‘Run not before the laws’: L ily's G rammar , the O xford B ellum grammaticale, and the rules of concord

As the foundational text of humanist education in early modern E ngland, L ily's L atin G rammar taught generations of E nglish learners not only grammatical, but also social and political lessons. The royally prescribed G rammar has often been seen as a vehicle of sovereignty and its rules as instruments of subjection. However, these views are challenged by reading the G rammar alongside the internationally popular fable of the B ellum grammaticale . This didactic tale about a war between the parts of L atin speech endorses concord as the lex suprema of both grammar and society. The political implications of the B ellum grammaticale 's emphasis on concord are highlighted most clearly in the O xford playwright Leonard Hutten's dramatic adaptation of the fable, which concludes with the character Lilius prosecuting two bellicose rulers and presenting his G rammar as a constitution for their realm. When Hutten's play was performed before Q ueen E lizabeth at O xford in 1592, she appears to have been offended by its celebration of scholarly authority and determined to defend her legal prerogative. On this occasion, the G rammar was used to place limits on royal authority, offering a new perspective on the ideological function of this iconic text and the rules contained within it.