ptes must folowe) and howe the said substantyves forme their plurell nombres out of their syngulers, and whiche of their substantyves be used in the plurell nombre only." But also howe the other declynable partes forme their plurell nombres out of their singulars, their femmynes out of their masculynes, and howe their verbes forme one mode and tens oute of another, and also whan and whye they use sometyme one mode and tens, and sometyme another. And fardermore what order and congruite they are in the covenable joynyng of every of the sayı partes one with another, as they come togyder in sentences. After every of which partes so copletely entreated of, I shall folowe certain tables, co. tayning all the wordes in our tong after the order of a, b, c, with the Frenche wordes joyned unto them. To thentent that after the lernar can by the helpe of the sayde first boke, pronounce the French tong truely, and by the meanes of the seconde with the Freche vocabulyst, whiche shall folowe whan the thirde boke with his tables is completely finisshed, understand any authour that writeth in the sayd tong by his owne study, without any other teacher. He may also by the helpe of this thirde boke and tables therunto belogyng, knowe howe to speke any sentence, or truely and parfitely to endyte any mater in the same tong; so that if he he well note the preceptes in this thirde boke cōtayned, and gyve hymn to the often redyng and delygent observyng of such authours as in the sayd tong be moost excellent; or else if he be so mynded, do note well the style of suche secretaries as in the fayl of endyting be most approved. He shall here in this said thirde boke fynde all thynges whiche to have the sayd tong in parfection, wether to speke or write in it as maye be requyred." The author concludes his work with treating of the interjection, and in this manner : "And note that bysydes these dyvers sortes of interiectyons rehersed in the seconde booke, I fynde also certayne of other sortes, for some be interiectyons betokenynge warnynge to cesse :Ho, as ho de par le diable ho, and hola, c'est assez. And some be interiectyons of indignacyon, trut, as trut avant trut; and some be interiectyons betokenynge, mockynge, Boo, as boo, boo, on le scait assez, and boo il suffit, and hay, as Hay Jehan Jennyn, tu dis vray. "Note also that there is no nacion that more useth to fayne wordes of imytacion to expresse the thynge whiche they wolde discribe than the frenche men do; as to expresse the sounde of fyghtyng I fynde, Patif, petaf, clif, claf; and to expresse the sounde of gonne shotte I fynde, tip, tap, sip, sap; and to expresse the soude of horse horse men, Tric, trac, and by lyke reason forme they Tentouin, Charivares, and such lyke. །· "Note also y there is no tonge more haboundaunte of adages of darke sentēces, compreheding great wysdome, but of them I differ at this tyme to speake any more, intĕdyng, by Goddes grace, to make of this adage a booke aparte, fynysshyng here our thyrde and laste booke of this present treatyse, which I have named LESCLARCISSEMENT DE LA LANGUE FRANCOYSE; besechyng God that these my la bours maye not only be commodyouse and profytable unto the nobylyte of this realme (the more soner by the meanes herof in their tender age to attayne unto y knowledge of this tonge) but also maye be muche vayllable unto all other persones of this noble realme, of what estate or condyscion so ever they be; for than shall I not onely thynke my labours well bestowed, but also take it for a recompence of my displeasure endured otherwyse. "Thus endeth this booke called LESCLARCLISSEMENT DE LA LANGUE FRANCOYSE, whiche is very necessarye for all suche as intende to lerne to speke trewe Freche. The imprynting fynysshed by Johan Haukins, the xvIII daye of July, the yere of our Lorde God, M,CCCCC and XXX." I The t The arms of the author, John Palsgrave, may be seen in Gwillim's Heraldry, p. 265. The two copies of this most rare and extraor dinary book, to which I have had access, belong to the Bishop of Ely and Mr. Douce. The following commendatory verses, which are prefixed, deserve preservation for their neat ness: LEONARDI COXI Radingieusis ludi moderatoris, ad Galliciæ linguæ studiosos carmen. Gallica quisquis amas exacte verba sonare, Nulla sit in toto menda ut sermone reperta, His linguam normis usque polire stude, The book of French Proverbs, promised by the author at the conclusion of this work, never, as I believe, appeared. It is a little singular that this is the only book known to have been printed by John Hawkins. Ames, in the first edition of his work, mentions. another, namely, "Merlin's Prophecies;" but he was deceived by Swift, who pretended to have found these prophecies of an early date, and by |