W. Bullokar’s abbreviation of his Grammar for English extracted out of his Grammar at large , for the speedy parsing of English speech, and the easier coming to the knowledge of Grammar for other languages

William Bullokar to the reader

As in mirrors, men do behold

the shapes of things not there

but taken from some substance that

is thereunto set near:

so I, that wish my case should be

weighed of each alright,

desire all with mind to mark

this mirror, here in sight.

A woman that her youth hath spent

and fruitful race doth crave,

whereof God hath given unto her

such as her like would have

and is often bereaved of

her tender-loved one,

wherein she joyed in youthful years,

for which she maketh great money.

And God at length, in elder years,

does bless her womb with fruit,

that she enjoys his gracious gift

granted through her long suit.

She hopeth that she shall have help {A1}

of neighbours, friends and kin

in furthering all good luck to her,

when her travels begin.

Though giggling kit and wanton cat

do little know the pain

that ancient matrons have sore-felt,

before they do attain

to know what is the cark and care

for household and for child,

and matronly to yield some stay

in house, in grange, in field.

Even so, sith I in former years

have travelled with good mind

for my country, from time to time,

as duty doth all bind:

my hope in elder years, at last,

is to receive again

the friendly comfort of good minds,

to quite part of my pain.

The bearing horse, the drawing ox,

the toiling ass also

are cherished for their labour:

why should not man be too?

Sith man for man’s sake born is,

none can so live alone,

that of himself can so provide

that he has need of none. {n. p.}

Some have one gift, some another:

some with the body toil,

some with the mind are exercised,

and God appoints each soil

to bring forth diversly their fruits:

in the barrenest place may grow

most plentiful of the best fruits,

if God will have it so.

None should despise the gifts of God,

wheresoever he it finds:

whoso sets light by bettering things

showeth himself unkind

to him that taketh pains there-in,

and unthankful is to God,

that is the giver of all gifts

and can make good of bad.

But to return to mirrors voice:

the travel I am in

may be compared to the time

in which women begin

to conceive child, and the ten months

before deliverance comes

is like my case, reckoning each month

a year within which sum.

Many a pinching pang I had,

and gripe unto the reins,

which I buried to such as I {A2}

thought would ease that my pains.

I must confess some friends I found

that gave me some relief

with comfortable speech, but yet

they eased not all my grief.

No grief is greater to the mind

than when the scorning train

doth jest and gibe at virtues gifts,

and such as do take pain.

You, for their good, that deserve not

to have so good a thing:

themselves not able to do like,

their minds not so bending.

If tears should fall down from mine eyes,

it were not of childish mind,

sith nearer steps of three score years

than fifty my feet find;

nor yet for faintness of courage,

sith willing mind me led

twice into foreign foes country

under the ensign spread.

Serving two knights right worshipful,

both soldiers of renown,

right skillful in warly affairs

to serve in field or town,

with whom I used such diligence

that they put trust in me, {n. p.}

more than in some of elder years

and higher of degree.

I served also in garrison

with Captain Turner too,

to get knowledge in martial feats

the muster-books can show:

In all which times I studied then,

and since, as earnestly

the soldiers’ art as grammar rule,

and could say now for me:

if credit were given unto me,

a tool in storehouse hidden

may serve as well as others do,

when there is time and need.

When time and leisure gave me leave,

or friend did it require,

I did delight in hawk or hound,

more at my friend’s desire

than altogether for pleasure:

in tillage had I skill,

the young breed the old to feed

with other things not ill.

My mind was bent in all my life

to wish my country well,

long time studying the laws of it,

that civilly do deal,

until I saw through coloured right {n. p.}

good conscience bears small sway,

and reason ranged not in rank,

as I had known the day.

Thus dealing with men divers ways,

seeing the course go wry,

I thought it could, not be ill-thought of

if some men I did try

for speedy learning: that the small

in years, but in degree

greater, might with more ease attain

the best pathway to see

whose needs not such, nor courage base,

to study all for gain,

but to measure both right and wrong,

a travel worth their pain.

A twin this volume is, that has

a fellow of more fame,

who shall in swaddling clothes lie still,

until it takes his name,

form her most-sacred hands that sits

in royal princely seat

and may command both high and low,

the small, the men, the great.

And that the learned now would show

I crave, among the rest,

how many alone for his country

has brought the like to pass: {n. p.}

both for the perfect picturing

of speech, and grammar too,

not leaving out old letter, nor

bringing new shapes for more,

nor altering the sense of words,

nor of sentence the phrase,

but that each volume, time to come,

may be read as it was:

And by my travel English tried,

a perfectly ruled tongue,

conferrable in grammar art,

with any ruled long.

But if I err in my conceit,

or by words give offence,

write me the first, pardon the last,

and with me do dispense:

For as in throws the womankind

is touched in hard travail,

when life with death for mastery strives,

whereby she cannot tell

whom she offends: even so my case

to hers may be compared,

that travel in this weighty work,

wherein if I have erred,

if life do last, I will it mend,

and think no shame at all

to be reformed (for man may hear) {n. p.}

else beast do me call.

The soldier in a hold, besieged,

with famine sore-oppressed,

is driven with force, to make his way,

not pining like a beast,

refusing not imparlance with

his enemy to have,

as his credit and country’s wealth

he may with honour save.

As war is an extremity,

that wrongs force doth procure:

so peace (with honour) is preferred,

before warly pleasure.

Your good acceptance of these pains

will cause me to set hand

to perfecting a Dictionary,

the third strength of this band.

If any good man will proceed,

therein to take some pain,

and that good luck will stretch to quit,

the same good will * again.

Finis

{n. p.}

--- o ---

W. Bullokar’s abbreviation of his Grammar for English extracted out of his Grammar at large, for the speedy parsing of English speech, and the easier coming to the knowledge of Grammar for other languages

The name of anything that may be seen, felt, heard, or understanded is called a noun, as a hand, a house, and eye, God, goodness, hearing, learning: and may the easilier be known from every other part of speech by someone of these articles a, an, or the, set before such word, which may commonly be used before any noun-substantive named alone: but if a substantive being in sentence govern a noun-adjective, the adjective is commonly set between such article and substantive, their preposition {B1} being commonly set before them all (except some time for metre’s sake) as, a man of an excellent wit was called to answer in the great hall before all the wisest officers of the city.

A noun-substantive is a perfect word of itself without any word to be joined with it: as in the words showing before what is called a noun.

A noun-adjective is a word not perfectly understanded except a noun-substantive be joined with it, which substantive is known by the answer “who?” or “what?” made upon the adjective as, good, black, hard, green: who good? God. What black? pitch. What hard? wax. What green? grass.

A noun is either of the singular number or of the plural number.

The singular number speaketh but of one: as, a house, an eye, the truth. The plural number speaketh of more than one: as, houses, eyes, truths. A, an serving to the singular. The serving to both numbers.

Here is to be noted that a is sometimes used with the plural number, being joined with an adjective showing plural number: as, a hundred bullocks, a thousand sheep; or with collectives: as, a dozen spoons. Also we say many a {n. p.} man, many a time, for many men, and many times. A doth some time supply the meaning of the prepositions in, of, about, upon, or on, and is sometimes in composition with words used adverbially, sometimes gerundially. The, is always used demonstratively or relatively; a and an are used appellatively.

A Noun-Substantive may be declined, or at the least used in five cases: to wit, the nominative, the accusative, the gainative, the vocative, and the genitive-proprietary.

Every simple substantive without any addition to the first naming thereof may be called the nominative case, though it be spoken alone by itself, which, being joined with other words in sentence, governeth a verb in number and person, and is commonly set before the verb, or sign of his tense, and answereth to the question, who? or what? made upon the verb or his sign: except a question be asked by the verb, or that the verb be the imperative mood, or that it or there come before the verb or his sign, or that the nominative case be set after this word had where if is to be understanded. And sometimes the verb agrees in number and person with it, though the word following the verb answers to the question who? or what? as, it is {B2} not I, it is thou; it is we, it is not they, the negative not being always set after the verb, or between the verb and the sign of his tense. In all these exceptions the nominative case is set after the verb, or after the sign of his tense.

The accusative case doth generally follow the verb, participle, or gerundial, and answereth to the question whom? or what? made upon the verb, participle, preposition, or gerundial; and is some time used absolutely, that is, not governed of any word, when it showeth measure, space, or time. But the same speech being used gainatively is called the gainative case, and being called or spoken unto is said to be the vocative case: as, how John, Robert giveth Richard a shirt, and Nicolas makes William a coat. In this sentence John is the vocative case, Robert and Nicolas be the nominative case, Richard and William be the gainative case, which may be resolved into the accusative case by the preposition to or for as, how John, Robert gives a shirt to Richard, and Nicolas makes a coat for William. Also, it may be called the gainative case being used in like phrase, though in a signification contrary to gain: as, he brake me a bow, spoiled {n. p.} William a coat, and hurt my father and a horse. So, that the four cases before named be of one voice and figure and sometimes used neither gainatively, nor contrarily: as, he told me the matter, and showed me his mind.

The genitive-proprietary is so called because it gets es, s, or z added to the nominative of both numbers and, having after it another word proper or pertaining to it, called the property, which may be set before such proprietary, if ye resolve this genitive-proprietary with the preposition of as, the masters teaching through wisdom’s guide, and children’s learning through virtue’s help doth quit the parent’s charges resolved thus: the teaching of the master through the guide of wisdom, and learning of children through the help of virtue doth quit the charges of the parent. And if the property be governed of a preposition, such preposition is set before such genitive-proprietary, who, being of the singular number, is commonly equivocated with the nominative plural distinguished thus: es, s, z. But the genitive-proprietary might be better distinguished in figure with is, our voice not disagreeing, e and I in those places being so shortly pronounced.

The nominative case being joined with a {n. p.} participle, and governing no verb, nor governed of a verb, may be called the nominative case absolute: as measure, space, or time may be used in the accusative case absolutely also as, they were ten days riding a hundred miles, we tarrying still at London, and not looking one foot without the walls. Such nominative absolute may govern the verb, when such participle is resolved by his verb, having before it one of these conjunctions: when, whilst, if, so-that, or such like, as, they were ten days riding a hundred miles, whilst we tarried still at London, and looked not one foot without the walls.

The case called ablative in Latin or other languages is in English the accusative, though governed of a preposition signifying ablatively.

To decline a noun-substantive remember the two numbers and the five cases before going: to wit, that the accusative, the genitive, and the vocative be like their nominative in both numbers, noting the additions es, s, or z (rather is) to form the nominative plural according to the letter ending the nominative singular. That is, to c’, ch, g, x, s, ss, or sh add es; to b, c, k, d, f, g, h, p, t, th, th̹, v, or wh add s; to l, m, n, r, vowel, half vowel, or diphthong {n. p.} add z. Change f always into vz. The genitive plural is formed of the nominative plural being changed in figure: and it were not amiss if the genitive plural were generally formed of the nominative plural, though our speech seldom hath es, s, or z added to the former ending in es, s, or z being a formative itself. For example, thus:

{n. p.}

{n. p.}

Note that, in the declining of these examples and other words, our voice doth seldom use, ez, added to the nominative-plural, being itself formed by es, s, or z added to the simple: yet I have thus figured it for distinctions sake, where é may well be left out therein, and also in the genitive singular the simple ending in s, and specially to defalk a syllable in verse, and then figured thus: ss, sz, as, Midass earss length was more wondered at than twenty bullss hornss shortness, or a hundred horss ears cropped to their headss nape. For plainer show resolved thus: The length of the ears of Midas was more wondered at than the shortness of the horns of twenty bulls, or the ears of a hundred horses cropped to the nape of their heads. {C1}

Note also that some substantives change voice and figure in the nominative plural: as, of man comes men, of penny comes pence; and some few have one voice and figure in both numbers: as, a sheep, and two sheep; people, folk, swine, cattle, fowl, deer are used in both numbers, and most collectives and massatives, and some ending in x or z, form the plural by adding n: as, of ox, oxen; of hose, hoses and hosen, easily known to the English nation. The doubtful stranger may follow general rule, whose meaning we understand, as well as we know him a stranger thereby in changed declinations.

As touching genders of a noun, we have little need of distinguishing of them, in respect of governing of an adjective or participle who are undeclined; but in respect that a substantive meaneth the male or the female, or neither of them, and some time meaneth both male and female, all which are signified by these pronouns: he, she, it, they, used sometimes demonstratively, sometimes relatively. You must note that the male more properly requireth he and is called the masculine gender; the female requireth she and is called the feminine gender; and meaning neither male nor female requireth it and is called the neuter gender. But meaning both {n. p.} male and female requireth sometimes he, sometimes she, and may be called the double gender, sometimes made manifest by the expressing of he or she according to the substantive showed, or antecedent rehearsed by any of them, it being more properly applied to a thing not having life. It being used demonstratively is accented thus iť, being properly of the neuter gender singular number and third person, yet some time used in showing other gender, number, and person: as, it is I, it is not thou, it is they, it is not we that must do it. Also when the gender is doubtful, as in speaking of a swine, a fowl, and such like, we use more properly it who, showing the nominative-case of plural number and third person set after the verb-substantive, may suffer such verb to be used in the plural number: as, it be men, it be horses, or it be swine that lay there. An adjective or a participle in respect of his substantive may be said any of these genders, and therefore called the common gender, so is of cases and numbers in an adjective or participle, and the sooner because of conference with other languages that decline adjectives and participles. {C2}

Note that who, whose, and whom more fitly serve to the signifying of mankind, also whoses, who might be figured for distinction of the plural.

Other Adjectives are undeclined: except they be used as a substantive or have their substantive understanded and not expressed with {n. p.} them, and then follow the declining of a substantive according to the ending letter as before is showed to decline a substantive: as in this sentence, the wisests purpose is to avoid the evils company, and to follow the godlys advice.

Adjectives whose signification and meaning may be increased or diminished may form comparison and there be three degrees of comparison: to wit, the positive, the comparative, and the superlative.

The positive betokeneth the thing absolutely without excess: to wit, not increased nor diminished in signification, as, hard, gentle, warm, slow. The comparative somewhat exceedeth his positive in signification and is formed of his positive by adding er: as, harder, gentler, warmer, slower. The superlative exceeding his positive in the highest degree and formed of his positive by adding est: as, hardest, gentlest, warmest, slowest.

A few adjectives form comparison by changing voice: as, of good cometh better and best; of ill and evil, worse and worst; of little, less and least; of much, more and most; of many comes more, and so of few others. We use sometimes the worser and the lesser comparatively, {n. p.} the comparative being more properly used in comparing of two together, the superlative used in comparing of more, though we English use the superlative also when we compare but two things together.

The comparative is sometimes formed by setting more in composition before the positive, and the superlative likewise by compounding it with most: as, of bold, more bold, and most bold. And sometimes by better and best (taken in good part) or increased, and by worse and worst (taken in ill part) or diminished, set in composition with the positive: as, of learned, better-learned, and best-learned; of able, worse-able, and worst-able, these more and most being compounded mostly with participles of the preter tense.

An adjective exceeding in signification about measure without any comparison is often used with these compositions, too or over: as, too hard or over hard, too gentle or over gentle; also we say too too hard and over much hard, that is, hard about measure.

Two adjectives coming together in sentence – the one increasing, diminishing, or strongly affirming the signification of the other – may be used in composition: as, full-bold, grievous-sick. {n. p.} Likewise, an adjective may be compounded sometimes with an adverb or adverbial of quality or other: as, well-learned, well-beloved, much-desirous, very-good, right-glad. And sometimes an adjective is used adverbially mostly qualitatively and sometimes quantitively: as, speak soft I pray you, I love you much.

You must note that every word is one of these six figures: to wit, a primitive or a derivative, a single or a compositive, a simple or a declinative. It is called a primitive when it hath signification and meaning of itself: as, a man, a stone, a hand, hard, fat, lean; who have these derivatives (with other): to wit, manhood, stony, handful, harder, fatling, leanness, taking their several significations of those same primitives, and having under the first letter of their addition this derivative prick (.) and then called perfect derivatives: but, being changed in voice – as, of England, English; of France, French; of broad, breadth; of long, length – may be called as derivatives or rather consanguinatives with such primitives. It is called a single, when it is not compounded with any syllable or syllables: as with un-, dis-, mis-, too-, les-, very-, even-, -soever, and such like. Or that two words be compounded with this compositive strike (-) {n. p.} and then called a compositive: as man-kind, hard-headed. This last called a compounded derivative.

The nominative case of a noun or pronoun and the infinitive mood of a verb is called the simple of such part of speech, which, being declined into another voice, is called a declinative, and being a noun hath his declinative strike (‘) over the first letter of the addition to his simple, or known by this s called s declinative. But in every verb, the declinative strike is set under the first letter of the addition. And, if the declinative be changed in voice from his simple, then the declinative strike is set to the first letter of such voice changed: as, of to see, I saw; of man, men. But if the first letter be such with top or foot that it cannot bear such declinative strike, then may you set that strike to the next letter that may bear that strike: as, of louse, lice; of to give, I gave. So that it may well be said, where there is a derivative or declinative by addition, there is also, a former, and a Formative.

Note that some one word hath divers significations or meanings, yet all of one part of speech: as, a bill (for war), a bill (of debt), a bill (of a bird); also to heal (or to make whole) and to {n. p.} heel (or to cover with clothes, etc.) such word is called an equivocate. But if such word of divers meanings may be used in divers parts of speech, or in particular parts of anyone part of speech, it may be called an equivocal: as of the word but we say I shoot at a butt, but I missed the mark, because a sheep did butt me. The first butt being a noun-substantive, the second but being a conjunction, the third butt being a verb. A noun-substantive may easily be known by setting a, an, or the before it. A noun-adjective is known by a substantive joined unto it, which is known by asking the question who? or what? For, without a substantive expressed or understanded, the adjective hath no perfect signification. There are but sixteen pronouns beside their compositives. A verb is easily known by his simple, used with his sign or preposition to and more fully by declining it with the three persons in both numbers: as, to love, whereof is declined, I love, thou lovest, he loveth, we love, you love, they love, etc. A participle is easily known being always derived of a verb, and ending in ing or in ed, d, t, n, or ṇ́, having the derivative prick under the addition to the verb, or under the first letter being changed in figure. Also, being a participle, it requireth {G 1} a substantive or antecedent as an adjective doth.

An Adverb is known from the fewer parts before-going, for that it cannot be in the vice of any of them, but dependeth on some verb, and joineth some special signification to the verb, and is not ruled of any word, neither ruleth any word. As a preposition doth always govern an accusative case otherwise such speech is an adverb. These both being known from a conjunction whoever joineth words, sentences or clauses of sentences together, and being a copulative or disjunctive or any of these three than, but, beside, couple like moods, tenses, and cases as well as sentences and clauses.

An Interjection is easily known, for every word or clause of sentence being suddenly spoken with a sudden passion of the mind under an unperfect voice (which is in effect unparsable) is called an interjection. Which several parts of speech be some time distinguished by figure as by these three grammar notes (.) (-) (‘) and might be amply distinguished by divers pairs of letters, and doubling of some consonant, and the better if a perfect Dictionary were made accordingly for our speech. For the first and chief point in grammar for English is to know what part of speech every word in every sentence {n. p.} is and there in to beware of equivocy, sometimes perceived only by other words in the sentence and when divers words serve for one meaning: as to leak, to fancy, to favour, such may be called co-significatives.

A Pronoun is a part of speech much like a noun and used in showing or rehearsing. There be sixteen pronouns: to wit, I, thou, he, she, it, this, that, same, self, my or mine, thy or thine, his, her, their, our, your. To these may be added who, which and that (for which), relatives before showed in a noun, with the declinatives and compositives of these: as, the self-same, my-self, I-my-self, mine-own-self, I-mine-own-self, and so of the second person, and in both these persons the plural being our and your joined with selves; the third person compounding rather with the primitive of the accusative case than with the derivative: as, him-self, or his-self, etc, all these compounded with self, showing the person. But own compounded with possessive, as mine-own, showeth the proper possession. When any pronoun showeth a thing not spoken-of before, it is called a demonstrative and rehearsing a thing spoken-of is called a relative, and declined as followeth:{G 2}

He, she, it, also who, which, and that relatives be declined as before in a noun.

All these except who lack their genitive proprietary signified by their derived possessives: my and mine derived of I; thy and thine of thou; his of he and of it; her of she; their of they; our of we; your of ye, or you.

The possessives before showed be undeclined, yet may be said to be governed in case, gender, and number by their substantive proprietary: saving we say sometimes hers, theirs, ours, yours, used proprietarily without any substantive expressed, also mine and thine likewise; at other times, mine and thine are used only before a substantive beginning with a vowel: as, mine {n. p.} host, thine eye; my and mine only used in the vocative case.

Self and same be undeclined used commonly with this article, the, used also sometimes before which, a relative. Self hath plurally selves, in composition to show the persons as is aforesaid.

A pronoun hath three persons: the first person speaketh of himself as, I, we. The Second is spoken-to as, thou, ye, or you, and therefore every vocative case is the second person. The third person is spoken-of as, he, she, it, they, and therefore all nouns and pronouns, being substantives, be of the third person except I, we, thou, ye, you, and every vocative case.

Adjectives and participles take their person, case, gender, and number of their substantives. The relatives who, which, and that taking their person, the {n. p.} gender and number also of their antecedent, but ruled in case by the verb, or other word in the sentence, other relatives being ruled in case as a noun-substantive or governed of a substantive.

A Verb is a part of speech declined with mood, tense, number, and person. It is called a verb active, when it signifieth to do: as, I love, I teach, and hath a participle of the passive voice derived of it: as, loved, taught; which participle, being joined with the verb substantive to be, taketh his mood or manner of suffering, and his tense also, of the verb substantive, and his case, gender, number, and person, of his ruling substantive: as, I am loved, be thou loved, O-that he were loved, would-God we had been loved, if they have been loved, when we shall be loved, etc. And having no participle passive is called a verb neuter, whose participial is joined with the verb substantive in being only: as, I being run to the town, my father came home. More is said of a participle in the title there of.

To have may be called a verb possessive and his compound, to have rather, a verb choicative. All other verbs are called verbs neuters {n. p.} unperfect, because they require the infinitive mood of another verb to express their signification or meaning perfectly and be these: may, can, might or mought, could, would, should, must, ought, and sometimes will, shall being a mere sign of the future tense. There be five moods: the indicative, the imperative, the optative, the subjunctive, and the infinitive.

The indicative mood showeth a reason true or false (as, I love) or else asketh a question (as, lovest thou?)

The imperative biddeth or commandeth: as, love thou, love ye.

The optative, or wishing mood, wisheth or desireth, and hath always an adverb of wishing joined before his nominative case: as, pray God, I love, I pray God, thou love; God grant, he loves. Also these: I would, would, would-God, would-to-God, O-that, and O-if, be adverbs of wishing showing the optative mood.

The subjunctive mood hath evermore a conjunction set before his nominative case, and dependeth upon another verb in the same sentence, either going before or coming after it: as, the master will be angry, if we be idle; when we use diligence, we learn. {n. p.}

The Infinitive hath neither number, nor person, nor nominative case before it, and is known commonly by this sign or preposition to, which to is not expressed many times when there cometh an accusative case between the infinitive mood and the verb before going: as, bid him come hither. With some verbs we use a like phrase in the nominative case: as, you say I am idle, that being a resolver of the first, and understanded in the last: as, bid that he come hither, you say that I am idle. Neither do we use to after a verb neuter unperfect, except after ought: as, we ought to go thither.

There be three times called tenses: the time that is now, called the present tense (as, I love); the time past, called the preter tense (as, I loved); the time to come, called the future tense (as, I shall or will love).

Time past hath three divisions: the first called the preter tense (as, I loved), sometimes having the sign or preposition did or didst joined with the simple: as, I did love, thou didst love. The second, being perfectly past called the preter-perfect tense, having always the sign or preposition have, hast, or hath set before it: as, I have loved, thou hast loved, he hath loved. The third being more than perfectly past, having {n. p.} always the sign or preposition had or hadst before it, and called the preter-plu-perfect tense: as, I had loved, thou hadst loved, he had loved. There is also a doubtful-preter, and a doubtful-future tense, known by some adverb, or words in the sentence showing the time and as may appear by the declining of the verbs following:

There be in effect but three conjugations or declinings of English verbs: the first is of verbs active and verbs neuter, the second of the verb substantive, the third of neuters unperfect. The verbs to have and to do have their special declinings, as appeareth following:

Verbs of the first conjugation are thus declined.

Indicative mood present tense singular

Or thus

{D1}

Or thus

The present tense is sometimes used futurely by reason of some adverb or other speech in the sentence showing a time to come as, I ride ten days hence, and my man cometh after me.

Imperative mood

Let, a verb impersonal governing an accusative {n. p.} case of the first or third person, may be said to have an imperative signification: as, let me love, let him love, etc.

Optative mood

{D2}

This optative mood is sometimes used in the present, and doubtful future tenses in the singular number and third person without any of these adverbs of wishing: as, God save you, God grant them grace, the Lord keep us from evil, good luck be with you.

The subjunctive mood is declined as the indicative every where, having always a conjunction before his nominative case, excepting that after conjunctions, conditionals, exceptives, and adversatives it is declined everywhere in the voice of the optative mood, thus:

Subjunctive mood

Note that when, used interrogatively or answeratively, is merely an adverb of time.

{n. p.}

we, ye, or they had loved

This perfect-future may be declined also with shall or will according to their persons.

Infinitive mood

{n. p.}

The second conjugation to decline the verb substantive

Indicative mood

Imperative mood

Let governing the first and third person.

{n. p.}

Optative mood

Subjunctive mood

The subjunctive mood is declined like the {n. p.} indicative and the optative, using it according to the conjunctions joined with it, as before is showed in the first conjugation

Infinitive mood

The third conjugation is the declining of verbs-neuters unperfect

Verbs Neuters unperfect are undeclined saving they have est added for their second person singular in the present and doubtful future tense, excepting must, in which two tenses only (may and can) of both numbers be used. But might or mought, could, would, should, must, and ought may be used in all moods and both numbers, taking their tense and time of their infinitive significative without the sign or preposition to, have and had being barely thereunto joined in their two {n. p.} tenses. But ought requireth to after it everywhere: as, I can love, thou mightiest loved, he could have loved, we would had loved, you should love hereafter, they must love, they ought to love. More is said in my Grammar at Large touching the equivocy in will, wilt, and would, sometimes showing willingness, sometimes a commandment, sometimes a wishing meant by them. The adverb of wishing (would) is known by having no nominative case.

Indicative mood present and doubtful future tense

Indicative present and doubtful future

The optative and subjunctive mood be of like voice as before everywhere, their adverbials and conjunction being joined withal.

In like manner is ought, declined by adding {E1} to to his infinitive significative: as, I ought to love, to loved, to have loved, to had loved, to love hereafter, none of these having the imperative mood, nor the infinitive, nor participle.

The declinings of the verbs to do and to have, properly called a verb possessive

Indicative mood present tense

Indicative mood present tense

Note that some verbs change voice in all preter tenses: as, to seek, I sought, I have sought, I had sought, sought, to have sought, having sought; and some change voice but in the first preter of the indicative mood only: as, of to see, I saw, I have seen, I had seen, seen, having seen. Of {n. p.} which a fuller gathering together shall be hereafter made: being in easy vice already for every native English person to be uttered in speech and used in figure.

To have, being compounded with lever, but better compounded with, rather: as, to have-lever, properly called a verb choicative, is declined as his single in all moods and tenses, for all compounded verbs follow the declining of their single, whether the composition be set before or after such single verb.

Have and had, set after a verb neuter unperfect, and governing an accusative case, hath sometimes a special signification or meaning without any possession, as in these phrases: I can have you beaten, we could have him come, they mought have your father beat you, because you would have had me gone with you.

Do, dost, and doth serving to the present tense.

Did and didst serving to the preter tense.

Have, hast, and hath serving to the preter-perfect.

Had and hadst serving to the preter-plu-perfect.

Shall, shalt, will, and wilt serving to the future tense.

These and all verbs neuters unperfect are sometimes used without expressing their verb with them: as, how do you think? As you do. I have learned as you have, though I cannot sing as {E2} you can, and will do as much as ever you could.

The commonest forming of preter tenses is by adding ed to the simple, or d by syncope. But if you leave out e after c, ch, f, k, s, p, ph, x, t, or sh, the d is changed into t: as, to brace, braced and brac’t; of to stretch, stretched or stretcht. If the stranger add ed to every preter, we understand his meaning as well, as we understand him a stranger by it in some words.

Methink of the present tense and methought of the preter tense are impersonals undeclined, not governed nor governing any case. But let used imperatively or permissively governing an accusative case, and commonly an infinitive mood withal, seemeth to have a nominative case of the second person understanded: it skilleth, it behooveth and such like be of the singular number and third person, seeming to be governed of an infinitive mood, sentence or clause of a sentence following: as, me-think it is well, let it alone, and let me go, for it skilleth not whether of us have it, seeing it behooveth us both to look to it.

A participle is a part of speech derived of a verb, from whom it taketh his signification or meaning and, being of the present {n. p.} tense, endeth in ing added to the simple of the verb: as, of to love, loving; of to teach, teaching, and may be used absolutely without any substantive gerundially joined mostly in composition after a preposition: as, in-loving goodness, and by teaching the same, virtue is increased. The same voice is also a noun verbal, either governing a verb, adjective, or relative, or is governed in case, having often times one of the articles (a, an, or the) set before it (or might be) in the sentence. There is also another noun verbal in or, signifying the donor, and another in er, signifying an instrument wherewith a thing is done: as, I hired a trior for the trying of my corn, but he lacketh a trier.

A participle of the preter tense passive hath always a passive or suffering signification formed of the simple of the verb by adding thereunto ed, d, n, ń, or t, and being changed from the figure of his simple hath the derivative prik under the first letter, taking his mood etc. as is before said in a verb active, and formed or figured thus: of to love, loved, or lov’d; of to see, seen; of to know, known; of to teach, taught. Which voice being derived of a verb neuter is used with being, and not passively, and may be called a participial. Both which, being {n. p.} compounded after having, have only an active or doing signification: as, I having loved thee so much, and having taught thee so long, think ill of thee having-gone from me without leave. And, being equivocal also with the simple of his verb is distinguished in figure, thus: I put, I putt, I have putt, I had putt, and the matter is putt into our hands, which doubling of a consonant I have hitherto used only for this distinguishing of the preters from the simple of the verb, or for the shortening of a vowel, which is of long time in the simple or present tense, and of short time in the preters: as, of to hear cometh heard, in the preters of the verb, and heard in the preter of the participle, who are all of one voice (except sometimes the first preter is changed in voice from his simple, as is showed before in a verb). The formative participles are formed by addition according to the letter ending the simple of the verb, more fully handled in the Grammar at Large.

The vice of a participle mostly for shortness of speech, which may be more amply resolved by the verb and the relative that, turnable into which as, a loving man or a man that loveth; a man loved of all men or a man that is loved of all men. And though loved remains a {n. p.} participle in both phrases, yet it may be resolved by his verb active: as, a man that all men love, and by such resolving, and the helps before showed ye may easily know a participle from any other part of speech, though equivocal with other words. Participles or present are compared by er or est, but the preters by more and most, better and best, worse and worst, before showed in a noun. An adverb is a part of speech joined with a verb or participle to declare their signification more expressly by such adverb: as, come hither if thou wilt go forth; sometimes with an adjective: as, thus broad; and sometimes joined with another adverb: as, how soon, as speedily, yet both these depending upon some verb or participle always of an active, passive, or being signification, which ye shall the easilier know to be an adverb by asking the question what? upon it, whereunto a verb, participle or adjective, answereth single or in sentence. But if a substantive answers to the question, be sure that it is a preposition, for an adverb governeth not any case, nor is governed of any word. The negative not is commonly set after the verb or his sign of tense, and before a participle. Most other adverbs {n. p.} are used indifferently before or after verbs, excepting that asking and wishing are used only before the verb, his sign, yea before his nominative case too, so that the voice of a preposition not governing any case is changed into an adverb. The verbs composition separated by not or an accusative case hath this note ✹: as, he left not✹ of to be earnest, the other left of long ago. Their significations appear by the titles following, beginning first with time:

Time: as, now, of late, hereafter, whilst, not yet, never, then, not at all, at last, oft, seldom, henceforth, by and by, long ago, soon, since; and when an interrogative otherwise used conjunctively like whilst, as, today, tomorrow, tonight, as soon as, may be taken substantive-like as well as adverbially.

Place: as, here, there, where, hither, thither, whither, hence, thence, whence, up, down, abroad, back, forth, of, away.

Order: as, moreover, further, furthermore, finally, at last, afterward, thereafter.

Asking: as, how? why? wherefor? whereto?

Affirming, or granting: as, forsooth, ye, yea forsooth, marry, yea marry, yes, yes marry, {n. p.} surely, verily, be it, forbeit.

Denying: or forbidding, as, not, no, no forsooth, no marry.

Teasing on, as, on, on-on, go-to, to it, for to it, rather interjections.

Wishing: as, I pray God, pray God, God grant, would, I would, would God, would to God, O that, O if.

Getting together: as, together, withal, too, and also used last in sentence.

Parting: as, asunder, apart, aside, off,

Choosing: as, rather, yea rather, yea but rather.

A thing not ended: as, scarce, scarcely, scant, scantly, nigh, almost, not yet,

Showing: as, lo.

Chance: as, perhaps, perchance, peradventure, may chance, for it may chance.

Likeness: as, so, thus, as, even as, like as.

Quality: as well, wisely, strongly, mostly formed of an adjective or participle, and sometimes of a substantive also by adding ly (as, namely, manly) or adding a in composition before an adjective (as, abroad, along): or by wise showing likeness (as, hartwise, tablewise, longwise, flatwise, broadwise, otherwise) and most adjectives {E 1} used adverbially and generally all adverbs answering to the question how? sometimes showing likeness.

Quantity, as, enough, altogether, as much, not a whit, much, little, and other answering to the question, how much?

Calling, as, ho, how.

Comparing things together, as, as well, as well as, and other compounded with as, though the later as were singly used or but understanded. For in comparing things together as is twice in the phrase.

There may be some adverbs pertaining to other titles of signification, as, only for excluding or shouting out. And some pertain to divers titles before mentioned, known by their divers significations.

Divers significations forming comparison. Adverbs of quality ending in ly form comparison mostly by adding er and est. The rest by the composition more and most: as, of wisely, wiselier and wiseliest; of hartwise, more hartwise and most hartwise; of abroad, more abroad and most abroad.

The is sometimes used before adverbs and adverbials of the comparative and superlative degree: ye sometimes having of or among partitively: {n. p.} as, the better ye do, the more men will love you, but herein ye did the unwiseliest of them all.

As used comparingly is repeated again: as, he is as good as you, and liveth as well as you. But showing likeness is used alone conjunctively: as, I do as he doth. And sometimes used after the adverb so or adjective such: as, do it so, as praise may come thereof. Also, he is such a man, as I never saw.

So as in composition is a conjunction conditional: as, I will do it, so-as they be content, rather so-that.

Adverbs of place beginning with h, th, wh, being in composition with a preposition, have commonly place, time, cause, occasion, mater, thing, clause, or sentence understanded by such composition, which may be resolved by this, that, which, or what, having such preposition set before them, and one of the significative meanings (before understanded) now expressed. The beginning with h resolved by this; th by that; wh, by which or by what: as, from hence, from thence, from whence. That is, from this place, from that place, from the which place, from what place? Hitherto, thitherto, that is, to this place or time, to that place or time. Also, {E 2} whereunto, or wherefore have ye said this? that is: unto what end or purpose, or for what cause have ye said this? Such composition with for, beginning with th or wh (not interrogatively) is a conjunction used sometimes illatively, sometimes causally. But these compositions are to be handled more at large in a Dictionary.