The new invention, intituled, calligraphia: or, the arte of faire writing vvherein is comprehended the whole necessarie rules thereof; by which anie who is capable and carefull to learne, may without the helpe of any other teacher, under God, both bee informed concerning the right writing of the most usuall characters in the world; and perfectly instructed how to write one of the most frequent in Europe, called the secretarie. ... By His Majesties scribe, Master David Browne.

Concerning the squaring of Paper.

LEt the Paper haue dowble square, that is, two scores for euerie line of letters or writ, the first 5. dayes when thou beginnest to learn; whether thou bee to builde on an olde founda∣tion, or to cast downe the same, and begin the Alphabet of new. Which time being expired, let the square evanish by litle and litle the space of 13. dayes, or yet some moe or fewer as thou enrichest in knowledge and practise: for this part of the rule cannot be strictlie observed by all alike, but must of necessitie haue some larger bounds for some than for others; because all be not of one age to conceiue, and those that bee, cannot conceiue all alike soone; & though they coulde, they cannot with their heart practise that conception alike well.

If thou cāst not draw the just meethe of writ lines abruptlie with the point of a Knife, take helpe of Square and Compasse, & fill a sheet of Paper with pefect black scores, all alike distant, of such number as may easilie bee contained on the cleane paper whereupon thou art to write▪ and each one of such length as thou wouldest

haue the lines, and of such bredth as thou woul∣dest haue the bodies of letters to bee: to the in∣tent that the writing paper being cleanlie and thinne, and the squared paper layde under the same, the scores may appeare therethorow, and so make the lines both to goe directly foorth to the ende, and bee of equall distance. Or thou mayest eyther square the writing paper softlie, with the two points of the Compasse, both the scores with one travell, so narrow or wide as the proportion of the letters requireth; or with a knife, being thicke edged at the point, or else with a small piece of blacke lead, as thou shalt thinke expedient. (As for a penne with a clift, because it hath no such strength as the Com∣passe, it cannot bee so meete for squaring: for incontinent it will slitte further up in the selfe, and so make the scores to bee further and further distant.) If thou makest choyse of the last of these meanes proponed, and wouldest haue the scores that bee made therewith to eva∣nish, that both the writ may the more viuelie appeare, and thine owne ignorance the lesse; then rubbe them softlie with a piece of Wheate bread, after that the writ is wel dried of its own accorde.