Rules of Construction in English Grammar, Part 5
The conſtruction of nounes ſubſtantiues, or what caſes they may gouerne.
Qu. YOu hauehave ſaid at the beginning, that all the parts of ſpéech do either agrée togither in ſome certaine conditions and properties, or elſe are gouerned and ruled one of another. Of Concord or agréement hath béene ſpoken at large, wherefore now order requireth that we entreat of gouernment. Tell me therefore what you call gouernement?
What gouernement is, in Grammar matters.An. Gouernment properly in Grammar matters, is the requiring of ſome certaine caſe to be put after an other worde in order of conſtruction: As for example, to make this as plain as may be for the very ſimpleſt to conceiue, when I ſay, ſome nounes do gouerne a genitiue caſe, I mean that ſome nounes require a genitiue caſe, that is, do cauſe the caſuall worde that in conſtruction doth folow next after them to be put in the genitiue caſe. Some verbes do gouerne an accuſatiue caſe, in thus ſaying my meaning is, that ſome verbs require an accuſatiue caſe, that is, do cauſe the word that in conſtruing doth come next after them, to be put in the accuſatiue caſe.
Qu. You meane then that the word which requireth ſuch, or ſuch a caſe after him, is ſaid to gouerne, and that the worde put in this or that caſe after an other word going before it, is ſaid to be gouerned.
An. That is my meaning, ſo that when I ſay in latine: Amor dei, The louelove of God, this firſt ſubſtantiue amor, is ſaide to gouerne, and the ſeconde ſubſtantiue dei being the genitiue caſe after amor the former, is ſaide to be gouerned of amor.
Qu. This is plaine inough for all the reſt of like ſort. Now ſéeing in this whole treatiſe as well that which hath gone before, as this alſo which commeth héere after we deale with conſtruction, ſhew me briefely, what conſtruction is, and what it is conſtre? for the little petits are peraduenture to ſéeke in this.
Construction.An. Conſtruction, is the due and orderly ioining and knitting of the parts of ſpéech togither, according vntounto the right order of grammar.
To constre.And to conſtre, is to ſet the words in due or right frame, as they ought to go before, or to follow the one the other, when you turne latin into engliſh (for taking this pains for yoong beginners, we wil content our ſelues with latin onelyonly) ſo that it be placed firſt, that ought in conſtruing to hauehave the firſt place, and that ſecond, the which is to be ſet in the ſecond place, and ſo of the reſt, wherof ſome thing hath béen ſpoken at the beginning.
Qu. Now then folowing the order of your Accidence, we will firſt begin with the conſtruction of nounes ſubſtantiues, declaring what caſes they will gouerne or hauehave after them in conſtruction. Tell me therefore how many caſes a noune ſubſtantiue may gouerne?
An. A noune ſubſtantiue may gouerne thrée caſes, that is a genitiue, a genitiue or an ablatiue, and an ablatiue caſe alone.
Qu. What is your rule for a ſubſtantiue gouerning a genitiue caſe?
The first rule of ſubſtantiues.An. When two ſubſtantiues come togither betokening diuers things the latter ſhall be the genitiue caſe: as, Facundia Ciceronis, The eloquence of Cicero. Opus Vergilij, the work of Virgil. Amator ſtudiorum, a louer of ſtudies. Dogma Platonis, the opinion of Plato.
Qu. Applie the examples of this rule to declare the meaning of the ſame.
The examples applied.Facundia Ciceronis, héere are two ſubſtantiues betokening diuers things, and therefore the latter ſubſtantiue Ciceronis is the genitiue caſe gouerned of the former Facundia, by this rule.
The ſecond example.Opus Vergilij. In this example opus and Vergilij two ſubſtantiues comming togither, and betokening diuers things, Vergilij the latter of them is the genitiue caſe gouerned of opus the former by this rule.
The third example.Amator ſtudiorum. Héere are two ſubſtantiues, amator, and ſtudiorum comming togither, and betokening diuers things, wherefore ſtudiorum the latter ſubſtantiue is put in the genitiue caſe being gouerned of amator the former, by this rule.
The fourth example.Dogma Platonis. In this example theſe two ſubſtantiues dogma and Platonis do come togither and do betoken diuers things, wherefore Platonis the latter of them is put in the genitiue caſe, being gouerned of dogma the former, by this rule.
Qu. But what if the two ſubſtantiues comming togither do appertaine both vntounto one thing?
An. Then they ſhall be put both in one caſe by the rule folowing, which is this,
An exception.But if they belong both vntounto one thing, they ſhal be put both in one caſe: as Pater meus vir, amat me puerum, My father being a man, loueth me a childe.
The example applied. Sometime the latter of theſe ſubſtantiues is put alſo in the genitiue caſe.In the firſt branch of this ſentence, there are two ſubſtantiues pater and vir comming togither, and bicauſe they do belong both vntounto one thing, therefore are they put both in one caſe, that is, vir the latter ſubſtantiue is the nominatiue with pater the former ſubſtantiue. And ſo likewiſe in the latter part of this ſame ſentence, there are other two ſubſtantiues me and puerum, comming togither, and bicauſe they alſo do appertaine both to one thing, they are put both in one caſe, ſo that puerum the latter ſubſtantiue is put in the accuſatiue caſe with me, the former, by this exception.
Qu. What hauehave you further to note concerning this firſt rule?
An other profitable note.An. Somtime the former of the two ſubſtantiues comming togither, and being referred vntounto diuers things, and the which ſhould cauſe the latter ſubſantiue to be put in the genitiue caſe, is not expreſſely ſet downe, but vnderſtood: as Vbi ad Dianae veneris, When you come vntounto the temple of Diana. Héer is only the latter ſubſtantiue Dianae the genitiue caſe expreſly ſet downe, and the former ſubſtantiue Templum, which cauſeth it to be put in the genitiue caſe is vnderſtood, whereof in authors you ſhall find many more ſuch like examples.
Obiection.Qu. But ſomtime you ſhall hauehave an adiectiue in the neuter gender to gouerne a ſubſtantiue after him in the genitiue caſe.
Anſwer. How an adiectiue put alone in the neuter gender, may hauehave a genitiue caſe.An. When this commeth to paſſe, then is the ſame adiectiue ſaid to be put abſolutely, that is, by himſelfe alone hauing no ſubſtantiue to agrée with, and being thus put, he looſeth the nature of an adiectiue, and is taken for a ſubſtantiue, cauſing the other ſubſtantiue following to be put in the genitiue caſe, as if he himſelfe were a ſubſtantiue, by this rule:
The rule for an adiectiue put alone in the neuter gender.An adiectiue in the neuter gender, put alone without a ſubſtantiue, ſtandeth for a ſubſtantiue, and may hauehave a genitiue caſe after him, as if he were a ſubſtantiue: as Multum lucri, Much gaines. Quantum negotij? How much buſines? Id operis, That worke.
Qu. How apply you theſe examples vntounto the rule?
The firſt example applied.An. Multum lucri. In this example the adiectiue Multum of the neuter gender, being ſet alone without a ſubſtantiue to agrée with, cauſeth the ſubſtantiue lucri to be the genitiue caſe, as if he himſelfe were alſo a ſubſtantiue.
The ſecond example applied.Quantum negotij? In this ſecond example the adiectiue quantum being ſet alone in the neuter gender without any ſubſtantiue, wherewith he may agrée, doth ſtand for a ſubſtantiue, and cauſeth the ſubſtantiue negotij following after him, to be put in the genitiue caſe, as if quantum it ſelfe had béen a ſubſtantiue.
The third example applied.Id operis. In this third example the adiectiue id is ſet alone in the neuter gender without a ſubſtantiue to agrée with, and therefore doth he cauſe the ſubſtantiue operis comming after him, to be put in the genitiue caſe, as if he were a ſubſtantiue.
Obiection.Qu. Wherefore do you ſay in all theſe examples, that the adiectiue is ſet alone without a ſubſtantiue to agrée with, ſéeing that in eueryevery one of them, eueryevery ſeuerall adiectiue hath his ſeuerall ſubſtantiue ioined with him.
Anſwer.An. Bicauſe that albeit eueryevery adiectiue hath a ſeuerall ſubſtantiue following him, yet doth not any of the adiectiues agrée with any of the ſubſtantiues, or is put in the ſame caſe, gender, and number, that the ſubſtantiue following him is of, but doth gouerne the ſaid ſubſtantiues, cauſing them to be put in the genitiue caſe by this rule.
Qu. There is yet one rule put in héere among the rules of ſubſtantiues, concerning the Engliſh of this word Res, a thing, put with an adiectiue, and cauſing the adiectiue to becom a ſubſtantiue, the which, I ſée not how it can very fitly agrée with this place.
An. This rule I grant, might more properly hauehave béen handled in the ſecond concord betwéene the ſubſtantiue and the adiectiue, in as much as an adiectiue being ſo put as this rule requireth, doth oftentimes become a ſubſtantiue, with the which the adiectiue following in the ſame ſentence doth agrée in caſe, gender, and number. But yet ſéeing that this place treateth of ſubſtantiues, and that in ſuch conſideration as in this rule is ſpecified, and adiectiue may become a ſubſtantiue: for this cauſe as I take it, the Author of our Accidence thought good to ſet downe this rule among the other rules of ſubſtantiues, the which is as followeth.
A rule for the engliſh of this word Res put with an adiectiue.When the Engliſh of this word Res, a thing, is put with an adiectiue, ye may put away Res, and put the adiectiue in the neuter gender, like a ſubſtantiue: as Multa me impedierunt, Many things hauehave letted me.
And being ſo put, it may be the ſubſtantiue to an adiectiue: as, Pauca his ſimilia, A few things like vntounto theſe. Nonnulla huiuſmodi, Many things of like ſort.
The first example applied. If you reſolue this ſentence by the word Res, you muſt ſay, Multae res me impedierunt. The ſecond example applied. You may reſolue this ſentence thus by the word, Res, Paucae res his ſimiles.In the firſt example the adiectiue multa, many things, hauing in Engliſh the ſignification of this word res, a thing, ioined with him, in Latin ſhutteth cleane out this word res, and is put alone in the neuter gender, and plurall number, being the nominatiue caſe vntounto the verbe impedierunt, as if he were a ſubſtantiue by this rule.
In the ſecond example, Pauca his fimilia, the adiectiue pauca, few things, hauing in Engliſh the ſignification of this word res, a thing, ioined with him, in Latin ſhutteth out the ſaid word, and is put alone in the neuter gender, and plurall number like a ſubſtantiue, with the which the adiectiue ſimilia doth agrée in caſe, gender, and number, being the nominatiue caſe, the neuter gender, and the plurall number, like as pauca is, by this rule.
The third example applied.In the third example, Nonnulla huiuſmodi, the adiectiue nonnulla, many things, hauing in Engliſh the ſignification of this word res ioined with him,This ſentence by Res may be reſolued thus, Nonnullae res huiuſmodi. doth in Latin ſhut out the word res, and is put alone in the neuter gender, and plurall number, like a ſubſtantiue, with the which the adiectiue huiuſmodi doth agrée in caſe, gender, and number, being the nominatiue caſe, the neuter gender, and plurall number, like as nonnulla is, by this rule.
Qu. Thus much concerning ſubſtantiues gouerning a genitiue caſe only, with ſuch other matters as appertained therevnto. What is now your next rule?
Subſtantiues gouerning a genitiue caſe, or an ablatiue.An. Our next rule is of the ſecond kind of conſtruction of ſubſtantiues, where they do gouerne indifferently a genitiue caſe, or an ablatiue.
Qu. By what rule?
The rule.An. Words importing indument of any qualitie or propertie, to the praiſe or diſpraiſe of a thing, comming after a noune ſubſtantiue, or a verbe ſubſtantiue,By a verbe ſubſtantiue is ment the verbe Sum, es, fui, &c. may be put in the genitiue caſe, or in the ablatiue: as Puer boni ingenij, or Puer bono ingenio, A child of a good wit. Puer bona indole, or Puer bona indolis, A child of a good towardnes.
Qu. Can you not expreſſe the meaning of this rule in fewer words?
An. It may be ſhortly ſet downe thus: A noune ſubſtantiue betokening praiſe or diſpraiſe of a thing (the which commonly is perceiued by the adiectiue ioined with him) comming after a noune ſubſtantiue, or a verbe ſubſtantiue, may be put in the genitiue, or ablatiue caſe.
Qu. Now apply your examples vntounto the rule.
The examples applied.An. Puer boni ingenij. Héere the ſubſtantiue ingenij being a word of praiſe, is put in the genitiue caſe comming after the other noune ſubſtantiue puer by this rule. And in the other ſaying, Puer bono ingenio, the ſubſtantiue of praiſe ingenio, is put after the other ſubſtantiue puer in the ablatiue caſe by the ſame rule, bicauſe ſuch kind of ſubſtantiues in ſuch maner of ſpeaking, may be put either in the genitiue caſe, or elſe in the ablatiue.
Puer bona indole. Héere indole a ſubſtantiue of praiſe is put in the ablatiue caſe after the other ſubſtantiue puer by this rule. And in the other ſaieng puer bonae indolis, the ſubſtantiue of praiſe indolis, is put after the other ſubſtantiue puer in the genitiue caſe by the ſame rule, bicauſe that in ſuch like ſpeaking the ſubſtantiue of praiſe or diſpraiſe may be put in the ablatiue or genitiue caſe.
Subſtantiues vſually hauing only an ablatiue caſe.Qu. Let vsus now come vntounto the third kind of ſubſtantiues gouerning onelyonly an ablatiue caſe.
An. They are but two in number, namely, opus and vſus, and are in ſuch kinde of conſtruction vndeclined, that is hauing in all their caſes the ſame termination.
Qu. What are the words of your rule?
The example applied. Opus & vſus.An. Opus and vſus when they be latin for need, require an ablatiue caſe:Opus ſometime hath alſo a genitiue caſe, and ſometime an accuſatiue caſe, and vſus alſo an accuſatiue caſe, but this is very ſeldome. as Opus eſt mihi tuo iudicio, I hauehave need of thy iudgement, Viginti minis vſus eſt filio, My ſonne hath neede of twentie pounds.
Opus eſt mihi tuo iudicio. In this example iudicio is the ablatiue caſe, gouerned of opus by this rule.
Viginti minis vſus eſt filio. Héere is the ablatiue caſe, gouerned of vſus by this rule.
Sometime this word opus is taken for an adiectiue, and hath the ſignification of neceſſe, or neceſſarius, needfull, or neceſſarie, and then it may hauehave a nominatiue or an accuſatiue caſe to be conſtrued withall, and ſome other conſtruction alſo.