Orthoepia Anglicana: or, the first principall part of the English grammar teaching the art of right speaking and pronouncing English, with certaine exact rules of orthography, and rules of spelling or combining of syllables, and directions for keeping of stops or points between sentence and sentence. A work in it selfe absolute, and never knowne to be accomplished by any before ... Methodically composed by the industry and observation of Simon Daines schoolemaster of Hintlesham in Suffs.

Certaine peculiar Rules of Orthography.

ORthography is the Art of right writing; as the Ety∣mologie of the name in the Greeke Tongue im∣plies, and the common acception among Grammarians approves. The difference between it and Orthoepie, who so understands their termes in Greek, may easily comprehend: the one appertaining to right speaking, the other to right writing. Orthography (according to the present use) is chiefly versed in the Letters, in re∣spect of their Quantity; to wit, as they be decyphered in Capitall or lesser Characters, and the knowledge how to dispose of these in writing: viz. when to use great letters, when small. And on the relation hereto shall our ensuing discourse be chiefly grounded. For to inferre here a generall treatise of Orthography, accor∣ding to the latitude of the terme, how it hath reference to the Letters, both single and combined, and that as parts of a word; and so proceeding methodo compositi∣vâ; to treat of these words, as part of a sentence; and sentences, as the integrall parts of a complete treatise; and how distinguished by the points: were in a circu∣lar gyre to bring about a needlesse repetition of what we have already bent the aime of all precedent dis∣course; and for our owne purpose sufficiently dis∣cussed; and (I thinke) enough to satisfie any reaso∣nable capacity: If not, since it is facile inventis addere, let any one enlarge the foundation which we (so farre

forth as our knowledge extends) have first laid in our English Tongue. But now to returne. Concerning the use of the Capitall Letters, therefore take these a∣long with you.

1 Every Treatise, or written speech whatsoever, is to begin with a great letter, that is, to have the first letter of the first word of the Treatise, written or printed, with a Capitall, or great Character, in what hand or impression soever the discourse is to be de∣livered.

2 The same is to be observed in the beginning of e∣very distinct sentence, or clause. For (as I said before) after every period point must ensue a great letter.

3 The pronoune, or word (I) must alwayes be written with a great letter; so must every proper name, or peculiar denomination of every individuall: as all the Attributes of God Almighty, the names of Angels, Saints, and evill spirits; the titles given by the Heathens to their faigned Gods ard Goddesses; the names of men and women of all sorts whatsoever; the names of moneths, winds, rivers, Cities, townes, Islands and Kingdoms: the particular name of any pe∣culiar dog, horse, or beast of any kind soever: The first word of every verse, at least Heroique: any letter set for a number, as you had in the beginning of our Orthoepie: Any letter standing for any such, or the abbreviation as we there mentioned.

Lastly, all names or Titles of Magistrates, Arts, Offices, and Dignities, in what respect soever taken. In these, I say, altogether consists the use of Capitall Letters, in all other we use onely the smaller.

Where you may take notice, That in the abbrevi∣ations

I spake of to be written with great letters, I included not any such Charactericall abbreviation of a word, as & for and, y^e for the, y^t for that; and a thousand more commonly occurring, besides what every man hath peculiar to himselfe, which onely ex∣perience and practice must make familiar to you: but those which are thus to bee distinguished; to wit, when you would abbreviate any word, whe∣ther proper name, or other word usuall in such ab∣breviations, which is to bee expressed by the first letter of the word, then are ye to use a great Letter in all those Abbreviations, otherwise not. For ex∣amples, I referre you to our treatise of Letters in ge∣nere, in the first part of the Orthoepie here specified, in this little book.

The next caution after the great Letters is for E finall, or when it fals in the end of a word, that you never omit it, where it ought to be inserted: whether for distinction sake, as in win, the verbe, and wine, the substantive: or onely to make the precedent vow∣ell long, as in shrine: or after v, to make it a conso∣nant, which otherwise seeming to be combined with the former vowell in the nature of a dipthong, might so alter the pronunciation, as in love, which without the E would be sounded like lou, in loud, so move, live, and a great many more of the like kinde: or for diffe∣rence of diverse words ending in G, aswell substan∣tives as verbs, as in rang, and range, &c. which I instan∣ced before.

Or lastly, when in es, terminating either verbe or substantive, it ought of right to bee put for any of the uses above rehearsed. Because many times as it makes a difference in pronunciation, so

it much varies the sense: as in these words, made, mad, Cage for a bird, Cag of beare, rid, ride, safe, saffron. Dame, or matron of a family, dam of a mill, and damne the Verb, to condemne. Sack, sake (where note as a generall rule, that when any vowell before k sounds short, we alwayes write c before k; as in stick, or rack; but when the vowell is to be pronounced long, we al∣wayes write it with k single, and add E finall to it, as in rake, &c.) man, mane of an horse: gap, or breach, gape: Ware, warre; tune of a song, tun of wine: hid, hide; mile, mill, where the vowell before L is short, we usually double L in writing. Pin, pine, &c. diverse of this sort. And here likewise take notice of what we in∣stanced in Orthoepie, That when any word seems to end in S proper, the vowell being long, we alwayes write it with Ce, as in race, slice, mace, mice, &c. for (as I said) S in this case sounds alwayes Z, except where it is written as a difference betweene the Substantive and Verb, where both sound alike, as in rase, or demolish, the verb; and race, that such an one ran; or race of gin∣ger; race of wine, &c. where their sound is all one. But otherwise the Rule holds generall without ex∣ception.

Furthermore, diligent observation ought to be had in writing of such words; where diverse words of severall Characters, and that of divers meanings, are alike pro∣nounced: for example, Raine that fals from the clouds, ought to be written thus as you see: the Raigne of a Prince thus: the reine of a bridle (which we usually and better sound quasi rean) so as is here demonstrated. Their, the pronoune; and there the adverbe, or in that place. Wait the verbe, and weight the substantive, or quantity. Write, when a verb, to play the Scribe (as we

call it) and wright when a Substantive, as in Ship∣wright, and the like. Prophet of the old Law; profit or gaine. Read, proper in the present tense: but in the preterperfect tense both of verb and participle sounds E short, quasi red, yet ought to be thus in writing di∣stinguished from red the adjective, or fiery-colour'd. Heard the verb, hard the adjective. Here in this place, I heare. Deigne, or vouchsafe, sodeine. Some men, sum of money. Neigh of an horse, and nay a note of deniall.

Also all adjectives derived of the Latines, ending in us, we write ous, as in glorious, frivolous, victorious. But all monosyllables hold proper, as thus, not thous; us, not ous, &c. And substantives derived of the La∣tine, which they terminate in or, we write our; as in labour, honour, vigour, &c. Except our monosyllables, and verbs, as or, ought not to be written our, which is another word. For, nor, abhorre, of abhorreo; reper∣cusse, of repercutio, &c. Trusse, discusse.

Lastly, the Article A, (wherof herafter God willing, we will further inform you in our Etymologicall part) and the pronouns My, and Thy, being to precede a word beginning with a vowell, usually assumes in writing N, in the first single; in the two last with E finall, as an, thine, mine; to avoid in reading the great hiatus, or kinde of gaping in pronunciation, which otherwise it would produce; as an Asse, not a Asse: thine eare, ra∣ther than thy eare: mine injury, rather than my injury; but the two latter be more indifferent, than the former. So on the other side must we not say or write, an lamb; thine bullock; mine sheep: but a lamb, thy bullock, my sheep. And not like the vulgar sort, who annex this N

to the ensuing word, as a nox, a nasse, my nuncle, thy naunt; for an oxe, mine uncle, thine aunt, &c. You must therefore be very cautious to shun in writing the barbarous custome of the vulgars in their pronuncia∣tion, as shoen, for shoes, an ordinary fault in some countreyes, to put N, for S, and E, for I; as mell, for mill; delited, for delighted, &c. setting aside the absur∣dities used among the vulgar in Sommerset-shire, and o∣ther remote places, as not worth the nominating, so much as by way of reprehension: but follow the cu∣stome of the learned, and observe their use among Schollers. The rest I referre to our precedent rules, and your owne practice, and diligent observation in reading Classicall Authours.

For a Conclusion therefore of this our first part of the English Grammar, whereas Quintilian adviseth in the Latin Tongue, that Orthography should be but as the Custos, or Depositour of Orthoepie, as a carefull steward: and so by consequence, that one should main∣taine the other: when he wils them by way of institu∣tion to speak, as they write; and write as they speake, for their further ease in avoiding multiplicity of rules: I could wish the same in our English Tongue; but must have patience to expect, till time and further industry have reduced it to a further method and perfection, by refining and purging away those grosse corruptions which so tumifie it with unnecessary sur∣feits: Which for my part I should be glad to see; that there might be no just allegation, why we should not have all the liberall Sciences in our own Tongue, aswell as France, Spaine, and other Countreyes. It would, no question, be a great furtherance to reall

knowledge. But in that kinde I shall not be the first to innovate, though I lay this stone for others to work upon, to build a larger prospect for the pleasure of my Countrey-men, and benefit of strangers.

Thus courteous Reader, Lege, perlege, elige, dilige;

Qui te diligit, in CHRISTO JESU. S. D.