Epistolæ Ho-elianæ familiar letters domestic and forren divided into sundry sections, partly historicall, politicall, philosophicall, vpon emergent occasions / by James Howell.

LVII. To the Right Hon. the Earl R.

My Lord,

IN my last I fulfild your Lordships commands, as far as my rea∣ding and knowledge could extend, to inform you what wer the radicall primitive Languages of those Dominions that belong to the Crown of great Britaine, and how the English, which is now predominant, entred in first, I will now hoise saile for the Nether∣lands, whose language is the same dialect with the English, and was so from the beginning, being both of them derived from the high Dutch; The Danish also is but a branch of the same tree, no more is the Swedish and the speech of them of Norway and Island▪ Now, the high Dutch or Teutonic Tongue is one of the prime and most spacious maternall languages of Europe, for besides the vast extent of Germany it self with the Countreys and Kingdoms before mentioned wherof England and Scotland are two, it was the Lan∣guage of the Goths and Vandalls, and continueth yet of the grea∣test part of Poland and Hungary, who have a dialect of hers for their vulgar tongue; yet though so many dialects and subdialects be deriv'd from her, she remains a strong sinewy Language pur•…•… and incorrupt in her first centre towards the heart of Germany: Som of her Writers would make the World beleeve that shee was

the Longuage spoken in Paradise for they produce many Words and proper names in the five books of Moses which fetch their Etymology from her, as also in Persia to this day divers radicall words are the same with her, as Fader, Mocder, Broder, Star: And a Germain Gentleman speaking heerof one day to an Italian, that she was the Language of Paradise, sure said the Italian (alluding to her roughnes) then it was the tongue that God Almighty chid A∣dam in; It may be so, replied the Germain, but the devill had temp∣ted Eve in Italian before: A full mouthd language she is, and pro∣nounc'd with that strength as if one had bones in his tongue insteed of nerfs.

Those Countreys that border upon Germany as Bohemia, Silesia, Poland, and those vast Countreyes North-Eastward as Russia and Muscovia speak, the Slavonic Language; And it is incredible what I have heard som Travellers report of the vast extent of that lan∣guage, for besides Slavonia it self, which properly is Dalmatia and Libin•…•…ia, it is the vulgar speech of the Macedonians, Epirots, Bos∣nians, Servians, Bulgarians, Moldavians, Rascians, and Podolians, nay it spreads her self over all the Easterne parts of Europe, Hungary and Walachia excepted, as far as Constantinople, and is frequently spoken in the Seraglio among the Ianizaries; nor doth •…•…e rest there, but crossing the Hellespont divers nations in Asia have her for their popular tongue, as the Circassians, Mongrelians and Gaza∣•…•…ites: Southward, neither in Europe or Asia doth she extend her self further to the North parallel of forty Degrees; But those Na∣tions which celebrate divine Service after the Greek Ceremony, and profess obedience to the Patriark of Constantinople, as the Russ, the Muscovit, the Moldavian, Ruscian, Bosnian, Servian, and Bulgarian, with divers other Eastern, and North-East peeple that speak Slavonic, have her in a different Character from the Dalma∣tian, Croation, Istrian, Polonian, Bohemian, Silesian, and other Na∣tions towards the West: these last have the Illirian Character, and the invention of it is attributed to St. Ierom, the other is of Cyrists devising, and is call'd the Servian Character; Now, although ther bee above threescore severall Nations that have this vast ex∣tended language for their vulgar speech, yet the pure primitive Slavonic dialect is spoken only in Dalmatia, Croatia, Liburnia and the Countreys adjacent, wher the ancient Slavonians yet dwell, and they must needs be very ancient, for ther is in a Church in Prague an old Charter yet extant given them by Alexander the great, which I thought not amiss to insert heer. We Alexander the great of King Philip founder of the Grecian Empire, Conque∣ror

of the Persians, Medes, &c. and of the whole world from East 〈◊〉〈◊〉 West, from North to South, Son of great Jupiter by, &c. so calld; T•…•… you the noble stock of Slavonians, and to your Language because 〈◊〉〈◊〉 have been unto us a help, true in faith, and valiant in war, we confi•…•… all that tract of earth from the North to the South of Italie from 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and our Successors, to you and your posterity for ever; And if any other Nation be found there let them be your slaves. Dated at Alexandria th•…•… 12. of the Goddess Minerva, witnes Ethra and the eleven Princ•…•… whom we appoint our Successors: With this rare and one of th•…•… ancientest record in Europe, I will put a period to this second ac∣count I send your Lordship touching Languages; My next shall be of Greece, Italy, Fance and Spain, and so I shall shake hands with Europe, till when, I humbly kiss your hands, and rest,

West▪ 2 of Aug. 1630.

My Lord,

Your most obliged Servitor, J. H.