Rules of Construction in English Grammar, To the reader

Rules of Construction in English Grammar · To the reader

TO THE FRIENDLY READER concerning the profite of this booke.

Why this labor hath been taken in the Engliſh rules.NOT being altogither ignorant (right gentle Reader) of the ſlender capacitie of many yoong beginners in the Grammar ſchooles, hauing my ſelfe by the ſpace of twenty yeeres exerciſed the office of a poore Schoolemaſter, during the which time I hauehave had the triall of many wits, and finding by experience, that one and the ſelfeſame thing being often repeated in teaching, and as it were by ſmall drops instilled into the tender eares of the little Punies and Petites: yet by reaſon of the weaknes of their wits in thoſe yoong yeeres, it hath quickly paſſed away without any great profit, I hauehave wiſhed many times, that ſome good body would take pains for to lay open the rules of construction in our Engliſh Accidence, in ſuch a plaine and ready maner, as that the little ones, might as it were by themſelues eaſily conceiue of the meaning of the ſame, by the apt applying of eueryevery example vntounto his ſeuerall rule. For this being well performed, a ready way is opened to the more eaſie paſſing through the examining and parſing of ſuch lectures, as their teachers afterwards ſhall thinke good to read vntounto them. Which labour, bicauſe none hitherto hath entred vponupon, I my ſelfe in the vacation time of the twel… …aies (as they call it) hauehave taken vponupon me, and with God his help …niſhed the ſame. And I hauehave the rather made choiſe to deale with the Engliſh rules, bicauſe it is the firſt thing that the Accidentiaries do enter into, after they hauehave learned their eight parts of ſpeech, and as it were the foundation of all the rest of the Grammar building, the which being well laid, they ſhall be the better able to proceed to the vnderstanding of Latin Authors. And for as much as there lieth a great weight in the maner of teaching the yoong beginners the vnderstanding of theſe rules, which is chiefly to be attained by letting them familiarly and plainly ſee, how eueryevery example agreeth with his rule, I hope that I hauehave in ſuch ſort performed this point, as that the childe of meanest conceit, if he diligently read and marke this booke, may almoſt without any helpe of his master, be able of himſelfe, by the example, to ſhew the meaning of eueryevery rule, to eueryevery one that ſhall demand the meaning of the ſame. So that the long time, the which the master was woont to ſpend before, about the beating into their heads of the vnderstanding of their rules, may now be ſpent about other matters tending to their profit, and they themſelues, when as their masters words oftentimes were no ſooner in at the one eare, but that they were as quickly out againe at the other to his great griefe, and many times to their greater ſmart, when they were well whipped for their dulnes, may by the helpe of this booke opened and laid before them, hauehave ſuch a master as will at all times most gently and plainly teach them, if they will but vouchſafe to repaire and reſort vntounto him.

Paines ſpared to the ſchoolmaſter.The Schoolemaster then ſhall by this booke be eaſed of much paines, that he was forced to vſe before to little purpoſe, bicauſe that the ſound of his words ſtriking their eares for the time, was ſtreight waies forgotten: Eaſe to the ſcholler.and the ſcholler that carying away many a ſtripe for his dulnes and forgetfulnes was much diſcouraged, and not daring for feare to aske his master againe the thing which he told him twentie times before, may reſort hither, and without any blowes heare againe and againe the ſame thing euen ſo often as he list, the which neither time nor tediouſnes will ſuffer his master to repeate vntounto him.

EueryEvery father regarding the profit of his child.Yea eueryevery louing and carefull father for the profit of his ſonne, the which hath ſomtimes in his youth been a ſmatterer in Grammar, and now through continuance of time, and other buſines almost cleane forgotten the ſame, by vſing this booke, and queſtioning at ſpare times with his childe, when he commeth from the Grammar ſchoole, may partly increaſe his forlorne knowledge, and partly helpe forward by his riper wit, the tender vnderstanding of his little childe, and perceiue how he profiteth, ſo far foorth as concerneth the conceiuing of the meaning of eueryevery rule, by applying eueryevery example vntounto the ſame, to which purpoſe I dare boldly pronounce, that nothing is omitted, that any way cōcerneth the fitting of eueryevery example to eueryevery rule throughout the whole rules of construction, hauing framed my ſelfe to be as it were dunstically plaine, for the better vnderstanding of the yoong ones, vntounto whom nothing can be made too plaine, in which reſpect the learneder ſort will vouchſafe me their pardon, knowing that theſe paines were purpoſedly taken for the profit of the ſmall ones: yet it may be that ſame things are heere ſet downe, the which being well marked, may ſaue my master ſchollers of the higher forms now and then a ſcowring, and alſo make a way for them by themſelues to do the like to their great profit, in the applieng the examples of their latin Syntaxis, vntounto the rules of the ſame, the which will be the eaſier for them by the helpe of this booke, wherein they may behold the like to be performed in all the Engliſh rules, in which reſpect they will alſo be the willinger to hauehave the Engliſh Accidence bound with this, to aide them in the ſame.

This booke will further the ſale of the Engliſh Accidence.And by this meanes my friends the Printers of the Engliſh Accidence ſhall ſtand not a little beholding vntounto me, in as much as this Booke will be ſo far off from hindring the ſale thereof, as that it will cauſe the ſame to ſell much faster, euerie one minding to buie this, being deſirous alſo to hauehave that, to ioine with it, that they may the better confer the one with the other, and ſee in the Accidence the rule naked by it ſelfe ſeeming to be hard, heere made plaine by the example, to appeere most cleere and eaſie for the capacitie of the verie meanest, beſides that, for the marking of the order obſerued both in the one and the other, it ſhall be verie behoouefull to hauehave them both bound togither.

The commendation of the Grammar allowed by authoritie.Now if any curiouſly conceited, and giuen vntounto nouelties, liking better of the later, though darker deuiſes of others, then being content to vſe the more ancient and plainer Grammar of our owne, will demand of me, wherefore I did not rather bestow theſe paines vponupon the making familiar the Grammar precepts of ſome ſtranger, then in opening the rules of our owne Countriman: mine anſwer ſhall be, that concerning my ſelfe (vnderunder the correction of others be it ſpoken) I know none in this argument (all circumstances conſidered) to whom our Grammar allowed by publike authoritie, ought to yeeld one foote of ground, in regard of plainnes and eaſines, if it be rightly vnderſtood, and taught accordingly. And for the profitablenes of the ſame, if there were nothing elſe to be alleaged, but the great number of most excellent learned men, ſhining as notable lightes, both in the church, and alſo the commonwealth, yet might this in the iudgement of all wiſe men, ſeeme for to plead for the ſame ſufficiently. So that I would wiſh our owne auctorized Grammar ſo long to be publikely propounded in ſchooles vntounto youth, vntill theſe admirers of new things, can auouch ſo much profit to hauehave cōmen by their new deuiſes, as we know by experience to hauehave proceeded alreadie of this our old Grammar, wherein ſo many profitable inſtruments in the ciuill and church gouernment hauehave hitherto been trained.

Wherefore as I iudge our owne Grammar to be, if not more profitable, yet in eueryevery point as profitable as any others whatſoeuer, ſo hauehave I been heereby mooued to labor in it before in any other, What is performed in this booke.and in this part of it eſpecially, the which most concerneth the yoong beginners, for whoſe ſake I hauehave not onelyonly applied al the examples of al the rules of conſtruction in the Engliſh Accidence, to expreſſe the meaning of eueryevery ſeuerall rule, but hauehave alſo Engliſhed all the examples, which hitherto hauehave gone onelyonly in Latin, whereby the little ones may be much furthered.

And moreouer for their greater profit, I hauehave borrowed from the Latin Grammar ſo many rules, as I hauehave thought moſt conuenient and neceſſarie, and hauehave ſet them downe heere alſo in Engliſh in their ſeuerall places, as may well appeere vntounto ſo manie as binding the Engliſh accidence with this ſhall take pains to compare the rules of the one with the other. As many as ſhall reape commoditie heereby (as I hope all thoſe youthes eſpecially ſhall, the which with diligence ſhall be occupied in the ſame) let them giuegive vntounto God alone all the glorie, and in conſideration of my paines afoord me their earnest and faithfull praiers, that whilest I liue, I may alwaies carrie a minde continuallie to do good in his church and common-wealth, to his praiſe, and benefit of my countrie. From my ſtudie at Tunbridge the 14. of Ian. 1588.

Thy poore brother in Chriſt, vnfeinedlie tendring thy good, wherein he may: IOHN STOCKWOOD.

p. 1RVLES OF CONSTRVCTION made plaine for yoong beginners in the Grammar ſchoole.

Question.

WHat is next to be done, after that you hauehave once perfectly learned the eight parts of ſpéech ſet downe in your Accidence?

Anſwer. We do then commonly, and for the moſt part vſe to enter into the rules of conſtruction, that we may be able to learne ſome eaſy Autor in the Latin toong, méeteſt for the capacitie and vnderſtanding of yoong beginners.

Quest. To what end do theſe rules of conſtruction principally, and eſpecially ſerue?

The vſe of the rules of conſtruction.An. To teach which of theſe eight parts of ſpéech may moſt aptly and fitly in making of Latin, or conſtruing of Autors be ioined togither, and agrée the one with the other in ſome certaine properties, or elſe be gouerned and as it were ruled the one of the other.

Rules of concord and rules of gouerning.Qu. It ſéemeth then by this your anſwer, that for teaching ſake, all your rules of conſtruction may be in ſuch ſort diuided, as that they may be referred vntounto either concord and agréeing, or elſe vntounto ruling and gouernment.

An. So it is indéed, and ſo far foorth as is ſufficient for the Punies and Petites in the Grammar ſchoole to know, reſeruing the more curious diuiſions for ſuch as are of riper and further yéeres.

Qu. Tel me therefore, how many things are chiefly to be marked in theſe your Engliſh rules of conſtruction?

Two things to be marked in construction.An. There are two things eſpecially to be regarded and conſidered.

Qu. What are they?

An. The concord and agréeing of words togither: and the gouerning or ruling one word of another.

p. 2Qu. What call you a Concord?

What a concord is.An. A Concord is the agréeing and ioining togither of two Latin words at the leaſt, in certaine conditions and properties, the which of the Grammarians are called accidents, as of the verbe perſonall and his nominatiue caſe, in number and perſon: of the ſubſtantiue and the adiectiue, in caſe, gender, and number: of the relatiue and antecedent, in gender, number and perſon.

Qu. How many concords are there?

Three concords properly.An. There be thrée concords.

Qu. Which be they?

An. The firſt, betwéene the nominatiue caſe and the verb: the ſecond, betwéene the ſubſtantiue and the adiectiue: the third, betwéene the antecedent and the relatiue. VntoUnto theſe ſom do adde two other, that is, two ſubſtantiues, when they be ioined togither in one caſe: and the agréeing togither of the word that aſketh a queſtion, and the word that anſwereth vntounto the ſame queſtion, the which they call the interrogatiue and his redditiue. But bicauſe theſe are not ſo properly concords, we will follow our owne Accidence, and content our ſelues with the thrée firſt named.

Qu. Wherefore were theſe concords at the firſt inuented?

The vſe of the concords.An. They do ſerue (as we are taught in the very firſt words of our Engliſh rules) to learne vsus how to ioine words duly and orderly togither in conſtruction.

Qu. Is there then any order to be kept in the ioining of words togither in conſtruction?

What order is to be kept in construing.An. If there be a vocatiue caſe in the ſentence, you muſt firſt begin your conſtruing with it, next muſt follow the nominatiue caſe with ſuch other words as are to be ioined with it: after the nominatiue caſe commeth the principall verbe with ſuch words in the ſame ſentence as he doth gouerne, or do depend vponupon him, wherewith by the helpe of your maſter, and often practiſe in conſtruing you ſhall eaſily be acquainted.

Qu. What is firſt to be done then in turning an Engliſh into Latin, or in conſtruing of your leſſon?

The principall verbe.An. Firſt of all the principall verbe muſt be ſought out, bicauſe without the verbe the ſentence is vnperfect.

Qu. How ſhall you find out the principall verbe?

p. 3How he is to be found out.An. Our booke doth teach vsus, that if there be but one verbe in the ſentence, the ſame is the principal verbe: but if there be more verbs than one in the ſentence, the firſt is the principall verbe, except it be the infinitiue moode, or hauehave before it a relatiue, as that, whom, which, and in Latin qui, quae, quod: or a coniunction, as vt, that, cum, when, ſi, if, and ſuch others: or elſe ſome aduerbe of wiſhing, as vtinam, I would to God, o, ſi, ô that, and ſuch like.

Qu. After that you hauehave the principall verbe, what muſt next be done?

The nominatiue caſe.An. I muſt ſéeke out his nominatiue caſe, vnles it be a verbe imperſonall, which will hauehave no nominatiue caſe.

Qu. By what meanes may the nominatiue caſe be found out?

How he is to be found out.An. By aſking this queſtion who, or what: for the word that anſwereth to this queſtion, ſhall be the nominatiue caſe to the verbe.

Qu. Shew me this by ſome example.

An. When I ſay in Engliſh: God is good, if I would know which word in this ſentence is the nominatiue caſe, I ſhal find it by putting this queſtion who, or what before the verbe is, after this maner, ſaying, who, or what is good, and the anſwer is, God, the which héerby I know to be the nominatiue caſe: ſo in this ſentence, Good ſchollers vſe diligence, if I aſke, who vſe diligence, the anſwer is, Good ſchollers, which is the nominatiue caſe. And ſo foorth in the like.

Qu. How muſt the nominatiue caſe be placed in making or conſtruing of Latin?

The ordinarie place of the nominatiue caſe in conſtruction.An. He muſt be ſet next before the verbe, except a queſtion be aſked.

Qu. What if a queſtion be aſked?

1 The firſt exception altering the place of the nominatiue caſeAn. Then the nominatiue caſe is to be ſet after the verbe, or after the ſigne of the verbe.

Qu. Shew me this by the examples ſet downe in your Accidence?

An. Amas tu, louest thou? In this queſtion the word tu, thou, being the nominatiue caſe, is ſet after the verbe Amas. In the other example, venitne rex, doth the king come? the word rex, the king, being the nominatiue caſe, is in the Engliſh ſet p. 4after this word doth, which is in this place the ſigne of the verbe come.

Qu. How ſhall I know the ſigne of the verbe, from the verb it ſelfe?

How the ſigne of the verbe is to be knowen from the verb it ſelfe.An. That is well aſked of you, bicauſe it is not expreſſed in the Accidence, and yet may be ſome trouble vntounto a yoong beginner.

Qu. Let me ſée then what you can anſwer vntounto this queſtiō.

An. There be diuers words in Engliſh, the which ſometimes are ſignes of a verbe, and ſomtimes they are verbs themſelues.

Qu. Which be they?

Words that ſomtimes are ſignes of the verbe, and ſomtimes verbs themſelues, and when they be ſo, or not ſo.An. Theſe among the reſt: Do, doest, doth, did, diddest, hauehave, hast, hath, had, haddest, ſhall, ſhalt, will, wilt, may, can, might, would, ſhould, ought, oughtest, am, art, are, was, wast, bin, be, and ſuch like, the which being ſet before other verbs, are but ſignes of the verbe, and ſomtimes are tokens of the tenſe of the verbe, and ſomtimes are tokens of the voice of the verbe, as namely whether he be actiue, paſſiue, or neuter. And ſometimes they are verbs themſelues, and that for the moſt part, being ſet alone.

Qu. GiueGive me one or two examples of this, and ſo ſhall I know that you vnderſtand what you ſay.

An. When I ſay in Engliſh, I do louelove, thou doeſt louelove, he doth louelove, &c. theſe words do, doest, doth, are ſignes of the verbe louelove, and tokens of the preſent tenſe. But in theſe ſayings, I do, thou doest, he doth, theſe words, do, doest, doth, are verbes themſelues, and the like is to be ſaid of all the reſt for the moſt part.

Qu. Are there no more exceptions cauſing the nominatiue caſe to be ſet after the verbe?

An. Yes, there are two other.

Qu. Rehearſe them.

2The ſecond exception altering the place of the nominatiue caſeAn. If the verbe be of the imperatiue moode, the nominatiue caſe ſhall be ſet after the verbe, or after the ſigne of the verbe, as Ama tu, louelove thou, where the nominatiue caſe, tu, thou, is ſet after the verbe ama, louelove. Amato ille, let him louelove, in which example the nominatiue caſe ille in Latin, is ſet after the verbe amato, and in Engliſh after this word let, being the ſigne of the imperatiue moode, before the verbe louelove.

Qu. What is the third exception?

p. 53The third exception altering the place of the nominatiue caſeAn. Sometime when this ſigne it, or there, commeth before the Engliſh of the verbe, the nominatiue caſe ſhall be ſet after the verbe: as Eſt liber meus, It is my booke, where this word liber, booke, is ſet after the verbe eſt, is, bicauſe this ſigne it is placed before the verbe. Againe, Venit ad me quidam, There came one vntounto me, in which example, quidam, one, is ſet after the verbe venit, came, bicauſe this ſigne there commeth before it.

Words placed one way in Latin, and another way in construing the ſame into Engliſh.Further it is to be noted, that oftentimes in Latin the nominatiue caſe for elegancie ſake is ſet after the verbe, with a far better grace than it could be ſet before the verbe, the which notwithſtanding in conſtruing of the ſame into Engliſh, is to be ſet before the verbe.

Qu. You hauehave ſaid that the word the which in conſtruing commeth before the verbe, is the nominatiue caſe, and that his moſt vſuall place is to be ſet before the verbe: but what caſe ſhall that word be, the which in Latin making, and in conſtruing commeth next after the verbe?

The vſual place of the accuſatiue caſe.An. If it be a caſuall word, that is, ſuch a word as is declined with caſe, and anſwereth to this queſtion whom, or what, made by the verbe, it ſhall commonly be the accuſatiue caſe, vnles the verbe do require ſome other caſe to be gouerned withall, as Deum cole, Worſhip God. Aſke this queſtion whom or what, ſaying, Worſhip whom, you anſwer God, which héereby you know to be the accuſatiue caſe.

Qu. Yea but you ſaid (me thought) Deum cole, where the word Deum, which you ſay ſignifieth God, and is alſo the accuſatiue caſe, the which ſhould follow the verbe, is placed notwithſtanding (as you ſée) before the verbe.

Note.An. Albeit that in the words as they ly in Latin, Deum be ſet before the verbe cole, yet in conſtruing it commeth after the verbe, as cole, worſhip thou, Deum, God. And héere you muſt marke that like as many times in Latin (as it was ſaid immediately before) the nominatiue caſe is ſet after the verbe, and yet in conſtruing is to be placed before the verbe: ſo contrarywiſe the accuſatiue caſe is often in Latin ſet before the verbe, when as notwithſtanding in conſtruing it muſt be placed after the verbe.

Qu. Now recite the example of your booke, where the word following the verbe, is not the accuſatiue caſe, but is put in p. 6ſome other caſe, and ſhew me withall the reaſon of the ſame.

An. Si cupis placere magiſtro, vtere diligentia, nec ſis tantus ceſſator, vt calcaribus indigeas. If thou couet to pleaſe the master, vſe diligence, and be not ſo ſlacke (or ſo great a ſluggard) that thou ſhalt need ſpurres.

Pleaſe, Whom? The maſter. Vſe, What? diligēce. Need, What? ſpurs,In this example there be thrée ſeuerall caſuall words, following thrée ſeuerall verbs, and anſwering to the queſtion whom or what to be made by the verbe (as placere magiſtro, pleaſe the master, vtere diligentia, vſe diligence, calcaribus indigeas, need ſpurres ) and yet neither of them are the accuſatiue caſe, but magiſtro, the datiue caſe, bicauſe placere will hauehave a datiue caſe, diligentia the ablatiue caſe, bicauſe vtere will hauehave an ablatiue caſe, calcaribus alſo the ablatiue caſe, bicauſe the verbe indigeas doth gouerne an ablatiue caſe, by ſuch rules as follow héerafter. And the like is to be anſwered for other caſuall words in this maner following after verbs, and yet being not put in the accuſatiue, but in ſome other caſes.