either pull out rectè or put in Grammaticè or vulgar Grammar would haue but an imperfect definition For rectè scribendi atque loquendi ars must run along with the custome and vse of speaking that was obserued by those ancient-Authors which I must confesse the vulgar Grammar aimeth at or else it should want all colour and authoritie but Quintilian that that 's more then ten Quintilians the very practise tels vs it hitteth not the marke of writing rightly God is my record I speake not this to depriue Grammar of her scholars for she hath her own worth and according vnto it should be respected but my humble Petition is that the old authentick Authors and chiefe Lords of Language our best and syncerest friends may not be thrust out of their owne patrimonie by those whose chiefest grace it is to be thought their followers They replyed Suppose that we will grant you that Authors-Latine is better then Grammar-Latine what proofes bring you that it is possible for you to help vs to a way to learne this better Latin that we may be assured that you can be as good as your promise Whereunto I againe made answer If I lay my grounds in that wherein all the Languages of the world agree and out of which no Languages haue perfect correspondence and vpon these grounds and foundations can erect a solid and compleate edifice doubtlesse it will be possible for me to help you to that way whereby I may performe what I haue promised And proceeding yet further I told them that the grounds of speech are laid in things in the meanings of which things all tongues meet Therefore as they are all the meanings of things so they are all the meanings of one another But if we will search vnto the depth for the rootes and elements of all these meanings we shall finde that farthest off they consist all in a point a little nearer in a point and in a right crooked line yet nearer in literall characters produced of these point and lines and nearer yet in syllables produced of these letters and yet somewhat nearer in words produced of these syllables And vpon this ground of words all ordinary wayes insist But they are not yet come to that which they pretend for no two languages in the world doe perpetually and infallibly meete in words wherefore we must go yet a step further till we come at our foundation which is layd in sense or meaning which consisteth not alwayes of simple words but now of simple now composed For as letters that are knit together make one character of this or that word so words knit together make one character of this or that sense These characters of sense are the nearest elements of speech vnderstandingly acknowledged by Cicero vnder the names of ioynts and members and are delivered vnto vs in their natiue formes and substances by Custome and Authoritie But Art amazed at the not well apprehended or ill distinguished magnitude of this substance matter or body of speech presuming of her owne abilitie of bringing vs a nearer way to Languages hath taken both matter and formes thereof torne them all in peeces of the formes she hath made a Grammar of the matter a Dictionarie and hath dispersed them amongst all nations for their seuerall vses in forreine languages And now euery nation desirous of a forrein tongue runs presently to Art to borrow these peeces and thinkes by her instruction to compose a perfect and well shaped body of speech in some desired forreine language But they are deceiued for first though Art know what similar parts as wee terme them as what nerves films flesh bones c. euery instrumentall member consisteth of yet she being vniuersall for all nations and all nations naturally varying the situation and position of these peeces or particles of members according to their owne natiue Idiom they must as not taught by Art any other variation lay all these peeces of forreine speech according to the situation of these peeces in their owne language Whereupon not to runne into France or Italy for an example a Welch-man not yet well grounded in our tongue speaking Welch-English bids vs here in England giue him bread white and meate fat after the native position of these peeces of speech in his language and is laught at for his labour In like maner an English man in Wales speakes English-Welch and bids giue him gwin barra and brasekige that is white bread and fat meate after his position of these peeces and is as much laught at there as they here and as worthily And this is not onely found in the English and Welch but in all other languages to be most ridiculous and yet no Grammar prouideth for this mischiefe nor indeed can it prouide vnlesse euery nation should make so many seueral Grammars of one and the same tongue as there are seuerall sorts of nations to communicate with it which were a very great and a voluminous inconvenience Againe in such members wherein two seuerall tongues may place these peeces of speech alike so that euery peece of the one be answerable to euery peece of the other both in place and signification the whole member put together in the one and the other tongue shall be good perfect sense in the one and no way vnderstood in the other language For though the words thereof be all by both tongues acknowledged yet being put together the one of these nations receiues the other disclaimes the member which is manifest between the English and the Italian For though un be an cavallo horse di of buon good metallo metall and An horse of good metall put together be good English yet the Italian vnderstands not vn cavallo di buon metallo to be Italian but disclaimes it Neither doth any Grammar remedy this particular nor indeede can remedy it vnlesse it draw all the proprieties of euery language of the world and apply them to it selfe in and for euery different language which would proue a greater inconvenience then the former If therefore we would not with Art fall vpō these deformities of mispeccing and mismembring languages we must rely wholy vpon Authoritie from whence euen Art her selfe was drawne though insufficient and to which when Art can say no more she oft referrs vs. Now if this Authoritie be so reduced by Analysis to practise that we neither teare in peeces or breake the members of speech nor hurt the ioynts or wheeles on which it runneth and then be made vp a new composition or method of writing after mine intention it shall not onely demonstrate the possibilitie of a way to learne this better Latin and thereby assure you that I can be as good as my promise but it shall also as I haue said in mine Appeale giue any man a reall power of writing rightly the first day he sets vpon it But vnderstand me this power is in my books and not in his braines that writeth till he
by dayly practise haue reduced this power of my books to an habit in himselfe And no doubt but an habit may this way in halfe the time be gotten that is spent in Grammar And then our habit is made in Latine-Latine the other in Grammar-Latine the differences whereof haue formerly been debated Neither shall wee in this Latine-Latine stand in need of rules of constructiō which Grammars for the most part giue or position and proprietie which they giue not for these fall all in sense and meaning wherein all the members and clauses of all Languages haue their meetings But they continue to obiect that Authoritie cannot affoord members for all senses To this I answer that senses clauses or members consist as well in forme as in matter In forme they are all in Authoritie otherwise Art had not found them being onely produced from Authoritie and therefore they occurre in my method out of Authors In matter they are also the most part there excepting some few names of things that fell not within the discourses of mine Authors or haue since their times been invented and these shall be affoorded by supplement which is also drawne out of authoritie And therefore I craue leaue to print these Authors with this supplement which some haue thought that I had neuer dreamed of but vpon their obiections made within these twelue months whereas I haue good testimonie of the thing begun and almost halfe done aboue these six yeares Moreouer euery sense may in one and the same tongue be many wayes altered in the words or clauses and yet produce alwayes the selfe same meaning Now as euery tongue hath this varietie so any or euery one of these varieties is not onely a due expression of that sense in one and the same tongue but also of all and euery particular variation of that sense in euery other language Otherwise the Poet should not be able to expresse himselfe Poetically both in other numbers and other frames formes of speech than are vsuall amongst Orators nor could Orators giue vs their meanings now in an humble now in a loftie now in a middle or other kindes or styles of writing And yet euery one of these can produce after his owne maner euery thing that may be spoken witnesse the Poets Quicquid conabor dicere versus erit And considering that all these wayes of expression fall within the limits of mine instrument either by authoritie or supplement I cannot so much as dreame of an impossibilitie of producing any thing that may be spoken Hereupon they further demaund Where are these Authors reduced to your method and where that supplement vnlesse you produce them say they you will neither be beleeued nor get your licence This were but hard measure said I considering so many presidents to the contrary There was a Patent and an Act of Parliament passed before the bringing of the New-riuer water from Ware to London and the like for cutting the passage of a riuer from Tame to Oxford Now if men that pretended good but to some parts of priuate Cities be thus fauoured it is not likely that I that pleade for euery mans posteritie yea his what ere he be that 's most against me as also in the behalfe of many nations and whole kingdomes and for those Authors that they so much desire and reuerence should be driuen to hazard both time labour and expences without some kind of assurance as well from his Maiestie as the Parliament that I shall not ruine both my selfe and others which haue herein ayded me Epecially considering how apt men are now adayes to snatch the bread out of other mens mouthes and to sell their labours to their owne profits and grow fat vpon them while those that sweat and groned to produce them perish with famine Which oftenest happens to poore students who are contented to be giuen to vnderstand that it is enough for them to haue the honour of their books in lieu of their labour time and charges and in the meane season are laught at as foolish Logitians that will lose the substance for so poore an accident But admit yet farther that after priuiledge granted I should not be able to performe what I intended there 's no mans reputation no mans time labour and expences lies at stake but mine So that if I performe it was well granted in that euery man shall reape the benefit if I perform not yet was it well granted in that it turnes to my iust punishment and therefore in my opinion I should not be vrged to a greater inconvenience as to bestow yet other foure or fiue hundred pounds to produce that which when it is produced giues me no more assurance of a priuiledge then at this present Then was it obiected that his Maiestie had alreadie confirmed a Patent granted for the Grammar and would admit of no other course of teaching Whereupon I demanded what hinderance the Goldsmiths priuiledge was to the Brasiers I desire not the suppression or hinderance of Grammar but the puritie of Latine Againe this Grammar was priuiledged to forbid all other Grammars but I seeke not to introduce another Grammar except we shall very improperly call it Cicero's Grammar My desire is only that such as are weary and would not or can no longer go by Grammar or are not desirous of Grammar-Latine might be admitted to an easie and profitable vse of Authors and to these Authors own way of teaching their own language without Grammar as being two sundry courses to two diuers ends For Authors cannot bring a man to Grammar-Latine nor Grammars vnto Authors Latine as is proued Nay further I find the Preface it selfe to this priuiledged Grammar to be more fauourable on my behalfe then this opinion for it sayes plainly that it is not amisse if one seeing by triall an easier and readier way than the common sort of teachers do would say what he hath proued and for the commodity allowed that other not knowing the same might by experience proue the like and then by proofe reasonably iudge the like not excluding by this priuiledged Grammar the better way when it is found out but in the meane season forbidding the worse Now I hauing by triall proued this way by Authors to be another and an easier and readier way than that of Grammar and allowing thereof for the infinite commoditie that I finde therein humbly intreate that I may be priuiledged to produce my bookes that may make others proue and iudge as I doe according to the intent of the fore-alledged Preface What proofe say they or demonstration can you bring vs of this way of yours I answered a two-fold proofe one of a power that these bookes bring to any man the first day to write rightly by them And another of this power reduced by an exercise to an habit of writing rightly without them Of the first kind in that this method holdeth in all Languages as well as in Latine take this Italian Letter translated
A PETITION TO THE HIGH COVRT OF PARLIAMENT In the behalfe of auncient and authentique Authors For the vniversall and perpetuall good of euery man and his posteritie Presented by IOSEPH WEBBE Dr. in Ph. Printed 1623. A PETITION TO THE HIGH COVRT OF PARLIAMENT In the behalfe of auncient and authentique Authors For the universall and perpetuall good of euery man and his posteritie ALiud est Grammaticè aliud Latine loqui is a distinction of a thousand fiue hundred and fortie yeares standing the Author is Quintilian and his sense is thus There are two sorts of Latine whereof one is Grammar-Latine and the other Latine-Latine By Latine-Latine I meane such as the best approued Authors wrote and left vs in their bookes and monuments of vse and custome By Grammar-Latine I vnderstand that Latine that we now make by Grammar rules the first intention of which rules and their collection out of that custome and those Authors was to make vs write and speake such Latine as that Custome and those Authors did which was Latine-Latine but it succeeded not Wherefore my Petition is to this high Court of Parliament not that Grammar should be questioned in that it is our old acquaintance and hath a long time been a ledger here amongst vs on the behalfe of these Authors but considering it is not able to giue vs Authors Latine that these Authors whom we seeme to haue so much respected in our Schooles and Vniversities coming themselues as it were in person and offering to dwell amongst vs may to their deserued honour and our desired benefit be now receiued priuiledged and admitted to tell their owne tales and teach vs their owne Latine This admittance of theirs haue I these eighteen yeares contriued and these fiue last yeares seriously solicited and cannot as yet find any way to compasse it without manifest danger of ruining my self and mine assistants vnlesse by fauour of this high and honorable Court I may be allowed father of mine owne children and Author of mine owne works and inuentions that is that no man else may print them or import them nor any man teach Languages by that method that I propose but such as I thinke fitting and that these priuiledges may continue for the space of 21 yeares after the publication of euery booke of this nature that shall be published within the terme of yeares before specified with prohibition that no man shall hereafter during that time attempt the same way in any other Author or Language without my speciall allowance Herein I haue not onely had the gracious eare of his Maiestie but Prince like encouragement of his Highnesse the assent of many of the Nobility and the fauourable desires and wishes of some of the greatest Scholars of this kingdome but especially of such whose ends and priuate respects led them not to a preiudicate opinion concerning it But whilst this hopefull beginning engaged me with full sayle to prosecute my first intention I found in the very maine of my businesse some secret Remora suddenly to stop my helplesse ship although the winds of my deuotion thereunto blew very strongly Whereupon not knowing who did hurt me or what might helpe mee I began to listen partly to mine owne surmises partly to what my friends suspected and partly to the mutterings of such as were incredulous for all these brought sundry obiections and demands to which I made these following answers most humbly submitting both my selfe and them vnto the censure and definitiue sentence of your Honorable Wisedomes whether I shall stop here and sinke for attempting to bring a benefit to your posteritie or set forward to effect what I pretended The first obiection was that it might be thought a great presumption and arrogancie in me to attribute so much vnto my selfe as to set vpon a new-found thing that for so many ages and amongst so infinite a number of learned men was never hitherto reflected on and therefore much to be suspected and demurr'd vpon This obiection I answered in mine Appeale to Truth in the Controuersie betweene Art and Vse published Anno 1622. and extant at the brazen Serpent in Pauls Church-yard to shew the opinions of the grauest Authors to this purpose and first what Grammarians thought one of another then what others thought of Grammarians and their Art and lastly what way they approued of to come to puritie of language This approued way go I which in the generalitie is theirs and none of mine nor is it new in that it hath beene euer since speaking was which was long before Grammar and is where no Grammar euer came and therefore may and will subsist subsist without her From whence it may be gathered that I am so far from being presumptuous or arrogant in putting on so publick and so great a benefit that I might rather haue been held negligent or envious in concealing it especially being a professor of letters and as it were one of the Parliament in the Common wealth of learning The second obiection was that though the generall way by custome and authoritie might be intimated by these Authors yet I could not excuse my selfe of presumption in the course I tooke vnto it in particular Whereunto I answered the any man might take the ground-work of this particular way frō Cicero who was the first that taught mee to divide the man or body of speech into the parts thereof knittings I meane not those eight sorts of parts whereof 4 are declined 4 vndeclined after the vulgar Grammar but after Cicero's Grammar into one sort of parts that is into clauses which are vndeclined Now if Cicero's Grammar that consists of one part of speech and that vndeclined were not much easier than that of eight parts and 4 declined and should not thereby rid vs of much labour and to better purpose I should not be so ready to embrace it But as for that which is built vpon this ground worke for the peculiar vse of euery man and the bringing of that into act which these graue men haue giuen vs hitherto but to contemplate that without presumption I call mine as the pipe of lead calls the water which it conveyes to many cisternes alwayes acknowledging the waters of all true vnderstanding to proceed onely from the eternall fountaine of all wisedome my Creator But seeming still to doubt of the possibilitie thereof they would often aske me Are you sure you know what you promise Is it possible to learne Latine without a Grammar Hereupon I shewed them Quintilians fore-alleaged distinction and then I replied thus It is not possible to learne Grammar-Latin without Grammar but it is possible to learne Latin-Latin that is the Latine that was in vse amongst the ancient Latines without Grammar And moreouer I told them that I thought the way to write and speake this last Latine was the true way rectè scribendi atque loquendi else Cicero and his equals wrote not rightly And I inferred that if this be true we must