# A Methode or comfortable beginning for all vnlearned

A Methode or comfortable
beginning for all vnlearned,
whereby they may bee taught to
read English, in a very ſhort time,
vvith pleaſure: So profitable as
ſtraunge, put in light, by
I. H. Cheſter
Heralt.
Reaſon, Order, Experience
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the
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Mother Nurſe Teacher
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of al humain perfections
¶ Imprinted at London,
by Henrie Denham.
Anno. 1570. :
The contents.
First the Preface, wherein is shewed, that this maner of teaching is after the councell of the excellent Latine rethorician Quintilian, who died aboue. xv. C. yeres past: And which sort of the learned liuing doe wishe the furtheraunce thereof: with examples after what sort our predecessors and we haue bene heretofore taught to misname our letters, to the hinderance of all the willing to learne.
2 Then followeth the newe maner of teaching, whereby who so can reade English onely, may alone learne the order folowing, and so bee able to teach the same to others that knowe no letter, to reade thereafter in a very short time.
3 Thirdly and last, there is in a great letter, the Christian beliefe, the ten Commaundmentes of God, and the Lordes prayer, where the sillables are sundered, for the ease of all learners olde or yong.
* The Preface
* The Epistle Dedicatory
* The New Manner of Teaching
* The Lord's Prayer
* The Christian Belief
* The Ten Commandments
* Grace Before Meat
* Grace After Meat
The Preface.
owardes the latter ende of the seuenth Chapter, of my Treatise of the English Orthographie, published in June. 1569. I declared Quintilians opinion, in teaching of letters, where I also professed, if I did set forth an A. B. C. for teaching of the rude, I would follow his councell, which I doe hereafter very neare. And although it hath appeared by my sayde Treatise, that we maye write certainely and well without the doubling of consonants for the shortnesse of the voel before them, yet for that it doth none otherwise import but for the twise writing of them, I doe vse them hereafter doubled: and thinke it sufficient that men may see, what our predicessors might very well haue done. And for the, l, aspired, for the which Welshmen and Spanyardes doe use the, ll, For our English tongue, the, l, without any mark for the aspiration, may sufficiently serue, after the folowing maner of teaching: but otherwise not. And therefore, I vse hereafter no marke for the l, asspired. Which yet should be very meete for any man that would write the Welsh. As by the way of pastime, I haue done from a Welshmans mouth, though I vnderstood no worde thereof, and did reade it againe to him, and diuers others of that language, so as one amongst them (which knew me not) sayde vnto the rest in Welsh, that I coulde speake Welsh so well as he. But the rest knowing the contrary, laughing tolde me what he sayde, whom I forthwith certified, that I did it, by an order and certaine knowledge what I did write, and not by any acquaintance with the tongue. The like haue I done of the Irishe, and may as easily doe of the Barbarian, or Russian speaches, or any other so straunge as they, hearing them distinctly spoken. And though I vse not their letters or maner of writing, I would well hope so to write, as at any time thereafter seeing it, I should be able to reade and pronounce it againe, euen as he that I heard it of, spake it vnto me. And I haue of late experi​mented and proued the certaintie and profite, in the ease and readinesse of the sayde newe maner of teaching, to the comfort of diuers which are extant and liuing, to certifie such as maye doubt therof: and so the same is most profitable for such as can not read, and are otherwise out of al hope euer to be able to attain to read. Yet I wrote my sayde Treatise for the learned sort to consider of, to proue what they woulde like or mislike thereof: and finding that few haue thought it worth their labour to reade, and fewer, yet some such as to their learning are of greater experience & acquaintance with ye vulgare tongues of our Southerly neighbors, haue sounded it so deepely as to foresee the commodity which may come by the renuing, and haue wished the meanes were deuised and put in execution, for the general vse therof: which they themselues could not begin, except they knew others (to whome they might write) were in likewise perfite therein. And the other sort finding themselues serued, haue no regarde to the multitude, liuing nor for to come. It is manifest that no priuate man, or any one profession of men, eyther of the Uniuersities, or of the Innes of Court, or of Marchaunts, or Scriueners, are able vpon a sodaine to chaunge a peoples manner of writing, no more than of their speaking: and yet time and occasions haue done both, and that much in England within these few hundreds of yeares. And if a certaintie, order, and reason may by experience be found to be profitable for the vnlearned sort, it may in short time preuaile generally: for the effect of writing consisteth not in the letter, but to shew what is ment by the letter. So that, as there is no thankes nor benifite to be hoped for, in the continuaunce of such letters as our predicessors vsed: no more shall it offende or grieve any reasonable creature liuing, to sée other letters vsed, than such as hée hath learned, nor is any man bounde to the shape of this or that letter, but that which is easiest to be written, and best giueth the Reader the vnderstanding of the writers meaning, and is most easieft to be taught, to the ignorant of all letters, that is to be accounted the best maner of writing. And therefore, when the learned sort of all posessions shall sée the experience, how easily, and ​in what short time their vnlearned parentes, friendes, and other acquaintance which they haue occasion to trafick and deale with, haue learned to reade, and some peraduenture to write, after the following maner, they knowe they may turne their penne to vse it, or leaue it when they list. And then there may be good hope that in short time therafter, it will be generally vsed. For if euery one learned may vse it with the turning of his hande, they all maye consent therevnto, within the turning of one Moneth. Nowe in what maner we doe misname our letters, you may vnderstande by that which followeth. As for example. For such as are learned in the names of things, by termes of other languages than their mother tongue, and yet vnderstanding thereby the thing ment, no doubt but they finde it sufficient for them so to vse the same names they haue learned, though vnderstanding the etymologie and meaning of such termes by their owne speach, they may well thinke howe it shoulde giue the hearers (being onely acquainted with their mother tongue) the better signification of the thing wherfore it is spoken. But it must néedes be, that eyther blind affectation in some, and nice curiositie, or vaine imitation in others, haue caused our predecessors to consent to certaine straunge termes, when their owne mother speach might much better expresse the qualitie of the thing (from the mother and nurse) to their succession. Howbeit, I must confesse it beautifieth an Orators tale, which knoweth what he speaketh, and to whom: but it hindereth the vnlerned from vnderstanding of the matter, and causeth many of the Countrie men to speake chalke for chéese, and so nickname such straunge tearmes as it pleaseth many well to heare them: as to say for temperate, temporall: for surrender, sullender: for stature, statute: for abiea, obiea: for heare, heier: certisffied, for both certified, and satisfied: dispence, for suspence: defende, for offende: surgiant, for surgian: which the French terme chirurgian, which is flesh clenser. In like maner the French and we doe vse Biscuyte, which signifieth twise backt: and for the Duen héeder, furner, deriued from Four an Duen: Barbier of Barbe, we saye Barber, which deriued from the Englishe Primitiue Bearde, ​should by like reason be in English bearder: the like for Rasoer a shauer, or euen maker: a Furbisseur, a Skowrer: a Cutteleir, a kniuer, or knife maker: a garde, or warde, a kéepe or defence: a Gardebras, or wardebras, an arme kéeper: a Portier a gate wayter, or gater, a Porteur, a bearer, or a burdener: a Pantier, or Pantler, a Breadseruer: a Bottellier, a Bottelseruer: Cordoanier, a Shoomaker: a Marenier, a Seaman, or sayler: a Scribe, or Scriuener, a writer: a Plumber, of Plumb for Lead: a Tailour, a cutter, or shaper, as we say for the woman, Shapester, a Marchaunt a Monger, a Lauãdier & Lauandiere, a washer, and many others. And yet were our Predecessours contented for infinit other wordes, as Arbalestraer, for Crossebowmaker: and such like (as easie in French, as those aboue) to kepe them in their mother tongue, as good reason was, except they woulde haue chaunged the whole Englishe Saxon language, to the French tongue, or nere vnto it. These and such like hinderances to the rude, haue so long continued, as they are hard to be reformed. And though the rude doe endeuour to immitate the learned, though it be to a conttrarye sense: yet I meruaile howe by any meanes the lyke should come in print, seeing it doth passe so many handes, as for this worde Mestier in French, signifying a handie craft, I find imprinted by the worde misterie, signifying a worde or ceremonie, sounding or shewing one thing, and meaning another.
And others there are of farre West, or North Countryes, which vse differing English termes from those of the Court, and London, where he flower of the English tongue is vsed. And if some such one come to any good learning, by great continuance, and putteth some worke in print, his authoritie maketh many a rude English worde to be printed. And greatly they are not to be blamed, bicause they thinke they doe for the best: for fewe men knowe of diuers wordes signifying one thing, which should be the best, and most méete to be preferred: except it be such as are learned, and therewith much exercised with hearing, speaking, and writing of the best: as for these wordes, the tone part and the tother, who doubtes but it should be written, that one part, ​and that other, and some will say and write, my tother, and thy tother: we vse to say, commaundment, why should we be bounde to write it as the Frenche worde is spoken commaundement, and infinite others which I doe omit at this time. Nowe calling to mind what hath bene sayde for wordes, euen the like may be as iustly sayd of letters: for they are misnamed much from their offices and natures, whereby the desirous are much the more hindered from learning to reade, though they were neuer so willing. For by the former maner the more reason a man or woman hath, the latter, and with more trauaile and paine shal he or she learne it. And by this following order, the reasonable will delite therein, for that the eye, the tongue, and the eare, may altogether find it to frame with reason: which is the mother and roote of all sciences and mans workers. And by how much reason wanteth in any of them, so much doe they want of their perfection. As for example by part of our letters, wherby you may understand the like of most of the rest. For H. what reason is it to call it ache which we speak when we would expresse the griefe of braine, flesh, or bone, and say and write heade ache, &c. where as the nature and office of H. is to signifie the only putting forth of the breath, before or after the pure voyces callde vowels. So as in teaching a reasonable man, ignorant of letters, as they are now accustomed, and aske him how soundeth in his care which is now taught by spelling, whereby they must make that which is not giuen by the name of the letter to sounde t, h, r, he will aunswere teacher, for so are your letters taught, as might be thus, te, ache, er, which soundes iustly, as you teache those letters to be named. But you will say, he must know what it spelles, which spelling is as reasonable, as to say, a Woodcocke, a Snite, and a Curlue, doe make a present of Godwittes: yet though they haue all long bils, they differ in shape and taste, and ought to kéepe still their owne names, so long as their naturall proportion is seene, and so of the rest. It is a sophisticall maner of teaching when the letters apart must be named in one sort, and being put togither, in another, it is a maner of Metamorposis, or worke of Circes, so to trans​forme them from their natures and offices. Wherefore (though nowe in the latter dayes, being better late then neuer) here followeth a certain rule with demonstrations, so as the first breath or sound, or both togither, of the name of the thing figured vnder eche letter, is the breath or sounde, or both togither of the letter aboue it, with examples therafter in diuers wordes. Which euery one that is able to read, may at first sight vnderstande, and so be able to teach it to others. The case wherof is such, that so soone as one is able to name the .xxv. letters perfitly and readily, whersoeuer they present themselues to his eye, so soone shall he be able to reade. Which may be in so short a time, or shorter, than he shall be able to learne to know, xxv. diuers men, women, and children (though he neuer saw them before) and to name them readily and perfitly wheresoever he might meete them. And this haue I trauayled for the behoofe of the multitude, whereby they may the better with bookes (which are dumbe massters) which often preuaile more than the liuely voyce, comfort themselues, meditate and record prayers méete for Christians, and learned the better to obay their Princes and Magistrates, which I present vnto my Countrie as a good beginning, first to learne to reade before they shoulde learned to write, for that it is farre more readier and easie. And as I maye see this profite, I shall hereafter by Gods grace, frame a little instruction to teche the desirous the best order and reason. I can deuise, for their furtheraunce to learne to write, wherein besides the deligence of the wit and reason, which serueth for reading, there is further necessarie the vse and exercise of the hande. Nothing doubting, but such as may profite thereby, will hartily thank God for it, and remember me in their good prayers, as I shall doe them in mine, that after our trauaile past in this earthly vale, we may togither enioy the heauenly blisse. So be it.
The Epistle Dedicatorie, To suche as vnderstande howe the most auncient and greatest languages haue vsed, and to this day doo vse their letters, John Hart Chester Heralt, prayeth God for your health and prosperitie.
s natvre doth generally work by certain waightes, measures, proportions and courses, to the resonable which do best consider and obserue her order, do bring their works to best perfection. But suche as neuer came forth of hel, thinke there is none other heuẽ, and others which take the false tor the true, or the doubtful for certain, as bewitched by Circes inchauntments, to which sort the prouerb may be well applied: the blynd can iudge no colors. and who is blinder than such as wil not se? These be such as haue bin trained in abuse, wher with their sences are so imbued and intoxicate, as they wil allow none other maner (be it neuer so resonable, profitable and certain) than that they haue ben traded in. Wherfore I do dedicate and direct this my trauail to you, which I know are best able to be iudges therof. For lãguages which are now no longer from the mother to the child, nor of long tyme vsed vulgarly, but taught as it wer by stepmothers & strange nurses, can not be other than corrupted and aliened frõ the nature: so that the trauayled only in them, with this our mother tong, are not sufficient censores in this matter. Wherfore thei may do wel to be patient vntill they vnderstãd your opiniõs, or sse what experiẽce may do therin. And although I haue published an Orthographie, teaching the true writing of our English toung, I haue not vntill nowe published the moste easy way and order to teach the same to be read. Which I haue done, vpon the consideration of the intentes of the first inuentours of letters, (how soeuer their successors Latins and others haue neglected it) which is the reason of the facilitie taught hereafter, and so causeth it it to be the more straunge, and therfore the more subiecte ​to obloquie, though wholly without cause. As by the example folowing may partly appere. As our english Saxons out of doubt did, so at this day the Germain vpper and nether, the Italian and the Spanyard to teach the, h, with this voyce Hah, or ha, and am persuaded that no nation, doth teach it with so little reason as we do, and yet wee are as it were drovned in the error, which came to our predecessours in maner following. The French (which the Normans in the time of the conquest spake, and is lefte in our cõmmon lawes at this daye) in teaching their letters, they remember their scholers of certain things, after the order of the portraytures now taught hereafter, and for the, d, they note vng deel, in english a thimble: & for h, vn hache in english a hachet. Wherof it commeth, that our predecessours of long tyme haue abused to call it ache, by ignorance of the inuention, leauing out the first h, whose office and qualitie shoulde be as well expressed vnto vs, by the names of chalke or cheese, as by the name of ache, as shall be further sayd in the preface hereafter: And the like reason is there in teaching the most of our letters, and abusing them so diuersly, as it bringeth to the lerner, rather cõfusion than help. Which I find as reasonable, as if a nurse should take in hand to teach a child, to go first vpon high pattens or stiltes, or vpon a coarde, or on the hands, before he should be taughte as the narurall and reasonable order is: alledging that when he can go so, he shall be the surer of foot all his life. If our present maner of teaching be by experience proued to be of lyke reason to this, how can it be maynteined for good? But the reason of the folowing order is suche, as the reasonable from .xij. to .lx. yeares old may with ease and pleasure learned to read in a very short time, some in more, some lesse, according to the naturall disposition, whiche is from .xij. to .xxx more enclined to learned, than euer before or after. and yet one of :lx: and vpwards, may wel and easily learne it. It would be thought a straunge matter, or a playn lye, if I should write that one which neuer knewe letter ​before, hath within ten houres teaching of ten days without any reproachufull word, bin able to reade the last six leaues of this boke. though peraduenture you may shortly see the experience of it in a shorter tyme.
The inuention is suche, as if the figures with their letters, wer drawen on the walles, pillers, and postes of churches, tounes and houses, they mought muche helpe and further the ignorant of al letters, to atteine to reade in the folowing maner, so as in cõtinuance, the parẽts and patrons, shold be able to teach their familie, and nurses the children, as well as to go and speake. And some one such in a house, as now can reade our present maner, may be able to teach it to all the rest of the hous, euen the whiles their handes may be otherwyse well occupied, in woorking for their liuing, or otherwise being idle or sitting by the fyre, without any further let or cost. And though ther may be a maner of reformation with the figures of our letters accustomed, it can neuer answere the proportion of our speeche duly, and therfore neuer be certain, nor any thing neare so profitable for the ignorant of all letter: and would be as strange and lothsom to the common learned, as the folowing maner is. Wherefore, to bring the commodities before written to passe, whan if there were a whole crosse crowe or a, b, c, deuised all of newe letters, to helpe suche as can not be holpen by the former, and terby bring them to the ende pretended, whiche is to reade, it can not offende any reasonable man. But as it should be moste vnnaturally and cruelly done, for him that knoweth the meanes and order, to hide it and keepe it from them: so shall it be more ignorantely or maliciously doone, of them that condemne, taunte, or speake euill of the thing they know not: therby to discourage the willyng, and presumyng to saye, there can be no better way to the wood than their fathers left them.
And further the desirous Walshe and Irishe, maye be muche aduaunced thereby, to the true pronuntiation of our speeche, whiche was neuer before this tyme presented ​them: for our present maner is as vnfitte to helpe them in any wyse, as the Frenche present maner of Cacographie, is vnfyt to help vs, to the true pronunciation of the french. whiche toungs, were neuer well learned by any straunger, excepte it were by the lyuely voyce, and that seldome if it be not in youth: whyles the tongue is most pliable, and the witte most pregnante and inclined to speeche. And in lyke maner, by the same certaintie and order, wee may be able to write read and pronoũce their speaches, as they do: muche better and easyer, than by their owne maner of writyng: which was neuer nor coulde be doone, by our present abused maner.
And for the scruple than some may haue, that it shoulde not be lauful to teache and imprint any other maner, than that which is generally receyued, they may be hereby certified, that it is authorised, according to the order of the iniunction, that all bookes in the former maner, may also be imprinted in this maner. Thus you may see my wil is good, though my power be little, and therfore I doo put you in remembraunce, whiche doo acknowledge our abuse, and desire the reformation thereof, to shewe your zeale vnto your countrey, and to put your helping handes, to the furtheraunce of so greate and good a woorke: that the desyrous now rude, neede not to doubt the want of bookes in the following maner; for their vse: which is now their only discouragyng and stay: saying, when wee haue learned that (hauing no more bookes for our exercise) wee are neuer the better. But if there were imprinted for them, the psalter, with the order of morning and euening prayer, and the new testament, there are many a thousand wel disposed creatures in England, wold be most glad to lerne it: which are out of all hope otherwise, euer to be able to reade. and they and their like, shalbe bounde to pray God, for your and your succession, to the worlds end. Written in London, the xviij. of December. 1570.
¶ Here foloweth the new maner of teaching: wherby who so can read English only, may alone vnderstand the order therof: and so be able to teach the same, to others that know no letter, to reade therafter, in a very short time.
he Teacher ought first to knowe the names of the figures portrayd following for demonstration, & to name the Carecters or letters written ouer the sayde portraytures with the first sound or breath, or breath and sound togither, of the names of every of them excepting two, as shalbe said therafter. Wherfore, to make them certaine howe to sound them, the accustomed name of eche thing written therevnder, as they are called in the Court, and Lõdon speaces, where the generall flower of all English countries speaches, are chosen and yield are chosen and vsed. And though some would say it were not so, reason would we should graunt no leße: for that vnto these two places, do dayly ​resort from all townes and Countries, of the best of all profeßions, aswel of the own landsmen, as of aliens and straungers, and therfore they haue the best meanes to take the best and leaue the worst. And bicause I finde no matter in obseruing the Latine order of their letters, for that no number is vsed by their order as the Greekes haue vsed with theirs: I haue deuided and parted them, into theyr sortes, as shall be shewed hereafter.
| a An Apple. | e An eare. | i An Ele fishe. | o An oke leafe. | u A Woodcock. |
| l A Lion. | m A Moule. | n A Needle. | r A Ring. | h A harts horn. ​ |
| ʆ Sheares. | b A Ball. | p A Peare. | d A Drum. | t A Trumpet. |
| g A Grashopper. | ᵹ A Ierkin. | v A Vane. | ∂ The Sunne. | z Zacheus. |
| k A Key. | ɕ A Chaine. | f A Filbert. | † A Thimble. | s A Squirrell. |
¶ Here is to be noted, for that there is not in my remembrance the names of any thing which beginne with the sounds of ∂. or z. I haue vsurped the article ∂e, with the Sunne, for the best I could as yet thinke on: and the little man Zache, that climed in the wilde figge tree, Luke. xix.
¶ Now you may teach your Scholler, to remember the letters by the names of the portratures, first the fiue vowels, forth and backe, which when he thinketh to know, you may doe the like with the rest, and when he hath so gone ouer all foorth and backe, then you may shew them vnto him downewardes, and vpwardes, and when he thinketh to know the letter alone, you maye doe ​well to hide the portrayture with your finger, or some Paper fitte to couer the fiue in the line you take leuell, to cause him to haue the more regarde to the shapes of the letters.
And when the learner doth know, and can name the Portraytures readily, you that teach, must take heede that you teach not your Scholler as you were taught. And first vnderstand you, that the pricke which I write vnder euery vowell as ạ, is worth aa: and ẹ, ee: ị, ii: ọ, oo: ụ, uu. and in teaching the letter or naming it, you must sound no more of the portrayture which doth remember it, than the very sound of the letter, as may be thus Of Aple, ạ: of eare, ẹ: of eele, ị: of oke-leafe, ọ: and of wood-cock, ụ. And so of the rest as of Lion (you may not name the l. m. n. nor r. as you haue bene taught, calling them el, em, en, er: but giue them the same soundes, you do find in their portraytures, without sounding of any vowell before them). as may be thus: l-yon: M--ọul: N--ịdl: R--ing: and as they are sounded when they are doubled in the middest of wordes, as in falling, Miller, sounding them alone, as maye be of ll. in fa--ll--ing, and Mi--ll--er. So of m, as of Ha--mm--on: of n, as in Ta--nn--er. of r, as in fu--rr--ed, nothing touching any vowell: for they are indifferent for all vowels and dipthongs, both before, and also after them, and therefore ought not to haue the name stayde with any of them, for that is to the learners hinderaunce, as much as may be: and it is as reasonable to name the vowell with the helpe of any one or other Consonant, as the Consonant by the helpe of anye one or other vowell. And in teaching the breath .h. it signifieth nothing else but the putting forth of the pure breath without any maner of sound , or other aspiration: as in a--hh--a, or hạh: e--hh--e, or hẹh, and so of the rest of the vowels and diphthongs. And for the .sh which I shape with one sole figure thus .ʆ.⟨for⟩ sh. ʆ. onely ⟨vsed⟩ and ⟨reason⟩ why. for that it commeth clearly with a breath, hard thrust thorow the teeth, in drawing the tongue inward towards the vpper great teeth, without touching of the pallet, and so is an aspiration differing from the former, and nothing framed with the .s. for that the z. and s. are framed in the mouth, the tongue filling the pallet, and touching of all the vpper teeth. And so ought to be taught of himselfe as in a--shsh--a.
Now it is to bee noted, that one vowell, in euerye worde of one sillable, where the pricke is not there vnder markt, for the longer time: that vowel is sufficiently knowne to be short, without dubbling of the following consonant. But in wordes of many sillables, the shortness of the vowell, hath beene vsed to be notes, eyther with one consonant dubbled, or by going before two diuers consonant, and for the long time of vowels there is sufficiently sayde. ​
Then proue how he can say the fiue vowels euery way: as in these Tables.
| a | | e |
| | i | |
| o | | u |
| a | o | i | u | e |
| e | u | o | a | i |
| i | a | u | e | o |
| o | e | a | i | u |
| u | i | e | o | a |
Then the six other as in the two Tables herevnder.
| l | | | m |
| | h | ʆ | |
| n | | | r |
| l | r | ʆ | m | h | n |
| m | h | l | n | ʆ | r |
| n | ʆ | m | r | l | h |
| r | l | n | h | m | ʆ |
| h | m | r | ʆ | n | l |
| ʆ | n | h | l | r | m |
| ae | ai | ao | au |
| ea | ei | eo | eu |
| ia | ie | io | iu |
| oa | oe | oi | ou |
| ua | ue | ui | uo |
And when the first vowel is spoken long, it ought to bee so noted in writing with the prick vnder: and where three doe come togither in speach, they are all in like maner written: and if there bee neyther first vowell nor last noted with a pricke for a longer time, or with this mark of diuision ouer thus (΅) they doe all make but one sillable, and often two vowels are togither, when the one serueth to the first, and the other to the latter sillable, then the latter hath the same marke of diuision ouer it, as followeth. For the long vowell first a bowe of a tree, differs from a bọu to shoote with: an alley boul from a bọuldish: the ou in a Sou pig, differs from ọu to sọu a seame, or corn, or a shooe sọul, and a mou of corne, from to mọu the graß. And so of oi, in hois the sayle, from ọi in an ọister: and of the deuision, as in Israë́ll, and voë́ll.
And triphthongs or treble soundes, are when three vowels come togither in one sillable, as by my following order of writing: I finde for wise, wife, and hoyes boy, should be written, ueiz, ueif, and hueiz buei, and so of eaur, for and eawer for water. and in mieu, and ieu, in these sentences, the Cat doth mieu: and she milkes the ieu: and uoad, to dei bliu, the cloth is uoaded, and such like.
A Table of all the sayde first .xi. letters togither, to be perfitly sayde euery way. :
| a | l | r | o | e | m | u | i | n | ʆ | h |
| e | m | h | u | i | n | l | o | r | a | ʆ |
| i | n | ʆ | l | o | r | m | u | h | e | a |
| o | r | a | m | u | h | n | l | ʆ | i | e |
| u | h | e | n | l | ʆ | r | m | a | o | i |
| l | ʆ | i | r | m | a | h | n | e | u | o |
| m | a | o | h | n | e | ʆ | r | i | l | u |
| n | e | u | ʆ | r | i | a | h | o | m | l |
| r | i | l | a | h | o | e | ʆ | u | n | m |
| h | o | m | e | ʆ | u | i | a | l | r | n |
| ʆ | u | n | i | a | l | o | e | m | h | r |
Now trusting you (that can read) know the due sounde and breath of these foresayde .xi. letters, and that such as may teach others know how to informe them therein. And when they fayle, let them turne backe to the portraytures, and proue whether they can fine their owne errors or not: if not readily, it is best to helpe them to lose no time. Wherevnto as there ought to be regards, so also ought you not to be ouer busie in helping of learners, but giue them always occasion to proue their owne wittes and memorie.
Of sillables.
A sillable is that word, or part of worde, which is spoken roundly togither, without any stay of sounde: wherein is sounded at least one pure and full vowell, with some one consonant or more: but if it be with a consonant, and a semivocall, it is no full sillable, though it seeme a sillable. For as the l.m.n, and r, are of nature in maner spoken with the sounde, or halfe sounde of the vowell: so when the speach doth vse them with one or two consonants without vowell, then they are not to be called sillables, but halfe sillables, which commonly come at the latter ende of wordes: and so ought to bee written, and may be read roundly all togither, as is vsed in one sillable: and therefore I doe not hereafter set any marke to note such words for two sillables.
Here follow the foresayd .xi. letters so as you may see how sillables may be made of themselues, which you may diuersifie to you Scholler at pleasure: eyther taking all the fiue vowels, first in order with one breath or consonants, and so one after the other, else first with one vowell, to go ouer all the breathes and consonants, and so the rest. And may make sillables eyther of two, three, or four letters.
I can not to often admonish the teacher to bee carefull in sounding of the letters, in their proper and onely breath and sound, or breath alone, simple or compound: pure and simple there are but two .h. and .ʆ. which are breathed, the first without the helpt of tongue, lips or teeth, and the second by thrusting the breath thorow the teeth, without helpe of tongue or lippes, and the .vii. others I call sisters (to b.d.g.ᵹ.v.∂. and .z. which for that they haue the inwarde sound I call the brethren) p.t.k.ɕ.f.†. and s, which are compounded with the breath, and the helpe of the lips, tongue or teeth, alwayes without any sound due to themselues: and so there are .ix. breathes, whereof two are pure and simple, and the .vij. others composed as is sayde alwayes without any proper sounde.
| a e i o u | h,h ʆ,ʆ l,l m,m n,n r,r | ạ ẹ ị ọ ụ | r n m l ʆ h |
Examples of the vse of the sayde .xi. letters.
ạ, an-na, ah-ha, arm, hạr
ẹ-er, en-ne-mi, ei, mẹ, uẹ.
ị-l, iu, ei, uị, uil-ị, il-mị, hị, ʆị
ọ, o-nor, ọun, rọ, nọ, mọr.
ụ, uị, ui∂ uel tu iu.
​l-ei-ö́n, lạdl, lạm, lam, mạl.
m-ọul, ha-mm-er, mạn, lim
n-ị, nọn, ma-nn-i, huen, in.
r, rạr, rọr, ha-rr-i, ro, or.
h-orn, hah, he-hh-o, lauh.
ʆ-ẹr, ʆuaʆ, a-ʆʆ-es, raʆ.
I advertise the teacher, though his learner read the sillables here before forwards well, (per aduenture led to it partly by remembring of the thing wherfore it is written) yet for his better exercise, though it signifie nothing, let him also name euery one letter backwards in the same sounde an breath, or both, as eche is taught alone before.
Now will I give you examples of diuers wordes and sentences which are to be written with the foresayd .xi. letters, that your scholler may be comforted therewith vntill he haue learned the rest hereafter: which are for his incouragement to be able to reade: though without regarde of the matter, and as profitable the Scholler should name the letters perfitely and readily backward as forwarde.
hou, huei rọ iu hiẹr? iu ʆaul rọ no mọr nẹr mei ʆọr: nor lẹ iur ọer in mei uẹ. iur ụu-man an mei man, ʆaul mar-riin a meri mẹ mor-ro. huom iur niu mil-ler? no, mei lạm ma-ri-ner. no mor nou.
If the learner can name the .vij. payres of letters (whereof the first, viz. haue a stopping of the breath, and the .vi. other a continuall breath, all without the help of any vowell, as they are vsed in the names of the portraytures and as they are set alone, at the beginning of their names hereafter) then help him to read that which followeth.
b—aul, bab a-bb-a dab.
p—ẹr peip pu-pp-et pap
​d—rum, dad, a-dd-er, did, la-dd-er, dạ-vid,
t—rum-pet, o-tt-er, hat, tạrt, tu-tt-i, uat, prat.
g—res, bra-gg-er, gag, da-gg-er, rig, uag.
k—e, kạk, e-kk-o, kirk, ku-kk-ụ, ụurk, uẹk.
For j. consonant or g. before e, and i. ᵹ is onely vsed.ᵹ—er-kin, ᵹentl, do-ᵹᵹ-er, ᵹorᵹ, ᵹug-ler, rạᵹ.
For ch. ɕ. vsed alone.ɕ—ẹn, ɕurɕ, ɕaunᵹ, ɕịr, ri-ɕard, paɕ. ​v—ạn, vạv, e-vv-a, vo-ḯs vi-zard, hạv, sạv.
f—il-bert, su-ff-er, far, fẹr, foul, rạf, sạf.
∂—e, ∂ou, ui-∂∂-out, ∂at ∂en ∂us bạ∂ bọ∂.
For the one sound of th, ∂ is always vsed.
For th. †. is onely vsed. †—imbl, †rị †ịf smi† †ik †in sẹ† fri†.
z—a-ɕe-us, za-ka-ri ze-bed, e-zz-i, họz, nọz.
s—kui-rel, sẹs, po-ss-e-ss-ed las lạs uas.
​A Table of the .vij. payres of consonants, eche payre of which may be compared to a brother and sister as to sayde, for that they are framed in the mouth in one selfe sort and maners and differ in nothing but that the one of eche hath an inwarde sound, as it were groning, ending with the breath thrust forth, and the other no sounde, but the breath onely: To exercise the learner in them euery way so as hath beene sayde for those former.
| bp | dt | gk | ᵹɕ | vf | ∂† | zs |
| vf | ∂† | zs | bp | dt | gk | ᵹɕ |
| gk | ᵹɕ | vf | ∂† | zs | bp | dt |
| zs | bp | dt | gk | ᵹɕ | vf | ∂† |
| ∂† | zs | bp | dt | gk | ᵹɕ | vf |
| dt | gk | ᵹɕ | vf | ∂† | zs | bp |
| ᵹɕ | vf | ∂† | zs | bp | dt | gk |
which perfitly knowne, with the others before, he may begin to reade in Gods name, as followeth.
∂e lords preẹr, bi-lif, and ten kom-maund-ments.
ei bi-lịv in god ∂e fạ∂r aul-mih-ti, mạ-kr ov hẹvn and er†. and in ᵹẹ-zus krist hiz uon-li sun our lord. huiɕ uas kon-sẹvd bei ∂e hol-li ​gọst, bọrn ov ∂e vir-ᵹin mạ-ri. Suf-ferd undr pons pei-lat, uas kriu-si-feid, ded and biu-ri-ë́d, hi des-sen-ded in-tu hel. ∂e †ird dẹ hị rọz agẹn from ∂e ded. hị as-sen-ded in-tu hẹvn, and sit† on ∂e riht hand ov god ∂e fạ∂r aul-mih-ti. from ∂ens hị ʆaul kum tu ᵹuᵹ ∂e kuik and ∂e ded. ei ​bi-lịv in ∂e hol-li gọst, ∂e hol-li ka-†o-lik ɕur-ɕ, ∂e kom-mu-ni-on of sẹnts, ∂e for-giv-nes of sinz. ∂e re-zur-rek-si-on ov ∂e bod-di. and ∂e leif evr-last-ing. so bi it.
god spạk to mo-zez (ap-pị-ring eks-o-dus ∂e tuen-ti†) first de-klạr-ing huat hi iz, se-ing, ei am ∂e lord ∂ei god, huiɕ hạv brọuht ∂ị out ov ∂e land ov ẹ-ᵹipt, out ov ∂e hous ov bond-aᵹ.
∂ou ʆault hạv nọn ụ∂r godz but mị.
​lord hạv mer-si-up-on-us, and, in-klein our herts tu kịp ∂iz lau.
∂ou ʆault not mạk tu ∂ei self, ani gravn i-maᵹ nor ∂e leik-nes ov ani †ing ∂at iz in hẹvn a-buv, or in ∂-er† be-nẹ∂, nor in ∂e uạtr undr ∂-er†, ∂ou sault not bou doun tu ∂em, nor ụur-ʆip ∂em: for ei ∂e lord ∂ei ​god am a ᵹe-luz god, and vi-zit ∂e sinz ov ∂e fạ∂r up-on ∂e ɕildrn un-tụ ∂e †ird and for† ᵹe-ne-rạ-si-on, ov ∂em ∂at hạt mi, and ʆo mer-si un-tụ †ou-sandz in ∂em ∂at lụv mi, and kịp mei kom-maund-ments.
∂ou ʆault not tạk ∂e nạm, ov ∂e lord ∂ei god in vẹn, for ∂e lord uil not ​họuld him gilt-les ∂at tạk† hiz nạm in vẹn.
re-membr ∂at ∂ou kịp hol-li ∂e sab-bot de. siks dez ʆault ∂ou lạbr, and dụ aul ∂at ∂ou hast tu dụ: but ∂e sẹvn† dẹ, iz ∂e sab-bot ov ∂e lord ∂ei god: in it ∂ou ʆault dụ no ma-ner ov ụurk, ∂ou and ∂ei sun, and ∂ei dauhtr, ∂ei man serv-​ant, and ∂ei mẹd serv-ant, ∂ei katl, and ∂e stranᵹr ∂at iz ui∂-in ∂ei gạts: for in siks dez ∂e lord mạd hẹvn and er†, ∂e sẹ and aul ∂at in ∂em is: and rest-ed ∂e sẹvn† dẹ. huer-fọr ∂e lord blest ∂e sevn† dẹ, and hal-lu-ë́d it.
ho-nor ∂ei fạ∂r and ∂ei mụ∂r, ∂at ∂ei dẹz mẹ bi ​long in ∂e land, huiɕ de lord ∂ei god giv-e† ∂ị.
∂ou ʆault dụ no mur∂r.
∂ou ʆault not kom-mit ad-vou-tri.
∂ou ʆault not stẹl.
∂ou ʆault not bẹr fạls uit-nez agẹnst ∂ei nẹh-bur.
∂ou ʆault not kuv-et ∂ei nẹh-burz hous, ∂ou ʆault not kuv-et ∂ei nẹh​burz ueif, nor his serv-ant, nor hiz mẹd, nor hiz oks, nor hiz as, nor a-ni †ing ∂at iz his.
lord hạv mer-si vp-on-us, and ureit aul thẹz ∂ei lauz in our herts, ui bi-sịɕ ∂ị.
grạs bi-fọr mẹt.
tụ ∂e mạkr, givr ov leif, and fịdr ov evri krẹ-tiur, az-uel in ∂e sẹ az on ∂-er†, for de be-hụf and ius ov man-keind, bi un-fẹn-ed †anks, bi-sịɕ-ing ​him of hiz grẹt mer-si, tu giv-us hiz grạs so tu iuz ∂e sạm nou and aul-uẹz, az mẹ bị tu hiz glo-ri, and our sọulz hel†. so bị it.
god sạv his ɕurɕ, our kuịn and rẹm, and send us pẹs in krist. so bị it.
grạs af-ter mẹt.
nou let us ʆo our selvz †ank-ful to god for ∂ẹz ​hiz gifts, and for our hel†, and ụ∂r hiz be-ne-fits, huer-ui† hị in-dụ-ë́∂ us, be-fọr ma-ni ov our pụr brị∂rn, huiɕ re-pre-zent him: let uz ∂er-for help suɕ in aul ∂ẹr uan-ts tu our poụ-ë́r: huer-bei ∂e fẹ†-lez mẹ tạk eks-ampl, tu ∂e glo-ri ov our al-mih-ti god. so bị it
god sạv his ɕurɕ, and so fur†.