Land.

1. WHen Men did let their Land un∣derfoot, the Tenants would fight for their Landlords, so that way they had their Retribution: but now they will do nothing for them, may be the first, if but a Constable bid them, that shall lay the Landlord by the Heels, and there∣fore ’tis vanity and folly not to take the full value.

2. Allodium is a Law Word, contra∣ry to Feudum, and it signifies Land that holds of no body. We have no such Land in England. ’Tis a true Proposition; all the Land in England is held, either imme∣diately, or mediately of the King.

Language.

1. TO a living Tongue new Words may be added, but not to a dead Tongue, as Latin, Greek, Hebrew, &c.

2. Latimer is the Corruption of Lati∣ner, it signifies he that interprets Latin, and though he interpreted French, Spanish, or Italian, he was call’d the King’s Lati∣ner, that is, the King’s Interpreter.

3. If you look upon the Language spoken in the Saxon Time, and the Lan∣guage spoken now, you will find the Diffe∣rence to be just, as if a Man had a Cloak that he wore plain in Queen Elizabeth’s Days, and since, here has put in a piece of Red, and there a piece of Blue, and here a piece of Green, and there a piece of Orange-tawny. We borrow Words from the French, Italian, Latin, as every Pedantick Man pleases.

4. We have more Words than Noti∣ons, half a Dozen Words for the same thing. Sometimes we put a new signi∣fication to an old Word, as when we call a Piece a Gun. The Word Gun was in use in England for an Engine, to cast a thing from a Man, long before there was any Gun-powder found out.

5. Words must be fitted to a Man’s Mouth; ’twas well said of the Fellow that was to make a Speech for my Lord Mayor, he desir’d to take measure of his Lordship’s Mouth.