e members of language at large are whole
sentence, and sentences are compact of clauses, and clauses of words, and
euery word of letters and sillables, so is the alteration (be it but of a
sillable or letter) much materiall to the sound and sweetenesse of
vtterance. Wherefore beginning first at the smallest alterations which
rest in letters and sillables, the first sort of our figures _auricular_
we do appoint to single words as they lye in language; the second to
clauses of speach; the third to perfit sentences and to the whole masse or
body of the tale be it poeme or historie written or reported.

_CHAP. XI_

_Of auricular figures apperteining to single wordes and working by their
diuers soundes and audible tunes alteration to the eare onely and not the
mynde._

A word as he lieth in course of language is many wayes figured and thereby
not a little altered in sound, which consequently alters the tune and
harmonie of a meeter as to the eare. And this alteration is sometimes by
_adding_ sometimes by _rabbating_, of a sillable or letter to or from a
word either in the beginning, middle or ending ioyning or vnioyning of
sillibles and letters suppressing or confounding their seueral soundes, or
by misplacing of a letter, or by cleare exchaunge of one letter for
another, or by wrong ranging of the accent.
And your figures of addition or surpluse be three, videl.
In the beginning, as to say: _I-doon_ for _doon, endanger_ for _danger,
embolden_ for _bolden_.

In the middle, as to say _renuers_ for _reuers, meeterly_ for _meetly,
goldylockes_ for _goldlockes._

In th'end, as to say [_remembren_ for _remembre_] [_spoken_ for _spoke_].
And your figures of _rabbate_ be as many, videl.

From the beginning, as to say [_twixt_ for _betwixt_] [_gainsay_ for
_againsay_] [_ill_ for _euill_].

From the middle, as to say [_paraunter_ for _parauenture_] [_poorety_ for
_pouertie_] [_souraigne_ for _soueraigne_] [_tane_ for _taken._]

From the end, as to say [_morne_ for _morning_] [_bet_ for _better_] and
such like.

Your swallowing or eating vp one letter by another is when two vowels
meete, whereof th'ones sound goeth into other, as to say for _to attaine,
t'attaine_] for _sorrow smart, sor'smart_.]

Your displacing of a sillable as to say [_desier_ for _desire_] [_sier_
for _sire._]

By cleare exchaunge of one letter or sillable for another, as to say
_euermare_ for _euermore, wrang_ for _wrong: gould_ for _gold: