Of Si.
Be your Maiestie pleased, I humbly entreate you, if I be somewhat tedious about this Particle Si. which to all strangers seemeth a Particle so doubtfull and vncertaine, that most are therewith puzled, yea and Italians themselues are to seeke how to expresse it, or how to giue rules for it. For I could neuer yet see the Grammar that did giue me satisfaction, or that did in any sort show the true vse of it, or the diuers significations it hath, as your Highnesse may perceiue, if you compare their rules vnto mine. For if you duely consider it, eyther in writing or speaking, and withall examine the thing written or spoken of, there is no part of speech more certain, more regular, and more ornamentall, although it sometimes seeme to contrary it selfe, especially if it be ioyned vnto Verbes (as it is very often) and makes the Verbe to which it is affixed to be sometimes directly Actiue or Transitiue, and other times Passiue or Reciprocall, as indeed it is: and fauour me I beseech you, with the patience to consider these few rules, you shall finde is very easie and certaine, both how to be vnderstood, and how to be vsed.
Sì. is often an Aduerbe of swearing or affirmation, yea, yes, yea marry as thus, Sì in verità, yes in truth. Signor sì, yes, Sir. Sì veraménte, yes forsooth. &c. and then is it euer accented.
Sì. serueth often for an Aduerbe of similitude or comparison in stead of Così, in English So, As, or Thus, as for example, Huómo sì cortése, sì nóbile, ẻ sì gentíle non víddi mái, A man so courteous, so noble, and thus gentle, did I neuer see, &c. and should euer be accented.
Sì. is sometimes an Aduerbe of quantity, comparatiuely, or relatiuely spoken, in liew of Tánto, or Quánto, in English As much, As well, So well, So much, hauing euer relation vnto Cóme or Quánto, as thus, Sì lui cóme vn'altro, As much or as well he as another. Sì bene pẻr il mio interẻsse quánto pẻr il vóstro, As well, or as much for mine interesse as for yours. Or else it may be placed before Pẻr, or Pẻrchè, or Pẻr tánto, or, Pẻr quánto, as thus, Sì pẻr amór vóstro, cóme pẻr súo, As much or as well for your sake as for his. Sì pẻrchè ti ámo, quánto pẻrchè tù sẻi vertuóso, As well because I loue thee, as because thou art vertuous, &c. and should euer be accented.
Sì. hath beene vsed for a Coniunction of continuing sense or yeelding reason, in place of Nondiméno, yet or neuerthelesse, as thus, Se áltro non mi vì facésse volér béne, Sì vi vóglio béne, pẻrchè lo meritáte, If nothing else should make me to wish you well, yes or neuerthelesse I will loue you because you deserue it, &c.
Sì. hath beene vsed for the Preposition Insíno, vntill, as thus, Nón si riténne di córrere sì fù a cása di lui, he staide not his running vntill he came to his house, &c.
Si. hath beene vsed sometimes for an ornament, as thus, Andò et si gli apẻrse, et si gli disse, &c.
Si. being ioyned or affixed vnto the third person of any verbe, be it singular or plurall, or to any Infinitiue moode, or to any Gerond, or to any Participle, as it is most often, and that both before and after them, your Maiesty ought diligently to consider and obserue whether, Si, hath reference and relation vnto persons animated, or creatures hauing life, namely men or women, or otherwise vnto creatures or things dead, and hauing no life, as also vnto actions of men or women, or as a man may say, whether in speech or writing the partie be ment and vnderstood himselfe, or whether but his action, and any dead thing else; for to some one of those two must euery verbe spoken, read or written necessarily haue relation, and of one of the two al meane and vnderstand. If Si. haue relation and reference vnto persons animated and hauing or hauing had life, you shall assuredly finde the Verbe to which Si. is affixed, to be of the Actiue or Transitiue signification, and Si. to be a Pronoune Primitiue, or as some say, deriuatiue, both of the singular and plurall number, both of the Masculine and Feminine gender, and but of the Datiue or of the Accusatiue cases, signifying To him, to herselfe, to themselues, Him, her, themselues, as also sometimes, one another, as for example, Lui si dà a crédere d'ẻsser sáuio, ẻ si stíma ẻsser' huómo da béne, ẻt non si rauéde dẻ suói erróri, di che si douerẻbbe vergognáre conoscẻndosi. That is in English, He giueth himselfe to beleeue that he is wise, and thinketh himselfe to be an honest man, and himselfe perceiueth not his owne faults, whereof he should be ashamed himself, knowing himselfe. Or thus: Lóro si pénsano ẻsser sauij, mà si ingánnano, They thinke themselues wise men, but they deceiue themselues. Or thus: Lui si ẻ fátto mále, pensándosi di fársi béne, He hath done hurt to himselfe, thinking to doe himselfe good. Or thus: Lóro si dánno a crédere d'ẻssersi feriti, They perswade themselues that they haue hurt themselues, or to haue hurt one another; for in the sense of One another it is often found. Here remember also (as I haue before touched) that Si. being affixed vnto verbs of priuation, and speaking of persons animated, it may be of some Ablatiue case, as thus, Lui si ẻ cauáto la máschera, He hath pulled the maske or vizard from himselfe. Or thus: Lóro si sóno leuáta la libertà, They haue taken liberty from themselues, &c.
Secondly, if Si, be ioyned or affixed to any verbe, hauing relation to any dead or liuelesse thing, or to any action performed, be sure that it is a signe or inference of a passiue signification, which in English is expressed with these signes, It is, Men, Are, They, The world, Be it, or To be, namely with Infinitiues, as for example, Si díce chè le cattíue cóse non si stímano, It is said that euill things are not esteemed. Or thus: Mólte cóse si fánno, che non si conuẻngono, Many things are done that are not conuenient, &c. And so you may vnderstand it being ioyned vnto the third persons, eyther singular or plurall, of all the tences throughout the Verbe, as also with an Infinitiue mood, as thus, Quésto dẻbbe fársi, this thing is to be done, &c. Or with a Participle, as thus, Fáttosi nótte si féce ánco oscúro, Night being made, darkenesse was also made, &c.
Note also as a speciall thing, that if there be two or more verbes in a sentence, and that one of them be an Infinitiue, although they be farre asunder, and that Si. be ioyned to any one, yet must it still gouerne the Infinitiue passiuely, as this, Si può manifestaménte vedére, che gli huómini si póssono ingannáre, It may manifestly be seene, that men may easily be deceiued, &c.