Academy from any Kingdoms or Countries beyond the Seas, in Amity with Your MAJESTY, That they, and their Servants, may be Received, Accommodated and Trained up in all the said Sciences and Exercises, comforming to the Rules and Statutes with our Intended Students there.  
All which the Petitioner humbly submits to Your Sacred MAJESTIES good Will and Pleasure; And shall ever Pray as in Duty bound, &c.   


At the Court at Whitehal, 4. Febr. 1668.  
HIS MAJESTY being Graciously Inclined to Encourage this Design, as Tending to the Laudable Education of Youth, and Good of the public; is pleased to refer this Petition to Mr. Attorney and Mr. solicitor General, or to either of them, to consider of the Nature of the Thing, the Proposals made, and the Power and privileges desired to be granted: And upon the whole, to make Report to His MAJESTY of their Opinion, how far His MAJESTY may gratify the Petitioner; and then His MAJESTY will declare His further Pleasure.  
Arlington.   

May it please Your MAJESTY,  
WE have, in Obedience to Your MAJESTIES Commands, considered of this Petition to Us referred: And having heard the Petitioner at large touching the Nature of the Academy by him endeavoured to be set up, and the whole Method and Design of that Education of Youth which he proposeth to be observed; We do humbly conceive that the same is worthy of all Encouragement, and may prove very Useful to Your MAJESTIES Service, and so not unfit to be Honoured with the Title of, The Royal Academy. And we do humbly conceive, that the Erection of such an Academy will be no way contrary to the Laws or Statutes of Your MAJESTIES Kingdom, nor any way prejudicial to the Rights or Liberties of any of Your Subjects, or of any Corporation, or public Society whatsoever. All which we humbly submit, &c.  
10. April, 1668. 

G. PALMER,  
HENEAGE FINCH.      

The Royal Academy,  

TO be Settled at Chelsey, or some other Convenient Place near London, is to be Framed to an Exact Method for the Well-breeding and Education at Home of the  
Youth of Condition,  
Natives within this of England, and other His MAJESTIES Kingdoms: To fit them for the Service  

Of GOD,  
Of the KING, and  
Of their Country.   
With Freedom for any  
Youth of Quality  
also from Parts beyond the Seas, to be admitted Students with Us, under the Rules and Institutes of this our Academy. The Institutes whereof will consist of Two Distinct  
Parts, or Schools:  
The FIRST,  
For Youth from VIII. Years Old to X,  
The SECOND,  
For Youth and Young-Men under XX. Years of Age.  
The space of time for their abode and Continuance in both Schools, not to exceed Three Years; except for Reasonable Causes. And in each of these Schools to be  
Three Forms, or Classes;  
In which the Students not to stay past One whole Year, except for Causes as before.   

Schol. 1. Ann. 1.  
THe First Year the said Youngest Students are to be carefully Principled in  
Religion and Mora●●ty;  
and Taught to speak  
Latin, French, or Other Languages,  
according to their Parents Desires, or the Childrens Propensity and Capacities. Also,  
Fair Writing, arithmetic, Dancing, Behaviour, Fenceing, Shooting with all sorts of Bows, Wrestling, Swimming, &c.   

Schol. 1. Ann. 2.  
THe Second Year, such as please may begin to Study  
Greek, Instrumental and Vocal music, Arithmetical Deeper Rules, with Mathematical Introductions, and Triangle-Doctrine, Turning, and other Elegant mechanics:  
Not intermitting the Principles and Exercises before specified.   

Schol. 1. Ann. 3.  
THe Third Year they are to proceed, to be perfect in, as before,  
Latin and French;  
To Study  
Heraldry, Architecture, optics, and Other Liberal Sciences:  
Constantly heeding to Speak& writ Proper and Short,  
Without Tautology or Repetition.  
Then will follow the Second School, for Young Men.   

Schol. 2. Ann. 1.  
IN this Second School will be no other Speech familiar, but  
Latin, French, Italian and Spanish;  
And there will be Taught the further Sciences, and what belongs to perfecting their Exercises aforesaid. Also,  
Riding, with the Manage of Warlike Arms, Drilling, Embattailing, Fortification, and Surveying Lands.   

Schol. 2. Ann. 2.  
ALL this to be further Studied, Exercised, and Cultivated. And now will be laid the Elements of  
Navigation, Drawing, Painting, Graving, Etching; The Use of both Globes, Maps, Instruments and Books;  
Especially those relating to the fit Knowledge of His MAJESTIES Kingdoms and Dominions; with the  
Antiquities, Nature and Customs thereof;  
All the said Exercises mean while duly proceeding.   

Schol. 2. Ann. 3.  
THe Third Year, all these Sciences and Exercises to be more exactly completed in every Student, as his Genius and Abilities dispose him.  
For it is to be presumed, that by this time these Students will be rendered capable  
Of University-Learning, Of the Inns of Court, Of Attendance at Court, Of employ in the Army or Navy, Or To travail beyond Sea with Credit and Profit;  
And so Fortified against Evil Impressions, which undisciplined Youth are frequently ensnared withal in other Countries.    

For it is intended, That in every Form or School and Classis, HISTORY shall be constantl● red and Expounded in the Learned and other Languages before spe●●fied, suitable to the Level of the School and Scholars.  
And that the H●●rs of Rising and Going to Rest, Prayer, Studying, Exercise, Refection, Disport, &c. shall be duly apportioned according to the Seasons, and Mat●ers to be Treated or Done therein.  
As also that the Regent, and his Assisting Council, will provide a Sufficient Number of Able Professors, and other Ministerial Well-qualified Persons, to perform all this with Order and Decorum.  
Such Assisting Council, to consist of about Ten or Twelve Learned, Sober, public-spirited Persons; by whose Advice once a Month, or oftener as need shall be, He may from time to time be enabled, with them, to carry on this Work, to GOD's Glory, the Honour and Satisfaction of the KING, and the Real Service and Benefit of His MAJESTIES Friends Abroad, and Loyal Subject● in His several Kingdoms and Dominions.   
FINIS.