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the matter of fastnesse and dispatch, I say, that about 20 persons of such credit, worth, and judgement (most of them strangers to me) have so impartially attested how I have written by the help of this art, double to other swift and expedite writers, that the great Councell of this Kingdom have acquiessed in their Certificates. As for the fairnesse, many hundreds in this City and elsewhere have seen the fairnesse of my writings made by it, in comparison with what I can do otherwise, and all men (nemine contradicente) rest satisfied in its sufficiencie.
Having thus cleered these two points by experiment to the senses, it remaineth to consider whether any man may practice this Art according to my proposals, to which, all that I can possibly say is, that I did it my selfe at the very first sight and handling of the Instrument, having never the reputation of more then an ordinary dexterity of hand, common to all men that are familiar with the pen; so that if a man should not doe according to my said propositions, I should more wonder then I can now diffide. And I believe that I might have set a longer time for the learning of this Art, but should I have done it, men may take just distaste at me, for undervaluing their abilities so far, as not to thinke them able to attain in an houres serious endeavour, what I my selfe did at the first assay. But suppose, that some men could not doe according to these propositions, certainly those are most likely to fail, who are least used and able to write, and consequently such as have least need of the invention.
Suppose none could do it within the time allotted, but should either write not so fair, or not so fast, or neither
