CAP . 1. Of the Definition and Diuision of the ART .

BRACHIGRAPHY is the Art of Short-writing impressed in compendious Time and Place .

Short-writing is either of the bare Letter , or of Words composed of Letters . That I call Literall or Elementall , this Dictionall or Verball .

CAP . 2. Of the Alphabet of Characters .

THe Alphabet composing the structure of words in this Method , is distinguished into three sorts of Characters , according to the seuerall scite and analogie they hould with the supposed Line or Rule you write by .

The first sort are such as range-with , or keepe-about the ordinary pitch of the Rule or Rowe , exceeding neither in height nor depth , as are the Medials or Regulars being all the Alphabet except eight long Letters .

The second are Altals drawne from aboue , and landing at the foote of the Line , viz. f . l. q. t .

The third are Basals , falling from the Head of the Line , and landing below the Foot , viz. h . p. r . w . Yet all these Irregulars are reduceable , and are oft contracted ( h . and t . onely excepted ) to Medials : so w . becomes a Conuert , both de facto and de iure , to u . his proper Charact . The sole Caueat in these contractions is , that the haire stroaks in p. and q . be shorter than the latitude of the Line to distinguish them from ioynings with c . the sloape .

CAP . 3. Of incorporated Letters and double Consonants .

THe Incorporation of Letters is a succinct contracting of Characts into selfe-bodied structures either Concretiue , when they are made one by a selfe-lineall and immediat continuation of the Stroak , where imagination , rather than sensible distinction or connexion , limits th'extention and latitude of each seuerall Letter therein comprised . Or Discretiue , when they are incorporated by Angular or Laterall coniunction , discouering the particular formes and extents of their seuerall Characts .

Concretes are such as are noted in the Table with c .

These Incorporations are further encreased by a punctuall practise to imply Precedence and Duplicitie . Of the first , the incorporates lp . lr . fr . pr . gth . by a punct vnder them are inuerted into pl. rl . rf . rp . ght .

Of the second sort are all the Irregulars , which being of the same scite or posture with b . doe oft comprise it , intimated onely by punct ouer or vnder th'incorporation to point forth the Precedence . Discretes are those ( and others ) in the Table left without notes .

Here I would aduise you to be perfect in the Table for the Letters and Elementall Incorporations , to rest well at each Stage , not chopping into another Chapter till you haue well ruminated on the last , and neuer to post-ouer nor quit a Principle nor an Element till both memorie and hand finde or forme it prest for your impression .

CAP . 4. Of the Places and Regions of the Vowels .

THe Vowels are not alwaies expressed by penning their peculiar Characts , but implyed very often by puncts , places or touches , vt sequitur .

Euery Row or Rainge of Letters or Words doth admit ( imaginarily ) of a Diapent or fiuefold diuision by paralel-lines cutting longwayes through the breadth of the Letters or Line .

The first Paralel in height and Right runs along the space betwixt the heads of the Altals , and th'other Letters ( in Medio scilt ) for a.

The second leuels the heads of the Medials and Basals for e .

The third cuts through the Center or midst of the Medials for i .

The fourth runs by and rules the feet of the Medials and Altals for o .

The fift and last Paralel lines the space twixt the feet of the Basals and th'other for u . see the demonstration .

In all which the Puncts in the Paralels imply the fiue Vowels respectiuely sutable to their stationall Regions and priorities in vulgar enumeration , and must be laterally placed to the Dexter or Sinister Hand of the Consonant respecting the precedence and sequence of the implicable vowell , see the Table .

In like sort and position are Letters placed a part in Vowel Regions to imply interceding Vowels , but most eminently in paralels of a. i . u . This disiunct Implication is the vsuall forme of intimating Vowels in other inuentions of Short-writings , and the like practise here supersedes all incumbrance of intrication through various Lexions .

There is another Implication of Vowels by single or mediate touch or coniunction of Consonants respectiuely and indifferently for all , but most frequently for e . i . o .

But the peculiar Implication of Vowels in this Method is attributed to the immediate laterall and single touch of Consonants in Vowels Regions .

Here note the Punctus e . latere ( or laterall touch ) attends the Medials retaining regionarie right of vowellage both in their eleuation and depression .

The same Implication holds in double Consonants , which in that respect are euer esteemed as Singles .

Here might I conclude Implication , saue that the Art hath lent to the two Letters that sound and style it so a Ternarie of By-Characts for peculiar vses , viz. the two small Characts to r . and . the blot to t .

The first r . to begin a syllable where the Basal frames not so fitly for that purpose .

Th' other r . being the least production of or to a punct , is constant to his colours , though he march most in the Rere , sets vp his rest to be no Bigamus nor Ambodexter , and hands but with one at once ; for such lineall league extended to two Consonants dissolues the r and the double touch turnes Vowell , as in f . 8.

Besides this r . to auoid confusion with n . neuer ioynes with it , yet it admits punctuall production ( like n . produced to an acute point for th' old Brachigrapher &c. ) to produce the syllable by implying e . after r . by th'extention .

For t , it is conuerted to the Literal or Liturall punct . ( the Center that all things tend vnto ) and attends most the tayle of Consonants , to dissolue and blot out vowels of implication .

In other places , t is implicable like other Consonants .

CAP . 5. Of the nullifying or making void the Implication of Vowels .

THe Implication of Vowels by coniunction of Consonants is sometimes drowned in the Incorporation , but most remarkeably by punct or Letter found in the first or last paralel ( ouer or vnder the point of connection ) transferring the vowell to the puncture .

Also a double touch in the Line annihilates all coniunctiues of applying e . i . o . yet g . d . ioyning thus ( o ) through thre Regions , stands soly on the sole and base to intimate and spell the immensurable Basis of all blisse and goodnesse God soly good and infinite . For pendent Incorporations they are not within compasse of angular touch and are therefore sounded sans Vowels , saue those of prolation ( a point not now toucht though of much vse ) as fr . lp . tr . But the greatest scruple is when Consonants angularly ioyned are yet sounded without vowell , as the double Consonants rd . rm . nc . ng . ns . rs . which are as vsually so taken , as for their spellings red . rem . nec . neg . nes . res . nor is the reforming of this variation of Lexion very necessary in this Art , which aymes more at speedy dispatch in writing than in reading , yet may the nullitie be noted with any peculiar marke .

The ioyning of Vowels and Consonants implies onely themselues ; yet a Vowell set apart from a Consonant goes not without implication of vowellage , as in dian Ca . 4. f . 7.

So much for the Literall part . The Verball ensues .

CAP . 6. Of the Contracting of writings .

THe best Enginere in deriuing Nauigable Passages from vnpassable Currents confines not himselfe either to cut a thorow-new Fosse or to rectifie the old Channel for his Conuoy , but pursues th'one and followes th'other as Art and the Medium shall demonstrate . In like manner hauing hitherto run the Leuel of a new Tract in this my inuention , here will I pitch a Lock and fall into the Current of antient abbreuiations already sounded for good Tracts to piece-vp a portable Conuoy for my Post-writ .

The Contracting of Writings is the penning of a part for the whole , and is either of single words or of Sentences .

The Contracting of words is the leauing out of some letters comprised in the full composition and prolation of the same ; and this is either Medial or Final .

Medial Contraction is the penning of the beginning and termination of the Word with a dash ouer the same to note the defect ; so anima is contracted to aia , apostumate made apate , melancholia mlia , miserecordia mia , spiritus Spus , honourable hoble : yet some intermedial Letters of eminence may be vsefully inserted , as adstron administration , anqtie antiquitie , temtus tempestuous : but the dash is superfluous in Characterie .

To this Place may be referred the writing of words after the vulgar sound ; as for beautie , carique , deaw , goodnesse , myrrhe , neighbour , righteous , tongue ; write buti , caric , du , gudnes , mir , nibor , ritus , tung : so xlent , dilog , ruly , surgin , vement , for excellent , dialogue , ruthfully , chirurgion , vehement .

Also the Contracting of two or moe words into one , as nostin ? for nouistine ? lilo for licentiam interloquendi : Vinum Cos for Vinum colore , odore , sapore insignitum . So the seauen deadly Sinnes are intimated by one word in this verse : Si mortem vites semper Saligia vites .

So I le for I will ; wele dut , wee will doe it ; thuse , the vse ; th'our , the hower .

The syllable con , serues well for cion , sion , tion in terminations .

Numeral words haue natiue abbreuiation by letters or figures .

Finall Contraction pens onely the first part of the word with a punct at the fracture to intimate the supplement , as in our Recipes , thus ; ℞ . pil . coch . ℈ . ij . pil . pol . ℈ j . diag . et troch . alh . an . gr. jss . ol . mac . g . ij . ol . zz . g . j . cum aq . nra cephal . q . s . f . p. 7. deaur .

But the first syllable , with a leading Letter to an other , may supersede the puncture , as in comb combine , hims himselfe , iniq iniquitie , notw notwithstanding .

The Contracting of Sentences is the penning of a competent beginning of an habituall or knowne Lexion with &c. at the break-off , to imply the sequence . But in quotable Writs , quote onely the Author and Place , and supply by Reuise .

And here may I conclude Literall Brachigraphy for the compleat Art , with this caution , that when you vse it not for close nor for secret , but for speedy writing onely , t is then not amisse to take more liberty both for distance of Place and fulnesse of Letters , the better to distinguish Implications .

Of the Verball part , thus much in a word , though a few more will suffice at large .