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.

THE CONCLVSION, Somevvhat concerning Puncts, and Accentes; as also Abreviations, and of the Effayres, and Writs, wherein they are most used.

NOw in ende, it resteth only that I speake of Puncts, Ac∣cents, and Abreviations, used in Writ: albeit the writing of Puncts and Accents, doeth be∣long unto this Arte, yet the nature and use of them pertai∣neth to the Hebrew, Latine, and Greeke Gram∣mars, and other Authors; where they be largely taught: wherefore I thinke it neither needefull to declare how to write them, because they are so plaine and easie, nor yet to enter in discourse

thereanent; but remit thee unto these places, where if thou bee learned, thou art alreadie, if not, thou mayest bee sufficientlie informed of their definitions and observations; and if thou bee not learned, thou hast little use for Puncts, and no use for Accents.

An Abreviation, is the contracting or signi∣fying of some Sillables or Letters; and that either by one or moe Letters themselues, or some other significatiue stroake or signe made with the pen, knowne sometimes by Propor∣tion, sometimes by Situation, and sometime by both.

When thou writest or extractest hastily any matter of little weight, it is the right and con∣venient time, to write the moste usuall Abre∣viations either of Wordes, Sillables, or Letters, as occurreth in the matter, and useth or requi∣reth to bee abreviated or written short: for manie things must be written even concerning weightie matters, such as Engrosments, Epi∣stles, Compts, Scroles, Minutes, and others of that nature, which neede seldome to bee written long, (that is, with all the Letters at length) or yet in the best sorts of writ. And while as they be sometimes otherwise found, it proceedeth rather of the will and disposition of the diligent Writer, by whom they are written, the Person to whome, or both, than being ani∣wayes

requisite of their owne nature; seeing they are neither heretable rights for long endu∣rance, perfect Patternes of learned Mens works for the Printing, nor Testificats to other Na∣tions: but, if it bee thy will to prolong time in so doing, and declare thy cunning in writing of employments better than they use to be, rather than in anie worse exercise; I for my part shall both thinke thy travell well bestowed, and condescend thereunto with litle solicitation.

Abreviations, or contractions therefore, being most frequent in such and the like busi∣nesse, requireth to be written in Current Writ; because there is little disparitie betwixt the na∣ture of these two: for as Current Writ is not chosen in such effaires, for anie goodnesse in it selfe, being the off-scourings and worst of all writ, but onlie for the swiftnesse; even so Abre∣viations are not used for anie goodnesse in themselues, seeing they but figure Letters, and Letters painte the Voyce, or demonstrate the minde; and so being a degree farther in place, are a degree worse in nature: which therefore, must rather be considered Hierogly phicallie, & Mysticallie, by signification of Sense, than Silla∣bically, by sound, or sillabication of Sillable; and that because the Letters themselues are not all expressed, nor present, whereby to make an harmonie; but a great part thereof contracted,

and absent; and so therefore are but under∣stoode to bee, or imagined as if they were. In∣deede some of the most legeable Abreviations may agree to the two sorts of Common hand, aswell as the two sorts of Current hand, but seldome, or never, to the two sorts of Set hand.

Which Abreviations, I thinke not expe∣dient to collect, and insert heere, nor yet to bee curious in describing of them; but rather to re∣mit them unto thine owne experiment, and to the daylie practique of the Countrey, as they occurre to thee in the Wordes and Sentences of the Writs and Securities wherein they are most used; and that for two respectes:

First, albeit the writing of them belongeth to Chirographie, yet their signification is not pertinent to bee heere; seeing the same pertai∣neth to Ortographie: and is to bee found (at the least, understoode by certaine signes ex∣pressed) in frequenting of the former Senten∣ces of Writs; that is, by often reading, extra∣cting, or considering, of the same; eyther of purpose to learne them, or for the better perfor∣mance of thy necessarie negotiations, and that in the companie of anie cunning Clerke or Notare, (with whome thou mayest haue such farther knowledge and exercise, as may eyther bring thee to some good Calling, or helpe thee to manage thine Estate, if thou bee borne to

Rentes) and though I should bestow travell on the collecting, and charges of the making of Types for Printing, exponing, and presenting of them unto thy sight in a Tatalogue; yet all would bee unprofitable, and needlesse, for want of their significations, unto the which the boundes of this Discourse doeth not reach.

Next, because all the preceeding Rules of this Booke are so infallible, that (to my simple judgement) they neede not in substance to bee altered: and so it would bee more ridiculous, than judicious, to adde anie thereunto which bee changeable nowe in the ende of this last intch, more than in the whole spanne.

These Abreviations (I say) are Changeable for two Causes: first, because for the moste parte everie sorte of Abreviation is found com∣monlie to haue two or three significations al∣most as often as one; and so are rather under∣stoode by the Sentence wherein they are, than by the forme or manner of their contracting: in respect whereof, fewe or none of them can eyther bee commaunded, or contramaunded by Rules, to keepe anie single signification, yea, scarcelie a double.

And last, because some of them are made freelie, and some constraynedlie, these that are sayde to bee made freelie, or resolutelie, are vo∣luntarilie made at the particular will of the

Writer: for everie Mechanicke Man estee∣meth much of his owne conceite: and it is harde to comprize the true valour thereof, howsoever perhaps in his owne imagination it bee worth the halfe of his Rent.

And these Abreviations, which are sayde to bee made constraynedlie, or indeliberatelie, are abruptlie made, by occasion of haste, and consequentlie of fast Writing, yea, often∣times for lacke of convenient time and place: because Necessitie hath no Law, and so is not capable of Reproofe.

FINIS.