OCRed data provided
for searching only. ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;in future editions to explain the true method of pronouncing Greek now almost wholly neglected, as well as to include other suggested details. He hopes for approval of his work toward publication.
It would seem, then, that in or about 1539 King Henry had commissioned David Talley to provide the rudiments both of Latin and of Greek for the future use of Prince Edward. Then a commission was later appointed to supply a complete Latin grammar for the whole of the kingdom. The authorized grammar had appeared, and Talley was now in r546 producing in Latin the rudimentary Greek grammar. This with Ceporinus would supply the complete needs in Greek, as the authorized grammar did for Latin.
Incidentally, Talley's Greek grammar could not have been much in demand, since but one edition was required. Before long, Clenardus sup-planted Ceporinus in England. Edward Grant in ISIS published a grammar, which had but one edition. But William Camden produced from this a more compendious grammar in i59S, which took its place along with the authorized Latin grammar. Camden and Clenardus then became the Greek gram-mars. So Talley's idea finally won acceptance, though his text apparently did not. Presumably Shakspere and his generation had to do the best they could with Ceporinus, Clenardus, or Grant, without benefit of an introductory compend, though they were supplied with a Greek A.B.C. with catechism.
But to return to Talley, the revision of the rudiments of the first part of the authorized grammar was presumably his alone. John Bale seems to attribute to Talley even more.
David Tolley seu Taualegus, medicus, Anglus papistarum malleus, scripsit,
Grammaticam regis ex multis, li, i. 'Quamuis hoc Anglie regnum iustam habeas causam.'
Progymnasmata Grece grammatices, Ii. i. 'Clarissimo Edwardo Cambrorum principi,' etc.'Octauus iam agitur annus,' etc. Ex officina Gerbrandi bibliopole.
Idem scripsit themata IIomeri, li, i s
Bale here attributes the King's grammar to Talley, putting into Latin the first lines of the address "To The Reder" before do Introduction of 1542, which run, "Albeit this Realme of Englande hath iuste cause." Bale has thus consulted the first form of the grammar, not the final revision. The address then goes on to explain how the King had
appoynted certein lerned men mete for suche a purpose, to compile one bryef, plaine, & vniforme gramer, whiche onely (al other set a part) for the more spedynesse, and lesse trouble of yong wittes, his hyghnes hath commanded all scholemaysters and teachers of gramer within this his realme, and other his dominions, to teache their scholers.
This is, however, only a rephrasing of the statement which preceded the Institntio Compendiaria in 1540. There the preface to schoolmasters and ushers points out that King Henry had seen the disadvantages arising from the lack of uniformity.
8 Poole, and Bateson, John Bale's Index of British and Other Writers, p. 61. Foster's account of Talley in Alumni Oxonienses will give the key to the other known facts and references concerning him.
[ Volume
One ] 
