A Short Introduction to Grammar, Concords
THE CONCORDS of Latine Speech.
FOr the due joyning of words in conſtruction, it is to be underſtood, that in Latine ſpeech there be three Concords: The firſt between the nominative caſe and the verb, The ſecond, between the ſubſtantive and the adjective, The third, between the antecedent and the relative.
The firſt Concord.
WHen an Engliſh is given to be made in Latine, look out the principal verb. If there be more verbs then one in a ſentence, the firſt is the principal verb, except it be the infinitive mood, or have before it a relative: as, that, whom, which: or a conjunction: as, Ut, that; Cùm when; Si, if; and ſuch others.
When ye have found the verb ask this queſtion, who, or what? and the word that anſwereth to the queſtion ſhall be the nominative caſe to the verb; except it be a verb imperſonal, which will have no nominative caſe. And the nominative caſe ſhall in making and conſtruing Latine be ſet before the verb; except a queſtion be asked, and then the nominative is ſet after the verb, or after the ſign of the verb: as, b Amas a tu? Loveſt thou? b Venítne a Rex? Doth the king come?
Likewiſe if the verb be of the Imperative mood: as, b Ama a tu, Love thou b Amato a ille, Let him love.
And ſometime when this ſign, it, or there, cometh before the Engliſh of the verb: as, b Eſt a liber meus, It is my book. a Venit ad meb quidam, There came one to me. And that caſual word which cometh next after the verb, and anſwereth to this queſtion whom? or what? made by the verb, ſhall commonly be the accuſative caſe: except the verb do properly govern another caſe after him to be conſtrued withall: as, Si cupisa placereb magiſtro, a utere b diligentiâ; nec ſis tantus b ceſſator, utb calcaribus a indigeas, If thou covet to pleaſe the maſter, uſe diligence: & be not ſo ſlack, that thou ſhalt need ſpurs.
A verb perſonal agreeth with his nominative caſe in number and perſon: as, a Praeceptor b legit, z vos verò b negligitis, The maſter readeth, and ye regard not. Where note, that the firſt perſon is more worthy then the ſecond, and the ſecond more worthy then the third.
Many nominative caſes ſingular, with a conjunction copulative coming between them, will have a verb plural; which verb plural ſhall agree with the nominative caſe of the moſt worthy perſon, as a Ego & tu b ſumus in tuto, I and thou be in ſafeguard. a Tu & pater b periclitamini, Thou & thy father are in jeopardy. a Pater & praeceptor b accerſunt te, Thy father and thy maſter have ſent for thee.
When a verb cometh between two nominative caſes of divers numbers, the verb may indifferently accord with either of them, ſo that they be both of one perſon: as, Amantium irae, amoris a redintegratio b eſt, The falling out of lovers is the renewing of love. a Quid enim niſi a vota b ſuperſunt? For wh…r remaineth ſave onelyonly prayers? Pectora percuſſit, a pectus quoque a robora b fiunt, She ſtroke her breaſt, and her breaſt turned into oak alſo.
Here note alſo, that ſometime the infinitive mood of a verb, or elſe a whole clauſe afore-going, or elſe ſome member of a ſentence may be the nominative caſe to the verb: as, a Diluculo ſurgere, ſaluberrimum b eſt, To riſe betime in the morning, is the moſt wholſome thing in the world. a Multum ſcire, vita b eſt jucundiſſima, To know much, is the moſt pleaſant (or ſweeteſt) life of all.
The ſecond Concord.
WHen ye have an adjective, ask this queſtion who? or what? and the word that anſwereth to the queſtion, ſhall be the ſubſtantive to it.
The adjective, whether it be a noun, pronoun, or participle, agreeth with his ſubſtantive in caſe, gender and number: as, Amicus b certus in a re b incerta cernitur, A ſure friend is tried in a doubtful matter, a Homo b armatus, A man armed. a Ager colendus. A field to be tilled. b Hic c vir, This man. b Meus a herus eſt, It is my maſter.
Where note, that the Moſculine gender is more worthy then the Feminine, and the Feminine more worthy then the Neuter.
Many ſubſtantives ſingular, having a conjunction copulative coming between them, will have an adjective plural; which adjective ſhall agree with the ſubſtantive of the moſt worthy gender: as, Rex & Regina, beati, The king & the queen are bleſſed.
The third Concord.
WHen ye have a relative, ask this queſtion who? or what? and the word that anſwereth to the queſtion, ſhall be the antecedent to it.
The antecedent moſt commonly is a word th… goeth before the relative, and is rehearſed again of the relative.
The relative agreeth with his antecedent in gender, number and perſon: as a Vir ſapit, b qui pauca loquitur, That man is wiſe that ſpeaketh few things, or words.
Sometimes the relative hath for his antecedent the whole reaſon that goeth before him, and then he ſhall be put in the neuter gender and ſingular number: as, a In tempore veni, b quod omnium rerum eſt primum, I came in ſeaſon which is the chiefeſt thing of all. But if the relative be referred to two clauſes or more, then the relative ſhall be but in the plural number: as, a Tu multùm dormis & a ſaepe potas, b quae ambo ſunt corpori inimica, Thou ſleepeſt much, & drinkeſt often, both which things are naught for the body.
When this Engliſh that, may be turned into this Engliſh which, it is a relative: otherwiſe it is a conjunction, which in Latine is called quòd, or ut, and in making Latine, it may elegantly be put away, by turning the nominative caſe into the accuſative, and the verb into the infinitive mood: as, Gaudeo a quòd tu bene b vales: Gaudeo a te bene b valere, I am glad that thou art in good health. Jubeo a ut tu b abeas: Jubeo a te • abire, I bid that thou go hence.
Many antecedents ſingular, having a conjunction copulative between them, will have a relative plural; which relative ſhall agree with the antecedent of the moſt worthy gender: as, a Imperium & aa dignitas b quae petîiſti, The rule and dignity which thou haſt required.
But in things not apt to have life, the neuter gender is moſt worthy: yea, & in ſuch caſe, though the ſubſtantives, or antecedents be of the maſculine or of the feminine gender, and none of them of the neuter; yet may the adjective or relative be put in the neuter gender: as, a Arcus & aa calami ſunt bona. The bow and arrows be good: a Arcus & aa calami b quae fregiſti, The bow and arrows which thou haſt broken.