CHAP. I. The English Tongue Improved.
THE Art of Speaking is none of the least Extellencies of Humane Nature; the Con∣fusion of Tongues introduced a great Obscurity in delivering the Sense of our Minds; and Men were many Ages blundering, and unskilful in expressing themselves pro∣perly. Where Learning prevailed, the Languages were sooner ripen'd to a Per∣fection and Purity. The English Tongue, by occasion of frequent Intermixtures with other People, lay a long time corrupted with a variety of Dialects. How it hath been im∣proved of late Ages, we may guess, by comparing the Old Dialect with the New.
Of the old take these few Parcels out of Richard, a Religious Hermit, in the Earl of Exe∣ter's Library, for a Specimen.
1. His Te Deum begins thus;
2. His Benedictus thus.
Blessyd be ye Louerd God of Israel, for he has visityd maad buying of his puple.
3. The Magnificat thus:
My Soul worschips ye Louerd, and my gost ioyed in God my hele, for he lokyd ye meke∣ness of hys honde mayden.
So for i ••en of yat blissefulle Schal sey me all generaciouns.
For he has don to me grete yingis yat myrty is and his Nome hely.
4. Nunc dimittis. Louerd you leuest nowe yi Servaunt in pees, astir yi word yat you hast seyde byfore, for now I am ripe to die, for mine eghen hau seen yin owen Son Christ, yat is yin owen hele to Men.
5. Mat. Cap. 1. The Bok of ye Generacoun of Jhu Crist, Sone of Dauid, Sone of Abra∣ham, Abraham gendryde Isaac, Isaac forsoye gendride Jacob, Jacob forsoye gendride Judas and hys breyren.
6. Acts 1. Ye dedis of ye Apostlis. Theofile fyrst I maad a Sermon of all yingis yat ittu began to do, and to teche into the day of his assencioun; in whych he commandide in ye hoolst to his Apostlis whyche he hadde chosen, to whyche he schewide hymselfe alyve aftyr his passioun by many Argumentys, appering to hem fourti dais.
7. Rem. 1. Paul ye Servaunt of Jhu Crist clepid an Apostle depromptyd into the Gospel of God, whyche he hadde behote tofore by hise Profetis in hooli Scriptur of his Sone.
Apoc. 1. Apocalipis of Jhu Crist whyche God 3 as to him to maak open to hys Servauntis whyche yingis hit behouey to be maad soone, &c.
8. Pater Noster thus:
- Ure Fadir in Hevene riche,
- Thy nome be haliid everliche,
- Thou bring us to thy michilblisse,
- Thi wil to wirche thu us wisse,
- Als it is in Hevene ido,
- Euer in Erth ben hit also,
- That heli bred yat lastyth ay,
- Thou send hious yis ilke day,
- Forgive ous all yat we haueth don,
- Als we forgive ych oder mon,
- He let ous falle in no founding,
- Alt scilde ous fro ye foul thing. Amen.
9. The Creed thus: I beleive in God Fadir Almighty, Shipper of Heven and Erth, and in Jhesus Crist his onle thi Son ure Louerd, that is iuange church, the hooli gost, bore of Mary maiden, tholedepine undyr Pounce Pilat, picht on rode tre, dead and yburiid, licht into helle, the thrid day fro death arose, steich into Heuene, sit on his Fadir richt honde, God Al∣michty, then is comminde to deme the quikke and the dede. I beleue in the hooli Gost, alle hooli Chirche, mone of Allehallwen, forgiuenis of sine, fleiss uprising, lif withuten end. A∣men. Wevers Fun. Men. p. 152.
Of the New, or Modern Dialect, there is no necessity of giving any Specimen at all.