to obloquie, though vvholly vvithout cauſe. As by the example folovving may partly appere. As our english Saxons out of doubt did, ſo at this day the Germain vpper and nether, the Italian and the Spanyard to teach the, h, vvith this voyce Hah, or ha, and am perſuaded that no nation, doth teach it vvith ſo little reaſon as vve do, and yet vvee are as it vvere drovned in the error, vvhich came to our predeceſſours in maner follovving. The French (vvhich the Normans in the time of the conqueſt ſpake, and is lefte in our cõmmon lavves at this daye) in teaching their letters, they remember their ſcholers of certain things, after the order of the portraytures novv taught hereafter, and for the, d, they note vng deel, in english a thimble: & for h, vn hache in english a hachet. VVherof it commeth, that our predeceſſours of long tyme haue abuſed to call it ache, by ignorance of the inuention, leauing out the firſt h, vvhoſe office and qualitie shoulde be as vvell expreſſed vnto vs, by the names of chalke or cheeſe, as by the name of ache, as shall be further ſayd in the preface hereafter: And the like reaſon is there in teaching the moſt of our letters, and abusing them ſo diuerſly, as it bringeth to the lerner, rather cõfusion than help. VVhich I find as reaſonable, as if a nurſe should take in hand to teach a child, to go firſt vpon high pattens or ſtiltes, or vpon a coarde, or on the hands, before he should be taughte as the narurall and reaſonable order is: alledging that vvhen he can go ſo, he shall be the ſurer of foot all his life. If our preſent maner of teaching be by experience proued to be of lyke reaſon to this, hovv can it be maynteined for good? But the reaſon of the folovving order is ſuche, as the reaſonable from .xij. to .lx. yeares old may vvith eaſe and pleaſure learned to read in a very short time, ſome in more, ſome leſſe, according to the naturall diſpoſition, vvhiche is from .xij. to .xxx more enclined to learned, than euer before or after. and yet one of :lx: and vpvvards, may vvel and eaſily learne it. It vvould be thought a ſtraunge matter, or a playn lye, if I should vvrite that one vvhich neuer knevve letter
