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.

ADMONITIONS, TO ALL PROFESSOVRS OF THE Arte of Faire Writing.

LEt the totall summe of all thy Writing, tende to the glorie of GOD, the weale of thy Coun∣trey, and to thine owne profite, credite, and pleasure.

II. Beware to write anie thing which may either offende GOD or Man, directlie or indirectlie, or yet perill thy Soule, Bodie, Goods, or good name; though Sa∣tan or his adherentes would not onlie promise to bee thy warrand, but offer thee a Kingdome for thy reward.

III. Bee not rash even in Writing of the spediest forme of writ, but let aye mature deliberation of the matter preceede, and then the action of Writing pro∣ceede; as also in weightie Matters, both forme and re∣forme.

IV. Although thou bee taught by this preceeding Arte how to be an expert and Faire Writer, yet notwith∣standing be more carefull to let thy Skill appeare in the brevitie and sufficiencie of the Matter, than altogether to shew thy Skill in the painting, or needlesse curiositie of the Letter.

V. If thou who livest by Writing▪ would GOD should blesse thy Calling, bee neyther covetous to extort

the Rich who haue much, nor sloathfull to helpe the Poore who haue little; but consider rightlie thine owne travels, their power, and doe something gratis; because thou hast both thy life and thy gifts, to doe good unto others, as well as unto thy selfe.

VI. Whosoever thou bee that writest, let never the Subject of thy Writing be profaine; for W••iting is one of GODS giftes, and thou wilt proue both ingrate, and guiltie, if thou who art His reasonable creature, employ his owne gift to offende Himselfe; and speciallie if thou be an Instructor of the Youth: because then under thine hands they are betwixt loosing and winning; for com∣monlie such education, such conversation, according to that olde saying, Quo semel est imbuta recens &c. But as thou givest them good Exemples both of Matter and Letter, so likewise giue the best Exemples of all by thy wis•• Admonitions, Indulgence, Temperancie, and good Behaviour; for according to the common Proverb, An ounce of Wisdome, is worth a pound of Learning: and it is to bee pitied and lamented, that the greatest part of Youth are apt and prone enough natu∣rallie, though they haue neither farther occasion nor pro∣vocation, not only to learne the Custome of swearing, drinking, mispending, and all sorts of riotous abuse, which alace, doe abound too much in the aged, without anie civill punishment or remorse; but likewise to resem∣ble and commit anie absurditie or enormitie, either done or tolerated by their Instructor, and boldlie in his absence to make him the Author thereof; whose bare report will haue more credite of manie of t••eir Parents, than his sol••mne oathe of veritie.

VII. If thou bee appointed to instruct others in the Knowledge and Practise of Faire Writing, faile not to attend preciselie upon thy Calling, and the place there∣of, so long as GOD calleth thee unto no other Calling, nor better place: but rather ere thou either tye thy selfe unto any place, (except where thou hast sufficient em∣ployment, and thankefull Clients) hee affrayde of ensuing necessitie; or yet engage thy selfe in churlish mens reve∣rence too farre, seeke, and change for once, to a place mee∣ter for thee in time, though it were meaner of it selfe: for it is better to bee bare at libertie, than teathered in pover∣tie. Indeede a Grammarian may very well settle him∣selfe, because manie yeares will expire before anie Classe orderlie passe through the Grammar: but it is otherwayes with thee, thy first yeares will commonlie bee thy best years, (in computation) and that not only because Writing is soone learned, if it be rightlie taught, but likewise be∣cause the most part, as well of olde as young, are so incon∣stant, and inclined to novelties, and new faces, that though a mans gift were never so great, they will readily loathe of him, and all his doings, without any just cause; and yet when all is done, lay the fault only on him, and stile him with the Title of Inconstancie. Moreover, if thou bee moved, through mens unthankefulnesse, to require satis∣faction of what is due unto thee, as the Labourer is wor∣thie of his Hire, many of them will pay thee with a bare alleadgeance, in saying, that their Children haue not so much profited by thy travels as they expected: thou mayst the better trust me here anent, since I haue experience of such things my selfe, howbeit indeed I haue taught manie

of the greatest in this Land, who haue proved farre other wayes, and thought it well bestowed.

VIII. As thou who teachest the Youth, (wouldest haue eyther favour or recompence of GOD or Man, con∣ceale nothing which is profitable for them to knowe, nor yet the manner of practising: but demonstrate every thing in the owne time and place, as Condition, Oportunitie, and Necessitie requireth Performance: for Children esteeme their Masters Instruction as a Law, and if it bee accor∣ding to their estimation, his practise, with their obedience, ought to fulfill the same. Furthermore, leaue nothing un∣done, within the bounds of thy Calling, which lieth in thy power to doe: and what lacketh, referre the suppliment thereof unto the Almightie, together with the successe of all thy doinges: so thou needest not feare the Calumnies, nor detractions of any: for such duetie herein, as thou ey∣ther studiest, or wishest to performe, thou wilt bee sure to receiue the like degree of reward from GOD, (eyther here or hereafter, if not both) howbeit mans good worde, and farre more his good deede, bee uncertaine.

IX. When thou art required to subscribe as witnesse in anie matter, bee not rash, but first reade, and consider the sufficiencie thereof: secondlie, see both the parties subscribe, at the least the partie unto whom thou art cal∣led to giue testimonie, and then subscribe thou: and third∣lie, howbeit the matter belongeth not unto thee, yet in so much as thou art a witnesse to the equitie thereof, fayle not immediatelie after thou hast taken thy leaue, to write some briefe memoriall of the same in thy fore-named lit∣tle Booke, (which alwayes thou oughtest to carrie) that

thou afterwardes revising such an article insert therein, thou mayest the more boldly and constantly abide thereat, in affirming of the trueth, if it shall happen thee to bee cited, and required to depone there anent before a Iudge.

X. Since the All-seeing Eye of GOD seeth all things, in all places, at all times, write every thing, therefore, as well privately as publikely, in such sorte, as thou neyther needest to be ashamed to reade, nor affrayde to heare read in the dayes of triall: as also, bee loath to write anie thing in absence, but that which thou wouldest not stand in awe to utter by tongue in presence.

XI. Let never anie thing of importance which thou writest, goe foorth of thy custodie, till thou also reade it, because no man is so circumspect, but hee may in some points neglect himselfe: for if it eyther haue or want but the negatiue worde not, where it ought not, it will bee enough to turne all that Sentence (wherein it is eyther omitted, or expressed) up side downe, and so put thee in daunger of trouble, shame, and Skaithe, thorowe that thy carelessenesse, and negligence.

XII. And last of all, if it please GOD to make thee so fayre a Writer, that thou surpasse or surmatch others, I beseech thee neither vaunt nor brag of thine own Writ, and farre lesse disdaine any other mens Writ, whether it bee evill or good, except thou be chosen as Iudge thereun∣to, then thou mayest indeede giue thine opinion freelie, without eyther feade or fauour: and although thine owne Writ merite Commendation, yet take none to thy selfe, but persevere in well-doing, till others giue thee the same, and when thou hast gotten it, accept not thereof as a

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

thing belonging unto thy selfe, but unto GOD, whose In∣strument and Steward thou art in that Respect: for thou neyther hast, nor canst haue anie thing, but that which thou receivest, neyther yet when thou hast received this amongst the rest, must thou keepe it unto thy selfe, but let the whole prayse of the gift redound to the giver thereof: for as standing water, which hath no passage to the great Ocean, soone putrifieth, and as men casten into the bot∣tome of the sault Sea, and Fishes on the face of the drie Land soone die, so doeth all prayse due to the Creator, which is kept, or stopped by any creature and why? it is no wonder indeede, because it is out of its owne right Element.