The vvriting school-master, or, The anatomy of fair writing wherein is exactly expressed each several character, together with other rules and documents coincident to the art of fair and speedy writing / by John Davies of Hereford.

DIRECTIONS.

WHat measure of knowledg and practice it hath pleased God to lend me upon the accompt of Improvement, I have in the discharge of my Dutie, extended to the benefit of all whom it may concern, as well as to mine own Interest alone: chieflie to those who dwell in remote places, who want the help of Teachers; yea, and for the benefi of such Teachers also, as be anie wise defective in Abilities.

Hold your Head so strait up and evenlie, as that the Book or Paper whereon you write, may be right before your Face; and your Bodie so orderlie, as that you lean not your Breast to the Table; as also your Elbows so close to your sides, as that your Arms may be kept strait forth; and the middle part of your Book or Paper so direct∣lie against the midst of your Bodie, and so equallie near at both ends, to that side or part of the Table next you, as the strait holding forth of your Arms will permit.

Hold your Pen lightlie on the point of your Thumb, almost touching the Nail thereof, the Fore-finger on the top, and the Middle-finger longest, at the upper part of the mouth; as also your Thumb, and all your Fingers extended to their full length; lest both the Hand depend not on the points of the third and fourth Fingers as it ought, and the Thumb crook or bow in the midst, the rest of the Fingers be subject to the like, and hinder the well-doing of the work. Likewise, take Ink with the mouth of the Pen downwards, and shake the Pen over the Ink horn every time, lest you either make an uncleanlie Letter, or blot the Paper, or both.

These things being thus carefullie done, then draw two Rules (otherwise called double Rule) and write the bodies of all Letters between those two Rules, and both

••he heads of all that have heads over the high Rule, and the feet of all that have feet under the low Rule, as far as the bodies are in length from the high Rule to the low, according to the measure used in Printing; which though it be not the tenth part so old as Writing, yet it hath come to a far greater perfection, according to the Rules of Art grounded upon Reason.

Then for your better apprehending both of verbal Instruction, and literal De∣monstration, it will be needful for you to understand those terms of Art which di∣stinguish the divers passages of the Pen in Writing, which be Twelve in Number, according to the varietie of the Letters, strait down, and strait up; strait forwards, and strait backwards; sloping up to the right hand, and sloping down to the left hand; sloping up to the left hand, and sloping down to the right hand; com∣passing down to the right hand, and compassing down to the left hand; com∣passing up to the left hand, and compassing up to the right hand.

Having thus far proceeded, it is next to be considered, That there must be equal distance alwaies kept between Letters in Words, between Words and Words, and between Lines and Lines, whiles the generalitie of the Writing continueth in an equal proportion, which being carefullie observed, it will be fit time for you to be∣gin, and form disjoined Letters severallie, upon the aforementioned Rules, u••til you can write them skilfullie, if your Capacitie cannot reach the writing of them without Rule jointlie; and according as you come short in framing of them ac∣cording to your Copie, and have ••ot a Teacher to instruct you, it will be verie re∣quisite for you to examine and compare them with your pat••ern as you p••oceed, and then at your writing of them thenceforth, to avoid all such Errors as escaped in your first endeavors.

Whether you be a new Beginner, or have made some progress before y••u are to write verie slowlie, until you can write skilfullie, and then you may endeavour by d••grees to such speed thereafter, as you may still keep both the same form and suf∣ficiencie

of Letter; but having attained some measure of perfection, when upon anie occasion you are driven to such haste of businesses, as that you must needs write fast, then you may serve your present need with all convenient expedition, and practise again with more care and deliberation, when you can spare more time; lest otherwise upon neglecting that needful task, you get such a habit of writing too speedilie, as you will quite forget to write more exactlie.

For, Writing carefullie and slowlie, is to be used in all kind of Affairs, which re∣quireth to be written perfectlie, though it be onlie in the same form of Letter, which you write in other things speedilie; and yet in being so written, it will be better in regard of its speed, than a set form of Writing: so you will in short time know by your own experience, that both those ways of writing one form of Letter, are far more fit in their respective places, than to be so addicted to anie one way of doing thereof, as that the other way should not be also used when there is need.

And they may be so much the easier written, either slowlie or speedilie, in that they differ not in Letter, being one and the same, but onlie in length or shortness of time, whiles they are in doing, chieflie when the Letters are so framed, that anie word without exception (according to my custom) may be written, before the removing of the Pen: Whereas the usual set form of Writing is much slower to be done, than the slowest way of this form, because it is of such a slow different Character, as requireth the Pen to be taken off the Paper, almost in framing of everie Letter. Therefore, if the changing of such a slow set form into another, which in all these re∣spects is better, both because it is as good a Letter, and much speedier and readier, is so good a Noveltie, that in such a necessarie respect, it surpasseth that which is of Antiquitie.

Now concerning the necessaries belonging to Writing, choose the clearest second, hardest third, and greatest first of a Goose-wing; which when you make, first scrape and rub, then out off about an Inch long from the Nib of the Quill, slit it up quick∣lie,

that it may write cleanlie, and not too far, lest too much thereof be spent idelie: Then cut off so much of the point verie carefullie, as there may remain sufficient length of the Slit, for the size of the Letter, which you intend to write, and make the upper part or mouth, to begin at the upper end of the slit, of such measure higher than the point, as that neither too much length should make it weak, or not give Ink, nor too much shortness cause it to blot: and it is requisite for the greater strength, that the mouth exceed not twice the length of the point: So much by lite∣ral instruction for the Pen.

And if you desire to make Ink for your own use, and to pleasure others, take 12 Ounces of Nut Galls broken small, and put into a Quart of stale Beer, White-wine, or the half thereof Vineger; and when it hath been stirred about twice a day the space of a Week at least, strain out the Liquor from the Galls, and put 9 Ounces of Copras therein, 6 Ounces of Gum-Arabick broken small, 3 Ounces of White Su∣gar, and 2 Ounces of Roch-allum: Among the Galls, you may put fullie as much Liquor, and but the half of the Ingredients you did before: and if within a Mo••th thereafter, it be as good as the former, you may use it in the same manner, otherwise a little more stuff and longer standing, will make it to your desire: But if you will have it readie in haste, boyle it in an earthen Vessel half an hour on a slow Fire, that you may have the whole substance of the Galls by that means so much the sooner; for all the rest melts in the Liquor; then you may throw out the husks of the Galls, and nothing will remain but clear Ink.

Thus at the request of a worthie Friend, I have endeavoured to comprehend in these few pages, the substance of those two printed Sheets which are usuallie in Copie-Books, intituled, THE WRITING SCHOOLMASTER, whereof some particulars are contrarie to mine own practice, to wit, The teaching of disjoined Letters, and writing on ruled Lines; others I have added, which are disagreeable to the common practice: But (I hope) upon good grounds of Reason, agreeable to

mine own experience, namelie, the limiting of heads and feet of written Letters, ac∣cording to the length of printed Letters of the like size; and have not onlie recti∣fied the Consusedness both of matter and order in those printed Sheets, and inter∣mixed both necessarie Rules, and pertinent words, where there was need: but like∣wise, instead both of some envious Discours••s against other Teachers, and other frivolous in high phrases (used by some) above the Capacitie of Learners, have added in verie easie terms divers needful Directions for the use of Learners, over and above what was inserted in the printed Sheets. All which, in order to the improvement of mi••e own Talent, I wish may be profitable unto all who use the same for their need, hoping to publish manie better things both of this, and other kinds, to the Glorie of God.

DAVID BROWN.