The English schoole-master teaching all his schollers, of what age soever, the most easie, short, and perfect order of distinct reading, and true writing our English-tongue, that hath euer yet beene knowne or published by any. And further also, teacheth a direct course, hovv any vnskilfull person may easily both vnderstand any hard English words, ... Deuised for thy sake that wantest any part of this skill, by Edward Coote, Master of the Free-schoole in Bury St. Edmond.

The Preface for directions to the Reader.

OTher men in their writings (gentle Reader) may justly vse such stile, as may declare learning or eloquence sit for a Scholler; but I am enforced of necessi∣ty to effect that plaine rudenesse, which may ••it the capacitie of those persons with whom I haue to deale. The learneder sort are able to vnderstand my purpose and to teach this Treatise without further direction. I am now therefore to direct my speech to the vnskilfull, which desire to make vse of it, for their owne priuate benefit; and to such men and women of trade, as Taylors, Weauers, Shop-keepers, Seamsters, and such other, as haue vndertaken the charge of teaching others; giue me leaue therefore (I beseech thee) to speake plainely and samiliarly to thee, yea let me intreate thee to giue diligent regard to those thing•• which I shall deliver vn∣to thee; I seeke nothing by thee, but thy owne pleasure, ease, & profit, & the good of theschollers, If peraduenture for 2, or 3. dayes at the first it may seeme somewhat hard or strange vnto thee, yet bee not discouraged, neither cast it from thee: for ••f thou take diligent paines in it but 4. dayes, thou shalt learne many very profitable things that thou neuer knewest; yea thou shalt know more of the English tongue, than any man of thy calling (not being a Grammatian) in England knoweth▪ thou shalt teach thy Schollers with better commendation and profit than any other, not following this order, teacheth; & thou maist sit on thy shop boord, at thy Loomes, or at thy needle, and neuer hinder thy worke to heare thy Schollers, after thou hast once made this little booke familiar to thee. The practise and order of study, I know is a stranger vnto thee; yet must thou now be sure that thou passe not ouer any one word, before thou well vnderstandest it. If thou ca••st not find out the mea∣ning, and true vse of any rule or word, and hauing none present to helpe thee, make a markethereat with thy Pen or Pin, vntill thou meetest with your Minister, or other learned Scholler, of whom thou maist enquire; and doe not thinke it any discred it to declare thy want, being in a matter pertaining to Grammar, or other such things as those of thy condition are vsually vnacquainted with: rather assure thy selfe, that all wise men will commend thee that desirest knowledge, which ma∣ny reiect; but they which refuse to be directed, I know are such as delight in their ••o••tish ignorance, like Scoggius Priest, who because he had vsed his old▪ Annumpsimus for these do••en yeares, would not forsake it for the other new Assumpsimus though it were neuer so good. Two things generally you must marke for the vse of this Booke: first, the true vnderstanding of it, in the ••atter: secondly, the manner of learning it, if thou be onely a Scholler, then the order of teaching it, if thou be al∣so a Teacher. And for the first, where I professe to teach with farre more ease and pleasure to the learner. And therefore with greater speed than others, vnderstand the reason. Thou hast but two principall things to learne; to spell truly any word of one syllable, and to diuide truly any word of many. For the first, I haue disposed syllables so in the first Booke, howsoeuer at the first sight they may seeme common, as that thou canst meete none, but either thou hast it there set downe, or at least so many like both for the beginning or end, as that none can bee propounded vnto thee, that thou shalt not be skilfull in.

And I haue so begunne with the easiest, proc••eding by degr••es vnto harder, that they first learned, all the other will follow with very little labour. These syl∣lables knowne, because all words, bee they neuer so long or hard, be made of them, thou hast nothing to learne, but to diuide them; for which I haue laid downe so easie and certaine Rules (beleeue me that haue tryed) as that thou shalt neuer ••rr••

in any hard word: I doubt not but thine owne experience shall finde this true, and so my promise in that point performed to the full. Maruell not why in this first booke I haue differed in writing many syllables from the vsuall manner; yea, from my selfe in the rest of the worke: as templ without (e) tun with one (n) and plums, not plummes, &c. My reason is, I haue put there no more letters than are of absolute necessitie, when in the rest I haue followed custome: yea, often I write the same word diuersly (if it bee vsed indifferently) the better to acquaint thee with any kind of writing. Touching the speeches at the end of the 1, 2, 4, 7, and 8, Chapters, regard not the matter (being vaine) but my purpose, which is to bring thee to present vse of reading words of one syllable which thou hast learned to spell, and so thou maist haue nothing in the second booke to learne, but onely di∣uision of words, and other hard obseruations. The titles of the chapters, and notes in the margent (which I would alwayes haue thee diligently read and marke) will make these things more 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vnto thee.

Also where I vndertake to make thee to write the true Orthography of any word truely pronounced, I must meane it of those words whose writings deter∣mined: for there are many, wherein the best English-men in this Land are not a∣greed as some write malicious deriuing it from malice, other write malitious, as from the Latin malitiosus. So some write Germane from the Latine, some Germaine from the French. Neither doe I deale with proper names, strange words of Art in seuerall Sciences, nor the vnknowne tearmes of peculiar Countries (if they differ from ordinary rules) vnlesse sometimes vpon some speciall occasion. I know ere this, thou thirstest that art a Teacher, to heare how thou maist with more ease and pro∣fit teach a hundred Schollers, than before forty; follow my aduice and I warrant the successe. Let euerie one of thy Schollers (for the best thou hast shalt learne, that heere which hee neuer knew, neither needeth he any other for English) pro∣uide and vse this Booke, then diuide thy Schollers in 2, 3, or 4. sorts, as thy num∣ber is, for moe thou needest not, although thou hast a hundred Schollers) & place so many of them as are neerest of like forwardnesse, in one lesson or fourme, as in Grammer Schooles; and so goe thorow thy whole number, not making aboue foure companies at the most: so that thou shalt haue but foure Lectures to heare, though thou hast a hundred Schollers, whereas before thou hadst forty Lectures though but forty Schollers. Then when thou wouldest heare any fourme, call them forth all, be they ten, twenty, or more together: heare two or three that thou most suspectest to be most negligent, or of dullest ••onceit, and let all the other attend, or let one read one line, sentence or part; another the next, and so thorough, so that all doe somewhat, and none know when, or what shall be required of him, encou∣rage the most diligent and tenderest natures. And thus doubt not but thou shalt doe more good vnto twenty in one houre▪ than before vnto foure in seuerall les∣sons. For the apposing each other, as I haue directed in the end of the second Booke, emulation and feare of discredit, will make them enuy who shall excell. By this meanes also euerie one in a higher fourme shall be well able to helpe those vn∣der him, and that without losse of time, seeing thereby hee repeateth that which hee lately learned. Now touching the framing and sweet tuning of the voyce, I haue giuen thee this helpe: I haue added for prose all sorts of stile, both dialogue and other; and for verse, Psalmes and other verses of all the seuerall sorts vsual••: which being well taught, will frame thee to the naturall reading of any

English. But here I must make earnest request vnto all carefull Ministers, that as they tender the good education of the youth in their Parishes, they would some∣times repaire vnto the Schooles of such Teachers as are not Grāmarians, to heare their children pronounce, and to helpe such with their direction, that desire to vse this Booke in their Schooles: for it is lamentable to see into what ignorant handling silly little children chance, which should at the first bee most skilfully grounded; which is the onely cause of such wofull ignorance in so many men and women; that cannot write (without great error) one sentence of true English: therefore let Parents now be wise vnto whom they commit their children.

But to returne to my teaching Tradesmen: If thou desirest to be informed how to teach this Treatise, marke diligently the directions giuen in all places of the Booke; and as thy Scholler is in saying his lesson, marke what words he misseth, and them note with thy pen or pin, and let him repeat them at the next Lecture, and so vntill he be perfect, not regarding those where he is skilfull. And let his fel∣lowes also remember them to appose him in them in their appositions. But mee ••hought I heard thee say, that my reasons haue perswaded thee to bee willing to ••each this: but thou canst not moue all their Parents to bee willing to bestow so much mony on a Booke at the first. Tell them from mee, that they need buy no more, and then they shall saue much by the bargaine. But they will reply, that his little yong child will haue torne it before it be halfe learned. Then answer him, that a remedy is prouided for them also, which is this: First, the Printer vpon the sight hereof hath framed his Horn-booke, according to the order of this book, ••aking the first part of my second page the matter thereof, which in my opinion ••••e did with good reason; for a child may by this Treatise almost learne to spell ••••rfectly in as little time, as learne well the other Horne booke. But this latter ••••ing first learned, being the ground worke of spelling, all the rest of this work will 〈◊〉〈◊〉 gotten with small labour. Secondly, I haue so disposed the placing of my first ••••oke, that if the child should teare out euery leafe as fast as he learneth it, yet it ••••ll not be greatly hurtfull, for euery new following Chapter repeateth and teach∣••••h againe all that went before. I hope if he be a reasonable man, that this an∣••••er will suffice. Touching my Chronologie and Table, I haue before the en∣••••ce into them, prefixed the manner how to vnderstand the vse of them, where∣••••••o I referre thee, hauing beene already ouer-tedious. For the particular ordi∣••••••y sounding of the letters, I wholly omit, leauing it to the ordering of the Tea∣••••••r, especially it being before sufficiently and learnedly handled by another. Thus ••••e I so plainely pratled and lisped vnto thee, as that I hope thou vnderstandest purpose and single heart for thy good: which if I find accepted, I may per∣••••••enture hereafter proceed in my course, for the easie and speedie attaining the ••••••rned L••nguages: an argument which as it is more pertinent to my professi∣••n so might it rather be expected from me than this poore Pamphlet.

But in the meane time, if in this thou find my words true, accept my good will, and giue glory to GOD.