The Grammar School, To the reader – Publishers advertisement
To the louing Reader.
CVrteous Reader, who tenderest the poore Countrey schooles, for which this labour hath beene vndertaken, or didst euer feele or know the wants in many of them, accept my vvilling minde for their good. And take this first impression as not set forth: but chiefely to the end, to hauehave store of copies, to goe to many learned wel-willers to the Worke, for their help: like as it hath heretofore, to sundry much reuerenced for their learning and wisedome. Of all whome, I humbly intreat their kinde assistance, for amending that which is amisse; by adding what is vvanting, cutting off whatsoeuer is superfluous, changing what is vnbefitting, and reducing eueryevery thing into the right order: That it may speedily come forth more plaine and perfect; and thereby, if not themselues, yet their friends may reape some benefit of their labours. For the liberty and boldnesse vsed in it, consider that it is but a Dialogue to incite and encourage others; as, I tooke it, farre more profitable and delightsom to reade, then a bare narration. All who are friendly and vnfained fauourers of good learning, will I hope thinke so of it. It shall wrong no man willingly: farre be that from mee. I will right them againe, so soon as I know it. Be the faults neuer so many, thorough my weaknesse and want of meete leasure (as they must needs bee the moe, by my absence from the Presse) yet time, I trust will reforme them. In the meane while, let my trauell and the good things weigh against the rest. For the length of it, remember for whome I write, euen the meanest teachers and learners: with whom though I sometime vse repetitions, I cannot bee ouer-plaine; sith they commonly get so little of short Treatises, be they neuer so learned. Consider also that I would hide nothing, which GOD hath vouchsafed mee in my search: that out of all, the most profitable may be selected, and in the meane time the best onelyonly vsed. And for the matter of the Dialogue, take it as that which is desired to be effected in time; and which I hope all shall finde, when once the helpes belonging hereunto, shall bee supplied and perfected.
Account this, but as a meere entrance into the worke: which if seuen yeares shall bring to perfection fully to accomplish that which is wished, I shall thinke my paines most happily bestowed, if GOD so farre forth prolong my daies. I seeke not my self: if I may do some little seruice to God and my Countrey, I hauehave enough. I oppose my selfe to none. Shew my ouersight in louelove, and I will amend it. I prescribe to none: no, not the meanest; but onelyonly desire to learne of all the learned, to help the vnlearned. In the worke I take nothing to my selfe, but the wants. What I receiued of others, I receiued to this ende; after full triall made of them to publish them for the common good. This I hauehave professed from the beginning of my trauell. I would also giuegive eueryevery one his due particularly, what I hauehave had of him; and will, if it shall bee thought meete. I hauehave promised nothing but my labour: that I hauehave and doe desire to performe to my abilitie and aboue. The vveaker I am, the fitter shall I bee to apply my selfe to the simplest: and the more honour God shall hauehave, if hee shall giuegive that blessing vntounto it, which I doe humbly begge. If any man shall oppose, and detract from these my labours; forasmuch, as hee shall therein (as I take it) shew himselfe an enemie to the common good of the present Age, and of all posteritie (the benefite whereof, as God is my witnesse, I hauehave intended principally in these my endeauours) I can but be sory, and pray for him.
Thine in Christ, I. B.
FOr the manner of proceeding vsed in this worke, it is prescribed in the Preface to the Reader, which is set before our common Grammar: where it, hauing shewed the inconuenience of the diuersitie of Grammars and teaching, doth direct thus;
Wherefore it is not amisse, if one seeing by triall an easier and readierway, then the common sort of Teachers doe, would say that he hath proued it, and for the commoditie allowed it; that others not knowing the same, might by experience proue the like, and them by proofe reasonable iudge the like: not hereby excluding the better way when it is found; but in the meane season forbidding the worse.
OF GRAMMATICALL Translations.
THere is a way (saith Mr. Askame) touched in the first booke of Cicero de Oratore, Mr Askame 1. Booke page 1which wisely brought into Schooles, truely taught, & constantly vsed would not onelyonly take wholly away that butcherly feare in making Latines, but would also with ease and pleasure, and in short time as I know by good experience, worke a true choise and placing of words, a right ordering of sentences, an easie vnderstanding of the tongues, a readinesse to speake, a facilitie to write, a true iudgement both of his owne, and other mens doings, what tongue so euer he doth vse.
This way, as he sheweth, is by causing the Schollar first to vnderstand the matter which he learneth: secondly, to construe truely: thirdly, to parse exactly: fourthly, to translate into English plainely: fiftly, to translate out of the English into the Latine of the Author againe: and so after to compare with the Author how neere he came vntounto it. Finally, by much translating both wayes, chiefely out of the English into Latine, as hee setteth downe in the beginning of his second booke; and hereby hee saw those strange experiments of the increase of learning, which hee reporteth of Mr. Iohn Whitney, and others. Now, whereas these things are very hard to bee performed in the common schooles; especially for lacke of time to trie and compare eueryevery schollars translation, and euer giuing them new peeces to translate, and those such as are meete for eueryevery forme; by the meanes of these translations of our first schoole Authors, all these things may bee performed in eueryevery Author and forme, most certainely and constantly, and with much ease and delight both to Maister and Schollars; as I trust will be found. The manner hereof I hauehave set downe in the 8. Chapter, and others following. Therfore since the time that God made these knowne vntounto mee (which was about some foure yeares agoe or not much aboue, vponupon the occasion of a late worthy experiment related vntounto mee, confirming the testimonie of Mr. Askam) I hauehave laboured in these translations aboue all other things, First, to finde out the Grammar rule of construing truely and perfectly, whereby to guide these translations, and wherevpon they chiefely depend: Secondly, to finde out the parricular vses and benefits of them: Thirdly, to finde out and set downe such directions, as whereby to frame the translations to serue for all the vses most plainely: Fourthly, to translate so many of our first Authors after the same manner, as since that time I hauehave had occasion for my schollars in each forme to reade: Fiftly, to hauehave certaine triall and experience of eueryevery thing, so much as in this time I could; and vponupon triall to commend them to Schooles, to help hereby to bring into Schooles that excellent way of learning, which hee so highly commendeth, and whereof I hauehave very great hope; and so by them a perpetuall benefit to all schooles and good learning: which I vnfainedly wish and pray for. (⸫)
Aduertisement by the Printer.
CVrteous Reader, whereas in the later end of this Booke it is signified in what forwardness the Authors translation of Sententiae Pueriles and Cato, are; take notice also that his booke entituled, The Poasing of the Accedence, is since come to my hands, and likely to come forth at the same time with Cato.