Of the orthographie of the Britan tongue a treates noe shorter, then neceſsarie for the schooles

To the maest excellent in all princelie wiſdom, learning, and heroical artes, JAMES, of great Britan, France, and Ireland King Defender of the faeth, grace, mercie, peace, honoure here, and glorie herafter.

May it pleaſe your maest, excellent M. I your grace’s humble ſervant seeing ſik uncertentie in our men’s wryting, as if a man wald indyte one letter to tuentie of our best wryteres, nae tuae of the tuentie, without conference wald agree; and that they, quhae might perhapes agree, met rather be custom {1} then knawlege: ſet my ſelfe about a yeer ſyne to ſeek a remedie for that maladie. Quhen I had done, refyning it, I fand in Barret’s alvearie, quhilk is a dictionarie Anglicolatinum, that S^r Thomas Smith a man of nae leſs worth, then learning Secretarie to Queen Elizabeth had left a learned, and judiciouſe monument on the ſame ſubject. Heer conſydering my aun weaknes, and meannes of my perſon, began to fear quhat might betyed my ſillie boat in the ſame ſeas quhaer ſik a man’s ship was ſunck in the gulf of oblivion. For the printeres, and wryteres of this age caring for noe more arte, then may win the pennie, wil not paen them ſelfes to knau whither it be orthographie, or skaiographie, that doeth the {n. p.} turne: & schoolmasteres, quhae’s ſillie braine will reach no farther then the compas of their cap, content them ſelfes with άυτὸς ἔφη my master ſaid it. Quhil I thus hovered betueen hope & despare; the ſame Barret in the letter E myndes me of a star, & constellation to calm al the tydes of theſe ſeaes; if it wald pleaſe the ſupreme Majestie to command the univerſitie to cenſure, and ratifie, and the schooles to teach the future age right, and wrang, if the preſent will not rectius ſapere. Heere my harte laggared on the hope of your M. judgement, quhom God hath indeued with light in a ſorte ſupernatural, if the way might be found to draue your eie ſet on high materes {2} of state, to take a glim of a thing of ſo mean contemplation, and yet neceſsarie. Quhiles I stack in this claye, it pleaſed God to bring your M. hame to viſit your aun Ida. Quher I hard that your G. in the disputes of al purpoſes quherwith after the exemple of ye wyſe in former ages, you uſe to ſeaſon your moat, ne quid tibi temporis ſino fructu fluat, fel ſundrie tymes on this subject reproving your courteoures, quha on a new conceat of finnes ſum tymes spilt (as they cal it) the king’s language. Quhilk thing it is reported that your M. not onlie refuted with impregnable reaſones, but alſoe fel on Barret’s {n. p.} opinion that you wald cauſe the univerſities mak an Inglish grāmar to repres the inſolencies of ſik green heades. This quhen I hard it ſoe ſecunded my hope, that in continent I maed moien hou to convoy this litle treates to your M. sight, to further (if perhapes it may pleaſe your G.) that gud motion. In school materes the least are not the least: becauſe to erre in them is maest abſurd. If the fundation be not ſure the maer gorgiouſe the edifice, the groſser the falt. Neither is it the least parte of a prince’s praiſe curaſse rem literariam, and be his auctoritie to mend the {3} miſses, that ignorant custom hath bred. Julius Cæſar was noe leſs diligent to eternize his name be the pen then be the ſuord. Neither thought he it unworthie of his paines to wryte a grammar in the heat of the civil weer, quhilk was to them, as the English grāmar is to us; & as it ſeemes noe leſs then neceſsarie, nor our’s is now. Manie kinges ſince that tyme have advanced letteres be erecting schooles, and doting revennues to their mātenance: but few have had the knaulege them ſelfes to mend, or be tuiched with the defectes, or faltes crept into {n. p.} the boueles of learning among quhom JAMES the first ane of your M. worthie progenitoures, houbeit repreſsed be the iniquitie of the tyme, deſerved noe smal praiſe; and your M. ſelf noe leſs, cōmanding at your first entrie to your Roial scepter, to reform the grammar, and to teach Aristotle in his aun tongue, quhilk hes maed the greek almaest as common in Scotland as the latine. In this alſoe if it pleaſe your M. to put to your hand: you have al the windes of favour {4} in your ſail; account, that al doe follow; judgement, that all doe reverence; Wisdom, that al admire; learning, that stupified our scholes hearing a king borne, from tuelfe yeeres ald alwayes occupyed in materes of state, moderat in theological, and philoſophical disputationes, to the admiration of all, that hard him, and speciallie them, quha had spent al their dayes in those studies.

Accept dred Soveragne your pover ſervantes myte. If it can confer anie thing to the montan of your Majesties praiſe, and it wer but a clod: uſe it, & the auctour as your’s. {n. p.} Thus beſeeking your Grace to accep my mint and pardon my miſs commites your grace to the king of grace to grace your grace with al graces spiritual, & temporal.

your M humble ſervant

Alexander Hume. {5}

{n. p.}

{6}

Of the orthographie of the Britan tongue a treates noe shorter, then neceſsarie for the schooles.

{n. p.}

Of the groundes of orthographie.

Cap. 1.

1 To wryte orthographicallie ther are to be conſidered the symbol, the thing symbolized, and their congruence. geve me leave gentle reader in a new art to borrow termes incident to the purpoſe, quhilk, being defyned wil further underſtanding.

2 The symbol then I cal the written letter, quhilk repreſentes to the eie the ſound that the mouth ſould utter.

3 The thing ſymbolized I cal the ſound, quhilk the mouth utteres, quhen the eie sees the ſymbol.

4 The congruence betueen them {7} I cal the inſtrument of the mouth, quhilk quhen the eie ſees the ſymbol utteres the ſound.

5 This is the ground of al orthographie leading the wryter from the ſound to the ſymbol, and the reader from the ſymbol to the ſound. As for exemple if I wer to wryte, God, the tuich of the midle of the tongue on the roofe of the mouth befoer the voual; and the top of the tongue on the teeth behind the voual myndes me to wryte it g. o. d. The voual is judged be the ſound, as ſhal be ſhaued hereafter. This is the hardeſt leſson in this treates and may be called the key of orthographie. {n. p.}

Of the latine vouales. cap. 2.

1 We as almaeſt al Europ borrow our ſymboles from the Romanes. Quherforr to rectefie our aun firſt it behoves us to knaw their’s. Thei are in nūber 23. a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, ſ, t, u, x, y, and z.

2 To omit the needles queſtiones of their order, and formes; Of them five be vouales, ane a noat of aſpiration, and all the reſt conſonantes.

3 A voual is the ſymbol of a ſound maed without the tuiches of the mouth. {8}

4 They are diſtinguiſhed the ane from the other be delating and contracting the mouth. and are a, e, i, o, u.

5 Quhat was the right roman ſound of them is hard to judge ſeeing now we heer nae romanes; and other nationes ſound them after their aun idiomes, and the latine as they ſound them

6 But ſeeing our earand is with our aun britan: we purpoſe to omit curioſities, & quæ nihil nostra interſunt. Our aun hou-beit dialectes of ane tong, differing in the ſound of them, differ alſoe in pronuncing the latine. Quherfoer to make a conformitie baeth in latine, and Engliſh, we man begin with the latine. {n. p.}

7 a, the firſt of them the ſouth ſoundes, as beath thei, and we ſound it in bare, nudus; and we, as beath thei and we ſound it in bar, obex.

8 But without partialitie (for in this earand I have ſet my compas to the loadſtar of reaſon) we pronunce it better. If I am heer deceaved, reaſon ſall deceave me.

9 For we geve it alwaies ane ſound beath befoer, and behind the conſonant: thei heer ane, and ther an other. As in, amabant, in the firſt tuae ſyllabes they ſound it, as it ſoundes in bare, and in the laſt as it ſoundes in bar. Quherupon I ground this argument. That is the better ſound not onelie of this, but alſoe of al other letteres, q^lk is alwayes ane. But we ſound it alwayes ane. and therfoer better. {9}

9 Ad that their ſound of it is not far unlyke the ſheepes bae, q^lk the greek ſymbolizes be, η, not, α. βη, not βα. See Euſtat. in Homer.

10 Of this letter the latines them ſelfes had tuae other ſoundes differing the ane from the other, and beath from this; quhilk they ſymbolized be adding an other voual, æ, and au. And theſe they called diphthonges.

11 The diphthong they defyne to be the ſound of tuae vouales coaleſting into ane ſound. quhilk definition in au is plaen, in æ obſcurer as now we pronunce it. for now we ſound it generallie lyke the voual e, without ſound of the a, qlk, notwithſtanding is the principal voual in this diphthong ſound. Queſtionles at the firſt it ſemes to have had ſum differing ſound from, a. ſik as we pronunce in, ſtean, or the ſouth in, ſtain. But this corruption is caryed with a ſtronger tyde then reaſon can reſiſt, and we wil not {n. p.} ſtrive with the ſtream.

14 E, followes qlk in reason ſould have But ane ſound. for without doubt the firſt intent was to geve everie ſound the awn ſymbol, and everie ſymbol the awn ſound. But as now we ſound it in, quies, and quiesco the judiciouſe ear may diſcern tuae ſoundes. But becauſe heer we differ not: I wil acquieſs. My purpoſe is not to deal wth impoſſibilities, nor to mend al crookes: but to conform (if reaſon wil conform us) the ſouth and north beath in latine, and in Engliſh.

15 Af this voual ryſeth tuae diphthonges, ei, and, eu, quhilk beath ſtandes wel with the definition. ſect. 11.

16 Of the next, i, we differ farder, and the knot harder to louſe. for nether ſyde wantes {10} ſum reaſon. Thei in mihi, tibi, and ſik otheres pronunce it, as it ſoundes in bide, manere: we as it ſoundes in bid, jubere.

17 Among the ancientes I fynd ſum groundes for their ſound. Cic. epiſt. fam. lib. 9. epiſ. 22 avoues that, bini, in latin, and βίνει in greek had ane ſound. And Varro with ſundrie ancientes wrytes domineis, and, ſærveis, for dominis, and ſervis, quhilk is more lyke the ſound of bide, then bid. If this argument reached as wel to, i, ſhort, as, i, lang: and if we wer ſure how, ει, was pronunced in thoſe dayes, this auctoritie wald over-weegh our reaſon. But ſeing, i, in mihi, &c. in the firſt is ſhort, and in the laſt cōmon; and the ſound of, ei, uncertan: I ſtand at my reaſon ſect. 9. q^lk is as powerful, heer for, i, as ther for, a. They {n. p.} pronunce not, i, in is, and quis, id, and quid, in, and quin; as they pronunce it in mihi, tibi, ſibi, ibi, &c. and therfoer not right.

18 As for, o, in latin we differ not. u, the ſouth pronūces, quhen the ſyllab beginnes, or endes at it, as eu. teu for tu, and eunum meunus, for unum munus. q^lk becauſe it is a diphthong ſound, and becauſe they them ſelfes, quhen a conſonant followes it, pronunce it other wayes: I hoep I ſal not need argumentes to prove it wrang, and not be a pure voual.

Of the britan vouales

cap. 3.

1 Of, a, in our tongue we have four ſoundes, al ſo differing {11} ane from an other that they diſtinguiſh the verie ſignification of wordes. as a tal man, a gud tal, a horſe tal.

2 Quherfoer in this caſe, I wald comend to our men the imitation of the greek, and latin, quho to mend this crook devyſed diphthonges. Let the ſimpleſt of theſe four ſoundes or that q^lk is now in uſe ſtand with the voual: and ſupplie the reſt with diphthonges. as for exemple I wald wryte the king’s hal with the voual, a: a ſhour of hael, with ae: hail marie, with ai and a heal head, as we cal it, quhilk as the Engliſh cales a whole head with ea. And ſo beſydes the voual we have of this thre diphthonges tuae with, a, befoer ae, and, ai, and ane w^th the, e, befoer, ea. Ad to them au, howbeit of a diſtinct ſound. as knaulege with us. in the {n. p.} ſouth knowlege.

3 These, and al other diphthonges I wald counſel the teacheres not to name be the vouales quherof they are maed; but be the ſound qlk they maek. for learneres wil far maer eaſelie take the ſound from the mouth of the teacher; then maek it them ſelves of the vouales ingredient.

4 Of, e, we have tuae ſoundes q^lk it is hard to judge, qlk is ſimpleſt. as an, el, ulna: and an el, anguilla. hel, infernus and an, hel, calx pedis. Heer I wald cōmend to our men, quhae confoundes theſe, the imitation of the ſouth, qlk doth wel diſtinguiſh theſe ſoundes wryting the, el, ulna with the {12} voual, e; and eel anguilla, with the diphthong, ee. I am not ignorant that ſum ſymbolizes this ſound w^th a diphthong maed of ie. eie oculus hiel, fiel, miel. &c. Here I am indifferent, and onelie wiſhes that the ane be uſed: let the advyſed judge make choiſe of q^lk. for my awne paert I lyke the laſt beſt. 1. becaus eie oculus can not wel be ſymbolized ee. 2. becauſe the greekes expreſſe η, be εε, q^lk as appeares be the Ioneanes, and doreanes drawes neerar to α, than, ε.

5 Of i, alſo our idiom receaves tuae ſoundes. as in a man’s wil: and the wil of a fox. Heer alſo I wald have our men learne of the ſouth. for theſe ſoundes they wel diſtinguiſh wryting wil, fil, mil, ſtil with, i: and wyl, fyl, myl, ſtyl, with, y. {n. p.}

6 Heer I ſee be Barrat in his Alvearie that ſum wald be at ſymbolizing theſe ſoundes the ane with the greek diphthong ει, and the other with ᴉ inverted. as rειd, equitare; bειd manere; rᴉd legere; hᴉd cavere. In this opinion I ſe an ege of judgement, and therfoer wil not cenſure it except I ſaw the auctour’s whole driſt. Onelie for my awn parte I will avoid al novelties, and content my ſelf with the letteres q^lk we have in uſe. And ſeeing we have no other uſe of, y, diſtinguiſhed from, i, I condiſcend to the opinion of the ſouth uſing, i, for ane, and, y, for the other.

7 O, we ſound al alyk. But {13} of it we have ſundrie diphthonges. oa. as to roar, a boar, a boat, a coat. oi. as coin, join, foil, ſoil. oo. as food, good, blood. ou. as houſe, mouſe. &c. Thus we cōmonlie wryt mountan, fountan; q^lk it wer more etymological to wryt montan, fontan according to the original.

8 In this diphthong we cōmit a groſſe errour ſaving better judgement, ſpelling how, now, and ſiklyk with, w. for if, w, be (as it ſal appear, quhen we cum to the awn place of it) a conſonant: it can noe wayes coäleſſe into a diphthong ſound, ſik as this out of controverſie is.

9 U, the laſt of this rank the ſouth as I have ſaid in the latin ſound of it pronūces, eu; we, ou, both in my ſimple judgement wrang. for theſe {n. p.} be diphthong ſoundes; and the ſound of a voual ſould be ſimple. If I ſould judge the frenſh ſound is neereſt the voual ſound as we pronūce it in mule, and muſe.

10 Of it we have a diphthong not yet to my knawlege obſerved of anie, and for my awn parte I am not wel reſolved neither how to ſpel it, nor name it. Onelie I ſee it in this to bou, a bow. I wait not quhither I ſould ſpel the firſt buu, or the laſt boau. As for exemple if Roben Hud wer nou leving: He wer not able to buu his aun bou; or to bou his aun boau. And therfoer this with al the reſt, hou be it in other I have more for me, I leave to the cenſure of better judgement. {14}

Of conſonantes

cap. 4.

1 This for the vouales, and diphthonges maed of them without the tuiches of the mouth. Now followe the conſonantes.

2 A conſonant is a letter ſymbolizing a ſound articulat, that is broaken with the tuiches of the mouth.

3 The instrumentes of the mouth quherbe the vocal ſoundes be broaken be in number ſeven. The nether lip, the upper lip, the outward teeth, the inward teeth, the top of the tongue, the midle tong, and roof of the mouth. Of theſe thre be as it wer hāmeres ſtryking, and the reſt ſtiddies kepping the ſtrakes of the hāmeres.

4 The hāmeres are the nether {n. p.} lip, the top of the tongue, and the midle tongue. The ſtiddies the overlip, the outward teeth, the inward teeth, and the roofe of the mouth.

5 The nether lip ſtryking on the overlip makes b, m, p. and on the teeth it makes, f, and, v.

6 The top of the tongue ſtryking on the inward teeth formes d, l, n, r, ſ, t, and z.

7 The midle tongue ſtryking on the rouf of the mouth formes the reſt. c, g, k, j, q, and, x. and ſo we have 18 conſonantes borrowed of the latines.

8 Theſe they borrow al from the greekes saving j, and, v. quhilk our age ſoundes other wayes then it ſeemes the romanes {15} did. for Plutarch more then 100 yeeres after Chriſt expreſſing the ſound, qlk they had in his tyme ſymbolizes them neerar the ſound of the vouales quherof they are maed, then now we ſound them in latin. for in Galba he ſymbolizes junius vindex, ἰόυνιος ὀύινδεξ. q^lk if then it had ſounded, as now we ſound it: he ſould rather have written it with γ, and β. γόυνιος βίνδεξ.

9 We have in our uſe the ſam ſoundes q^lk it ſeemes theſe conſonantes had in plutarch’s dayes, as in yallou, winter. Quhilk ſeeing now they are worn out of the latin uſe: my counſel is that we leave the ſound of them q^lk now is in the latin uſe to the {n. p.} latines; and take as our’s the ſound q^lk they have left: and geve to the ſound, q^lk now we uſe in latin, the latin ſymbol. as, jolie jhon; vertue is not vain: and to the ſoundes, quhilk they have left, the ſymboles q^lk we have uſurped to that end as yallou, youk; water, wyne.

10 And heer to put our men af their errour, quho had wont to ſymboliz yallou with an, z, and to put noe difference betueen v, and w: z is a dental conſonant broaken betueen the top of the tongue, and root of the teeth; yal, a guttural ſound made be a mynt of the midle tongue to the roofe of the mouth: and therfoer the organes being {16} ſo far diſtant, and the tuich ſo diverſe: this ſymbol can be no reaſon ſerve that ſound, nor nane of that kynd.

11 As for v, and w ſeeing we have in our idiom beſyd the latin sound an other never hard in latin, as now it is pronūced: I can not but cōmend the wiſdom of the ſouth, q^lk gave the latin ſound their awn ſymbol, and took to our ſound a ſymbol, quhilk they uſe not. Lyke was their wiſdom in j, and y. for as the latines uſurped the voual, i, for a conſonant in their uſe, q^lk the greekes had not: ſo they uſurped, y, a voual not mikle different from, i, for the correſpondent ſound not uſed in the latin, as now it is pronūced.

12 Heerfoer for diſtinctiones of both ſound, and ſymbol, I wald {n. p.} commend the ſymbol, and name of, i, and, u, to the voual ſound: as indifferent, unthankful. the ſymboles of, j, and, v, to the latin conſonantes, and their names to be jod, and vau. as vain jeſtes. and the ſymboles y, and, w, to our Engliſh ſoundes. and their names to be, ye, and we, or yod, and, wau. as yonder, wel. yallou, wool.

13 Now remaineth, h, qlk we have called a noat of aſpiration cap. 2. ſect. 2. and is in deed noe voual becauſe with a conſonant it makes noe ſound. as ch: nor conſonant becauſe it is pronūced without the tuich of the mouth. as ha.

14 It may affect al vouales, & diphthonges. as hand, hen, hind, hoſe, hurt, hail, hautie, health, heel, heifer, &c. But behind {17} the voual in our tong (ſo far as yet I can fynd) it hath no uſe. Of conſonantes it affecteth, g, beyond the voual: as laugh. p, befoer the voual: as phaſon: ſ, and t, alſo befoer the voual. as think, ſhame. With, c, we ſpil the aſpiration turnīg it into an Italian chirt. as charitie, cherrie, of quhilk hereafter.

Of our abuſing ſum conſonantes.

cap. 5.

1 Now I am cum to a knot, that I have noe wedg, to cleave: and wald be glaed if I cold hoep for help. Ther ſould be for everie ſound that can occur one ſymbol: and of everie ſymbol but one onlie ſound. This reaſon, and nature craveth; and I can, not but trow, but that the worthie inventoures of this divyne facultie ſhot at this mark. {n. p.}

2 But, contrarie to this ſure ground, I waet not be quhat corruption, we ſee not onelie in our idiom but in the latin alſoe, one ſymbol to have ſundrie ſoundes, ye and that in one word. as lego, legis.

3 Firſt to begin with, c, it appeeres be the greekes, quho ever had occaſion to uſe anie latin word, quharein now we ſound, c, as, ſ, in their tymes it ſounded, k. for Cicero thei wryt kikero, for, Cæſar kaiſar. and plut. in Galba ſymbolizes principia, πρινκίπια.

4 This ſound of it we, as the latines alſo keepe befoer a, o, and, u. as canker, conduit cumber. But befoer, e, and, i, ſum tymes we ſound it with the latin lyke an, ſ. as cellar, certan, ceaſe, citie, circle &c {18}

5 Behind the voual, if a conſonant kep it, we ſound it alwayes as a, k, as occur, accuſe, ſuccumb, acquyre. If it end the ſyllab: we ad, e, and ſound it as an, ſ. as peace, vice, ſolace, temperance. but nether for the idle, e, nor the ſound of the, ſ, have we anie reaſon: nether daer I with al the oares of reaſon row againſt ſo ſtrang a tyde. I hald it better to erre with al, then to ſtryve with al, and mend none.

6 This conſonant evin quher, in the original it hes the awne ſound, we turn into the chirt we ſpak of cap. 4. ſect. 14, quhilk indeed can be ſymbolized with none neither greek, nor latin letteres. as from cano, chant. from canon, chanon. from caſtus, chaſt. from κυριακὴ a {n. p.} church. Of q^lk I hard doctour laurence the greek profeſſour in Oxfoord a man bothe of great learnīg, and judgement, utter his opinion to this ſenſe, and (excep my memorie fael me) in these wordes. κυριακὴ, ut βασιλικὴ ſuppreſſo ſubſtantivo ὀικία domus domini est. Unde noſtrum derivatur, quod Scoti, et Angli boreales recte pronūciant a kyrk, nos corrupte a church.

7 Yet notwithſtanding that it is barbarouſe, ſeing it is more uſual in our tongue, then can be mended befoer the voual as chance, and behind the voual, as ſuch: let it be ſymbolized, as it is ſymbolized with, ch, hou beit nether the {19} c, nor the, h, hath anie affinitie with that ſound. 1. becauſe it hath bene lang ſoe uſed. and 2. becauſe we have no other mean to ſymbolize it, except it wer with a new ſymbol, q^lk it will be hard to bring in uſe.

8 Now quheras, ch, in nature is, c, aſperat, as it ſoundes in charus, and chorus; and ſeing we have that ſound alſo in uſe, as licht, micht: if I had bene at the firſt counſel, my vote wald have bene to have geven, ch, the awn ſound. But as now the caſe ſtandes, ne quid novandum ſit, quod non ſit neceſſe: I not onlie conſent, but alſo cōmend the wiſdom of the ſouth, quho for diſtinction wrytes light, might, with, gh; and referres, ch, to the other ſound, how be it improperlie and this diſtinction I cōmend {n. p.} to our men, quho yet hes not ſatis attente obſerved it.

9 Next cumes, g, howbe it not ſo deformed as, c; for althogh we see it evin in latin, and that in one word (as is ſaid cap. 5. ſect. 2) diſtorted to tuo ſoundes: yet both may ſtand with the nature of the ſymbol and differ not in the inſtrumentes of the mouth, but in the form of the tuich. as the judiciouſe ear may mark in ago, agis. agam, ages.

10 This conſonant in latin never followes the voual: befoer a, o, u, it keepes alwayes the awn ſound; and befoer, e, and, i, breakes it.

11 But with us it may both begin and end the ſyllab. as gang. it may both behind, and befoer {20} have either ſound. as get, giſt, gin, giant.

12 Theſe the ſouth hath providentlie minted to diſtinguiſh tuo wayes but hes in deed diſtinguiſhed noe way. for the firſt ſum hath uſed tuo, gg. as egg, legg: bigg, bagg. for the other, dg. as hedge, edge, bridge. but theſe ar not κατὰ πάντος. Gyles nomen viri can not be written dgiles: nor giles doli ggiles nether behind the voual ar they general. age, rage, ſuage, are never wrytten with dg. Quherfoer I conclud that ſeeing nether the ſound nor the ſymbol hath anie reaſon to be ſundrie; without greater auctoritie, nor the reach of a privat wit, this falt is incorrigible.

13 Here I am not ignorant, quhat a doe the learned make about the ſymboles of c, g, k, and, q. that they be al ſymboles but of one ſound: {n. p.} but I wil not medle in that queſtion being beſyde my purpoſe, qlk is not to correct the latin ſymboles: but to fynd the beſt uſe of them in our idiom.

14 T, the laſt of theſe miſuſed ſouldioures keepes alwayes it’s aun nature excep it be befoer tio, as oration, declamation, narration. for we pronunce not tia, and tiu, as it is in latin. Onelie let it be heer obſerved that if an, ſ, preceed, tio, the, t, keepes the awn nature, as in queſtion, ſuggestion, &c.

15 Thus have I breeflie handled the letteres, and their ſoundes, quhilk to end this parte I wald wiſh the printeres, in their a, b, c, to expreſſe thus.

a, ae, ai, au, ea; b, c, d, e, ee, ei, eu, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, oa, oo, ou, p, q, r, ſ, t, u, ui, v, w, x, y, z. {21} and the maſteres teaching their puples to ſound the diphthonges not be the vouales quherof they be made: but be the ſound quhilk they mak, in ſpeaking. lykwayes I wald have them name, w, not dūble, u, nor, v, singl, u, as now they doe; But the laſt vau, or ve, and the firſt wau, or we. and, j, for difference of the voual, i, written with a long tail, I wald wiſh to to be called jod, or je.

Of the ſyllab.

cap. 6.

1 Now followes the ſyllab, quhilk is a ful ſound ſymbolized with convenient letteres: and conſiſtes of ane, or moe.

2 A ſyllab of ane letter is ſymbolized with a voual onelie. as a, in able. e, in ever, i, in idle. o, in over, u, in unitie. for a conſonant can make no ſyllab alane.

3 A ſyllab of moe letteres is made of vouales onelie, or els of vouales and conſonantes. Of onlie vouales {n. p.} the ſyllab is called a diphthong. of quhilk we have ſpoaken in the vouales, quherof they ar compoſed.

4 A ſyllab of vouales and conſonantes either begīnes at the voual as al, il, el: or at one conſonāt, as tal man: or at tuo conſonātes, as ſtand, ſleep. or els at thre at the maeſt. as ſtrand, ſtryp. It endes either at a voual, as fa, fo: or at one conſonant; as ar, er. or at tuo, as beſt, dart. or at thre at the maeſt. as durſt, worſt.

5 Heer is to be noated, that in divyding ſyllabes, the conſonantes, one or moe, that may begin a ſyllab anie way, in the middes of a word belong to the voual following. as in que-ſtion. qua-rel. fi-ſhar. ſa-fron. ba-ſtard. de-ſcrib. re-ſcue. {22}

6 It is alſoe heer to be obſerved in printing, and wryting, that quhen a word fales to be divyded, at the end of a lyne, that the partition muſt be made at the end of a ſyllab, ſoe that the one lyne end at the end of the whol ſyllab, and the other begin the next lyne. As for exemple if this word magistrat fel to be divided at the firſt ſyllab it behoved to be ma-giſtrat: if at the ſecond it behoved to be magi-ſtrat. but no wayes to parte the, m, from the, a: nor the, g, from the, i: nor the, ſ, from, t, nor the, t, from, r.

Of the rules to ſymbolize

cap. 7.

1 To ſymboliz right, the ſound of the voual is firſt to be obſerved, quhither it be a ſimple voual or a {n. p.} compound, and qlk of them is to be choſen, for quhilk no rule can be geven, but the judgemēt of the ear.

2 Next the conſonantes are to be marked. and firſt, quhither they break the voual before, or behind then quhither they be one, or moe: and laſtlie w^th quhat organes of the mouth they be broaken.

3 For be the organes of the mouth, quherwith the ſyllab is broaken, the conſonantes are diſcerned, be quhilk the ſyllab muſt be ſymbolized. q^lk we have ſaid cap. 1. ſect. 5.

4 The conſonantes may differ in ham̅mar (as we called it cap. 4. ſect. 3) and ſtiddie as b, and, d. Or they may agre in ham̅er and differ in ſtiddie. as, b, and, v. Or they {23} may agre in both and differ in the tuich. as f, and v. m, and p. c, and g.

5 The tuich befoer the voual is be lifting the ham̅er af the ſtiddie as da, la, pa: and behind be ſtryking the hammer on the ſtiddie. as ad, al, ap. And quhen the hammer, and the ſtiddie are ane; the difference is in the hardnes, and ſoftnes of the tuich. as may be ſeen in ca, and ga. ta, and, da. But, w, and, y, maekes ſae ſoft a mynt, that it is hard to perceave and therfoer did the latines ſymboliz them with the ſymbol of the vouales. They are never uſed but befoer the voual. as we, ye; wil, you. behynd the voual thei make noe conſonant ſound, nor ſould be written. and therfore now, and vow with ſik otheres are not be written w^th, w. as is ſaid befoer. {n. p.}

6 Of this qlk now is ſaid may be gathered that general, quhilk I called the keie of orthographie cap. 1. ſect. 5. that is the congruence of the ſymbol, and ſound ſymbolized: that is that bathe muſt belang to the ſame organes, and be tuiched after the ſame form.

7 And be the contrarie here it is clere that ſoundes pronūced with this organ, can not be written with ſymboles of that. as for exemple a labiel ſymbol can not ſerve a dental, nor a guttural ſound. Nor a guttural ſymbol a dental nor a labiel ſound.

8 To clere this point, and alſoe to reform an errour bred in the ſouth, and now uſurped be our ignorant printeres, I wil tel, quhat befel my ſelf {24} quhen I was in the ſouth, with a ſpecial gud frende of myne. Ther reaſe upon ſum accident quhither quho, quhen, quhat &c ſould be ſymbolized with, q, or, w, a hoat diſputation betuene him and me. After manie conflictes (for we oft encountered) we met be chance in the citie of baeth w^th a doctour of divinitie of both our acquentance. He invited us to denner. At table my antagoniſt, to bring the queſtion on foot amāgs his awn condiſciples; began that I was becum an heretik. and the doctour ſpering how, anſuered that I denyed quho to be ſpelled with a, w. But with, qu. Be quhat reaſon, quod the D. Here I beginnīg to lay my grūdes of labial, dental, and guttural ſoundes, and ſymboles. he ſnapped me on this hand and he {n. p.} on that, that the d. had mikle a doe to win me room for a ſyllogiſme. Then (ſaid I) a labial letter can not ſymboliz a guttural ſyllab. But w, is a labial letter, quho a guttural ſound. And therfoer w, can not ſymboliz quho, nor noe ſyllab of that nature. Here the d. ſtaying them again (for al barked at ones) the propoſition said he I underſtand, the aſſumption is Scottiſh, and the concluſion falſe. Quherat al laughed as if I had bene dryven from al replye: and I fretted to ſee a frivolouſe jeſt goe for a ſolid anſuer. My propoſition is grounded on the 7 ſectio. of this ſame cap., q^lk noe man I {25} trow can denye, that ever ſuked the paepes of reaſon. And ſoe the queſtion muſt reſt on the aſſumption quhither, w, be a labial letter, and quho a guttural ſyllab. As for, w, let the exemples of wil, wel, wyne juge, quhilk are ſounded befoer the voual with a mint of the lippes as is ſaid the ſame cap. ſect. 5. As for quho, beſydes that it differres from quo onelie be aſpiration, and that w, being noe perfect conſonant can not be aſpirated: I appele to al judiciouſe eares, to q^lk Cicero attributed mikle, quhither the aſpiration in, quho, be not ex imo gutture, and therfoer not labial.

Of rules from the latin.

cap. 7.

1 Heer ſeeing we borrow mikle from the latin: it is reaſon that {n. p.} we either follow them in ſymbolizing their’s, or deduce from them the groundes of our orthographie.

2 Imprimis then quhatever we derive from them written with, c, we ſould alſoe wryte with, c, howbeit it ſound as an ſ, to the ignorant. As conceave, receave, perceave from concipio, recipio, percipio. Concern, diſcern from concerno, diſcerno. acceſſe, succeſſe, receſſe from accedo, ſuccedo, recedo. w^th manie moe q^lk I cōmend to the attention of the wryter.

3 Alſo quhat they wryte w^th ſ, we ſould alſoe wryte with ſ. As ſervant from ſervus. ſenſe, from ſenſus. ſeſſion from ſeſſio. paſſion from paſſio.

4 Neither is the c joined w^th ſ, here to be omitted. As ſcience {26} and conſcience from ſcientia, conſcientia. aſcend, and deſcend. from aſcendo, descendo. reſcind, & abſcind. from rescindo, & abscindo.

4 This difference of, c, and, ſ, is the more attentivelie to be marked for that wordes of one ſound, and diverſe ſignification are many tymes diſtinguiſhed be these ſymboles. As the kinges ſecrete council, and the faithful counſil of a frende. concent in muſik, and conſent of myndes. to duel in a cel, and to ſel a horſe. a décent weed, and deſcént of a noble houſe. Theſe tuo laſt differres alſoe in accent.

5 Lykwayes that we derive from latin verbales in, tio, ſould alſo be wrytten with, t. as oration, viſitation, education, vocation, proclamation, admonition. &c.

6 Wordes deryved from the {n. p.} latin in tia, and tium we wryte with, ce. as juſtice from juſtitia. Intelligence from intelligentia. vice from vitium. ſervice, from ſervitium. In al q^lk houbeit the, e, behind the, c, be idle: yet uſe hes made it tollerable to noat the breaking of the c. for al tongues bear with ſum ſlippes, that can not abyde the tuich ſtone of true orthographie.

7 c, is alſoe written in our wordes deryved from, x, in latin. As peace from pax. fornace, from fornax. matrice from matrix. nurice, from nutrix, q^lk the ſouth calles nurſe not without a falt both in ſound, and ſymbol. Be this we wryte felicitie, audacitie, tenacitie, &c.

8 Lykwayes we ſould keep the vouales of the original. quherin the north warres the {27} ſouth. from retineo the north retine, the ſouth retain; from foras the north foran, the ſouth forain. from regnū the north regne, the ſouth raigne. from cor, the north corage, the ſouth courage. from devoro, the north devore, the ſouth devour. from vox the north voce, the ſouth voice. from devoveo the north devote, the ſouth devoute. from guerrum the north were, the ſouth war. from gigas gigantis the north gyant, the ſouth giaunt. from mons, montis the north mont, the ſouth mount. Of this I cold reckon armies: but wil not preſume to judge farther then the compaſſe of my awn cap. for howbeit we keep nearar the original, yet al tongues have their idiom in borrowing from the latin, or other foran tongues.

Of ſum idiomes in our orthographie cap 8.

{n. p.}

1 In our tongue we have ſome particles, q^lk can not be ſymbolized with roman ſymboles, nor rightlie pronunced but be our awn. For we in manye places ſoe abſorb l, and, n, behynd a conſonant quher they can not move without a voual intervening, that the ear can hardlie judge quhither their intervenes a voual or noe.

2 In this caſe ſum to avoid the pronūciation of the voual befoer the, l, and, n, wrytes it behind. as litle, mikle, muttne, eatne. Quhilk houbeit it it incurres in an other inconvenience of pronūcing the voual behind the, l, or, n, yet I dar not preſume to reprove, {28} becauſe it paſſeth my wit how to avoid both inconveniences. And therfoer this I leave to the wil of the wryter.

3 Sum of our men hes taken up ſum ŭnuſual formes of ſymbolizing, q^lk I wald wiſh to be reformed. yet If I bring not reaſon, let noe man change for my phantaſie.

4 firſt for peple they wryte people, I trow becauſe it cumes from populus. but if that be a reaſon; I wald underſtand a reaſon, quhy they ſpeak not ſoe alſoe. Or gif they ſpeak not ſoe, I wald underſtand, quhy they wryte not, as they ſpeak. I knawe they have the exemple of france to ſpeak ane way, and wryte an other: But that exemple is as gud to abſorb the, s, in the end of everie word. Al exemples are not imitable. {n. p.}

5 They uſe alſoe to wryte logicque, muſicque, rhetoricque and other of that ſorte with cque. If this be doon to make the c in logica &c ſubſiſt: quhy wer it not better to ſupply a, k, in the place of it; then to hedge it in with a whol idle ſyllab: it wer both more orthographical, and eaſier for the learner. for c, and k, are ſa ſib, y^t the ane is a greek, and the other a latin ſymbol of one ſound. In this art it is alyke abſurd to wryte that thou reades not; as to read that thou wrytes not.

6 We uſe alſoe almoſt at the end of everie word to wryte an idle, e. This ſum defend {29} not to be idle: becauſe it affectes the voual before the conſonant, the ſound quherof many tymes alteres the ſignification. as hop is altero tantū pede ſaltare: hope is ſperare. fir, abies, fyre, ignis. a fin pinna: fine probatus. bid, jubere; bide manere. with many moe. It is true that the ſound of the voual befoer the conſonant many tymes doth change the ſignification. But it is as untrue that the voual, e, behind the conſonant doth change the ſound of the voual before it. A voual devyded from a voual be a conſonant, can be noe poſſible meanes return thorough the conſonant into the former voual. Conſonantes betuene vouales are lyke partition walles betuen roomes. Nothing can change the ſound of a voual {n. p.} But an other voual coaleſcing with it into one ſound. Of qlk we have ſpoaken ſufficientlie cap. 3. to illuſtrat this be the ſame exemples. ſaltare is to hop: ſperare to hoep. abies is fir, ignis fyr, or if you wil fier. jubere is bid; manere byd or bied.

7 Yet in ſum caſe we are forced to tolerat this idle, e. 1 in wordes ending in, c, to break the ſound of it. as peace, face, lace, justice &c. 2. Behind, ſ, in wordes wryten with this ſ, as falſe. iſe. caſe, muſe, uſe &c. 3. behind a broaken g, as knawlege, ſavage, ſuage, ald age. Ther may be moe. and theſe I yeld becauſe I ken noe other waye to help this neceſſitie, rather: {30} then that I can think anye idle ſymbol tolerable in juſt orthographie.

Of the accentes of our tongue

cap. 9.

1 Seing that we fynd not onelie the ſouth and north to differ more in accent then ſymbol: but alſoe one word with a ſundrie accent to have a diverſe ſignification: I cōmend this to him quho hes auctoritie to cōmand al printeres, and wryteres to noat the accented syſſab in everie word with noe leſſe diligence, then we ſee the grecianes to noat their’s.

2 Cicero in his buik de oratore ad Brutum makes it a natural harmonie, that everie word {n. p.} pronunced be the mouth of man have one acute ſyllab, and that never farther from the end then the third ſyllab, quhilk the grammareanes cales to the ſame end the antepenult. Quhilk obſervation of ſo noble a wit is moſt true in tongues q^lk he underſtud the greek, and latin. But if Cicero had underſtud our tongue: he ſould have hard the accent in the fourth ſyllab from the end. as in mátrimonie, pátrimonie, vádimonie. intóllerable, intélligences. and whole garriſones of lyke liverie. This anie eare may {31} if he accent the antepenult matrímonie. or the penult. Matrimonie. or the laſt as matrimoníe.

3 Then to the purpoſe: we have the ſame accentes, q^lk the latin, and the greek hath. acute, circūflex, and grave.

4 The acute raiſeth the ſyllab, quheron it ſittes. as proféſſe, prófit, ímpudent.

5 It may poſſeſſe the laſt ſyllab, as ſuppréſt, preténce, ſincére. The penult, as, ſúbject, cándle, cráftie. The antepenult. as diffícultie, míniſter, fínallie. And the fourth alſo from the end. as is ſaid ſect. 2. as ſpéciallie, inſátiable, díligentlie. In al q^lk if a man change the accēt he ſall ſpill the ſound of the word. {n. p.}

6 The grave accent is never noated, but onelie underſtood in al ſyllabes, quherin the acute and circumflex is not. Onlie for difference ſum wordes ar marked with it thus ` leaning contrarie to the acute.

7 The circumflex accent both liftes, and felles the ſyllab that it poſſeſſeth and combynes the markes of other tuae thus ˆ. Of this we as the latines hes almoſt no uſe. But the ſouth hath great uſe of it, and in that their dialect differes more from our’s, then in other ſoundes or ſymboles.

8 The uſe of the accent wil be of good importance, for the right pronūciation of our tongue, quhilk now we doe forte non arte. and conforming of the dialectes, q^lk as I have ſaid differes moſt in this. {32}

Of the apoſtrophus and hyphen

cap. 10.

1 The learned printeres uſes to ſymboliz apoſtrophus and hyphen as wel as a, b, c.

2 Apoſtrophus is the ejecting of a letter, or a ſyllab out of one word or out betuene tuae: and is alwayes marked above the lyne as it wer a cōma. thus ’.

3 Out of one word the apoſtrophus is moſt uſual in poeſie. as pſ. 73. v. 3. for quhen I ſau ſuch fooliſh men; I grug’d, and did disdain. and v. 19. They are destroy’d, dispatch’d, consum’d.

4 Betuene tuae wordes we abate either from the end of the former, or the beginnīg of the later.

5 We abate from the end of the former, quhen it endes in a voual, {n. p.} and the next beginnes at, a voual. As th’ ingrate. th’ one parte. I ſ’ it for I ſee it.

6 In abating from the word following we in the north uſe a mervelouſe libertie. As he’s a wyſe man. for he is a wyſe man. I’l meet with him. for I wil meet with him. a ship’l of fooles. for a ſhip ful of fooles. and this we uſe in our cōmon language. And q^lk is ſtranger we manie tymes cut of the end of the word. as he’l tell the for he ſal tell the.

7 This for apoſtrophus. hyphen is, as it wer a band uniting whol wordes joined in compoſition. as a hand-maed. a heard-man. tongue-tyed. {33} out-rage. foer-warned. miſ-reported. falſ-deemed.

{n. p.}

{34}

Of the congruitie of our Britan tongue

lib. 2.

{n. p.}

Of the perſon

cap. 1.

1 Al wordes q^lk we uſe to expreſſe our mynde are perſonal, or imperſonal.

2 A perſonal word is, q^lk admittes diverſitie of perſon.

3 Perſon is the face of a word, quhilk in diverſe formes of ſpeach it diverſelie putes on. as I Peter ſay that thou art the ſon of God. Thou peter ſayes that I am the ſon of God. Peter ſaid that I am the ſon of God.

4 Quherupon perſon is firſt, ſecond, and third.

5 The firſt perſon is of him, that ſpeakes. as I wryte. {35}

6 The ſecond perſon is of him that is ſpoaken to. as thou wrytes.

7 The third perſon is of him that is ſpoaken of. as Peter wrytes.

Of nūber

cap. 2.

1 Number is diſtinction of perſon be one, and moe. and ſoe is ſingular, and plural.

2 The ſingular ſpeakes of one. as a hand. a tree, a ſheep. a horſe, a man.

3 The plural ſpeakes of moe then one. As handes. trees. ſheep. horſes, men. tuo, three foure, or moe, or how manie ſoever.

4 This difference is cōmonlie noted with, es, at the end {n. p.} of the word ſingular. as a houſe, houses. a windoe, windoes. a doore, tuo doores.

5 Sum tymes it is noated be changing a letter. as a man, men. a woman, wemen. a gooſe, geeſe.

6 Sum tyme be changing noe thing. as a ſheep, a thouſand ſheep. a horſe. an hundred horſe. a noute, ten noute.

Of the determination of the perſon cap. 3.

1 A perſonal word is a noun, or a verb. A noun is a word of one perſon w^th gender, and caſe. as, I, is onelie of the first perſon {36} thou is onelie of the ſecond. and al other nounes are onelie the third perſon. as Ihon. thomas. head, hand. ſtone, blok. except they be joined with I, or thou.

2 The perſon of a noun ſingular is determined, or undetermined.

3 The determined perſon is noated with, the. and it is determined either be an other ſubſtantive. as the king of Britan. or be an adjective. as the beſt king in Europ. or be a relative. As God preſerve the king, quhom he hath geven us.

4 The undetermined noun is noated with, an, befoer a voual, as an, ald man ſould be wyſe. and with, a, befoer a conſonant. as a father ſould cōmand his ſon.

Of the gender of a noun.

cap. 4.

1 Gender is the affection of a {n. p.} noun for diſtinction of ſex.

2 Sex is a diſtinction of a noun be male, and female. and theſe are diſtinguihed the one from the other: or both from thinges without ſex.

3 The one is diſtinguiſhed from the other be, he, and, ſshe.

4 He is the noat of the male. as. he is a gud judge. he is a wyſe man. he is a ſpeedie horſe. he is a crouſe cock. he is a fat wether.

5 She is the noate of the femal ſex. as. ſhe is a chaſt matron. She is a ſtud meer. ſhe is a fat hen. ſhe is a milk cowe.

6 Nounes that want ſex are noated with it. as. It is a tale tree. it is a ſueet aple. it is a hard flint. {37} it is a faer day. it is a foul way.

7 In the plural number they are not diſtinguiſhed. As they are honeſt men. They are vertueouſe ladies. They are highe montanes.

Of the caſe of the noun

cap. 5.

1 Caſe is an affection of a noun for diſtinction of perſon. As the corner ſtone fel on me. ſtone is the nominative caſe. The corner of a ſtone hurt me. ſtone is the genitive caſe. quhat can you doe to a ſtone. ſtone is the dative caſe. he brak the ſtone. it is the accuſative caſe. Quhy ſtandes thou ſtone. it is the vocative. and he hurt me with a ſtone. it is the ablative caſe.

2 This difference we declyne {n. p.} not as doth the latines, and greekes be terminationes: but with noates after the maner of the hebrues, quhilk they cal particles.

3 The nominative hath no other noat but the particle of determination. as the peple is a beaſt with manie heades. a horſe ſerves man to manie uſes. men in auctoritie ſould be lanternes of light.

4 Our genitive is alwayes joyned with an other noun; and is noated with, of, or, s.

5 With, of, it followes the noun, quhar w^th it is joined as. the housſe of a good man is wel governed.

6 With, s, it preceedes the word quherof it is governed, and, s, is devyded from it with an apoſtrophus. as a gud man’s houſe is wel governed. {38}

7 This, s, ſum haldes to be a ſegment of, his, and therfoer now almoſt al wrytes, his, for it, as if it wer a corruption. But it is not a ſegment of, his. 1. becauſe, his is the maſculin gender and this may be fœminin. as. a mother’s love is tender. 2. becauſe, his, is onelie ſingular, and this may be plural. as. al men’s vertues are not knawen.

8 The dative is noated w^th to, and for. as. geve libertie evin to the beſt youth, and it wil luxuriat. Al men doeth for them ſelves; few for a frende.

9 The accuſative hath noe other noat then the nominative. as. the head governes the bodie.

10 The vocative is the perſon, to quhom the ſpeach is directed. as. quhence cumes thou, æneas. {n. p.}

11 The ablative is noated w^th prepoſitiones in, with, be, and ſik lyke, as be god al thinges wer made. God w^th his word his warkes began. In my father’s houſe are manie manſiones.

Of the degrees of compariſon

cap. 6.

1 Al nounes that wil join with a ſubſtantive ar called adjectives. as. gud, high, hard, ſueet, ſour.

2 Theſe and al that wil admit mare, and maſt are compared be degrees. as ſueet more ſueet. moſt ſueet.

3 Of compariſon ther be thre degrees. the poſitive, comparative, and ſuperlative, if the firſt may be called a degre.

4 The poſitive is the firſt {39} poſition of the noun. as. ſoft, hard; quhyte, blak; hoat, cald.

5 The comparative excedes the poſitive be more. and is formed of the poſitive be adding, er. as ſofter, harder; quhiter, blaker; hoater, calder.

6 The ſuperlative excedes the poſitive be moſt. and is formed of the poſitive be adding, eſt. as ſofteſt, hardeſt; quhyteſt, blakeſt. hoateſt, caldeſt.

Of the verb’s perſon, and number

cap. 7.

1 This for the noun. The verb is a word of al perſones declyned with mood, and tyme; as I wryte, thou writes, he wrytes.

2 We declyne not the perſones, and nūberes of the verb, as doth the latine, but noat them be the perſon of the noun.

3 They are noated w^th I, thou and {n. p.} he in the ſingular number; we, ye, and they in the plural.

4 The nūber is noated with I, and we; thou, and ye; he and they.

Of the mood of the verb

cap. 8.

1 The mood is an affection of the verb ſerving the varietie of utterance.

2 We utter the being of thinges, or our awn wil.

3 The being of thinges is uttered be inquyring, or avouing.

4 We inquyre of that we wald knaw. as. Made God man w^thout ſynne. and in this the ſuppoſit of the verb followes the verb.

5 We avoue that q^lk we knaw. as. God made man without ſinne. and in this the ſuppoſit preceedes the verb.

6 We utter our wil be verbes ſignifying the form of our wil, {40} or poſtpoſing the ſuppoſit.

7 We wiſh be wald god, god grant, and god nor. as. wald god I knew the ſecretes of nature.

8 We permit the will of otheres be letting. as let God aryſe. let everie man have his awn wyfe.

9 We bid our inferioures, and pray our ſuperioures be poſtponing the ſuppoſit to the verb. As goe ye, and teach al nationes. Here me my God.

Of the tyme of the verb.

cap. 9.

1 Tyme is an affection of the verb noating the differences of tyme. and is either preſent, paſt, or to cūm.

2 Tyme preſent is that q^lk now is. as I wryte, or am wryting.

3 Tyme paſt is that quhilk was. and it is paſſing befoer, paſt els, or paſt befoer.

4 Tyme paſſing befoer, q^lk we cal imperfectlie paſt is of a thing {n. p.} that was doeing but not done. as. at four hoores I was wryting. Quhen you ſpak to me, I was wryting, or did wryte, as lillie expoundes it.

5 Tyme paſt els, is of a thing now paſt, q^lk we cal perfectlie paſt. As, I have written.

6 Tyme paſt befoer is of a thing befoer done and ended. as at four hoores, or quhen you ſpak to me I had written.

7 Tyme to cum is of that q^lk is not yet begun. As, at four houres I wil wryte.

Of the power of the verb.

cap. 10.

1 A verb ſignifies being, or doeing. Of being ther is onelie one, I am. and is, thus varyed.

2 In the preſent tyme I am, thou art, he is. we are, ye are, they are. {41}

3 In tyme paſſing befoer. I was, thou was, he was. we wer, ye wer, they wer.

4 In tyme paſt els. I have bene, thou hes bene. he hes bene. we have bene. ye have bene. they have bene.

5 In tyme paſt befoer. I had bene, thou had bene. he had bene. we had bene, ye had bene, they had bene.

6 In tyme to cum. I wil be, thou, wilt be, he wil be. we wil be. ye wil be. they wil be.

7 Verbes of doing are actives or paſſives.

8 The active verb adheres to the perſon of the agent. As Chriſt hath conquered hel, and death.

9 The paſſive verb adheres to the perſon of the patient. As hel and death are conquered be Chriſt.

10 Theſe our idiom conjugates onelie in tuo tymes. the tyme {n. p.} preſent, and tym paſt. as I wryte, I wrote. I ſpeak, I ſpak. I here, I hard. I ſe, I ſaw. I fele, I felt.

11 The other differences of tyme ar expreſſed be the notes of the verb of being, or be the verb of being it ſelf, and a participle. as I was wryting, I have written, I had written. I wil wryte.

Of the adverb

cap. 11.

1 A word imperſonal is, q^lk in al formes of ſpeach keepes one face. and this is adverb, or conjunction.

2 An adverb is a word adhering maſt cōmonlie w^th a verb with one face in al moodes, tymes, nūberes and perſones. As. I leve {42} hardlie, thou leves hardlie. I did leve hardlie. I have leved hardlie. I had leved hardlie. I wil leave hardlie. leve he hardlie. god forbid he leve hardlie, &c.

3 Our men confoundes adverbes of place, q^lk the ſouth diſtinguiſhes as wel as the latin. and therfoer let us not ſhame to learne.

4 They uſe quher, heer, ther for the place in q^lk. quhence, hence, thence, for the place from quhilk. quhither, hither, thither for the place to q^lk. As. quher dwel you? quhence cum you? quhither goe you.

5 They alſo diſtinguiſh wel in, into, and unto. in they uſe with the place quher: into with the thing quhither, and unto for how far. As our father, q^lk art in heavin {n. p.} admit us into heavin, and lift us from the earth unto heavin.

6 Heer becaus ſum nounes incurre into adverbes let us alſoe noat their differences.

7 Firſt no, and not. Noe is a noun, nullus, in latin; and in our tongue alwayes precedes the ſubſtantive, quhilk it nulleth. as. noe man. noe angle. noe god.

8 Not is an adverb, non, in latin, and in our tong followes the verb that it nulleth. As. heer not. grant not. I heer not. I grant not. I wil not heer. I wil not grant.

9 ane in our idiom and an. ane is a noun of nūber, in latin, unus. an a particule of determination preceding a voual. as we have ſaid cap. 3. ſect. 4. {43}

10 Thee, and the. Thee is the accuſative of thou. As. thou loves God: and God loves thee. the is the determined not of a noun, of q^lk we ſpak cap. 3. ſect. 3.

Of the conjunction

cap. 12.

1 Conjunction is a word imperſonal ſerving to cople diverſe ſenſes. And of it ther be tuoe ſortes, the one enūciative, and the other ratiocinative.

2 The conjunction enunciative coples the partes of a period. and are copulative, as, and. Connexive, as, if. Diſjunctive, as, or. or diſcretive, as, howbeit.

3 The ratiocinative coples the partes of a ratiocination. and it either inferres the concluſion, or the reaſon.

4 Therfoer, inferres the concluſion. {n. p.} As. Noe man can keep the law in thought word, and deed: And therfoer noe man befoer the judg of the hart word, and deed can be juſtifyed be the law.

5 Becauſe, inferres the reaſon. As I wil ſpew the out, becauſe thou art nether hoat, nor cald.

Of diſtinctiones

cap. 13.

1 A diſtinction is, quherbe ſentences are diſtinguiſhed. in wryting, and reading. And this is perfect, or imperfect.

2 A perfect diſtinction cloſes a perfect ſenſe. and is marked with a round punct thus . or a tailed punct. {44} thus?

3 The round punct concludes an aſſertion. as. If Abraham was juſtifyed be workes: he had quherof to glorie.

4 The tailed punct concludes an interrogation. As. ſal we, quha are dead to ſyn leve to it?

5 The imperfect diſtinction divydes the partes of a period. and is marked with tuoe punctes the one under the other. thus: and is red with half the pauſe of a perfect punct. As. Al have ſynned; and fallen from the glorie of god: but are juſtifyed frelie be his grace.

6 The cōma divydes the leaſt partes of the period, and is pronunced in reading with a ſhort ſob.

7 The parentheſis divydes {n. p.} in the period a ſentence interlaced on ſum occurrentes, q^lk coheres be noe ſyntax w^th that, q^lk preceedes, and followes. As for exemple of beath and to conclud this treateſſe:

Bleſſ, guyd, advance, preſerve, prolong Lord (if thy pleaſur be)

Our king, & Queen; and keep their ſeed thy name to magnifie. {45}