The oliue leafe: or, Vniuersall abce Wherein is set foorth the creation, descent, and authoritie of letters: together with th'estimation, profit, affinitie or declination of them: for the familiar vse of all studentes, teachers, and learners of what chirography soeuer, most necessarie. By two tables, newly and briefly composed charactericall and syllabicall. Of Alexander Top Gent.

The oliue leafe: or, Vniuersall abce Wherein is set foorth the creation, descent, and authoritie of letters: together with th'estimation, profit, affinitie or declination of them: for the familiar vse of all studentes, teachers, and learners of what chirography soeuer, most necessarie. By two tables, newly and briefly composed charactericall and syllabicall. Of Alexander Top Gent.

Table of contents

Title page

The Author to his Booke.

Vnto the Author.

§

To the vviſe harted Reader, Grace, Vnderſtanding, and Comfort, from him that ruleth all vnto all, Amen.

CREATION.

AVTHORITIE.

DIGNITIE.

PEREGRINATION.

THE VSE.

AFFINITIE.

§

§

[Page]

[Page]

The Oliue Leafe: OR, Vniuerſall Abce. Wherein is ſet foorth the Creation, Deſcent, and Authoritie of Letters: together with th'Eſtimation, Profit, Affinitie or Declination of them: for the familiar vſe of all Studentes, Teachers, and Learners; of what Chirography ſoeuer, moſt neceſſarie. By two Tables, newly and briefly compoſed Charactericall and Syllabicall. Of Alexander Top Gent.

Imprinted at London by W. White for George Vincent, dwelling in great Wood [...], at the ſigne of the Hand in hand, where they are to be ſold. 1603.

[Page] The Author to his Booke.

[Page]

FAre well my little Booke, and tell thy friends,

The Deluge of the deepe Confuſion ebs;

Then ſhew thy Leafe to all, but haile the beſt

And ſafely leaue it in their holy hands,

That will vpright thy language, cleere thy ſenſe,

As matter but of meere preminence:

Yet as the Starre, that onward bringes the Sunne,

Thou haſt perfection where thy light begunne▪

This tell thy friendes, and litle Booke farewell.

A. Top.

Vnto the Author.

[Page]

DIuine Conceite, I wiſh thy ſelfe hadſt drawen

This Grammatique before it paſt to preſse:

It came to me as [...] were by interception:

And (as I thinke) not two lynes puncted right;

Which (in ſo ſtrange a ſubiect) would haue plundgd

Ou [...] Engliſh Preſse, and maz'de the Reader much.

Something my hand hath done, but God knowes ſmall:

Good-will did it, and that was beſt of all.

O're this it reſtes (for here is Alpha ſole,

O mega (wants) thy ſelfe do adhibet

The Light it ſelfe, whoſe rayes we yet poſſeſſe:

For we vnable farre to walke by this.

Who knowes the things of Man, but ſprite in Man?

We well may gueſſe, but vnſure what thou meanes.

This Ohue-leafe bringes tydinges of ſome Good:

Set Noah out, for ceaſed is the Flood.

Who reuerenceth all Students of Holy-tongue HENOCH CLAPHAM.

§

To the vviſe harted Reader, Grace, Vnderſtanding, and Comfort, from him that ruleth all vnto all, Amen.

[Page]

GEntle Reader, ſeeing meaneſt Subiectes (by authoritie) are aduaunced, I preſumed ſo much the rather to offer this (the loweſt of all) to thy grauer iudgment; not onely for the extraordinary power I finde in them (although verely it be great in deede) but for the mightie authoritie that hath ſupported and ſuſteyned them hitherto, euen ſince the beginning of the world, I meane of this vniuerſall Abce, which at firſt (peraduenture) for the name ſake, thou wilt deſpiſe as friuolous, idle, and childiſh, it being nothing leſſe; for the authoritie thereof is very needfull to be knowen: the waightieſt buſineſſe of the earth is built thereon, children vnderſtanding it not: and it affoordeth much matter for the wiſeſt. But as they are counted childiſh becauſe of their doctrine and [Page] education, ſo I hartely deſire that euen children may, either by this, or ſome other greater paines, obtaine the right vnderſtanding of theſe Principles, with the full vſe and authoritie of them.

Firſt therefore, If I be demaunded whether through the world there were not many ſundry Abces inuented of diuers men? I anſwere, there was but one: and that one, of God himſelfe, the true Hagiography or Hieroglyps of our firſt Fathers: to wit, the two and twentie ſeuerall vncorrupted Formes or Letters of the Hebrew tongue: Which being graunted the eldeſt, conſequently muſt be thought the Mother and very Matrix of all other; ſo that the authoritie of all Abces ryſeth from hence, as this from God. And as nothing can preuaile without authoritie, which indeed is God; which our elders well foreſaw by comparing their owne indeuours therewith: ſo muſt we conclude, that nothing euer by man could be made ſo conſtant and ſo durable as to outlaſt the very Heauens for glory, and the Earth, that can not be mooued.

Therefore when you ſeeme to beholde in this mirror at the firſt aſpect, diuers Abces, as if diuers men had faigned or created new formes & figures at their pleaſure, thinke not ſo; for they be all one and the ſame generation, going foorth as the dayes of the yeere which the Sunne bringeth vnto all Countries of a diuers complexion: or as graund Nephewes to the thouſandth degree that haue their continuance of both their Parents (that is) of [Page] their firſt author and peregrination, or confuſion.

But that I may the better explane my purpoſe, I will handle their Creation, their Authoritie, their Dignitie, their Peregrination, and their vſe, in their proper places: and of their vniuerſall Kindred and poſteritie, in the laſt place generally.

CREATION.

BEcauſe all Antiquitie is to be giuen to the Hebrew Learning, and their Letters, mine only endeuour ſhalbe to calculate their birth day, for the vſe of diuers other Rewes their progenie: that as they are truely the Mothers of all, and haue the preheminence; ſo all their ofspring (how diuers ſoeuer) may reioyce alike of their firſt begetting, and continuance: wherefore of any other Antiquitie (ſauing this) I meane not to diſpute: But hereof, becauſe the Holy Scripture hath ſome Argument, it ſhall not be amiſse, firſt to conſider ſomewhat of that.

Gen 5. Firſt, that Cain had his Forehead marked: which marke ſhould likely be Tau, the laſt of the Hebrew letters; or at the leaſt Tau, that in that tongue did ſignifie a Signe or Marke: Whetherſoeuer, becauſe the Marke was notably knowne, and eaſie to be read, it may moſt properly be applyed to my purpoſe. For the Lord marked Cain to this end, that ſuch as met him ſhould not kill him. Here had the Lords writing been vaine, if men could not read the Marke. Hence peraduenture we vſed to intitle the Foreheads of our [Page] forſworne Men and Theeues with F. for Forgerie, or Furtum; like as this Letter (what a one ſoeuer it was) might import on Cain, Brother, or, Man-ſlaughter; who was guiltie of both: or his endles puniſhment of a roguiſh life, or eternall baniſhment from the Saintes of God, to liue a forraigner both in Countrey and Religion.

Other marking in the Forehead, hath been vſed to the like and contrary purpoſes, Ezek. 9. 4. Apoc. 13. &c. In the ſame Chapter is mention made of Tubal-Cain the cunning Caruer both in Braſſe and Iron. And alſo [...]ubal the Organiſt; who doubtleſſe were cunning not only in the formes and proportion of theſe, but alſo of their effect in working, whether in Arithmeticke or Proportion, in Muſicke or Portraying, in Notes or Lines, both by eare and eye: for they are the Abce and principall Rudiment of all workmanſhip, aſwell as of Learning. And what Inſtrument of commendation or profit was euer made? What Muſicke? What workmanſhip was euer inuented, how witty or rare ſo euer, that by effect in theſe receiued not his onely prayſe? Wherefore it is manifeſt, that this auncient Literature floriſhed in the time of theſe men, which reaped ſuch prayſe & profit by the skill therein. And moſt like it is, that the commendable cunning which Tubal-Cain ſhewed, was in ſome Geographicall, Hieroglyphicall, or Aſtrolabicall engine, exactly prepared to deſigne the Heauens, and deſcribe the Earth, and the bodyes thereof, by euen partes and proportion.

And to prooue that nothing at that time, could be [Page] deuiſed more neceſſarie or to greater vſe, I may recite the Chapter of Creation, where the Lord created a vſe for them: to wit, the two vnequall Lightes; and the Starres for ſignes, for ſeaſons, for dayes, & for yeeres: which to our ſenſe may be thus; For Minutes, Howers, Dayes, and Yeeres: That is, Othoth, (as if a man ſhould faigne) for proportionall Figures, or legible Letters, for the full ſcope of Gods Creation eſpecially was that: Such thinges as erſt lay hid in Confuſion, Rude and Vaine, Tohow vabohow, of no manner of ſhape or facion, might then by his Word of life, moſt clearely appeare and be diſtinguiſhed: Not that their ſundry qualities ſhould be admirable to the outward ſenſe onely, but that the very hart and minde of man ſhould be mooued to conſider the deapth of ſo ſtrang a ſeparation; when euery thing was ſo rightly weighed by his owne poyſe: and as the vpper face of any thing contented the ſenſe, ſo the inwarde proprietie with due cogitation, ſhould content the hart: that as well in kinds as in facions, both ſenſe and vnderſtanding, might (by comparing the ſubſtaunce with the pourtrayture) be lightned. Seeing that all thinges which the Lord wrought or commaunded in the firſt weeke, exceeded not the number of two and twentie. And (as I gather by the text) he delighted to reſt in the moſt complet and correſpondent ſumme of the letters of this Abce. From hence may much glorious matter ariſe: but I note onely this, that the Lord hereby deſcribed all his worke for the moſt capacious vſe and profite of man, whom he placed in honour. Wherefore I may conclude, that euery of theſe ſeuerall [Page] Hebrew letters, ſhould ſignifie or import ſome ſpeciall workmanſhyp of the Lordes Creation. And the rather, becauſe the Lord concluded euery one of his actions or creatures, with this proper demonſtration Eth, which is taken for a Signe, Figure, Letter, Forme, or Marke; beeing the extremities of the two fartheſt letters of the Rew. As, if all things were to be comprehended by this limitation or circumſcription Bara Elohim (Eth) haſhamaim, God created the figure, ſigne, or letter, of the Heauens, &c. Or the very hieroglypſis of them, this worde beeing the ſingular of Othoth, which ſignifieth Figures, Letters, Cauſes, Signes, or Tokens, of all ſortes. Where note, that God by his diuine inſight, hath diligently obſerued the ſhapes, the figures, and the lines of euery of his workes; becauſe he vſed to commende the perfection of them: ſo with his very finger hath he drawē them, and with his ſpirit ſtamped them ſecretly in all creatures for vs.

This worde Eth, maketh the Pronowne demonſtratiue Zoth. i. this, which is thus to be deriued and expounded, Zou or Ze, oth, which properly ſignifieth, This Token, this Figure, this Letter, this Cauſe.

Here could I more at large dilate vpon this word Eth, but this for my preſent purpoſe may ſuffice.

Hitherto of the Creation of theſe little Figures, whereby men may coniecture, that in the time of Cain, they were playne to be read and vnderſtood: and that Tubal-Cain ingraued them in his coſtly Inſtruments. [Page] And laſtly, that the Almighty God him ſelfe in the ſeperation of his Elementes, vouchſafed to remember them, and delighted moſt often to deſigne the conſtancie of them by Eth the particle.

AVTHORITIE.

WHereas many (perchaunce of my ſort) will wayte for the approbation of diuers and ſundry Abce-like authorities, they ſhall ſurely vnawares deceiue themſelues; for I minde nothing leſſe: neither dare I willingly ſo much to diminiſh the glorie of the Holy writing, becauſe I well know that in theſe ſeuerall Rewes (howſoeuer diſguiſed) is no new thing: and that their inuentions which at this day are ſo famouſly faigned, are meerely nothing elſe, but counterfeiting of the Hebrew Rew; in changing their bodyes or their power, their places or their order: as in my Table of Abces thou mayeſt well diſcerne. For what cauſe, vpon what deliberation, or to what end (except that Nations were wont craftily to conceale the knowledge of their Tongue from ſtrangers) I know not: but a great cauſe of their metamorphoſis, may be the changing of the culture and race of Wryting; which was, from the left hand to the right, being before contrary. The alteration of their power may ſeeme to riſe from Warfare or pollicie of Court: where, becauſe ſilence will not ſerue, ſecrecie of [Page] Language ſhould be needfull and this (yea in the ſame Countrey and Dialect) where Ciuill-warres haue growen, men haue been forced to ſtudy and practiſe, leaſt that the Watch-word either in Court or Campe be too eaſely apprehended of the enemie, and by an vnlucky Alarme, both Policie & Armie confounded. Iud. 12. 6.The example of the Gileadites is plaine, whom the Ephraimites, purſued to the foord of Iordan, requiring paſſage with them; which vpon good aduice, denying the Gileadites, bad them pronounce their Watchword Shibboleth (a Foord or Chanel) which they wel knew was a proprietie of their owne tongue: whereby it came to paſſe, that by defect in pronuntiation; as in Sibboleth (an Eare of Corne) for Shibboleth, the Ephraimites receiued a wonderfull defeat, and the Gileadites eſcaped ſafe. For which cauſe, peraduenture Kinges and Princes haue not onely endured and ſuffered in their litterature and language, but at their pleaſure and will, haue ruinated and ouerthrowen the naturall ſtampe & courſe thereof; and by prepoſterous order, changed the ſound alſo. Concerning the Hebrew writing, it was vnposſible for man to inuent the like: for of man there remaines no monument ſo memorable, that euer I could find or imagine. Wherefore I may well conclude, That Almighty God, who would ſcarcely be thought at leaſure to attend ſo litle things, is both the Author and Father of the Hebrew writing, whether of ſubſtaunce or of forme: Becauſe in the Table of Ten Wordes, or Commaundementes, the Lord himſelfe vouchſafed to write or carue theſe formes moſt ſeriouſly with his owne finger: which [Page] grace, he would not adde vnto the vile worke of man, nor crowne his corrupt inuention with ſo Holy memorie.

DIGNITIE.

IT is moſt manifeſt, that theſe principles haue in auncient time had no ſmall eſtimation among Princes, ſeeing ſo many of them haue (as it were) ſtudied to inuent new formes, or alter their courſe: which by no meanes they could ſo well bring to paſſe, but that the body of the Hebrew Figure would alway remaine and appeare. This eſpying, they were euer conſtrayned to allow the preheminence thereof. Yea, the holy people of God hath often (in the Hebrew text of the old Teſtament) prouerbially vſed the affinitie and iteration of theſe Letters, as delighting in the very Echo of them; as, Nabal ſhemo Neblah gnimo, Abigal of her husband. 1. Sam. 25. 25. A Foole is his name, and folly is with him. And it alſo ſeemeth, that the Lord ſometimes tooke great pleaſure in ſhi [...]ting of them, and that in texts of great matter and importance: as in that of Abram and Sarai; Gen. 17. 5, 15where God taking away (Jod) the laſt letter from Sarai, which is in the Hebrew count the tenth, & ſo ſignifieth, & rewardeth her with (He) the firſt, and in count fiue, and beſtoweth likewiſe (He) the other fiue on Abram: ſo their names afterward remayned Sarah and Abraham. Now whether it were darkly to include Jah, the name of GOD, in both their names; or whether the Iewes had hitherto miſt in writing or pronouncing of theſe names according to proprietie [Page] of the Lords intention, and were here corrected: or whether it was vpon the foundation of the Promiſe, indifferently vpon them both, Diuines muſt conclude. Many other as ſecret things as theſe to the like purpoſe, the Reader by a more diligent obſeruation of the Hebrew text may apprehend. Such was their eſtimation with Chriſt in the new Teſtament, that he boaſted of their ineffable and euerlaſting conſtancie, Math. 5. 18ſhewing that vntill Heauen & Earth ſhould paſſe, and the Law by his Kingdome be fulfilled, the leaſt of theſe lytle-ones ſhould not paſſe; no not one tittle, which is leſſe then the leaſt of them. Neither is it like, vnleſſe the whole frame of theſe Hebrew Figures had been diuinely extant from God, and more then humane from the beginning; that Chriſt would in this place haue prophecied ſo long continuance, and ſo neceſſarie laſting of them.

Moreouer, the Lord God, the Creator himſelfe, remembreth Apo. 1. 8, 11them in the eares of Iohn, ſaying: I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ende: Hee that was, is, and ſhalbe. Where he not onely authorizeth their beginning, but aloweth that they ſhall continue as inſtruments of his prayſe vnto the worldes end. Though in this place (for the Goſpels ſake) he applyed him to the capacitie of the Grecians, rather then of the Hebrewes. Alſo, the Hebrew order of Alphabet is very renowmed among the Prophets; as in the 119. Pſalme of Dauid, which is deuided according to the number of the letters, into two and twentie euen ſections: to wit, eight Verſes in euery Staffe, beginning orderly with ſome one of the Rew▪ Likewiſe the [Page] Lamentations of Ieremiah in the ſame ſort diſtinguiſhed. Many other proper inſtances, if ſo be this Abce did want honour or preheminence, might be brought out of the booke of Ezra, Nehemiah, Canticles, & Daniel: which I altogether omit. Notwithſtanding, I will ſomething regard the number of fifteene (Tu) why the Hebrews heere interrupted their order of account, in refuſing Jah (ten and fiue,) and challenging Tu, (nine and ſixe) whereof ſome opinion hath been, that is, was to ſpare the diuine waighty name of God from ſo vaine and idle a vſe, that would ſo often frequent both eye & eare in all the prophane reckoning of man. Neither will I neglect the care of the Maſſorits, which ſo affected them for their ſingular operation and diuine employment, that they ſtudiouſly obſerued for the preſeruation of them, how many they were, and how oft euery of them was repeated through the old Teſtament: ſo that in the Prophets they found the whole ſumme of them Eight hundred and fifteene thouſand 280. And in all the old Teſtament the number of Aleſs to be two and fourty thouſand three hundred ſeuentie and ſeuen; and ſo of the reſt of the Letters: which numbers, they both diligently and ſaythfully recorded to their poſteritie, beſides many other agreeable concluſions, reſolutions, and parallels, may be drawen for the prayſe of the Hebrew Abce Rew. As the two and twentie Fathers before and after the Flood: as the two and twentie Pillars of all Common-wealthes, ſeeing they being the recorded foundations of all Chronicles; both the age of Times, and order of the whole Worlde, grew and waxed old together [Page] with them. Neither altogether diſagreeable hereunto are the Bookes of the New Teſtament, as Corniſhes to the former Pillars, counted abſolutly twentie two. Hitherto of their eſtimation.

PEREGRINATION.

PRopounding alwayes that this Literature, (of whoſe beginning, authoritie, and dignitie, we haue already ſpoken) is the auncienteſt and Mother of all other kindes; there remayneth ſomething to be proued of their Demigration or Tranſportation: which at a glaunce, maketh them ſeeme rather like Nouices of ſome new inuention, then the ſame, ſuch as they are in deed; ſo much the clymat, apparell and entertainement; heir gate, their facion and their face, hath changed. Before the Flood, of what account ſoeuer they were, or in what Landes ſoeuer they lyued and floriſhed, as I haue declared in this place, is litle materiall to recite; becauſe all Monuments of prayſe, (except ſuch as Noah and his Sonnes could for the later ages by hand and hart preſerue) the Inundation wipt cleane away: But in them and their Nephewes, both Nature it ſelfe, skill of ſubſtances and cauſes, and hatty wiſedome of Artes and skill, haue been continued and reſerued for vs. It is moſt cleare, that in the Arke, and preſently after the Flood, there could be but one Literature, one Abce or Tongue; which they would ſtill be mindfull of, and kindly commend it to their children, as a glorious worke and famous remembrance of the other Worlde. But after the [Page] Sonnes of Noah began to poſſeſſe and inhabite all parts of the Earth, their tongue, their voyce, and handwriting, foorthwith by little and little, by ignorance or negligence, moſt eaſily declined. For, Of theſe were Gen 10. 5▪ 11. Euery man after his tongue. Gen. 11. 6. the Iles of the Nations diuided and repleniſhed: Who perceiuing the eminent diuerſitie and variation of their tongue and wryting; and (as it ſeemes) not willing the glory thereof ſhould fall or decay, they aſſembled themſelues ready to buylde a Tower of rare height, whereby euery▪ Nation or Family might get renowne: For before the worke, they feared much the diſperſion of their Families, and ruine of their Learning; when, as they ſay, Leaſt we be ſcattered, foreſeeing the euent that happened. But becauſe the Lord did not allow their vnneceſſarie prouidence in this enterpriſe, being not contented with that ſucceſſe which the Lord had in his infinite wiſedome appoynted, euen in this their warines, leaſt any ſhould ſo much leane and truſt vnto the handy worke of man, and boaſt in a Name of their owne getting, as Nebukadnezar by his Image did waxe proud; in the Lords authoritie as did Moſes at the Rocke, the Lord of his meere will and diuine conſultation deſcendeth to hinder the ſame, ſaying: Let vs confound their Lippes and Tongues, that they vnderſtand not one an other, and let that which they feared, come vpon them. So were their Tongues confounded, and their Families neceſſarily ſcattered ouer the face of the whole earth: Neither was there any other confuſion of Dialectes in & after the worke, then that which otherwiſe would haue happened. And this was to ſhew the power of [Page] the Lordes prouidence, in reſpect of the fraile meanes and purpoſe of man: For in the beginning of the Gen. 10. 5.worke, it ſeemed they all, vnderſtood not one another. And not altogether improperly do we take their diſperſion to be into that Vniuerſe (which we call the World) and hath been diuided into three partes, Aſia, Africa, and Europa: America then vnknowen, or here included. Sem, Ham & Iapheth, obteined euery one his part: to wit, Sem, Aſia: Ham, the hot Country of Africa: and Iapheth, Europ. Of their Gentility, and more frequent and particular dwellinges, read Gen. 10. From hence by Prouinces, were Letters and Learning promoted, and of our Aunceſtors ſo well cheriſhed and ſpoken of. But the firſt vſe of an Interpreter (that I read of) was in Canaan long after: Therfore of the quality of the Confuſion, I haue no more to ſay.

THE VSE.

SEeing whatſoeuer I haue ſayd of their Creation, Authoritie, Dignitie, or Alienation, was for the vnſpeakable vſe & profit which I found in them: I will here declare (as far foorth as I my ſelfe am brought vp in them) the full comfort, that the Reader ſhall expect in this my Table: which not vnfitly I tearme the Oliue Leafe. Firſt therfore, what part of their originall vſe remayneth, or whatſoeuer may ſeeme probable of their Hieroglyficall effect in the firſt weeke, I omit: except that, that the Reader may ſuppoſe they were then vſed to expreſſe the ſundry kindes of Creatures: [Page] The like whereof is yet in ſome place of the worlde in practiſe. But when the ſpecies and perſonages of things grew ſo abundant and ſo diuers, it is like they were firſt compoſed by Adam: and by him brought to wordes and ſyllables of two or thee Letters, when he was to giue to euery ſpeciall thing a proper Name: Gen. 2. 20.for as he called them, ſo were the names of all thinges. And this is a currant Rule for the Hebrician, that no one word in that tongue, euer fayleth of ſome proper or diſtinct meaning; as well to inſtruct the diligent Schollar in ſome naturall reaſon of things, which is the trueth of all Language in deed: as to ſpeake all dayes of his life like a child, that is taught to ſignifie by voyce, and not to conceiue by hart▪ which by any other meane motion may be done aſwell, and to as great purpoſe and effect. For we account of Letters as of Strangers, whoſe faces we only know; and not as friendes, whoſe hart, conſcience, and true meaning, we vnderſtand: ſo, we ſpeake abundantly, but not from the abundance of the hart: and heare diligently, but conceiue no thing.

Now, becauſe there muſt be an entrance into this deapth of vnderſtanding, I thought good to ſhew to what vſes theſe ſimple ones may ſerue. Firſt (as I ſaid) to Compoſe matter of vnderſtanding, in two letters or three. Secondly, to Count, Multiply, and Diuide, and performe all other Rules of numbring, which the Siphers doe. To the ſame may all other Rewes or Numerals (if their Nations pleaſe) be brought to paſſe as well, reiecting theſe forraigne Figures; but more of pleaſure then of deſpight: which poynt, will clearer appeare in my Table of Numerals enſuing. [Page] Thirdly, we learne hereby the Admirable rule of Proportion; and by good Tutors, to vnderſtand each other far and neare: to which purpoſe, many haue deuiſed ſuperficial ſecrecie; a thing leaſt needful amongſt vs, while our plaine things haue ſuch depth of miſtery in them. This Rew may alſo without any farther vſe of Prick-ſong, performe the Gam-vt, or Sol-fa, in all Clee [...]es of Muſicke. The full compaſſe of which, reacheth not aboue one or two and twenty Notes, by any mans power: ſo that any muſicall Song compoſed with conſideration of the letters, in each ſyllable, may readily be ſung in his plaine line: Which the Iewes alwayes vſed, as by a new art of Parallels and Notes (after the cuſtome of Europ) at this day, there being in it ſelfe a moſt proper and proportionall ſcale. Other manners of Singing are vſed alſo, which I haue ſeene, ſomething ſtrange, but nothing ſo pithy or pleaſant: as by wauing of the Line or the whole Staffe to the will of the voyce. Alſo, by this meanes they can performe all offices of Accents howſoeuer. At the laſt it pleaſed the Iewes to make vſe of diuers proper formes to this purpoſe. Which Figures being well conſidered, are nothing but meere Letters or Vowels alſo: for it hath ſince continued a plaine & vſuall practiſe, to make the Letter of one language, and the Accent of another: and the contrary likewiſe by example of the Chaldean Accents, and the Greeke Vowels which come from them. But for a more moderne proofe, marke the high-Dutch and Swedan tongues, that Accent their Vowels, with contrary Vowels of the ſame language: that where the ſound doth vary from deriuation, there both [Page] ſound and deriuation hereby might be cleared, and the language deliuered from further confuſion. And ſometime alſo ſuch accented ſyllables be Muſicall, for Time in reeding, as double ſounding Vowels in other Languages are wont to be.

Now what benefite I haue declared of the Hebrew Rew, may be vnderſtood aſwell of all other, if Schollers of diuers literatures vpon this occaſion will take the paines. To which purpoſe, much may be conſidered in this ſyllabicall Table of Engliſh Conſonantes: whether for the compoſing of all Syllables and monoſyllable wordes, Numbring, Proportion, Muſicke, or Accenting; if the Reader pleaſe to grace my paynes with ſome ſmall induſtrie and meane curioſitie.

A Table Syllabicall.

b | c | d | r | g | h | k | l | m | n | p | q | r | s | t | x | z
c | f | h | l | n | q | s | x | b | d | g | k | m | p | r | t | z
d | h | m | p | t | b | f | k | n | r | x | c | g | l | p | s | z
f | l | q | x | d | k | p | t | c | h | n | s | b | g | m | r | z
g | n | t | d | l | r | b | h | p | x | f | m | s | c | k | q | z
h | q | b | k | r | c | l | s | d | m | t | f | n | x | g | p | z
k | s | f | p | b | l | t | g | q | c | m | x | h | r | d | n | z
l | x | k | t | h | s | g | r | f | q | d | p | c | n | b | m | z
m | b | n | c | p | d | q | f | r | g | s | h | t | k | x | l | z
n | d | r | h | x | m | c | q | g | t | l | b | p | f | s | k | z
p | g | x | n | f | t | m | d | s | l | c | r | k | b | q | h | z
q | k | c | s | m | f | x | p | h | b | r | k | d | t | n | g | z
r | m | g | b | s | n | h | c | t | p | k | d | x | q | l | f | z
s | p | l | g | c | x | r | n | k | f | b | t | q | m | h | d | z
t | r | p | m | k | g | d | b | x | s | q | n | l | h | f | c | z
x | t | s | r | q | p | n | m | l | k | h | g | f | d | c | b | z
z | z | z | z | z | z | z | z | z | z | z | z | z | z | z | z | z

[Page] I Thought good by the way, to ſhew this my Calculation of Syllables, that it may be the more familiar when my time and experience ſhall better ſerue, to declare the full vſe and benefite thereof: In the meane while, the Reader ſhall ruminate thereon. And now for the vnderſtanding of this my charactericall Table following: Firſt, it is thus deuided into Rewes and Columnes; that is, euery perticular Abce lying collaterally correſpondent each vnder other, is expounded each by other, according to their proper ſoundes throughout euery Columne. Wherein, becauſe Languages for the moſt part (as I haue ſayd) differ one from other in number of Letters, or order of Abce Rew, I (not vniuſtly) do conſtraine all Abces to be conformable to the Hebrew: enlarging it by Dages and Compoſition, from the proper two and twentie Soundes or Letters, into ſo many as may well interpret the largeſt (that is thirtie) although ſome Alphabets by ruder collection, haue been vnneedfully extended to thirtie or fourtie. But where thou ſeeſt ſometimes both Rew & Pilla [...] vnorderly broken off, there note, that ſuch a Language lacketh that liſping found, which (thou ſhalt perceiue) other tongues abounded withall.

As for the ſeuerall names of the Letters of euery Abce, let each Countrey tearme the whole Pillar, as ſhe calles her owne (being all Letters of the like force) becauſe I hold it litle materiall to be taught: Onely it may giue inſight of correction vnto ſome Countries, that haue borrowed the ſound, & not the Letter. And to other that haue vſed the Letter and not the ſound, which (of all other) in our Engliſh Abce is moſt abſurd: [Page] to the great hindrance and vexation of the little ones: that (as it were) enter Purgatorie before their time, being often puniſhed, but not for them ſelues. But for the fault of the Literature, & for the rudnes of Teaching which doth ſo ofen amaze and aſtoniſh them; as in the double ſound or efference of C. of G. of I. of P. of th. and of ch. Where the ſound of their Name ſhould properly begin euery word, they make to enure the Tongue to readines in ſpelling and reading; it being for the moſt part otherwiſe, and alſo in the moſt improper names of H. and Y. one being called Atch, and the other Wy, as if they ſhould beginne tcheer, or wee, according to their Names: but the children muſt learne to ſpell ch, ee, r, heere: wy, ee, yee: in ſtead of he, eer, and ye, ee, yee, (to them moſt horrible) and for this they endure much, that Parents of meane affection, ſhould ſcarce approue. By which it comes otherwiſe to paſſe then in other Languages, that we cannot ſpell our Abce vntill we vnderſtande the whole Tongue. In ſome other Abces, the like imperfections are found. But of our owne, in this will I haue to doe, aduiſing my Countrey-men, that ſeeing new Letters or Figures will not eaſily be receiued, (conſidering the trauayle of ſome other yer now, to that purpoſe) they will duly diſtinguiſh with ſome difference of wryting, as it hath been aunciently vſed, (neither is it at this time altogether vnuſed, but neglected, with ſtrokes or prickes: aptly offering it ſelfe in this my Table) theſe Letters of two ſoundes, and name them accordingly by their right name, ſuch as [Page] are wrong chriſtned: and giue effectuall names to ſuch as are nameleſſe. Which matter is ſo natiue, ſo eaſie, ſo pregnant, ſo commendable; and laſtly ſo voyde of all new-fangelneſſe, that nothing elſe is heere wanting, but that which may with prayſe be prayed the allowance of the beſt.

Now for further inſtruction concerning my Table, euery Abce beareth his Countreys name, or the name that other Countreys call it, at the ende of the Rew to the left hand. And whether the ſeuerall Countreyes did write towards the left hand, or towards the right, in the margent at the right hand, you haue a Hand or Fiſt to direct you.

AFFINITIE.

OF their Affinitie and declination of forme, the explaning of the firſt Columne may ſuffice to teach the Reader how to marke the courſe of all the other Columnes, and the true variation of ſtrokes and lines, by diſmembring or new framing the Letters accordingly. Therefore I muſt ſpeake of the firſt Hebrew letter in the firſt Columne, how he carryeth himſelfe through all learned Tongues: that is, of Varietie, of Facion, and Behauiour. And alſo of his generall entertainment & acquaintance with all other of the ſame Columne, whereas it conſiſteth of three diuers ſtrokes or limbes; to wit, the ſtroke Conſtant, which is the ſlope line, that for the moſt part continueth inuariable: The ſtroke Diuers, which is the hanging [Page] line that is euer now and then heere and there: And the ſtroke Defectiue, which is the maiſter or commaunding ſtroke, that in proper perſon is ſeldome preſent.

Therefore in this Metamorphoſis, the Reader may not alwayes looke for this articular trinitie, becauſe in ſome Abces it will portend but two of the limbes, and in ſome but one; and that with a ſtrange motion: In ſome place halting, in other vtterly maymed.

Notwithſtanding, of the firſt ſort, the Complet body are theſe by transformation; The ſixteenth, ſeuenteenth, two and three and twenteth, and ſeuen and twenteth Abce; that is, the Illyric, Croatic, Aethiopick, Armenian, Aegyptian or Phrygian Rew. The firſt is diſcerned by exalting the line Conſtant and tranſparence of the leafe. The ſecond, by rayſing of the line Conſtant, and counterpoyſe of the ſtroke Diuers and Maiſter line. The third, by exalting the ſtroke Diuers to the head of the line Conſtant, the Conſtant and the Maiſter lines deſubtending it. In the Capitall of the fourth, by depresſing the former eleuation of the line Cōſtant, & exalting the hornes of the Diuers & maiſter Line, all three members of the curent Letter being in degree equall, and naturally floriſhing. All which concluſions (if you turne the Leafe byas, or vpſide downe at your pleaſure) you will the eaſier confirme.

Of the ſecond ſort, are all the other of the firſt Pillar, except Arabique, Siriac, Perſian, Turkiſh, and Tartarian; which are included in Arabique and [Page] Siriac: onely the twenteth and the one and twenteth Rew, which are but one ſtroke, the Conſtant line erected: yet in the very head of this line, is ſome ſmall ſenſible trace of a ſecond ſtroke to be obſerued.

But where you find the ſecond ſort full of variety of buylding, be not amazed at the Architecture thereof: for the frame and proportion is euer cleere, and that meerely nothing elſe but ſhadow-floriſhing or traine: as of the heele of a mans Foote in the Sand or Snow, in reſpect of the ſtep it ſelfe.

The ſound of this Pillar or Letter is not vſurped by any other Columne, nor is commutable with any other Letter: therefore his deriuation is the more cleere.

The like is to be marked of the ſecond Columne, and all the reſt: ſauing that betweene many of them (that is to ſay, Letters of the ſame Inſtrument, whether of the lippes, the teeth, pallat, or hisſing Letters) there is vſuall communitie, ſelfehood, and commutation, as the ſecond and thirde▪ with the three and foure and fiue and twenteth, the fourth and fifth with the ſeuenteenth two and ſeuen and twenteth: and ſometime with the nine and twenteth: the ſixth and ſeuenth with the fourteenth and the thirtie eighth with the thirteenth: the eleuenth with the ſixe and twenteth: the one and twenteth with the nine and twenteth: the ninth with the tenth: the eleuenth with the twelfth: the fifteenth with the ſixteenth and the fourth: and ſo with a continuall and mutuall reference of the Letters of each Abce by [Page] it ſelfe, and compariſon with the ſame of other Rewes, thou ſhalt finde their proper and auncient Culture moſt cleare. For all the reſt, each Pillar will cleare it ſelfe to him that hath any inſight or delight therein, as Figures or Letters of a diuers condition: but one ſubſtaunce and the ſame effect.

Heerein alſo note, that of the two-and-twentie Hebrew Letters, I haue prouided fiue Vowels, Alef, He, Vau, Jod, Hnaim; the eighth, the ninth, the fourteenth, one-and-twenteth, and ſixe-and-twenteth Pillar, to anſwere either directly or in trauers, as I haue ſhewed to the Vowels of all other Languages both in place and voyce; propounding this for my warrant: That all Letters, that are not Conſonants, be Vowels.

That they are no Conſonants, the tranſlation or traduction of theſe words Adam, Abel, Ruth, Ezekiel, Eber: and alſo of a great part of the Latine tongue will effectually proue: as, Hnad, Hnuf, Hnur, Ad, auis, orior: VAV, ue, ſeu, ſiue: Hen, en: Elleh, illae: Iaijn, vinum, Greeke Oinon: of which, we need no farther example, becauſe they are alreadie notably knowne.

And conſidering their proper Pillars, thou ſhalt finde them to agree both in facion and place, with their oppoſed Figures.

Laſtly, I aduiſe that euery Letter hencefoorth keepe to his owne ſound, as by all other he ſhalbe heere pronounced according to his name, obſeruing euer this libertie, or rather proprietie of ſpelling, to begin and end all Syllables with a letter whoſe name and power [Page] is all one, (reiecting idle letters) and produce the long Syllable by Accent for ſuch a difference: Mad, mád: for mad, made: as where Ce, is vſed for a Ka, there K: where Ph, is for F, there F: where Ch, is for Q, there Q: The reſt by obſeruation, is eaſely learned.

Of the Hebrew Vowels, and all other Vowels and Accentes (becauſe they be thinges ſo vnconſtant and ſo moueable, both for employment and affection) I meant not heere to handle any thing, but to content my ſelfe with Alef and Tau, and with that ſeale Eth, to ſigne and ſeale my worke; delyuering it to the vſe of Ezra the moſt excellent Scribe; or moſt exquiſite Workman Bezaleel: and conſequently to all other of the like faculties, Optik, or Mechanicall whatſoeuer. And to ſuch, I wiſh grace, vnderſtanding, and comfort f [...]m him that reuealeth all vnto all:

Am [...]n.

FINIS.

§

[Page]

[Comparative table of letters and sounds]

Information about this book

Title statement

The oliue leafe: or, Vniuersall abce Wherein is set foorth the creation, descent, and authoritie of letters: together with th'estimation, profit, affinitie or declination of them: for the familiar vse of all studentes, teachers, and learners of what chirography soeuer, most necessarie. By two tables, newly and briefly composed charactericall and syllabicall. Of Alexander Top Gent.

Top, Alexander.

Edition statement

1603

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A68824

ID [STC]

STC 24121

ID [STC]

ESTC S119954

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99855159

ID [PROQUEST]

99855159

ID [VID]

20634

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A68824)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 20634)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1158:04)

Source

— The oliue leafe: or, Vniuersall abce Wherein is set foorth the creation, descent, and authoritie of letters: together with th'estimation, profit, affinitie or declination of them: for the familiar vse of all studentes, teachers, and learners of what chirography soeuer, most necessarie. By two tables, newly and briefly composed charactericall and syllabicall. Of Alexander Top Gent., Top, Alexander..

Extent

[30] p. : folded table

By W. White for George Vincent, dwelling in great Woodstreete, at the signe fo the Hand in hand, where they are to be sold,. Imprinted at London :: 1603.. (Signatures: A-D⁴ (-A1).) (Reproduction of the original in the Bodleian Library.)

Creation

Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford.

Editorial practices

EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO.

EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org).

The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source.

Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.

Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.

Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.

The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.

Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).

Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site.