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the
ENGLISH-SAXON
GRAMMAR.

Rammar is the Art of Speaking and Writing, truly and properly. Speaking we use certain Signs, which are necessary to discover our Thoughts to one another. These Signs, are Sound, and Voice.

But besides, Sound, and Voice, by which we are able to converse with one another when present; There are other Signs have been invented, where these Sounds cannot be heard, to supply the want of them in such manner, as that we may both converse with one another at a distance, and communicate our Thoughts to future Ages.

The first of these Signs belongs properly to Speech, of unwritten Discourse. The latter are made use of in Writing.

Hence the Greeks, from whom we receiv’d the first Rudiments of this Art, have deliver’d down to us the 2 Names of these Signs in the Word γράμματα, from γράφω*, I write. The Latins in their Litera, from Lino, I mark, or draw a stroke: The Art itself the Greeks exprest by γραμματικὴ, the Latins by Grammatica and Literatura: Nor were our Saxon Ancestors destitute of a proper Term of Art whereby to express it, which we find in the Word Stæfcræft.

Voice and Sound, are either Articulate and Intelligible, such as are used by rational Creatures: or Inarticulate and Confused, such as we observe in Brutes or irrational Creatures to express their Inclinations and Desires.

The first of these the Saxons called andgıtfullıc stemn; that is, a Sound, that may be fully and distinctly understood: For instance, Arms and the Man I sing.

The other gemencged stemn, a mixed, or confused Sound, by which our understanding of any thing is not so clear and distinct. As the lowing of an Ox, the neighing of a Horse, or the barking of a Dog.

* I cannot but bere observe the Similitude between this Word γράφω, and the Saxon agrafene, Exod. ch. xx. v. 4. translated by Ælfric: The Text runs thus, Ne wẏrc þu þe agrafene Godas. Work not thou for thy self Graven Gods. It is very remarkable, that the Saxon Church in that Age, at least the good Archbishop Ælfric, were not for stifling this Passage.

Of Letters.

A Letter in Saxon stæf, is the least part of any Book or Writing, and cannot be divided. A Book or Writing may be divided into Words, S. cwẏdas, those Words into Parts, S. dælas, those Parts into Syllables, S. stæf gefegas, and after­wards Syllables into stafas Letters. Beyond this there is no farther Division. In 3 each Letter may be consider’d, its Name, S. Nama, its Figure, or Shape, S. hıw, the same as our hue, its Power, S. mıht, i.e. what Power Letters have being join’d together with one another.

The Saxon Language hath three and twenty Letters, which are thus described.

Name.	Figure.		Power.
A	A vowel.	a	A	a
Be	B	b	B	b
Ce	C	c	C	c
De	D	d	D	d
E	E vowel.	e	E	e
Ef	F	f	F	f
Ge	G	g	G	g
Ha	H	h	H	h
I	I vowel.	ı	I	i
Ka	K	k	K	k
El	L	l	L	l
Em	M	m	M	m
En	N	n	N	n
O	O vowel.	o	O	o
Pe	P	p	P	p
Er	R	r	R	r
Es	S	s	S	s
Te	T	t	T	t
V	U vowel.	u	V	u
Double u	W	w	W	w
Ics	X	x	X	x
Y	Ẏ Gr. vowel	ẏ much used in the Saxon.	Y	y
Za	Z	z	Z	z
Æ	Æ	æ	Æ	æ
Th	Ð Þ	þ ð	Th	th
That			That	that
And		&		and

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These Letters are divided into Vowels and Consonants.

A Vowel is a Letter that yields a Sound of itself, without having need of any other Letter to be join’d with it.

There are five Vowels, S. clẏpıgendlıce, or sẏlf swegende, a, e, ı, o, u. ẏ, is Greek, though very much used in Saxon. It is very natural here to take notice of the Agreement there is between the German, or High-Dutch, and Anglo-Saxon, in their happy expressing the Grammatical Terms by Words of their own. I shall now and then give an Instance both from the modern German, and from the old Francick or Teutonick. What the Saxons called sẏlf swegende, sounding alone, i.e. Vowel, the Germans now write it ‡Selbstlautende.

‡ See Mr. King’s Compleat English Guide for the High-Germans, p. 2.

The Consonants, S. samod swegende, Germ. Mitlautende, sounding together, are such Letters, as to render their Sound, must needs be join’d with one of the five Vowels; these are either Semi-Vowels, S. healf clẏpıgende, half Sounding, or Mutes, S. dumbe.

The Semi-Vowels, so called because they have not so full a Sound as the five Vowels, are these seven, f, l, m, n, r, s, x; the first six, ef, el, em, en, er, es, begin with the Letter e, and end the Sound in themselves; x, ıcs, alone beginneth with the Vowel ı.

The Mutes, so named because they make but a little Sound, they are these six, b, c, d, g, p, t, these begin of themselves, and end in the Vowel e, as, be, ce, de, ge, fe, te; h, and k, and z, end in a, as, ha, ka, za.

A Syllable stæf gefeg, is that which gives a Sound, by a single Letter, or by many Letters join’d together. 5 G Out of Syllables Words are made. Words make up Speech or Discourse.

Words are distributed into several kinds, which are called the Eight Parts of Speech.

Noun, Nama.

Pronoun, Naman spelıend; instead of, or supplying the Place of a Noun.

Verb, Word; which compleats its own Signification, with a full Sense or Meaning.

Participle, Dælnımend; Part taking, taking part from a Noun, and part from a Verb.

Adverb, Wordes gefera; that which is join’d with a Verb, but has no meaning consider’d alone.

Conjunction, Geðeodnẏs, or Gefegıncg; it signifies nothing of itself, but joins together Nouns or Verbs.

Preposition, Foresetnẏs; Placing before, and it serves either a Noun or Verb, always standing before them.

Interjection, Betwux aworpennẏs; it lies between other Words, and denotes the Commotions of the Mind.

Of these eight kinds of Words, four are varied, by different Terminations or Endings, which is called declining, S. declınunge*; the other four, without any Variation, are always found the same.

* This is a Latin Word Saxonized, for which they likewise used gebegung, or gebẏgung, bowing, or inflexion.

These several kinds of Words, with their peculiar Variations and Circum­stances, shall be consider’d each in its proper place.

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And first of Nouns.

A Noun, S. Nama, is a word by which we name any thing, and by which one thing is distinguish’d from another; and these Names are such as express the several kinds of things, or the Singulars and Individuals of each kind.

The first of these are called Appellatives, or common Names, Gemænelıce*, as a Man, a Horse, a Dog; as Man is the common Name to every human Creature, and Horse to all of that kind, &c.

* Germ. Specie Gemein, as of the word Man, ’tis said, Bekomt allen Menschen insgemein. See Mr. King’s Compleat English Guide for High-Germans.

For the other, namely the Singulars or Individuals, Sẏnderlıce‡; by these Particulars of each kind are distinguished from one another; or else we may say, that this or that general Name is restrain’d, to this or thar particular Thing or Person; as amongst Men, when we say William, or Edward, we distinguish the single Person William, from that single Person Edward. So likewise when we say St. Paul’s, or St. Peter’s Church, we restrain the common Notion of Church to signifie this particular Church that is called St. Paul’s, or that particular Church which is called St. Peter’s. The Words by which such common and general Words and Names are thus limited and restrain’d, the Grammarians call proper Names.

‡ Germ. Sonderlichen Nahmen, ibid.

Nouns may be consider’d either as giving Name or Signification to a thing, without any other relation or regard, or else as they include some necessary Relations and Circum­stances, which cou’d not be understood or signified without joining them to one of the former.

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These Self-significant Names, or independent, are stiled Nouns Substantives, Spedıglıce.

The other, which always declare some Quality, Circum­stance, or Relation, are called Nouns Adjectives, Names gefera.

An Instance of the first may be in this Noun Substantive Man, or Church, where nothing more is consider’d, than what is barely understood by the word Man, or Church.

An Instance of the second, viz. a Noun Adjective, is when somewhat is added to the Signification of the Noun Substantive, as when we say of Man, a good or virtuous Man, of the Church, holy Church, Church universal.

Concerning Nouns, these Things farther may be consider’d.

• 1. Case.
• 2. Gender.
• 3. Number.
• 4. Article.

Of the Eight Parts of Speech above-mentioned, it hath been observ’d, that four are subject to variety of Termination or Ending, and are said to be declined; the others are not declined. Of the four first, three, namely, Noun, Pronoun, Participle, are declined with Cases, On gebıgum. Verb, is declined by Moods, On gemetum, or, On þære spræce wıgon, S.

The Cases of Nouns are Six.

1. Nominative, i.e. Nemnıgendlıc, S.	With this we name every thing, as, this Man lives.
2. Is Genitive, Gestrınendlıc, S. or, Geagnıendlıc.	By this we signifie the producing or owning any thing, as, this Man’s Son, ðẏses Mannes Sunu; or this Man’s Horse, ðıses Mannes Hors.
8 3. Dative, Forgıfendlıc.	By this we signifie the giving: or bestowing any thing; I give this Man a Horse, ðısum Mann ıc forgıfe Hors.
4. Accusative, Wregendlıc, S.	With this is declared how Men speak concerning any thing, as, this Man I accuse, þısne Mann ıc wrege; this Man I love, þısne Mann ıc lufıge; this thing I perceive or apprehend, ðıs þıncg ıc gelæhte.
5. Vocative, Clẏpıgendlıc oððe Gecẏgendlıc.	With this we call upon any Thing, or Person, as, O thou Man speak to me, eala þu Mann sprec to me.
6. Ablative, Ætbredendlıc	By this is declared, what we take or receive from others, or from whence we go, as, from this Man I received Money, fram ðısum Mann ıc underfeng feoh; I rode from the City, fram ðıese Bẏrıg ıc rad.

Of Genders.

BY Genders, S. Cẏnn, the Names of things are distinguish’d according to their Sex, whether Masculine, S. Werlıc, that is He, or Feminine, S. Wıflıc, that is She; and tho’ every thing is properly comprehended under one or the other of these Genders; yet the Grammarians, for some Reasons that shou’d favour their Art, have invented a Term which expresses neither kind, which is called Neuter, S. Naðor cẏnd.

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Of Number.

THere be two Numbers, the Singular, Anfeald Getel, and the Plural, Mænıgfeald Getel; sometimes there is a Dual, and this is a Circum­stance both of Nouns and Verbs, as, Ic ræde, I read, we rædað, we read.

Of the Articles.

AS the Greeks and other Nations have had their Articles placed before their Nouns, so the Saxon Tongue hath used hers, both with Skill and Beauty. These are naturally to be consider’d according to their Cases or Endings, before we treat of the Nouns.

	Singular Number.		Plural Number.
Nom.	de, ὁ seo ἡ, þat & þæt, τό.		Ða, οἱ, αἱ, τά.
Gen.	Þæs, þære, þas & þæs.		Þæra.
Dat.	Þam, þære, þam.		Þam.
Acc.	Þone, þa, þat & þæt.		Þa.
Abl.	Þam, þære, þam.		Þam.

Se, seo, þat, are not only placed before Appellatives, or common Names, but also before proper Names, and Individuals, as, se Man, the Man, seo Wıfman, the Woman, se Iohannes, John, seo Æþelflede, Ethelfleda.

The Agreement between the Anglo-Saxon, the old Francick, and the present German, may be seen in Dr. Hickes’s Francick Grammar, Chap. 2. De Articulis, p. 10.

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Of Nouns Substantives.

NOuns Substantives have Six Declensions.

First Declension.

	Singular.		Plural.
Nom.	Smið, a Smith.		Smıðas, Smiths.
Gen.	Smıðes, of a Smith.		Smıða, of Smiths.
Dat.	Smıðe, to the Smith.		Smıðum, to the Smiths.
Acc.	Smıð, the Smith.		Smıðas, the Smiths.
Voc.	Eala þu Smıð, O thou Smith.		Eala ge Smıðas, O ye Smiths.
Abl.	Smıðe, from the Smith.		Smıðum, from the Smiths.

For Smıðas, the Dano-Saxons writ Smıðes, in the Nominative Plural.

Second Declension.

	Singular.		Plural.
Nom.	Wıtega, a Prophet.		Wıtegan, Prophets.
Gen.	Wıtegan.		Wıtegena.
Dat.	Wıtegan.		Wıtegum.
Acc.	Wıtegan.		Wıtegan.
Voc.	Eala þu Wıtega.		Eala ge Wıtegan.
Abl.	Wıtegan.		Wıtegum.

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The Third Declension.

	Singular.		Plural.
Nom.	Andgıt, Understanding.		Andgıtu, -ta, -to
Gen.	Andgıtes.		Andgıta.
Dat.	Andgıte, -ta.		Andgıtum.
Acc.	Andgıt.		Andgıtu.
Voc.	Eala pu Andgıt.		Eala ge Andgıtu.
Abl.	Andgıte.		Andgıtum.

The Fourth Declension.

	Singular.		Plural.
Nom.	Word, a Word.		Word, -de, -da.
Gen.	Wordes.		Worda.
Dat.	Worde.		Wordum.
Acc.	Word.		Word.
Voc.	Eala þu Word.		Eala ge Word.
Abl.	Worde.		Wordum.

So Bearn, Cıld, and Wıf, make in the Plural Number, Bearn, Cıld, and Wıf.

The Fifth Declension.

	Singular.		Plural.
Nom.	Wıln, a Maiden.		Wılna, -ne, -no, -nu.
Gen.	Wılne.		Wılna.
Dat.	Wılne.		Wılnum.
Acc.	Wıln.		Wılna.
Voc.	Eala þu Wıln.		Eala ge wılna.
Abl.	Wılne.		Wılnum.

So Swustor, and Sweostor, a Sister, make in the Plural, Swustra, Sweostra, Gesweostra, Sisters.

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The Sixth Declension.

	Singular.		Plural.
Nom.	Sunu, a Son.		Suna.
Gen.	Suna.		Suna.
Dat.	Suna, -nu.		Sunum.
Acc.	Suna, -nu.		Suna.
Voc.	Eala þu Sunu.		Eala ge Suna.
Abl.	Sunu.		Sunum.

Mr. Thwaites adds a Seventh.

	Singular.		Plural.
Nom.	Freo, -eoh, a Free Man.		Freos.
Gen.	Freos		Frea.
Dat.	Freo.		Freum.
Acc.	Freo, -eoh.		Freos.
Voc.	Eala þu Freoh		Eala ge Freos.
Abl.	Freo.		Freum.

The whole Variety of declining Noun Substantives, may be reduced to these seven Rules of Declension, except these few following which are not so regular; as, Fæder, Father, seldom alters in the Singular Number, but in the Plural it follows the Rule of the first Declension. Indeed the Dano-Saxons have it Fædores, in the Genitive Singular. Gescẏ, Shoes; Modor, -er, Mother; Broþor, -er, Brother, are not declined; unless that Broþor, in the Plural Number, may be referr’d to the third Declension. But Boc, a Book, Bec, Books; Fot, a Foot, Fet, Feet; Man, a Man, Men, Men; Lus, a Louse, Lẏs, Lice; Mus, a Mouse, Mẏs, Mice; Cu, a Cow, Cẏ, Cows; Toþ, a Tooth, 13 H Teþ, Teeth, (sometimes ‘tis read Toþas;) Gos, a Goose, Ges, Geese: With the Number change the Vowel; Cealf, a Calf, and Æg, an Egg, make in the Plural Ægru, Eggs, Cealfru, Calves.

Nouns Substantives are either Simple or Compound; Hıwe, a Family, Gedale, Division, Hıwe-gedale, the Separation of a Family. There is a great Variety of Compound Nouns, a very copious Instance of which we have in this Description of Noah’s Ark by Cædmon, Mere-hus, a Sea House, Wudu-fæsten, a wooden Castle, Mere-cıeste, a Sea Chest, Sund-reced, a swimming Hall, Wæg-bord, a floating Tabernacle, Wæg-þele, a floating Chamber, Stream-wealle, a Wall against the Stream, Hrof-gefor, a moveable Covering, or Roof. From which Instances, and an almost innumerable Company of others, that might be added, some of which will be occasionally disperst here and there in this Treatise; it appears that the Charge against all the Northern Languages, which is made by some, of their being made up of nothing else but of harsh Consonants and Mono­syllables, without any beautiful Composition of Words, is very unjust, and is urged by those who speak of them in this sort, as by Men who talk at random, and who are altogether ignorant of the Matter. The Terminations of Substantives are very numerous, it may not however be amiss here to note some of the most common.

Some end in dom or dome, which denotes Power, or Office, or some Quality or Condition of Life, either with Authority or Jurisdiction, or without it; as, Cẏnedome, the Power and Authority of a King, as also the Place in which he exercifes that Power; in English Kingdom.

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Bısceopdom, the Power and Office of a Bishop, Bishopdom.

Wısdom, Prudence, Wisdom.

Freodom, a State of Liberty, Freedom; of the same kind are these still retain’d in common use.

Popepom, Dukedom, Christendom, Thraldom, &c. Agreeable to this Termination in dom, is the Francick duom and tuom, as from Rih, a King, Rihtuom, a Kingdom, from Her, a Lord, Hertuom, Dominion or Lordship, Wisduom, Wisdom, Jungarduom, the Stare or Relation of a Youth towards his Tutor.

Others end in rıc, or rıce, which signifies Power or Office; as,

Cẏnrıc, Kingdom.

Bısceoprıce, Bishoprick, which word we still retain in the Bishoprick of Durham.

Not a few end in had, or hade, as Preosthade, the Condition or Office of a Priest, &c.

Munuchade, the State of a Monk. Hence is deduced our Termination head, as Godhead, Manhed, which we meet with in Gawen Douglas Pref. to Virg. p. 9. l. 4.

Hence also our hood, as from Cıld-had, Child-hood, Cnıht-hade, Knight-hood. To this a Resemblance is born by the Francick heyd and hed, as Christan-heyd, Christianity, Heyder-hed, Brightness, Heusc-heyd, Civility. So Brotherhood, Neighbourhood.

And to this Class probably may be refer’d the Notation of the words Alodium and Feudum, so much controverted amongst Lawyers. Alodium, i.e. Allhade, or Allhode, signifying the free and perpetual Inheritance and Possession of an Estate, without any Service and Incumbrance. Feodum, or Feudum, Feohade, an Estate held under the Dominion of some superior Lord for a limited time, on Performance of certain Services and Conditions, as 15 H2 Mr. Somner conjectures: But Dr. Hickes seems better to derive the word from the Scano-Gothic lod, or lwd. See his Francick Grammar, p. 90.

Some Substantives end in scẏr and scẏre, which denotes Præfecture, Care, Office, Business and Employment; as Geferscẏr, Fellowship, Tunscẏre, the Office or Employment of a Steward. The Footsteps of this Termination, are perhaps to be found in the word Englishery, Englischeria, a word well known in Bracton and Fleta, signifying the Birth-right or Condition of an Englishman. Nor is it altogether improbable by an easy Transposition of this Termination scẏre, to derive the ending of several of our Words in RY, as, Yeomanry, Husbandry, Houswifry, Cookery, &c.

Others in scẏp and scẏpe, as, Geferscẏp, Fellowship, Þegenscẏpe, Thainship, the Office and Dignity of a Thain, Weorðscẏpe, Worship; thus Courtship, Lordship, Wardship, Workmanship, &c. With this we may compare the Francick skepe, skepi and skip, as, Landskepe, a Country, or Landskip, Gibodskip, a Commanding.

There are many Substantives that end in a, as Cempa, a Soldier, Gerefa, an Earle, what we call our High Sheriff or Shrieve, Nama, Name: Many of these are made English by leaving out the a or changing it into e, as, Kemp or Kempe; Ox or Name. The same is observable in Words ending in a short derived from the Latin, both in English and French, as Muse, from Musa, secret, from secreta.

To encrease the Variety of Terminations, there are several Substantives that end in reden, ræden, redenne, rædenne, which signifies Law, or Counsel: So that words of this Composition do generally import somewhat of Regularity and Government, as, Geferredenne, 16 that Law or Rule by which any Society or Corporation is govern’d, Hıwredenne, the Rule for managing a Family, Mægredenne, the Rule of Alliance amongst Kindred, Teondredenne, that Counsel by which we accuse, or go to Law with any one, Gecwıdredenne, the Advice er Method made use of for making a Will or any Covenant.

Others end in elde, as, Færelde, a Journey.

els, Ræcels, Frankincense, Rædels, a Riddle.

Some in sceaft, as, Hẏgesceaft, the Soul; this agrees with the Francick Hugiscefti, Thought, Geuuitschaf, a Testimony, Heidenskapht, Heathenism.

Some in cræft, as, Wıgcræft, Boc-cræft. The old Germans were not unacquainted with this Termination, as may be seen in the word Megincraft and Mancraft. See the learned Dr. Eccard’s Notes upon the Great Hymn, or Te Deum, printed at Helmstad, 1713: Also his Chatechesis Theotisca, p. 148, printed the same year by Nicholas Forster, Bookseller to the Court of Hanover.

Likewise several Feminines end in ẏss, ıss, ess, ẏsse, ısse, esse, and in nes, nesse, nıs, nısse, (from the Gothic NES) as, Cneorısse, Generation, Þrınesse, the Trinity. The Francick also acknowledges these Terminations, as, Lutternisse, Clearness or Purity, Gelicnesse, Likeness.

Some in ange, ınge, onge, unge, ẏnge, as, Leasunge, Lying.

Others in þ, or þe (Goth. Þ, ÞA) as, Mẏrð, Mirth, Eorð, Earth, Gesıhðe, Sight.

Some in er, and ere, as, Godspeller, Evangelist, Fulluhter, Baptist, Sædere, a Sower. Words of this Termination are thought to be deriv’d from Wer, Goth. WAIR, a Man. The Scots to this Day in Imitatation of the Saxons, use Lawwer, a Lawyer. The 17 Masculines in er have their Feminines in estre, ıstre, or ẏstre, as, Sẏngestre, a Songster, Rædẏstre, a Female Reader.

Diminutives, and many others end in lıng, as, Cnæplıng, a little Boy, Ræplıng, a Captive. Some in least, or leste, as, Gẏmeleast, Carelessness.

Words that denote Descent, Patronomica, Fæderlıce Naman, Names derived from the Father’s Name, end in ıng, as, Cenfusıng, the Son of Cenfusa.

It must be observed, that Sunna, Sun, is of the Feminine, and Mona, Moon, is of the Masculine, and Wıf is of the Neuter Gender.

Nouns are distinguish’d by their Articles, Adjectives, and Pronouns.

Of Adjectives.

AN Adjective, names gefera; is either Simple, as, eadıg, happy, efen, even or equal; or Compound, as, tır eadıg, high in Power, efen-ece, co-eternal, efen-spedelıc, equal in Substance.

Adjectives are declined after this Example.

	Singular Number.		Plural Number.
Nom.	Masc. Neut.	Fem.
	God, Good, bonus, -um.	Gode, bona.	Gode.
Gen.	Godes.	Godre.	Godra.
Dat.	Godum.	Godre.	Godum.
Acc.	Godne, God.	Gode.	Gode.
Voc.	Goda	Gode.	Gode, -an.
Abl.	Godum.	Godre.	Godum.

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Several Adjectives, besides their common Termination, receive a final a, which generally gives somewhat of a particular Emphasis, as, Godcund, Divine, Godcunda, very Divine, or very Holy.

The Terminations of Adjectives are as follows.

Adjectives that signify Nation or Countrey, end in ısc, as, Iudeısc; hence our ish, as, Jewish, Englısc, English, Romanısc, Romish, &c.

Many are form’d from Nouns Substantives, by adding leas or lease, signifying want or defect; from hence also our less is derived, as, receleas, careless, scomleas, shameless, ꞅacleaꞅ, harmless: So fatherless, motherless, friendless, &c.

Others end in lıc, or lıce, from whence our Termination in like, and ly, as, heofenlıc, heavenly, godlıc, godlike, and godly.

Others, which signify the Matter out of which any thing is made, end in en, as, æscen, ashen, from Æsc, an Ash, beorcen, birchen, stænen, stony.

Many end in ıg, as, hefıg, heavy, dreorıg, dreery, sorry, mırıg, merry, ænıg, any: This Termination is changed into our y.

Adjectives expressing Number, end after the same manner, as, twentıg, ðrıttıg, and so on.

Some end in ful, as, Wæterful, full of Water, or dropsical.

Some in bær, as, westmbær, fruitful, or bearing Fruit, lust bær, jocund, or bearing Joy.

Some in fæst, as, rædfæst, fast to his Resolution.

Others end in sum, as, langsum, very long or tiresom as we say, wınsum, very pretty, well favour’d: We retain the same ending in several words, as, handsom, wholesom, fulsom, toilsom.

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Nouns Adjectives are to be consider’d, either as they have a positive Signification, or as they signify comparing one thing with another, by which Comparison we find, how things agree with, differ from, or excel one another. This is either in a less degree, or in the highest: That which expresses the less degree, is term’d Comparative, Wıðmetenlıce, this denotes the measure by which a thiag is known to be greater or better than another. The other, the highest, is call’d the Superlative, Oferstıgendlıce, which signifies the most and the best, as if indeed it did exceed all degrees of Comparison.

The Termination of the Comparative degree, is in er, ere, ar, ære, ır, or, ur, ẏr.

The Superlative in ast, æst, est, ıst, ost, ust, ẏst; as, rıhtwıse, righteous, rıhtwısere, more righteous, rıhtwısast, -est, -ẏst, most righteous; and when a greater Stress or Emphasis is put upon the Signification, it is usual to take a final a in both the degrees, as, rıhtwısera, -ara, &c. in the Comparative; rıhtwısasta, -æsta &c. in the Superlative. But all do not follow this order, as, god, good, betere, -ra, better, betst, betesta and selost, best of all; ẏfel, evil, wẏrs, worse, wẏrst, worst; mıcel, much, mære, mæra, more, mæst, mæsta, most; lẏtel, little, lesse, less, læst, lest of all; utter, ẏttre, outer, or beyond, ẏttrest, ẏtemest, ẏtemesta, utmost, or last of all.

Some are compared from Adverbs, as from ær, before, ærest, æresta, from the Cimbric fyr, or fyrr, fẏrmest, fẏrmesta; besides these there is forma, formest, formesta, foremost; furðor, furður, furðre, furðra, further, beyond.

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Of Pronouns.

THE Pronoun Primitive, Frumcenned, or Fẏrmest, of the first Person, is thus declined.

	Singular.	Plural.	The Dual Number where two Persons are signified.
Nom.	Ic, I.	We, we.	Wıt, we two.
Gen.	Mın, of me.	Ure, of us.	Uncer, of us two.
Dat.	Me, to me.	Us, to us.	Unc, unge, & uncrum, to us two.
Acc.	Me, mec, from the Goth. MIR.	Us, us.	Wıt, we two.
Abl.	Me, for, or from me.	Us, from us.	Unc, unge, & uncrum, for us two.

For the Primitive we, we, the Dano-Saxons use woe, and usıh, as also usıc, usıch, usıg, for us.

The Pronoun Possessive, Geagnıendlıc, of the first Person, is thus declined.

	Singular Number.		Plural Number.
Nom.	Mın, mıne, mın, meus, mea, meum.		Mine, mei, meæ, mea, those things which are mine.
Gen.	Mınes, mınre, mınes.		Mınra.
Dat.	Mınum, mınre, mınum.		Mınum.
Acc.	Mınne, mıne, mın.		Mıne.
Voc.	Mın, mıne, mın.		Mıne.
Abl.	Mınum, mınre, mınum.		Mınum.

21 I

	Singular Number.		Plural Number.
	Noster, nostra, nostrum.
Nom.	Ure, ure, ure.		Ure.
Gen.	Upes, urre, ure.		Urra.
Dat.	Urum, urre, urum.		Urum.
Acc.	Urne, ure, urne.		Ure.
Voc.	Ure, ure, ure.		Ure.
Abl.	Urum, urre, urum.		Urum.

For the Possessive ure, is read use; user, and usser, ussum, for urum; usses, for ures; usse, for urne in the Danish Saxon.

	Singular Number.		Plural Number.
	Noster, nostra, nostrum.
Nom.	Uncer, uncere, uncer.		Uncre.
Gen.	Uncres, uncerres, uncres.		Uncerra.
Dat.	Uncrum, uncerre, uncrum.		Uncrum.
Acc.	Uncerne, uncere, uncerne.		Uncre.
Voc.	Uncer, uncere, uncer.		Uncre.
Abl.	Uncrum, uncerre, uncrum.		Uncrum.

The Pronoun Primitive of the second Person is thus declined.

	Singular.	Plural.	Dual.
Nom.	Ðu, thou.	Ge, ye.	* Gẏt.
Gen.	Þin.	Eower.	Incer.
Dat.	Þe.	Eow.	Incrum & inc.
Acc.	Þe, þec.	Eow.	Inc.
Voc.	Eala þu.	Eala ge.	Eala inc.
Abl.	Þe.	Eow.	Incrum & inc.

* Incıt, you two, is found for gẏt, as if it were ıncgẏt; geow for eow; and ıuch, ıwh, uıh, ıuıh, ıuıch, eowıc, ıowıh, geıow, in the Dano-Saxon for eow; and ıuer, ıuerre, ıuor for eower, D. S.

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The Pronouns Possessives of the second Person are Þin, and Eower, and are thus declined.

	Singular Number.
	Tuus, tua, tuum.
Nom.	Ðin, þine, þin; the rest, as, min, mine, min &c.

	Sing. Numb.		Plural.
	Vester, vestra, vestrum.
Nom.	Eower, eowere, eower.		Eowere.
Gen.	Eoweres, eowerra, eoweres.		Eowerra.
Dat.	Eowerum, eowerre, eowerum.		Eowrum.
Acc.	Eowerne, eowere, eowerne.		Eowere, &c.

For eowere eowre is written &c. and for eowrum, D. S. ıurre; and ıncer is declin’d like uncer.

The Pronoun Primitive of the third Person is thus: declined.

	Sing. Numb.		Plural.
Nom.	He, he.		Hı, they.
Gen.	Hẏs.		Hıra.
Dat.	Hım.		Hım.
Acc.	Hıne.		Hı.
Abl.	Hım.		Hım.

Se is used for he; for hı, is found hıg, and heo; for heora, is written hıora, and heorum; for hıra, her and here; heom also for hım, hı-heom, they themselves: Hıt, hẏt, is Neuter, of he and heo, and signifies that: He in D. S. often redundant; as, ðæs he falsað, he blasphemeth.

23 I2

	Sing. Numb.		Plural.
Nom.	Heo, she.		Hı.
Gen.	Hıre.		Heora.
Dat.	Hıre.		Hım.
Acc.	Hı.		Hı.
Abl.	Hıre.		Hım.

The Pronoun Ðıs, Þeos, Þat, is thus declined.

	Singular. M.	Feminine.	Plural.
Nom.	Ðıs, ðes.	Ðeos.	Ðas.
Gen.	Ðıses, ðısses, þeses, & þæs.	Ðıssere.	Ðısera, þıssera.
Dat.	Ðısum, & þıs.	Ðıssere.	Ðısum.
Acc.	Ðısne, þıs, þæs.	Ðæs, þas, þeos.	Ðas.
Abl.	Ðısum.	Ðıssere, þısere.	Ðısum.

	Sing. Numb. Neut.		Plural.
Nom.	Ðat.		Þa.
Gen.	Þıs, & þas.		Þæra.
Dat.	Þam.		Þam.
Acc.	Þat.		Þa.
Abl.	Þam.		Þam.

For ðıs, ðes, are used ðat, ðæt; ðẏsum and ðıson, for ðısum; ðıasne, for ðısne; ðısse and ðære, for ðıssere; ðıssa and ðıss for ðıssera: Ðıs, ðes, ðeos, ðat, signify isthic, isthæc, isthoc.

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The Pronoun Relative Hwılc, Hwılce, is thus declined.

	Sing. Numb.		Plural.
Nom.	Hwılc, hwılce, hwılc, which.		Hwılce.
Gen.	Hwılces, hwılcre, hwılces.		Hwılcra.
Dat.	Hwılcum, hwılcre, hwılcum.		Hwılcum.
Acc.	Hwılcne, hwılce, hwılcne.		Hwılce.
Abl.	Hwılcum, hwılcum, hwılcum.		Hwılcum.

Hwılc also signifies, who, of what Quality, any one is, Swa hwılc swa, whosoever. In the same manner is declin’d ælc, ælce, quisque, quæque, quodque; and æghwılc, æghwılce (as ælc hwılc) unusquisque, unaquæque, unumquodque; æghwılc, for ælchwılc, as, æghwer, every where, for ælchwær; anra gehwılc, each one.

Se, seo, and þe, þeo, þat, put on the Nature of Pronouns Relative: Ðe being placed after Pronouns of all Persons; signifies who, as, ıc þe, ðu þe, se þe, I who, thou who, he who: For se ðe, is used ðe ðe.

Sẏlf, self, is thus declined.

	Masculine Sing. Numb.		Plural Number.
Nom.	Sẏlf.		Sẏlfe.
Gen.	Sẏlfes.		Sẏlfra.
Dat.	Sẏlfum.		Sẏlfum.
Acc.	Sẏlfne.		Sẏlfe.
Abl.	Sẏlfum.		Sẏlfum.
	Feminine Sing Numb.		Plural Number.
Nom.	Sẏlfe.		Sẏlfe.
Gen.	Sẏlfre.		Sẏlfra.
Dat.	Sẏlfre.		Sẏlfum.
Acc.	Sẏlfe.		Sẏlfe.
Abl.	Sẏlfre.		Sẏlfum.

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Sẏlf, or sẏlfe, are compounded with other Pronouns, ıc sẏlf, I my self, mın selfes, of my self, we sẏlfe, we our selves, ure sẏlfra, of our selves, &c. And with Nouns, as, Petrus sẏlf, Peter’s self, Crıst sẏlf* sang Pater Noster ærost, Christ himself first sang Pater Noster. From the word sang, may be observed the Antiquity of singing the Service in the Saxon Church, as was first observed in the Preface to the Homily on the Birth-day of St. Gregory, p. 36.

* It is worthy to observe how the Francick agrees with this, and what Dr. Eccard has said in his Notes upon his Catechesis Theotisca, p. 116.

	Sing. Numb.		Plural.
	Masc. Fem. Neut.
Nom.	Ẏlc, Ẏlce, Ẏlc,		ẏlce.
Gen.	ẏlces, ẏlcre, ẏlces,		ẏlcra.
Dat.	ẏlcum, ẏlcre, ẏlcum,		ẏlcum.
Acc.	ẏlcne, ẏlce, ẏlcne,		ẏlce.
Abl.	ẏlcum, ẏlcre, ẏlcum,		ẏlcum.

a added to ẏlc, gives it an Emphasis, as, ẏlca, that very Thing, or Person; and is thus varied.

	Sing. Numb.		Plural.
Nom.	ẏlca.		ẏlcan.
Gen.	ẏlcan.		ẏlcra.
Dat.	ẏlcan.		ẏlcan.
Acc.	ẏlcan.		ẏlcan.
Abl.	ẏlcan.		ẏlcan.

Se ẏlca, the very same, Masc. seo ẏlce, the very same, Fem. þas ẏlcan, is the Genitive Case, Masc. and Neut. þære ẏlcan, is Gen. Case, Fem.

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Swılc, hwılc, þıllıc, þẏlc, and þıslıc, such, are all declined like ẏlc.

Hwa, hua, Masc. Fem. and Neut, who: And hwæt, huæt, what, are thus declined.

	Singular Number.
Nom.	Hwa, hwæt, hwat.
Gen.	Hwæs.
Dat.	Hwam, hwæm, hwam.
Acc.	Hwæne, hwone, hwæne.
Abl.	Hwam, hwæm, hwam.

To this sort belongs hwæt hugu, hwæt hwæg, D. S. huot huoego, which signifies a little: hwæt hwegunınga, hwæt hweganunges, something; æg hwa, æg hwæt, (from ælc hwa) every one, every thing; swa hwa swa, whosoever, swa hwæt swa, whatsoever; ge hwa, any one, ge hwæt, ge hwæd, any thing; elles hwæt, somewhat else; hwæne, hwene, hwon, a little.

Masc and Neut. ænıg, any one, any thing.

	Sing. Numb.		Plural.
Nom.	M. N. Ænıg, ænıge, F.		Ænıge.
Gen.	Ænıges, ænıgre.		Ænıgra.
Dat.	Ænıgum, ænıgre.		Ænıgum.
Acc.	Ænıgne, ænıge.		Ænıge.
Abl.	Ænıgum, ænıgre.		Ænıgum.

For ænıg, is read ænı; ænıne, for ænıgne; (as dẏsıne, for dẏsıgne;) for ænıgum, is read ængum; from ne, not, and ænıg, any, is made nænıg, none, or nothing; as likewise is ænlıwıc, or ænlıwıg, each one; ænlıwıge, Feminine.

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	Singular Number.
	Masculine.		Feminine.
Nom.	Ænlıwıg.		Ænlıwıge.
Gen.	Ænlıwıges.		Ænlıwıgre.
Dat.	Ænlıwıgum.		Ænlıwıgre.
Acc.	Ænlıwıgne.		Ænlıwıge.
Abl.	Ænlıwıgum.		Ænlıwıgre.

Sum, some Person, or some Thing, and Sume, the Feminine, are declined thus.

	Sing. Numb.		Plur. Numb.
Nom.	Sum, sume.		Sume.
Gen.	Sumes, sumre.		Sumra.
Dat.	Sumum, sumre.		Sumum.
Acc.	Sumne, sume.		Sume.
Abl.	Sumum, sumre.		Sumum.

An, one, is sometimes put for sum, some; for sum, that signifies any one, the word man sometimes used.

	Sing. Numb.
	Masc.	Neut.	Fem.
Nom.	An,	æn,	ane,
Gen.	Anes,		anre,
Dar.	Anum,		anre,
Acc.	Anne,		ane,
Abl.	Anum.		anre.

In the same manner is nan, none, declined.

Agen, and agene, which signifies Propriety in any thing, or Possesion of it; for which at this Day is used own, and by the Northern English awn.

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	Singular Number.
	Masc. and Neut.		Fem.
Nom.	Agen.		Agene.
Gen.	Agenes.		Agenre.
Dat.	Agenum.		Agenre.
Acc.	Agenne.		Agene.
Abl.	Agenum.		Agenre.

	Sing. Numb.		Plur. Numb.
	Masc. Fem. Neut.
Nom.	Eall, ealle, eall, all.		Ealle.
Gen.	Ealles, ealre, ealles.		Ealra.
Dat.	Eallum, ealre, eallum.		Eallum.
Acc.	Ealne, ealle, ealne.		Ealle.
Abl.	Eallum, ealre, eallum.		Eallum.

Eall, æll or all, being compounded with another word, signify Excellence, Perfection or Fullness, as, Ællmıhıtıg, Allwealda, thus in English, Almighty, All-governing.

Hwæþer, gehwæþer, æghwæþer, either; swahwæþer, swæhwæþer, swaþer, swæþer, whethersoever; auþer, oþer, owþer, other; naþer, nawþer, naþor, nahwæþer, nohweþer, neither; ægþer, either, are declined in the common form of Pronouns in er, such as uncer and eoþer

We will close the Series of Pronouns with awıht or awuht, contracted awht, auht, uht, by leaving out the a, wıht, wuht, any thing: From hence nawıht, nowıht, nauht, naht, nænıgwuht, nothing, in English no-whit, in the Plural nauhtas.

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Cardinal Numbers, Þat sınd þa heafod Getel.

Þa Naman ðe getacnıaþ Getel, the Names that signify Number.

• An, æne, æn, one;
• twegen, twege, twıg, twa, two;
• þrẏ, þreo, three;
• feower, four;
• fıf, five;
• sıx, six;
• seofen, seven;
• eahta, Gr. ῆτα, eight;
• nıgon, nine;
• tẏn, ten;
• endlufan, ændlefan, ændlẏfan, eleven;
• twelf, twelve;
• þreotẏne, thirteen;
• feowertẏne, fourteen;
• fẏftẏne, fifteen;
• sẏxtẏne, sixteen;
• seofontẏne, seventeen;
• eahtatẏne, eighteen;
• nıgontẏne, nineteen;
• twentıg, twenty;
• an & twentıg, one and twenty;
• þrıttıg, thirty;
• feowertıg, forty;
• fıftıg, fifty;
• sıxtıg, sixty;
• seofontıg, seventy;
• hund eahtatıg, eighty;
• hund nıgontıg, ninety;
• hund teontıg, a hundred;
• hund endlufontıg, a hundred and ten;
• hund twelftıg, a hundred and twenty;
• twa hund, two hundred;
• þreo hund, three hundred;
• þusend, a thousand.

These Numbers, from four to a hundred, are of all Genders.

Endebẏrdlıce Naman, Nouns that signify the Order of Things, as,

• Forma, fẏrmesta, æresta, ærra, first;
• oþor, æftera, second;
• þrıdda, third;
• feorða, fourth;
• fıfta, fifth;
• sıxta, sixth;
• seofoða, seventh;
• eahteoða, eighth;
• nıgoða, ninth;
• teoða, tenth;
• endlufta, endlefta, ænlẏfta, eleventh;
• twelfta, twelfth;
• þreoteoða, thirteenth;
• feowerteoða, fourteenth;
• fıfteoða, fifteenth;
• sıxteoða, sixteenth;
• seofonteoða, seventeenth;
• eahtateoða, eighteenth;
• nıgonteoða, nineteenth;
• twenteogoða, twentieth;
• an & twenteogoða, one and twentieth;
• þrıttegoða, thirtieth;
• feowerteogoþa, fortieth;
• fıfteogoþa, fiftieth;
• 30 sıxteogoþa, sixtieth;
• hund seofontıgoþa, seventieth;
• hund eahtatıgoþa, eightieth;
• hund nıgonteogoþa, ninetieth;
• hund teonteogoþa, hundredth.

Add to these, ba, begen, batwa, butu, butwu, both, Nom. Ba, Gen. Begra, Dat. Bam, Acc. Ba, Abl. Bam; Twın, getwın, Twins; eallswa fela, so many; eallswa mıcel, so much; eftswa mıcel, the same; hwılcere, how many; an-feald, one-fold; twẏ-feald, two-fold; þrẏ-feald, three-fold; ẏtemesta, last of all.

In numbering and reckoning up of Things, sum and healf, are of great use, as, þrıttıga sum, some thirty, or about thirty, oþer healf, one and a half, oþer healf hund, a hundred and fifty. The Greeks and Latins likewise use the same way of Writing ἔβδομεν ἡμιτάλαντον, six Talents and a half: Sestertius (qu. semis tertius) two Pound and a half; the ancient note of which was LLS, now HS.

Of Verbs. Be FORDUM.

A Verb is a Part of Speech, with Time or Tense, and Person, but without Case.

There are eight Things belong to a Verb, first Signification, Getacnung, signifying either somewhat done, dædlıc Word, Verb active; or somewhat suffer’d, þrowıgendlıc Word, Verb passive; or neither, naþor, i.e. Neuter: Second Tense or Time, Tıd; Mood, Gemet; Kind, Hıw; Figure, Gefegednẏss; Conjunction, Geþeodnẏs; Person, Had; Number, Getel.

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Of Tense. Be TIDE.

In general there are three Tenses, belonging to each Verb that is perfect; first the present Tense, andweard Tıd, as, ıc stande, I stand; the Præterit Tense, or time past, forþgewıten Tıd, ıc stod, I stood; the future Tense, or time to come, towerd Tıd, ıc stande nu rıhte, oþþe on sumne tıman, I shall stand by and by, or some time or other. The Præterit, or time past, is consider’d three ways; first as a time imperfectly past, unfulfremed forþgewıten, as when a thing is begun, and not fully accomplish’d, ıc stod, I did stand: Secondly the Præter­perfect, or time perfectly past, forþgewıten fulfremed, ıc stod, I have stood: Thirdly the Præter­plusquam­perfect, the time more than perfectly past, forþgewıten mare þon fulfremed, because it had been done a long time before, as, I stood long before, ıc stod gefẏrn.

Of Moods. Be GEMETUM.

MOOD, Gemet, is the way or manner of speaking of any thing: There are six Moods, the Indicative, Gebıcnıgendlıce; the Imperative, Bebeodendlıc; the Optative, Gewıscendlıc, the Potential, Mægenlıc; the Subjunctive, Underþeodendlıc; the Infinitive, Unge-endıgendlıc.

The Indicative, with this we declare what we our selves, or what other Men do; as, ıc ræde, I read, hereby is declared what I do. This Mood is perfect in all its Tenses and Persons, and for that reason is the first.

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The Imperative; with this Mood we command other Men to do something, or suffer something, as; ræd þu, do thou read; ræde he, let him read; beswıng þıs Cıld, whip this Child; sẏ he beswungen, let him be whipt. This Mood speaks of that which is to come, and has no Præter­perfect Tense, because no Man commands the doing what is done already; he speaks to some other, and not to himself, because every Man commands some other Person, and not himself.

The Optative; it has need of the help of some other word in order to make it perfect, as, Eala gıf ıc lufode God, I wish I had loved God; Eala gıf ıc rædde nu, O that I had read now. Eala gıf, is an Adverb, and it makes this Mood perfect after this manner.

The Subjunctive, or Conjunctive, because it is under the aforesaid Moods, and needs the help of another word, as, þon ıc ræde com to me, when I read come to me; þonne ıc tæce þu leornast, when I teach thou learnest.

The Infinitive, Ungeendıgendlıc, or without Ending, because that no Speech is ended without the Addition of three Things, Person, Tense, and Number, lufıan, to love; there is no knowing before-hand any thing by this manner of Speech, without saying ıc wẏlle lufıan, I will love. In these words, I will, is the First Person, Present Tense, Singular Number.

The Infinitive Mood is of two kinds, the one is called Primitive, as, lufıan, to love, tæcan, to teach, geseon, to see. The other derivative, to lufıenne, to geseonne.

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Of the Verb Substantive.

THE Verb Substantive, by the help of which the passive Voice is form’d, in Saxon is beon, to be.

The Indicative Mood Present Tense.

Sing. Eom, eam, am, om, beom, beo, ar, sẏ, sı, I am; eart, arþ, bıst, es, sı, thou art; ẏs, ıs, bẏþ, bıþ, sı, he is.

Plur. Sındon, sendon, sıent, sẏnd, sınd, sınt, sın, sıen, seon, sıe, sẏndon, sındun, aron, bıþon, beoþ, we are, ye are, they are.

The Præterimperfect Tense.

Sing. 1. Wæs, I was; 2. wære, thou wert; 3. was, wæs he was.

Plur. 1, 2, 3. Wæron, wærun, we were, ye were, they were.

For wære, wæron, in the D. S. we meet with wæs; as also uues, uıes, uæs, wes: But for wærun, is read wærum, or woerun.

The Future Tense.

Sing. 1. Beo, beom, bıom, I shall be; 2. bẏst, thou shalt be; 3. bẏþ, wæs, he shall be.

Plur. 1, 2, 3. Beoþ, bıþon, we shall be, ye shall be, they shall be.

The Imperative Mood.

Sing. 2. Beo þu, sı þu, or sıg þu, wæs þu, be thou; 3. bẏþ he, sẏ he, sı he, sıg he, sıende he, let him be.

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Plur. 1. Beo we, or sın we, let us be; 2. beoþ, beo ge, or sın ge, wese ge, wosas ge, wosaþ ge, be ye; 3. beon hı, or sın hı, sıen hı, let them be.

The Optative and Subjunctive Moods, Present Tense.

Sing. 1. Beo, sı, sẏ, may I be; 2. bẏst, sı, mayest thou be; 3. beo, sı, may he be.

Plur. 1. Beon, sẏn, sın, may we be; 2. beon, sın, sẏn, beoþ, may ye be; 3. beon, sın, sẏn, may they be.

For sı and sın, is often writ sıo, seo, sıg, sıe, se, sıon, seon; and for beoþ, in D. S. beoþan.

The Imperfect, Perfect, Plusquamperfect and Future Tenses.

Sing. Wære, I might, could, would, should, or ought to be; have been, had been.

Plur. Weron, -an, -en, -un, wære, we, ye, they might, could, would, should, or ought to be; have been, had been.

The Infinitive Mood Present Tense, or Primitive.

Beon, bıon, bıan, bẏan, bıen, wæsan, to be; wosa, wossa, wosan, were, sıe, D. S. to be; to beonne, to bıonne, to wosanne. This is the Infinitive Mood derivative, and answers to the Gerunds, Supines, and Participles; in Latin existendi, of being; existendo, in being; existendum, to be; futurus, shall be; hıt ıs tıma to beonne, it is time to be, tempus est existendi; us ıs here to beonne, existendum, vel manendum, est nobis hic, we must be here; se þe sceal beonne, futurus, he that shall be; to weard, is the same; se þe to weard ıs, he that is to come. Saxon Homil. on the beheading of St. John Baptist.

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The Verb Weorþan Geweorþan, to be, to be made or done, is formed after this manner.

The Indicative and Subjunctive Moods Present and Future Tense.

Sing. 1. Ic weorþe, wurþe, wẏrþe, wurde, I am, I shall, or will be, I may be, I am made, I may be made; þu weorþest, wurþest, wurdest, thou are, mayest, shalt, or wilt be, thou art made, thou shalt be made, thou mayest be made; he weorþe, wurþe, wẏrþe, weorþeþ, wurde, he is, shall be, may be, he is made, he may be made, he shall be made.

Plur. We weorþon, weardon, -an, -en, weorðaþ, wurðaþ, we are, &c. ge weorþe, weorðeþ, weordeþ, -aþ, ye are, shall be, may be, &c. hı weorðon, weordon, -an, -en, -un, weorðað, wurðað, they are, &c..

The Future is sometimes exprest with the help of sceal, as, ıc sceal weorðan, I shall be, or shall be made.

The Præterperfect Tense.

Sing. Ic wearð, I was, or was made; ðu wearþest, thou wert, or wast made; he wearþ, he was, or was made.

Plur. We wurdon, -an, -en, weordon, -an, -en, we were, &c. ge werdeð, ye were, &c. hı wordon, -an, -en, weordon, -an, -en, they were, &c.

The Imperative Mood.

Sing. Weorða ðu, be thou, or be thou made; weorðe, wurðe, wẏrðe he, be he, or let him be, or be made.

Plur. Weorðon, -an, -en, -un, we, be we, or let us be, or be made; weorðe ge, be ye, or be ye made; weorðe hı, be they, or let them be, or be made.

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The Infinitive Mood.

Weorðan, geweorðan, worþan, to be, or to be made; to weorþan, answerable to the Gerunds, of being, in being, to be, or must be: The Participle worden, geworden, made.

Of the Verb Active Regular.

A Verb Active is either Regular, or Irregular. An Example of the Verb Active Regular is, Lufıan, to Love.

The Indicative Mood, Present, and Future Tense.

Sing. Ic lufıge, I love; þu lufast, -est, -st; he lufaþ, -eþ, -þ.

Plur. We lufıaþ, we love; ge lufıaþ; hı lufıaþ.

When the Infinitive ends in an, having a Vowel going before it, then the Plural Endings are in ıaþ; as, hıngrıaþ, wẏrıaþ, þolıaþ, &c. But if they end in eon, then the Plural Endings are in eoþ; as, geseoþ, from geseon: But if a Consonant go before an, then they end in aþ; as, þẏrstaþ, we, ye, they thirst. G before an, in the forming of Tenses, is often changed into an h, as from wægan, to weigh, wæhþ.

The third Person Singular in Moods ending in ðan, and tan, often end in t; as, fædan, to feed, fet, he feedeth.

The Persons in the Plural Number often end after the same manner as the first Person Singular, as, hwæt ete we, what shall we eat, hu fleo ge, how shall ye fly. The same Persons end, as well in en, on, un, as in aþ; as, in wıtun, wıtaþ, ye know; nẏton, nuuton, 37 L nẏtaþ, ye know not: Sometimes it is read wutas, wutoþ, ye know, in the Poets. For the Poets often instead of aþ, use the Termination oþ. The D. S. form this Present Tense, in a much different manner, as, ıc lufıga, or, lufıgo, I love; þu lufıges, or lufıgas; he lufıga or lufıgas, -es, -ıs; we lufıgas, or lufıges; ge lufıgas, -es; hı lufıgas, or -es.

The Present Tense of the Indicative Mood, is form’d by the Auxiliar eom, and the Participle of the Present Tense; as, ıc eom sıttende, I am sitting, instead of I sit. Ð the Asperate in the Termination of the third Person Singular, is often changed into the soft t, as, arıst, he riseth, for arıseþ.

The Præterimperfect Tense.

Sing. Ic lufode, -ede; þu lufodest; he lufode.

Plur. We lufodon; ge lufodon; hı lufodon.

Verbs having f, l, m, n, r, s, t, before the ending of the Infinitive Mood, often contract their Præter­perfect Tenses; as, betẏnan, to shut, betẏnde. The Præter­perfect Tense wat, hath the same Signification of the Present Tense; as, ıc wat, I know; þu watst, thou knowest, qu. watest; and welst, weltst, thou didst command, qu. wealtest, wealdest, from wealdan, to govern. The second Person Singular in the Præterimperfect Tense in the D. S. ends in es; as, ıneades, thou wentest in, for ıneodest.

The Præterimperfect Tense is otherwise form’d, by the Auxiliar wæs, and the Participle of the Present Tense; as, ıc wæs bodıende, I was preaching, for ıc bodode, I did preach.

The Præterperfect, and Præterplusquamperfect, are formed like the Præterimperfect Tense, as also by the Participle of the Present Tense, and the Auxiliar 38 hæbbe, i.e. have; hæfod, heafod, had, from hæbben, to have.

The Præterperfect Tense.

Singular.		Plural.
Ic hæbbe lufod, I have loved.		We hæbbað lufode, we have loved.
Ðu hæbbest lufod.		Ge hæbbad lufode.
He hæbbað lufod.		Hı hæbbaþ lufode.

Hafa and haue, are used for hæbbe; hafast, haust, for hæbbest; hafaþ, haueþ, for hæbbaþ; hafen, hauen, for hæbbaþ, in the Normanno-Saxon.

The Præterpluperfect Tense.

Singular.		Plural.
Ic hæfod ge heord, I had heard.		We hæfdon ge heorde;
Þu hæfodest geheord.		Ge hæfdon ge heorde.
He hæfod geheord.		Hı hæfdon ge heorde.

Hæddon and heafdon, are often used instead of hæfdon: But hæfde is instead of hæfode, from which it is contracted.

The Future is form’d like the Present Tense, as above; and also by the Auxiliar sceal and wılle, from the words sceoldan, to owe, and wıllan, to will, in English, shall, and will.

Singular.		Plural.
Ic sceal fæstan, I shall fast.		We sceolon, -un, -an, fæstan.
Þu scealt fæstan.		Ge sceolon, -un, -an, fæstan.
He sceal fæstan.		Hı sceolon, -un, -an, fæstan.

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For sceolon is used sculon, and schullen, N. S. The Auxiliaries sceal and wılle, are often read with an Elleipsis, or leaving out of the Principal Verb; as, Ðıs Godspel sceal on Andræas-mæsse dæg, This Gospel shall [be read] on the Feast of St. Andrew; here the words beon geræden must be understood: Nelle ıc nu næfre hıonon, I will never go from hence; the word faran, to go, is left out.

The Imperative Mood.

Sing. Lufa þu, love thou; lufıge he, let him love.

Plur. Lufıon we; lufıge ge; lufıon hı.

For lufıge ge, we meet with lufıaþ, as we do likewise faraþ & axıaþ, go and ask, &c. and we read this irregular word wurpen, throw it away. The second Plural in the D. S. ends in as or es; as, lufas, or lufes ge, love ye; being a‑kin to the first in a, as, gesea, let us see, for geseon.

The Optative Mood Present Tense.

Singular.		Plural.
Eala gıf ıc nu lufıge, I wish I may love.		Eala gıf we nu lufıon, -an.
Eala gıf þu nu lufıge.		Eala gıf ge nu lufıon, -an.
Eala gıf he nu lufıge.		Eala gıf hı nu lufıon, -an.

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The Præterimperfect, Præterperfect, and Præterpluperfect Tenses.

Singular.		Plural.
Eala gıf ıc nu lufode, I wish I might love.		Eala gıf we nu lufodon.
Eala gıf þu nu lufodest.		Eala gıf ge nu lufodon.
Eala gıf he nu lufode.		Eala gıf hı nu lufodon.

The Future Tense is like the Present, only adding gẏt, as, eala þat ıc lufıge gẏt.

The Subjunctive Mood is form’d after the same manner, only that instead of eala gẏf, it uses þonne, or þaþa, when.

The Subjunctive Mood Present Tense.

Singular.		Plural.
Þonne ıc nu lufıge, when I love.		Þonne we nu lufıaþ.
Þonne þu nu lufast.		Þonne ge nu lufıaþ.
Þonne he nu lufaþ.		Þonne hı nu lufıaþ.

The Præterimperfect, Præterperfect, and Præterpluperfect Tenses.

Singular.		Plural.
Þonne, or þaþa, ıc lufode.		Þonne we, ge, hı lufodon.
Þonne þu lufodest.
Þonne he lufode.

The Future Tense.

Þonne ıc lufıge gẏt, &c.

The Potential Mood is two-fold, either Simple, or Compound: Simple, when it is exprest by the Verb alone; 41 for example: Astıge nu of rode, þat we Geseon & Gelẏfon, Come down from the Cross, that we may see and believe. The Compound does express the Power, Liberty, Inclination, or Necessity, of doing any thing, by the Aid or Addition of some other word, such as Mæg, Mıht, Wold, Nold, Sceold, Mot, Most, exprest by our May, Might, &c. Mæg is the Present Tense of the Indicative Mood, and Mıht the Præterimperfect Tense of the Verb Magan, to be able, and is thus form’d.

Singular.		Plural.
Ic mæg.		We magon, -an, -en, -un.
Þu mægest.		Ge magon, -an, -en, -un.
He mæg.		Hı magon, -an, -en, -un.
Ic mıht.		We mıhton.
Þu mıhtest.		Ge mıhton
He mıht.		Hı mıhton.

Wold, is the Præterimperfect Tense of the Indicative Mood of the Verb Wıllan, to will, and is form’d as Mæg, and Mıht.

Nold is a Contraction of ne wold.

Sceolde, is the Præterimperfect Tense of the Indicative Mood of the Verb Sceoldan, to owe.

Mot, I am able, or it is lawful for me, is form’d thus.

Sing. Ic mot; þu motest; he mot.

Plur. We, ge, hı, moton.

The Reader may observe, that mæg, and mot, make the Present Tense; and mıht, nold, sceold, most, make the Præterimperfect Tense.

The Infinitive Mood, as before is observ’d, is two-fold, either Primitive or Derivative; Primitive, as, lufıan, 42 to love, tæcan, to teach, geseon, to see; Derivative, which answers to the Gerunds, Supines, and Participles, in the Latin Grammar, as, to lufıenne to geseonne: Of which take the Examples following.

First, of Gerunds in	di, Hıt ıs tıma to rædanne, tempus est legendi, it is the time of reading, or time to read.
	do, Ne elca þu to gecẏrranne to Gode, ne sis tardus in convertendo ad Deum, be not slow in turning to God.
	dum, Us ıs to lufıenne, amandum est nobis, we are to love, or we must love.
Secondly, of Supines.	First Supine, Com þu us to forspıllanne, venisti nos perditum, art thou come to destroy us?
	Latter Supine, Hıt ıs eaþelıc to cweþanne, facile est dictu, it is easy to be said.
Thirdly, of Participles of the Future in	rus, Eart þu se þe to cumenne eart, an tu is qui venturus es, art thou he that is to come?
	dus, For þeof, he bıþ to profıanne, oþþe to sleanne oþþe to alẏsanne, pro fure est accusandus, aut occidendus, aut liberandus, he must be proved a Thief, or slain as a Thief, or set free.

Of Participles.

PArticiples are either of the Present Tense, as lufand, lufıend, loving, or of the Præter­perfect Tense, lufad, lufed, lufod, loved.

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There are some that do not answer this Rule, such as end in en, as, gebunden, bound, or bounden; oferwroh, covered; beot, beat, or beaten; afed, fed; acwanc, quenched, as will appear in the more general Collection of Irregular Verbs.

Of the Passive Voice.
Be ÐROWIGENDUM WORDE.

THE Passive Voice is form’d of the Verb Substantive, and the Participle of the Present Tense, as,

Indicative Mood Present Tense.

Ic eom gelufod, I am loved; þu eart, &c.

Præterimperfect Tense.

Ic wæs gelufod, I was loved, &c.

In the same manner, is the Præterperfect, and Præterpluperfect form’d.

The Future Tense.

Ic beo gelufod, or,	I shall, or will be beloved.
Ic sceal beon gelufod, or,
Ic wılle beon gelufod.

The Imperative Mood.

Sı þu gelufod, be thou loved; sı he, &c.

The Optative Mood Present Tense.

Eala gıf ıc eom gelufod, I wish I be loved.

The Præterimperfect Tense.

Eala gıf ıc wære gelufod, I wish I were loved.

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So is the Præterperfect and Præterpluperfect Tenses formed.

The Future Tense.

Eala gıf ıc beo gelufod, O that I may be loved hereafter.

After the same manner is the Subjunctive formed through all Tenses, by adding þonne, as,

Ðonne ıc nu eom gelufod, when I am loved, &c.

So likewise is the Potential, by the addition of one of these words, mæg, mıht, mot, most, wold, sceold; as,

Ic mæg beon gelufod, I may be beloved, &c.

The Infinitive Mood is thus formed.

Beon gelufod, to be loved; wesan fulluhtod, to be baptized.

Here may not unfitly be subjoined a Collection of such Verbs, as agree not with the Rules here prescribed.

Irregular Verbs, Unemne Word.

Acwencan, to extinguish; acwenct, acwanc, acwınen, quenched, or put out.

Adreogan, to suffer, to lead; adrugon, they have suffer’d.

Æthrınan, to touch; æthran, he touched.

Agan, to own, or possess; agun, agan, we, ye, have; aht, we have had; ahton, they have had, or possest.

Ahebban, to lift up; ahof, he hath lifted up, unless ahof may be derived from ahafan, to heave up, upahebban is the same.

Ahreogan, to rush; ahreog, ahrug, he rushed; ahrugon, they rushed.

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Arısan, to rise; aras, he arose, or raised himself.

Aspanan, to entice; aspon, he enticed; asponnen, aspanen, enticed; so spanıan.

Aþwean, to wash; aswoh, he washed; so þwean.

Awından, to wind; awand, he wound; awunden, wound; so wından, to wind up.

Awreon, to uncover; awroh, he uncovered; so wreon, to cover.

Beatan, to beat; beot, he beat.

Befrınan, to enquire; befran, he enquired.

Belgan, to be angry; bealh, he was angry; so gebelgan, to be angry.

Beorgan, to take heed, to have a care; beorh, he took care.

Bewæcan, to deceive; bewæht, he deceived; likewise wæcan.

Bıddan, to pray; bıt, he prayed; bæd, bad, he prayed, or commanded.

Bıwından, to wind up; bıwand, he wound up; bıwunden, wound up.

Brıngan, to bring; brohte, he brought.

Brucan, to enjoy; breac, bræc; he enjoyed.

Bugan, bıgean, to bow, or bend; beah, bıgde, he bowed; begd, beged; so abugan, gebugan.

Bıcgean, to buy; bohte, he bought; so bebıcgean, to sell.

Ceosan, to chuse; ceas, he chose; also geceosan.

Coman, cuman, cwıman, to come; com, he came; comon, cumon, they came.

Cunnan, to know; can, I know; cuþe, he knew.

Delfan, to dig; dulf, dıelf, delf, dealf, dalf, he dug; dulfen, digged.

Don, to do, or make; do, I do; dest, dẏst, thou dost; deð, dẏð, he doth; doþ, we, ye, they do; dıd, dıde, dẏde, he did; do, don, let him do, let them do.

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Dreccan, to vex, or grieve; droht, he vexed; drohton, they vexed.

Drıfan, to drive; draf, he drove; so adrıfan, be drıfan.

Dẏrran, to dare; dorste, he dared.

Edlæcan, to repeat, or renew; edlæht, he repeated; so ge edlæcan, and æfenlæcan.

Emwlatıan, to look about; emwlat, he looked about.

Faran, to go; ferde, for, he went; foran, they are gone; so afaran, to go out; forðfaran, to dye.

Feallan to fall; feoll, he fell.

Fengan, to take, feng, foh, he took; also fon, and be fangan, to take.

Feohtan, to fight; feaht, he fought; futon, they fought.

Fından, to find; fand, he found.

Fleon, to fly; fleh, fleoh, fly.

Gangan, or gan, to go; eode, geode, I went, or did go; ga, go thou; ga ge, go ye.

Gebından, to bind; geband, he bound; gebunden, bound; so bından, to bind.

Gelæcan, to approach, gelıhte, he came near.

Gemetan, to find; gemette, he found.

Gemunan, to remember; gemune, gemunde, it is remember’d; gemunon, they are remember’d.

Geotan, to pour out; gut, he poured out; gutan, they poured out.

Gesean, geseon, to see; gesaw, geseah, geseh, geseag, gesag, he saw; gesewen, seen.

Geswıngan, to whip; geswang, he whipped; geswungen, whipped.

Getan, to obtain; geot, geotte, he obtained; geoton, they obtained.

Gewæccan, geweacan, gewæcean, to afflict; geweahte, gewæhte, he afflicted.

Gıfan, to give; gaf, he gave.

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Grından, to grind; grand, he ground; grundon, they ground.

Hangen, to hang; hoh, he hung; so ahangen, hanged.

Hengan, to hang; heng, he hung; hengon, they hung.

Healdan, to hold; heold, he held.

Helpan, to help; hulpe, he helped; so gehelpan.

Hlıhan, to laugh; hloh, he laughed.

Hnıgan, to stoop, or bow; hnah, hnag, as, in under hnag, I stooped, or went under.

Hweorfan, to turn; hwurf, he turned; hwurfan, they turned; so ahweorfan.

Iecan, to encrease, or enlarge; ıht, enlarged.

Lıþan, to fail; lað, he faileth.

Lıxon, to shine; lıxton, they shine; qu. lıxdon, lıxodon.

Magan, to be able; mıht, I had been able.

Nıman, to take; nam, he took; numen, taken; so genıman.

Oferwrean, to cover; oferwroh, covered; so wreon.

Ofslean, to kill; ofsloh, he killed; also ofslægan, or ofslagan, makes ofslog.

Ongınnan, to begin; ongan, he began.

Ongıtan, to understand; ongeat, he understood; ongatun, they understood; also gẏtan, or getan, to get, procure, or obtain.

Plætan, to smite; plat, he smote.

Plıhtan, to give his word, or be a surety; plıht, he gave his word.

Reccan, to tell, to give an account; roht, he told; rohton, they declared.

Rıdan, to ride; rad, he rode; so likewise on rıdan.

Sahtlan, to reconcile; sæht, he reconciled, N. S.

Sawan, to sow; sew, he sowed; sawen, sowed.

Scınan, to shine; scean, he shined.

Scıppan, to create; sceop, he created; so gescıppan.

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Secan, to seek; soht, he sought; sohton, they sought; so gesæcan.

Secgan, sæggan, sæcgan, to say; sæcgde, sæde, he said, qu. from sæcgode; also wıðsecgan, wıðsagan, to contradict.

Settan, to place; seotte, set, he placed.

Sıngan, to sing; sang, he sung.

Sıttan, to sit; sæt, he sate.

Slagan, to kill, or slay; sloh, he killed, qu. slog, g being turn’d into h.

Slıtan, to slit; slat, he did slit.

Spıwan, to spue, spaw, he spew’d.

Standan, to stand; stod, he stood; also wıþstandan, to withstand.

Streccan, to stretch; streht, he stretched; strehton, they stretched.

Stıgan, to ascend, stag, stah, stıh, he ascended; also the Compounds, gestıgan, astıgan, onstıgan, nẏþerstıgan, to descend.

Swerıan, to swear; swor, he swore.

Swıgan, to be silent; suwode, he was silent; suwon, they were silent.

Tætan, to teach; tæht, he taught; tæc, teach.

Teon, to lead, or to draw; teh, tuge, he drew; teo, teoh, draw; hence tow, a word known amongst Sailors; so ateon.

Ðencan, to think; ðoht, ðohte, he thought; geþencan.

Tẏþıan, to give; tẏþde, tẏdde he gave.

Unnan, to give; udde, he gave.

Wacıan, to watch; weahte, watched; so awacıan.

Wedan, to be mad; wedde, he was mad.

Weorcan, worcan, to build; worhte, he built; forwẏrcan, to undo.

Yrnan, arnıan, arnan, to run; arn, he ran; urnon, they ran.

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Of Adverbs.

ADverb, Wordes gefera, the Companion of a Verb; because it is always joined with a Verb, and has not its full Signification without it.

There are three things belong to it: First Kind, Hıw.	Primitive, Frumcenned, as, dıgellıce, secretly, gelomlıce, often; or,
	Derivative, Ofgangende, as, gelomlıcor, oftner, gelomlıcost, very often.
Secondly Figure, Gefegednẏss.	Either Single, anfeald; or,
	Compound, menıgfeald.

Thirdly Signification, Getacnung, and this is divided into several Significations, as,

1. Adverbs of Time, i.e. Tıdlıce, or þa ðe tıda getacnıað, those that signify Time, as, á, áá, ááá, always, or for evermore; gefẏrr, heretofore; nıwan, newly done, or of late; ær, before; on æran dæg, the other day; gẏstandæg, yesterday; to dæg, to day; to merıgen, to morrow; nu, now; ætsumon cẏrre, some time or other, &c.

2. Adverbs of Place, Stowlıce, local; hıder, hither; þıder, thither; and these are either such as express things in a place, as, her, here; ðær, there; hwær, where; or from a place, fram stowe, as, heonon, hence; þanon, thence; hwanon, whence.

3. Of denying; or forbidding, forbeodendlıce, oððe mıstıhtendlıce; as, noht, nocht, not; nateswhon, in no wise, &c.

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4. Some are of Confirmation, fæstnıgende, as, ıa ıc dẏde, yes I did; wıtodlıce, truly; gewıslıce, that is to say.

5. Of Swearing, Swerıgendlıc; ðurh, by; as, ıc swerıge ðurh God, I swear by God; ðurh mın heafod, by my Head: And here I cannot help remarking what the pious Ælfric observes on this head, who makes this Observation. Our Saviour has forbid every kind of Oath, and commanded that our Speech shall be thus confirmed; Hıt ıs swa, hıt ıs, it is so, it is; i.e. yea, yea; Nıs hıt swa, hıt nıs, it is not so, it is not, nay, nay: There are many other Adverbs of Swearing; but why should we say any more, since we may not swear at all.

6. Some are of Exhorting or Encouraging, Tıhtendlıce; as, nu la; come on, go to; nu ge la, take courage: This is sometimes exprest by the Imperative Mood; as, do þu, and do ge.

7. Some are of Affirming or Asserting, Fæstnıgende; as, soðlıce, truly; fulsoð, most truly, or indeed and indeed: This word continues still in use in the word Forsooth, but the Sense is misunderstood: For whereas it is only a Note of Affirmation, it is used as a word of Compli­ment and Respect, which we find exacted with great Niceness from their Children, by the meaner sort in and about the City of London, where they are sure to be taught to say Forsooth Mother, and Forsooth Grandmother, &c.

8. Some are of Doubting, Twınıgendlıce; as, wen, wenunge, it may be, probably, &c.

9. Of Quality, ðe getacnıað hwılcnẏsse, which signifies Quality, or how a thing is done; as, wel, well; ẏfele, ill; fægere, fairly; snoterlıce, wisely; swæslıce, properly.

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10. Of Quantity, ða getacnıað mẏcelnẏsse, oððe lẏtelnẏsse, these denote much, or little; as, mıcel, much; lẏtel, little; naht, nothing.

11. Congregatives or Collectives, Gadrıgendlıce, these unite, or gather things together; as samod, at one; ætgedere, together.

12. Discretives, Sẏndrıgendlıce; onsundron, apart, separately; dıgellıce, secretly.

13. Of Likeness, Gelıcnẏsse; as, swaswa, even so; eal swa and eac swılce, in like manner; endemes, the same.

14. Of Intention or Eagerness; geornfullıce, eagerly, or earnestly; swıðe, very much; ðearle, over much; mıcclum, much.

15. Of Remission, Slacıgendlıce, when the Sense is slacken’d; as, lẏtlum, by little and little; stundmælum, by degrees; softe, easily, softly; hwæt hugu, hwæt hwæganunges, moderately.

16. Of Order, Endebẏrdlıce; as, þær-rıhte, immediately; sıððan, since, or after­wards; nextan, next, or at length; hwẏrftum, by turns.

17. Of Wishing, Gewıscendlıce; as, eala gıf, O that.

18. Comparatives, Wıðmetendlıce; as, swıðor, rather, or more; hwonlıcor, less; bet, better; wẏrs, worse.

19. Superlatives, Oferstıgendlıce; as, swẏðost, most of all; hwonlıcost, least; hrædlıcost, soonest.

20. Diminutives, Wanıgendelıce; as, dıgellıce, secretly; hwonlıcor dıgellıce, a little more secretly.

21. Demonstratives, Æteowıgendlıce; as, efne, lo; loca nu her, behold.

22. Interrogatives, Axıgendlıce; hwı, why? for hwı, wherefore?

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23. Relatives, Edlesendlıce; as, þa þa, ıc wæs geong, when I was young.

24. Numerals, þa ðe getacnıad getel, those that signify Number; as, ænne, once; tuwa, twice; ðriwa, thrice, &c.

Of Conjunctions, Be GEÐEODNẎSSE.

COpulatives, Geþeodendlıce; and, ond, [ende, D. S.] and eac, ac, [oc, D. S.] and.

Disjunctives, Ascẏrıgendlıce; oþþe, or; ne ne, neither; swa swa, as, &c.

Discretives, Sẏndrıgendlıce; ac, but; soðlıce, but; wıtodlıce, for, &c.

Causals, for suman ıntıngan, words spoken for some cause; ðẏ, because; þat that; forðam, because; forðan ðe, forðı, because.

Exceptives, buton, butan, [buta, D. S.] nẏmþe, nemne, unless; huru þınga, only.

Interrogatives, Axıgendlıce; la, is it so? hwı, hwẏ, why? hunu, is it not?

Adversatives, Wẏþerredlıce; þeah, altho’; þeah þe, altho’; ægðer ge, either this or that; hwæder, hwæþer, hwæþere, nevertheless.

Illatives, or that infer the Reason of Things, gesceadlıce; as, forþı, therefore; aþẏ, the same.

Of Præpositions, Be FORESETNẎSSE.

PRæpositions may be consider’d either in Construction, or Composition.

In Construction they may be consider’d either as governing an Accusative Case, or an Ablative.

53 N

Præpositions governing an Accusative Case.

Agen, or agean, against.		Agen Mannes Sunu, against the Son of Man.
Ongean.		Ongean Galıleam, over against Galilee.
Togeanes.		Togeanes hıne, against him.
Teh.		Teh hıne þa ferdon, then they came against him.
Onteonan.		And me onteonan æte, and against my will didst eat.
Wıð.		Þe wıð us agẏltað, that trespass against us.

• Be, in, to
• begeond, begeondan, beyond
• beforan, before
• butan, buton, beside, or except
• betwẏx, betwıh, betweox, betwox, betwux, between
• bı, bẏg, near
• emb, embe, about, above, or over
• eond, beyond
• for, for, or instead of.

Here I cannot forbear giving you a particular Instance, it being so highly valuable, and remarkable for the Matter it contains.

* Crıst wæs PRESBẎTER.	Christ was a Priest,
Þa þa he nam hlaf,	When he took the Loaf,
And heold betwux hıs Handum,	And held betwixt his Hands,
And þone Calıc eac swa,	And the Chalıce also,
And to Heofonum beseah,	And to Heaven look’d up,
And to hıs Fæder clẏpode,	And to his Father call’d,
And þancıende,	And with giving Thanks,
Bletsode to HUSLE†,	Blest it to Sacrifice,
54 And sẏððan hıt hıs Dıscıpulum,	And then to his Disciples,
Sealde to þıcganne,	Gave it, that they might eat,
FOR HIS SẎLFES LICHAMAN,	Instead of his Body,
AND FOR HIS AGEN BLOD.	And For his own Blood.

• Gemang, among
• geond, geondan, gond, beyond
• ınnan, within
• mıd, between, or with
• neah, neh, near
• ofer, above, over
• on, in, and to
• ondlong, near, or hard by
• oþ, until
• sıððan, sıððon, since
• þurh, by
• under, under
• uppan, upon
• utan, about
• wıð, near, or against
• wıðæftan, after, or behind
• wıðgeondan, about
• wıðutan, without
• ẏmb, ẏmbe, about, above.

Præpositions governing the Ablative Case.

• Abutan, abuton, about
• æfter, after, for
• ær, before
• æt, at, to, from, under, for
• ætforan, before
• amang, among
• an, in, for, on
• bæftan, be-æftan, behind
• be, in, of, from
• beforan, before
• beheonan, on this side
• betweonan, betwıh, bıtwınan, betwux, with, between
• bınnan, bınnon, within
• bufan, bufon, above, upon
• buta, butan, bute, buton, without
• feor, far off
• for, for, before
• foran to, before
• fra, from
• fram, of, from
• gehend, near, at hand
• gemang, among
• ınnan, ınnon, in, within
• ınto, into, to
• mıd, mıð, with
• ofer, with, above, upon
• onmıddan, between
• on, in
• onforan, before
• ongean, ongen, against
• onınnan, within
• ormang, among
• oð, until
• tıl, to
• to, to, unless it may be thought rather to be a Particle belonging to the Dative Case
• toforan, before
• togeanes, against
• tomıddes, between
• toweard, towards
• 55 N2 under, under;
• unfeor, near
• up, uppan, uppe, above
• wıð, for, with, behind, against.

Several of these Præpositions govern both Cases, which will appear by comparing the foregoing Scheme.

A Collection of Præpositions used in Composition.

Those which are seldom met with but in Composition are noted with an Asterisk.

• * A, which answers to re in Latin, or un in English, by way of Negative, as, awreon, revelare, to reveal, or uncover, from wreon, velare, to vail, or cover.
• * Æ is also a Negative, as, æ-melle, insipid;
• æfen, even, alike, as, æfen-þeow, a fellow Servant;
• æfter, after, as, æfter-boren, posthumus, a Child born after his Father’s Death;
• ær, before, as, ær-genemned, before-named;
• æt, signifies from or at, as, æt-bredan, to take from, or to take away; æt-standan, to stand to a thing, or be present at it;
• agen, against, or again, as, agen-standan, to stand against, or oppose; agen-hwẏrfan, to return again.
• * And, for or against, as, and-weard, before or present; and-sacan, (and-sagan,) to deny; and-þwẏrıan, to thwart, or stand against; and-wẏrd, an answer; and-hreosan, to rush against: To which add and-swarıan, to answer;
• betwux, between, as, betwux-cuman, to come between;
• be is sometimes a mere addition, sometimes it signifies the same as bı, bıg, bẏg, about, as, befaran, to go round.
• * Ed, again, or anew, as, edsceaft, Regeneration.
• Efen, with, even, equal, as, efen-bıscop, Co-episcopus efen-þeowa, a fellow Servant;
• eft, again, as, eft-cẏrran, to return again;
• em, equal, as, emnıht, eguinox
• emb, about, as, embhwẏrft, the Circuit.
• * Emn, equal, as, emn-scolere, School-fellow;
  em and emn, seem to be deriv’d from embe, or æfen
• for, 56 wickedly, as from lıggan, to lie down, forlıggan
• fore, before, as, fore-ætẏwıan, to foreshew.
• * Full, very much, as, full æþel, very noble.
• * Ge sometimes signifies with, as, gebeor, one that sits at meat with you; geclutod, patched, or clouted; gefæder, a Godfather; gemeder, a Godmother; gewıta, conscious; sometimes Ge is a mere addition.
• Geon, against, as, geon-beran, to bear against;
• geond, through, as, geond-faran, to pass through;
• mıd, with, as, mıd þolıan, to suffer with; mıd wununge, living with, or fellowship:
  These kinds of words are to be distinguish’d from those words compounded with mıd, for mıddel, middle, or between; such as Mıdwınter, Midwinter, Christmass.
• * Mıs, the same, as the Negative in, in Latin, as, mıshẏran, to misobey, not to obey;
• of, of, or from, as, ofceorfan, to cut off;
• ofer, over, as, ofer flean, to fly over;
• on, un, as, ongewısse, uncertain;
• ongean, again, as, ongean brıngan, to bring again.
• * Or, un, by way of privation, as, orwıte, without Punishment;
• oþ, from; as, oþ wendan, to turn from.
• * Samod, with, or together, as, samod-cẏman, to come together;
• to, too, or overmuch; as, to-an-wıllıce, too obstinate;
  tobæran, to bring to. It is a mere addition, like a, or ge
• toforan, before, as, toforan beon, to be before;
• ðurh, through, as, ðurh-beorht, transparent;
• un, un, by way of privation, as, unacenned, unborn;
• up, uppe, up, above, upper, as, up-flerıng, the upper Floor;
• wıð, with, or against, as, wıð-standan, to withstand;
• wıðer, against, as, wıðersecgan, to contradict, or withsay;
• ẏmb, about, as, ẏmbhwẏrfan, to go round, or encompass.

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Of Interjections.

INterjections, Betwux alegednẏss; are either Interjections which signify Sorrow, þæs modes sarnẏsse, the Grief of the Mind, as, wa ıs me, woe is me; wa hım, alas for him; welawa, well away; eoh, hıgla; thus the French helas, eala, alas; or,

Of Rejoicing, or being merry, as, hlıchende, laughing, as, ha ha, he he, wel me, as they say in the North to this Day, weles mothe, that is, well is me of thee.

Of Calling, as, eala, æla, æala, hola, O la la, come hither; la is both prefixed and affixed to Interro­gations.

Of Wishing, Gewıscendlıce, as, eala gıf, O that; wa la, I wish.

Of Exhorting, Tıhtendlıce, as, wella, ute, go to; uton, go ye.

Of Admiring, Wundrıgende, as, eala hu, O how.

Of Shewing, Æteowıgende, as, heonu, efne, see, behold! loca nu, see here!

Of Praising, Lofıgende, as, eala eala, very good, very well! selþe, the same!

Of Syntax.

Of the Construction and Ordering of Nouns and Verbs, Be WORDA & NAMENA Gefegednẏsse & Geendebẏrdnẏsse.

HAving spoken of Nouns and Verbs, and the other Parts of Speech, singly consider’d, we are now to 58 take notice of them as they are joined together to make up Sentences in Discourse: And, as in the Grammars of other Languages we find three noted Rules of Agreement, called, The three Concords, so these likewise are first to be observed in the Grammars of the Saxon Tongue.

The first is between the Nominative Case, and the Verb, which must always agree in the same Number, and the same Person. If the Nominative Case be in the Singular Number, and first Person, the Verb that is join’d with it, must accord with it in the same Number and Person, as, ıc fullıge eow on Wætere, I baptize you with Water: If in the second, so likewise, as, þu eart mın gelufoda Sunu, thou art my beloved Son: If in the third, in the same manner, as, he eow fullaþ on Halgum Gaste, he will baptize you with the Holy Ghost: If in the Plural Number, the same Method must be observed through all Persons, as, we, ge, hı wundrodon, we, ye, they wondred.

The second Rule of Agreement is that which concerns Nouns Substantives, and Nouns Adjectives. As the Rule touching the Nominative Case, and the Verb, required an Agreement between them in Number and Person, so here the Substantive and the Adjective, must not only agree in Number, but they must accord in Gender, or Sex, and in Case, or Termination: For the Adjective being a proper Attendant upon the Substantive, it hath been thought decent that it should not only be of the same Sex, that is, a Male to wait upon a Male, and a Female upon a Female, but likewise to appear in a Dress, or Habit, by which it may easily be discern’d to which Sex they belong. The first of these Answers, the Grammatical Term of Gender, the other, of Case: And by this it may be understood what is 59 meant, when it is said, that the Substantive, and the Adjective ought to agree, in Number, Gender, and Case: As for example, in the Masculine, the Accusative Case Singular Number, Dumbne Gast hæbbende, having a dumb Spirit: In the Feminine Ablative Case Singular Number, as, of Ealre þınre Heortan, and of Ealre þınre Sawle, with all thy Heart, and with all thy Soul. The Neuter Gender, or that which is indifferent to either Sex, has its proper Terminations, as also its Adjectives, by which they shew their Relation to it. Participles observe the same Rule in agreeing with Substantives.

The third Rule of Concordance, is that which touches the Agreement of an Antecedent Noun, with its Relative Pronoun: For to avoid the tediousness of repeating the same word, or thing, the use of Pronouns was first invented; and this Agreement must not only be in Number, and in Sex, I might also say, in Case, but in Person too, as, Wa eow Boceras and Pharıseı Lıceteras, forþam ge sẏnt gelıce hwıtum Bẏrgenum, Woe be to you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites, for ye are like whited Sepulchres; And se þe swereþ on Temple, he swereþ on hım, and on þam þe hım on eardıgaþ, He that sweareth by the Temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth in it.

When two Substantives come together, which signify different things, the latter shall be the Genitive Case, as, þæs Hælendes Lıchaman, the Body of Jesus; Godes Rıces Godspel, the Gospel of God’s Kingdom. Sometimes the latter Substantive is a Dative Case, instead of a Genitive, as, we habbaþ Abraham us to Fæder, we have Abraham to our Father.

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But Substantives are sometimes put in the same Case by apposition, as, Caıus Iulıus Romana Casere, Ælfred Cẏnıng, Rome burh.

The Genitive Case is sometimes put alone, the former Substantive being understood by an Ellepsis, as, he geseah Iacobum Zebedeı, where Sunu is left out by an Ellipsis.

The Praise and Dispraise of a thing, is exprest by the Genitive Case, as, þa wæron hwıtes lıchaman, & fægeres andwlıtan Men, they were of white Complexion, and Men of fair Countenance.

Ðearf, which answers to the Latin word opus, will have a Dative, or an Ablative Case, as, þearf ıs þære bote, there is need of Repentance, or making amends: But sometimes it is used as an Adjective, to signify what is necessary, as, mıcel ıs nẏd þearf Manna gehwılcum, it is very necessary for every Man; ac wuton don swa us þearf ıs, but let us do as it is necessary for us.

Of the Construction of Adjectives.

Adjectives governing a Genitive Case.

1. OF Comparison, as, Manna ærest, the first of Men.

2. That signify Fullness, as, fulle deadra bana, full of dead Mens Bones. These also have an Ablative Case, as, fulle lıcetunge & unrıhtwısnẏsse, full of Deceit and Unrighteousness.

61 O

Adjectives that govern a Dative Case.

1. Such as signify Obedience or Disobedience, as, oððe he bıd anum gehẏrsum, & oðrum ungehẏrsum, or he will obey the one, and disobey the other.

2. Of Likeness or Unlikeness, as, heo ıs gelıc sıttendum Cnapan on foretıge, it is like to Children sitting in the Market-place.

3. That signify, Care or Desire, as, Þat ge ne sẏn ẏmbhẏdıge, eowre sawle hwæt ge eton, ne eowrum lıchaman, mıd hwam ge sẏn ẏmbscrẏdde, be not careful for your Life, what ye shall eat, nor for your Bodies, what ye shall put on.

Adjectives that govern the Ablative Case.

1. That signify Worth, as, doð medemne wæstm þære dædbote, bring forth fruits worthy of Repentance.

2. That signify Fullness, as, fulle ealre fẏlðe, full of all filth.

3. That signify Guilt, as, dome scẏldıg, guilty of Judgment; geþeahte scẏldıg, in danger of the Council, or guilty before it.

The Interrogative, and that which answers to it, shall be in the same Case, as, hwæs ıs þeos anlıcnẏs & þıs gewrıt? whose is this Image and Inscription? hı cwedon þæs Caseres, they answered Cæsar’s.

Of the Construction of Verbs.

VErbs Substantives, and Verbs Passive, which signify Calling or Naming, will have a Nominative Case after them, as well as before them, as, ıc eom ærıst & lıf, 62 I am the Resurrection and the Life; se hælend þe ıs genemned Crıst, Jesus which is called Christ.

Verbs that govern a Dative Case are such as Signify,

Commanding, as, wealdan, to command.

Ealdor Men wealdað hıra ðeoda, Princes govern their People.

In most of these Instances there is an Ellipsis of some word left out, as in words of

		Words left out, and to be understood.
Suffering, as, þolıan, to suffer.	Þolıge hıs hẏdes, let his hide suffer; ðolıge hıs freotes, let him lose his freedom.	As, Wıte, Punishment.
Helping, as, helpan, to help.	God Ælmıhtıg helpe ure, God Almighty be our help.	Untrumnẏsse, Weakness.
Tasting, as, onbıtan, to taste.	Nænıg Man nanes metes onbıte, let no Man taste any meat; Wınes onbẏrde, he tasted Wine.	Dæl, part, some, portion.
Praying or Asking, as, bıddan, to ask, or desire.	Gıf he bıt fısces, if he ask a Fish.	Gıfe, the gift.

Compassionating, as, gemıltsıan, to have mercy on.

Ure gemıltsod, having compassion for us. These sometimes have a Dative Case.

63 O2 Giving or Granting, as tıþıgean, to grant or bestow.	Fulluhtes tıþıge, let him give Baptism.	Gerẏne, the Sacrament.
Of Touching, æthrẏnan.	Ne æthran þu mın, touch me not.	Lıce, Body.

Of Meditating or Consulting, cepan, to intend.

He fleames cept, he took care for, or provided for his flight.

Of Denying, ætsacan, to deny.

þa ætsacað þæs ærıstes, who deny the Resurrection.

Lare or geleafan, the Doctrine or Belief.

Where there is no Ellipsis, these Words are for the most part Transitives, and govern an Accusative Case.

Verbs that govern a Dative Case.

1. Verbs put Acquisitively, as,		Gıf hwa hım rıhtes bıdde, if any one desire Justice, or Right to be done to him.
2. Verbs of Commanding or Obeying, as,		Þa bead he þam unclenan Gaste, then gave he his command to the unclean Spirit; Wındas and Sæ hım hẏrsumıað, the Winds and Sea are obedient to him.

3. Verbs of Giving, ministring, restoring, serving, chiding, forbidding, favouring, declaring, answering, lending, trusting, judging, thanksgiving, tempting, hurting, &c. also the words fılıan, and fılıgean, as, Petrus fılıgde þam hælende, Peter followed our Saviour.

64

Verbs that govern an Accusative Case.

Verbs Transitives, which are known when the Action passes, or is transfer’d from the Doer, upon some Person or Thing that receives that Action, as when I say, I honour my Parents, the Action of shewing Honour or Respect, passes from me to my Parents, whom I desire to receive that Honour and Respect, as has been observed: Some Verbs govern two Accusative Cases, of the Person, and of the Thing; Gedo hıne rıhtes wẏrþe, let him have the Honour done him of what is right. There are many reciprocal Speeches in the Saxon Tongue; as, hıg æteowdon hıg manegum, they shew’d themselves to many; Crıst hıne gerest, Christ rested himself.

The Ablative Case is sometimes put absolutely, as; gebıgedum cneowum hım to cwæð, upon his bended Knees he said to him; seofon sıþon, seven times. And sometimes the Genitive Case after the manner of the Greeks, as, sona þæs Wıntres, early this Winter, suppose or understand anweardes, ἱσταμένου, vel ἀρχομένου χειμῶνος.

The Infinitive Mood will have an Accusative Case before it, as, swa ge geseoð me habban, as ye see me to have; ða secgað hıne lıbban, they say that he is alive.

Note, That the Construction of Gerunds and Supines in the Latin, is perform’d in the Saxon by the Infinitive Mood.

Note also, That the Construction of the other Parts of Speech, viz. Adverb, Conjunction, Præposition, Interjection, hath been already accounted for, where we had occasion to speak concerning each of them.

65

Of the Dialects.

DR. Hickes and Mr. Thwaites have spoken very largely on this Subject, to whom I must refer my Readers for a more ample Account. I shall only beg leave to observe by the way, that before the distinction of Dano-Saxon, and Normanno-Saxon, there were doubtless several Dialects, or Proprieties of Speech introduced by those several Nations, of the Saxons, Angli, and Jutæ, or Geatæ, who took Possession of the Island, and of those other Colonies that were called out of Germany; which yet for the Space of four or five hundred Years, differ’d not so much amongst themselves, as not to be easily understood by one another. The Poets also had their peculiar Dialect, and set of Poetical Words and Phrases, the Danes, as well as the Saxons: And here I chuse to bring in the mutual Variation and Transposition of the Vowels and Consonants, which is placed at the beginning of Dr. Hickes’s Grammar, but could not so conveniently be placed at the beginning of this.

a, ae; ae, ea; ae, oe; ae, ẏ; e, ae; e, ı, ẏ; u, e; ẏ, u.

The wonderful Variety of changing the Vowels for one another, may be seen in this one word mænegeo, signifying a Multitude, as, mænegeo, mænego, mænıgeo, mænıgo, mænıgu, mænıo, mænıu, mænẏgeo, manegeo, manegu, manıge, manıgo, menegeo, menego, menegu, menıgeo, menıgo, menıgu, menıo, menıu; twenty different ways.

The Saxon Points are thus marked, a Comma, or short Pause thus ( . ) a Period, or full Stop thus () or () an Interro­gation, thus ().

66

Of the Saxon Poetry.

THE Saxon Poems are either such as are made up of words purely Saxon, or such as have some mixture of the Danish, and are called Dano-Saxon. The pure Saxon Verses are known by that Exactness of Grammatical Construction, which is to be observed in them; and from their Purity, in rarely admitting those forreign words with which the Cimbrick, Saxon, Dano-Saxon, and Francick Poets fill their Poems: Of which kind of words, a large account may be had in Dr. Hickes’s Thesaurus Ling. Vet. Septen. and in the Epitome of it by Mr. Thwaites, so that I need only to give you a short Specimen of them here.

Balo.	Evil.
Beadu-rınc.	A cruel Man.
Beorn.	A Man, a noble Man.
Brego.	A General, or a King.
Corðre.	A Multitude.
Dogor.	A Day.
Eafora.	Children, or Offspring.
Egor.	The Sea.
Feorh, ferhð.	The Soul.
Fıras.	Men, Rulers.
Fold.	The Earth.
Frea.	A Lord.
God-web.	Purple.
Gum-rınc.	A Soldier.
Hadre, hadro.	Serene, clear.
Hæle, hæleð.	A Hero.
Heaþo.	High, the top.
Hıld.	War, a Fight.
67 Hrusa.	A Rock.
Lago.	The Sea.
Lıst.	Knowledge, Skill.
Lıð, lıþa.	A Ship.
Lıxan.	To shine, to give light.
Mago, Mago-rınc.	A Kinsman.
Meca.	A Sword.
Metod.	God, the Creator.
Mold.	The Ground, or the Earth.
Rodor.	The Firmament.
Sefa.	The Mind.
Sıgor.	Victory.
Sınc.	A Collection of Things.
Sund, sunð.	The Sea, hence the Baltick Sound.
Ðrago.	Lasting.
Torht.	Illustrious, famous.
Tẏr.	A Lord, Empire.
Usser, ussıch.	Us, we.
Werod, weorod.	An Army.

As well in the Pure Saxon, as in the Dano-Saxon, there are certain Words, which denoting some particular State or Condition of Men, are set loose to signify Man in general, as,

Æþelıng.	Noble.
Bearn.	A Child.
Beorn.	A Nobleman.
Ealdor.	An Elder, a Captain.
Eofora.	Children.
Eorle.	An Earl.
Gefera, gesıþ.	A Companion.
Gerefa.	A Sheriff, or Ruler.
Leod, leoda.	One of the same Countrey.
68 Scealc, scalc.	A Servant.
Þegen.	A Thain.
Wıga, wıgend.	Leader.
Wıne.	A Friend.

Nouns of Multitude are used by the Poets to signify Men, or Mankind, as, Leod, Leoda, a Nation, People; Werod, an Army; Folc, Folce, People; Eorlas & Ceorlas, noble and ignoble; Weras & Wıf, Men and Women.

The Saxon Verses consist of three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or more Syllables, but for the most part of four or five Syllables, with which the Poets now and then intersperse Verses of fewer or more Syllables, as their fancy directs, without any seeming Exactness of Order or Regularity. Verses of four and five Syllables are most current, where the Warmth of the Poet hastens as it were, and precipitates the Vigour of his Stile.

As to the Quantity of Syllables, which are not visibly long by Position (as the Grammarians speak) it must be confest, that in a Language which has been so long disused, and the true Pronunciation whereof is uncertain to us, it can not be so easy to declare what Syllables are naturally long or short: it must be a good Ear, and a particular Genius, that can be able to judge well on this Subject. It is certain the Saxon Poets indulge themselves in a large Variety of Poetical Numbers, in which, perhaps, they were not exceeded even by the Scaldri, who, as Wormius reports, had cxxxvi several kinds of Verses, in which they took a liberty of using many bold Figures, and frequent transposition of words. Sometimes they use a kind of Rhime and Verses ending alike, as,

Sometimes they pleas’d themselves with Words beginning alike, as, Feoh & Fuglas; Laðra lınd. Now and then they made their Verses with Words sounding alike, as, wıde & sıde; gleam & dream. The Adonick Verse was not unknown to them, as, Rodera waldend; and except the Hexameter and Pentameter Verses, there is perhaps no kind of Metre to be met with in the Greeks and Latins, which a Man of Curiosity and Sagacity might not discover in the Northern Poets.

Of Accent.

THE Tone, or Accent, which the Saxons made use of, is said to have been the Acute only, and it was chiefly made use of to distinguish Words of a doubtful meaning, as, Gód, good, Mán, evil, to distinguith them from God and Man. To what other Purposes they served is not easily to be discerned from our printed Books, in which they seldom appear, tho’ nothing is more frequent in the Manuscripts, especially over words of one Syllable, and in words of more Syllables over that Vowel, or Syllable, upon which a greater Strength and Emphasis is to be laid.

I could not think of finishing this Treatise, without acknowledging how much I am obliged, both for Method and Materials, to the learned Mr. Thwaites’s most useful and ingenious Epitome of Dr. Hickes’s great Thesaurus, and to the Thesaurus itself: Of which learned Work too great Encomiums cannot be given, either for the amplitude of the Subject, or justness of the Performance. 70 An ingenious and exact Account of it has been given by Dr. Wotton in a Latin Treatise, entitled, Linguarum Vett. Septentrionalium Thesauri Grammatico-Critici, & Archæologici, Auctore Georgio Hickesio, Conspectus Brevis, which very well deserves to be reprinted, since I hear it is very scarce. As to the Thesaurus itself, which can produce as many Testimonies of learned Men in its Praise, as perhaps any Book has receiv’d that has ever been printed; yet it hath not indeed escaped the undeserved Censure of some Men, as being defective in some things: but I, who have had occasion strictly to peruse it, believe upon due Reflection, and a nearer Inspection into the Work, its most severe Censurers, will find reason rather to complain of their own, than of the Author’s Mistakes. However in a Work of so great bulk, illustrating so many Languages, it cannot be conceived, but that some things, might well escape the greatest Care, and exactest Judgment: The Author would be glad could she promise herself to have given as few occasions of blame in this little Book.

FINIS.