sir robert cotton (1571-1631)

Sir Robert Cotton

(1571-1631)

Cotton Nero A.x (Sir Gawain, Pearl)

Cotton Vitellius A.xv (Beowulf)

Cotton Titus C. xvi (Mandeville’s Travels)

The opening lines of Beowulf

The opening lines of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

(BL MS Cotton Nero A.x., f.91a)

Siþen þe sege and þe assaut watz sesed at Troye,

Þe bor3 brittened and brent to brondez and askez,

Þe tulk þat þe trammes of tresoun þer wro3t

Watz tried for his tricherie, þe trewest on erþe.

Hit watz Ennias þe athel and his high kynde,

Þat siþen depreced prouinces, and patrounes bicome

Welne3e of al þe wele in þe west iles.

Siþen þe sege and þe assaut watz sesed at Troye,After the siege and the assault was ceased at Troy

Þe bor3 brittened and brent to brondez and askez,The walls breached and burnt down to brands and ashes

Þe tulk þat þe trammes of tresoun þer wro3tThe knight that had knotted the nets of deceit

Watz tried for his tricherie, þe trewest on erþe.Was impeached for his perfidy, proven most true

Hit watz Ennias þe athel and his high kynde,It was high-born Aeneas and his haughty race

Þat siþen depreced prouinces, and patrounes bicomeThat since prevailed over provinces, and proudly reigned

Welne3e of al þe wele in þe west iles. Over well-nigh all the wealth of the West Isles.

Siþen þe sege and þe assaut watz sesed at Troye, [aaa/ax]

Þe bor3 brittened and brent to brondez and askez, [aaa/ax]

Þe tulk þat þe trammes of tresoun þer wro3t [aa/ax]

Watz tried for his tricherie, þe trewest on erþe. [aa/ax]

Hit watz Ennias þe athel and his high kynde, [aa/ax]

Þat siþen depreced prouinces, and patrounes bicome [aa/ax]

Welne3e of al þe wele in þe west iles. [aa/ax]

THE DIALECTS OF LATE MEDIEVAL ENGLAND (1)

The wery huntere, slepynge in his bed,To wode ayeyn his mynde goth anon;The juge dremeth how his plees ben sped; (Chaucer, The Parliament of Fowls 99-105,

The cartere dremeth how his cart is gon; London dialect c. 1380-82)

The riche, of gold; the knyght fyght with his fon; The syke met he drynketh of the tonne;The lovere met he hath his lady wonne.

Ac on a May morwenynge on Maluerne hilles (Piers Plowman B.1.1-10; Me bifel a ferly, of Fairye me þo3te. Northwest Midlands dialect, I was wery forwandred and wente me to reste near Malvern & Worcester, c. 1370)

Vnder a brood bank by a bourne syde,And as I lay and lenede and loked on þe watresI slombred into a slepyng, it sweyed so murye.

Bot of alle þat here bult of Bretaygne kyngesAy watz Arthur þe hendest, as I haf herde telle.Forþi an aunter in erde I attle to schawe, (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 25-32;

Þat a selly in si3t summe men hit holden NW Midlands nr. Cheshire,

And an outtrage awenture of Arthurez wonderez. s. Lancashire, n. Staffordshire, c. 1400)

If 3e wyl lysten þis laye bot on littel quile,I schal telle hit astit, as I in toun herde.

Manne on molde, be meke to me,And haue thy maker in þi mynde,And thynke howe I haue tholid for þe,With pereles paynes for to be pyned.The forward of my Fadir free (York Play of the Harrowing of Hell,

Haue I fulfillid, as folke may fynde, Yorkshire dialect, c. 1475)

Þer-fore a-boute nowe woll I beeÞat I haue bought for to vnbynde.Þe feende þame wanne with trayneThurgh frewte of erthely foode,I haue þame getyn agayneThurgh bying with my bloode.

Ane dooly sesoun to ane cairfull dyteSuld correspond, and be equivalent. (Robert Henryson, The Tesatment of Cresseid 1-7, Richt sa it wes quhen I began to wryte Late Middle Scots before 1500)

This tragedy; the wedder richt fervent,Quhen Aries, in middis of the Lent,Shouris of haill can fra the north discend;That scantly fra the cauld I micht defend.

why pryncys a'n dewolowscon egereugh an porthowpy mar ny wreugh y fyth guow

yn certan kynys tremenerak an porthow hep dyweth (Cornish Play of the Resurrection,

a vyth ygerys yn weth Cornwall, 15th c.)

sur may thello aberuethan myghtern a lowene

sir robert cotton (1571-1631)

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