10th, E put for ee, as Peter, Steven, even, he, she, me, we. And sometimes ie for the same, as yield, believe, friend, and otherwise in fiend, friend, diet, quiet, but not alike neither, but let that run upon th’ tongue, made long in people by o, also infeoffe, heofness. viz. Heavens, (f pronounc’d as v) left out in George, biere, friend, leave out i, sieve, e; diet; and quiet, take in both.
11th, EE for e long, as beere, drink, deere, venison.
12th, Sometimes ee for twice, e, as Beersheba, overseer.
13th, Y and e, both for one Cambril, because one was perhaps to weak. Though one Cambril seems enough for one small veile, as dayes, wayes; also i and e, as haires, praise, and w and e, as showes, knows, crowes, not in lose. But why may not w serve after a and e, and y after o, I know not. Methinks the dead Letters should not be coye on what Cambril they’re hang’d on; but I must ask the Butchers, and what doth e after Ile, for I will.
14th, E defective in seest, fleeth, freeest, agreed; that prodigal as e is of its company, should ever be wanting is a wonder; where there ought to be 3 ease, or ez, or thrice e, two for a diphthong, if it may be one for the syllable, that the distiction may seeme not heard between seeth, beholdeth, and see the boile, e is added.
But alas it is objected lately within this Seven years by G. B. that Compositors leav out E in days and ways, and such like; Garamercy for that! But why do they not leav out y also, which signifies not more, but les than e: And why is not i and e cast out of praise and raise, and e from wife and strife, which adorn the words no more than Beauty-spots do a Whore’s Face: And why is not w for a black Patch, cast awa from know and blow, as well as da, and wa hav cast awa their Pock arr-y; and why is not w to do, where there’s need; that ’ton need no mock ’tuthr wi’ the los, and wi’ the load of w: Now indeed we have cast awa ugh from though, and although, when som sound is of them, and not left gh out in bright, light, thought, where they signify no more than a chip, or herb Gohn in poredg: [C] Ha! Ha! He! Yet in floweth and knoweth w sounds well, having an influence in the following vowel.
15th, Other verieties to make a syllable long without e, as a in boast, board, coasts, coales, not holes.
Also Short i, as veil, either, neither, and somtimes ’tis a diphthong, as neighbour, eight. Also o, as people, enfeoff, heofness. And u, as foure, foul, not in honour, neighbour, where o, and u, stand for as good as nothing.
And all Vowels be us’d supervacaneously before l, n, or r; as in brethren, coffen, children, open, navill, wevill; not in cavill, Sybill, and civill; apron, button, mutton, iron, reason, bacon, treason; and in proper names, as Gackson, Gohnson, Wilson, Tomson, Rependon, Repton, Donnington; not in God-Son, Common, but in Cousin.
All vowels be us’d in vain before r, as pillar, cellar, winter, summer, dinner, curfir, (as it were cover, fire,) honour, donour, neighbour, pleasure, measure, nature, feature, scripture, martyr. I is us’d severally.