The arte of logick Plainely taught in the English tongue, according to the best approued authors. Very necessary for all students in any profession, how to defend any argument against all subtill sophisters, and cauelling schismatikes, and how to confute their false syllogismes, and captious arguments. By M. Blundevile.

CHAP. I.

Of a Proposition.

WHat is a Proposition?

It is a perfect speech whereby some∣thing is manifestly declared to be true or false.

Whereof is such speech specially com∣pounded?

Of Noune and Verbe, which Noune would be of the Nominatiue case, and the Verbe of the Indicatiue Mood, as when I say, Man is a sensible body; for the Logicians do seldome allow any such speeches as are either of the Optatiue, Imperatiue, Interrogatiue, or Vocatiue Mood, as, I would to God I had a good horse: this speech is not accounted to be so true or certaine, as to say, I haue a good horse.

Of how many parts doth a Proposition consist?

Of three, that is to say, the Subiect, Predicat, and Copulat.

What is the Copulat?

It is the Verbe Substantiue, called in Latine, Sum, es, fui, that is, to be, which doth couple or ioine the Predicat with his Sub∣iect,

as when we say, Man is a sensible body: here in this propo∣sition, the word man is the subiect, and the word sensible body is the predicat, and the Verbe is is the copulat: which copulat is not alwaies incident to euery proposition, and specially when the predicat is some other Verbe, and not the Verbe substantiue; as, Plato disputeth, Socrates walketh; which is as much to say, as Plato is disputing, Socrates is walking.

How many waies is a proposition diuided?

Three manner of waies, that is, according to substance, quali∣tie, and quantitie. According to substance thus: Of propositions, some are said to be categoricall, that is, simple, and some hypo∣theticall, that is, compound, of which compound propositions we minde not to speake, before we haue treated of all things be∣longing to a categoricall and simple proposition, which is two∣fold that is to say, absolute and modall.

What is an absolute categoricall proposition?

It is a speech which affirmeth or denieth something absolute∣ly, without any respect; as when we say, God is true, or, Euery man is a lier: and this is otherwise called of the Logicians, Propo∣sitio categorica de inesse.

How is a simple proposition diuided according to qualitie?

Into an affirmatiue and negatiue proposition.

When is it said to be affirmatiue, and when negatiue?

It is said to be affirmatiue, when the predicat is affirmed of the subiect; as when I say, that Iohn is learned: and that is negatiue, when the predicat is denied of the subiect; as, Iohn is not learned. And note, that in such kinde of speech, the negatiue is alwaies ioined to the Verbo.

How many waies is a simple proposition diuided according to quan∣titie?

Foure manner of waies, that is to say, into an vniuersall, parti∣cular, indefinite, and singular proposition.

When is it said to be vniuersall?

When some vniuersall signe is added to the subiect.

Which words are said to be vniuersall signes?

These: all, euery, whatsoeuer, whosoeuer, none, no body, not one, none at all, euery where, no where, and such like; as, Euery man is a lier, No man is true.

When is it said to be a particular proposition?

When some particular signe is added to the subiect▪

Which call you particular signes?

These: some, any, many, few, and such like; as, Some man is wise, Few are wise.

When is it said to be indefinite?

When the subiect is a common word, hauing neither vniuer∣sall nor particular signe added vnto it; as when wee say, Men in these daies be giuen to great sollies.

When is it said to be singular?

When the subiect is some Indiuiduum, as when wee say, that Cicero is eloquent.

What, and how many questions doe rise of these three diuisions?

These three: that is, of what kinde? of what qualitie? of what quantitie? in Latine thus, quae? qualis? & quanta? for if it bee asked what kinde of proposition it is, then you must answere, that it is either categoricall, or hypotheticall, that is, simple or compound: and if it be demanded of what qualitie it be, then you must answere, that it is either affirmatiue, or negatiue: if it be asked of what quantitie, then you must answere, that it is ei∣ther vniuersall, particular, indefinite, or singular.