Text 89: Margery Brews to John Paston, February 1477

ORIGINAL TEXT

Vn to my ryght welbelouyd voluntyn John Paston squyer be þis bill delyuered &c

Ryght reuerent and wurschypfull and my ryght welebeloued voluntyne I recommaunde me vn to yowe full hertely desyring to here of yowr welefare whech I beseche almyghty god long for to preserve vn to hys plesure and ʒowr hertys desyre and yf it please ʒowe to here of my welefare I am not in good heele of body ner of herte nor schall be tyll I here from yowe

For þer wottys no creature what peyn þat I endure and for to be deede I dare it not dyscure

And my lady my moder hath labored þe mater to my fadure full delygently but sche can no more gete þen ʒe knowe of for þe whech god knowyth I am full sorry but yf that ʒe loffe me as I tryste verely that ʒe do ʒe will not leffe me þerfor. for yf þat ʒe hade not halfe þe lyvelode þat ʒe hafe, for to do þe grettyst labure þat any woman on lyve myght I wold not forsake ʒowe

and yf ʒe commande me to kepe me true where euer I go
iwyse I will do all my myght ʒowe to love and neuer no mo
and yf my freendys say þat I do amys þei schal not me let so for to do
myn herte me byddys euer more to love ʒowe truly ouer all erthely thing
and yf þei be neuer so wroth I tryst it schall be bettur in tyme commyng

no more to yowe at this tyme but the holy trinite hafe yowe in kepyng and I besech ʒowe þat this bill be not seyn of non erthely creature safe only our selfe &c and thys lettur was yndyte at Topcroft wyth full heuy herte &c

beʒour own M B

MODERN TRANSLATION

To my right well-beloved Valentine John Paston, esquire, be this bill delivered.

Right reverent and worshipful and my right well-beloved valentine, I recommend me to you full heartily, desiring to hear of your welfare which I beseech Almighty God to preserve long unto his pleasure and your heart’s desire. And if it pleases you to hear of my welfare, I am not in good health of body nor of heart, nor shall I be until I hear from you.

For there knows no creature what pain that I endure, and even on pain of death I dare not discover it.

And my lady my mother has laboured the matter with my father full diligently, but she can no more get what you know of, because of which god knows I am very sorry. But if you love me, as I trust truly that you do, you will not leave me therefore. For even if you didn’t have half the money that you have, for to do the greatest labour that any woman alive might, I would not forsake you.


And if you command me to keep me true wherever I go,
certainly I will do all my might to love you and no one else ever.
And if my friends say that I do amiss, they shall not prevent me from doing so.
My heart bids me for evermore to love you truly over all earthly things,
and if they are so angry, I trust it shall be better in time coming

No more to you at this time, but the Holy Trinity you have in keeping and I beseech you that this bill must not be seen by any earthly creature safe except yourself and this letter was written at Topcroft with full heavy heart.

By your own M B.

Text 86: The Boke of Margery Kempe (iii) (facsimile)

Page 265 Freeborn. DIFFICULT WORDS.

Cryst Ihesu = Jesus Christ.
Nobeley = nobility
Solas = comfort.
Sovereyn = sovereign
Synful wrechis: morally wrong or wicked.
Vunspecabyl = unspeakable. It is always a pejorative word. It means indescriptible.
Werkys = works (noun)
Werkyth = works (3rd person singular of the verb to work)
Worschepd = worshiped

TEXT 85: The Boke of Margery Kempe (ii)

Page 263 Freeborn. DIFFICULT WORDS.

After = for
Bliss = extreme happiness joy
Mirth = fun
Start = a sudden involuntary movement of the body, occasioned by surprise, terror, joy or grief. “To give a start”.
Sob (sobbing) = a little more than cry. “To cry your eyes out”
Wretched: feeling unhappy.

TEXT 84: The Boke Of Margery Kempe (i)

Page 263 Freebron. DIFFICULT WORDS.

labowr/labowrd = giving birth.
She despaired of her life = she was afraid of the loss of her life.
She was with child = she was pregnant ( a very archaic form).
Worshipful = debout.

TEXT 83: Letter of King Henry V, 1418 (facsimile)

Page 260 Freeborn. DIFFICULT WORDS.

attemptat(es) = violation(s)
Chancell(er) = chancellor
charge(d) = order, require
diuers = various
hasty = hasty, immediate
hoost = host, army
semblable = similar
signet = signet, a ring with a stamp
sugett(es)/subgett(es) = subject(s)
plain knowledge: a clear knowledge
trewes = truce
trouthe = truth
wol = require
yeuen = given

Class notes. Unit 5. Friday 13th 2009

CHANCERY ENGLISH

Why is it so important?
Chancery English was the official language used for correspondence in the Court. Clerks were the responsible to write the letters of the Kings.

text 80 and text 81. Chaucer's "The Friar's tale"

Page 246. Freeborn. Facsimile from Harley MS 7334.

ORIGINAL TEXT
His worthy lymytour þis noble ffrere
he made alway a lourynge cheere
vpon the Sompnoz but for honeste
No vileyns worde Зit to him spak he
But atte last he sayd vnto þe wyf
Dame quod he god Зiue Зow good lyf
Зe han her touchid also mot I the
In scole matier gret difficulte
Зe han saye mochel þing right wel I say
But dame right as we ryden by þe way
Vs needeþ nougt but for to speke of game
And lete auctorites in goddes name
To preching and to scoles of clergie
But if it like to þis companye
I wil Зow of a sompnour telle a game.


Page 247. Freeborn. Facsimile from Hengwrt MS.

ORIGINAL TEXT

This worthy lymytour / this noble ffrere
He made alwey / a manere louryng cheere
Vp on the Somnour / but for hone{s}tee
No vileyns word / as yet to hym spak he
But atte la{s}te / he seyde vn to the wyf
Dame quod he / god yeue yow right good lyf
Ye han heer touched / al {s}o mote I thee
In scole matere / greet difficultee
Ye han seyd muche thyng/ right wel I seye
But dame / here as we ryden by the weye
Vs nedeth nat/ to speken / but of game
And lete Auctoritees / on goddes name
To prechyng/ and to scole of clergye
But/ if it like / to this compaignye
I wol yow / of a Somnour telle a game

MODERN ENGLISH TRANSLATION

This worthy limiter, this noble friar,
He turned always a lowering face, and dire,
Upon the summoner, but for honesty
No insolent word as yet spoke he.
But at the last he said to the wife:
"Woman," said he, "God grant you a good life
You have here touched, as I may be,
In school matters of great difficulty;
You have said many things right well, I say;
But lady, here as we ride by the way,
We do not need to talk but of game,
And let authorities in God's name,
To preach and to teach the clergy
But if it pleases to this company
I will you of a summoner tell a game.

Text 79: Chaucer's 'The Parson's Tale'

Original text

Aftere auarice comyth Glotenye, Which is expres a gayne the comaundmet of god What Gloteny is vnmesurable appetit to ete or to drinke or ellys to don ynogh to the vnmesurable apetit and desordeynee coueitise to ete or to drinke this synne corrumped all this world . as is wel shewd in the synne of adam and of Eue
he þt is vsaunt to this synne of Glotenye he ne may noo synne withstonde he mote ben in servage of all vices ffor it is the deuell hoord there he hideth hym and resteth him this synne hath manye spices Of diurse speces of Gloeþe þe first is drokennesse that is the horryble sepulture of mannes reson and þfor whan a man is drunken . he hathe lost is resoun and this is deedly synne But sothely whan that a man is not wont to stronge drinke and peruenture ne knoweth not the strength of the drinke or hathe ffeblesse in his hedd, or hathe trauayled thurgh whiche he drinketh the mose al be he sodenly caught with drinke, it is no dedly synne but venyall The seconde spece of Glotenye is that the spirit of a man wexeth all trouble for dronkenesse bireueth hym the discrecyou of his wytte The therde spece of glotenye is whanne a man deuoureth his mete and hathe no ryghtfull mane of etynge. The fourthe spece of Glotenye is whanne thourgh the grete habundaunce of his mete the humos of his body ben destemperyd The fyfte is foryetylnesse by to muchell drinkeynge ffor which som tyme a man fogeteth er the mowe what he ded at evyn or on the nyght before…
These ben the v fyngers of the deueles hand by Whiche he draweth folk to synne

PDE translation

After avarice comes gluttony, which is expressed against the commandment of God. Gluttony is the immeasurable desire to eat or to drink or else to do anything to the immeasurable appetite and chaotic desire to eat or to drink. This sin corrupts all the world as it is shown in the sin of Adam and Eve.
He that is accustomed to this sin of gluttony, he may no withstand any sin. He must be in the service of all vices for it is the devil’s hoard where he hides himself and rests. This sin has many types of diverse species of gluttony. The first is drunkenness, that is the horrible grave of man’s reason; and therefore, when a man is drunk he has lost his reason and this is a deadly sin. But certainly, when a man is not used to strong drink and perhaps he does not know the strength of the drink, or has feebleness in his head, or has worked too much so that he drinks more although he is suddenly caught with drink, it is no deadly sin but venial.
The second specie of gluttony is that the spirit of a man waxes troubled, for drunkenness bereaves him of the discretion of his wit. The third specie of gluttony is when a man devours his food and has no rightful manner of eating. The fourth specie of gluttony is when, through the great abundance of his food, the moistures of his body are distempered. The fifth is forgetfulness from too much drinking, for which sometimes a man forgets before the morning what he did at evening or the night before…
These are the five fingers on the devil’s hand by which he draws people to sin.

text 13.1. Chaucer's prose writing

page 242. Freeborn

ORIGINAL TEXT

Alas my worthy mayster honorable
Thys landes verray tresouur and rychesse
Deth by thy deth hath harme irreparable
Vnto vs don; hir vengeable duresse
Despoyled hath this land of the swetnesse
Of rethorik, for vnto Tullius
Was nere man so lyk amonges vs.
Also, who was hier in philosophy
To Aristotle in our tongue but thou?
The steppes of Virgile in poesie
Thow filwedist eek, men wot wel enow…

MODERN ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Alas! My appreciated and honourable master
This land’s true treasure and wealth
Death by this death (which) has done irreparable harm
To us by your death: her vengeful harm
Has despoiled sweetness in this land
Of rethoric, since Tullius
There was never a man like this among us.
Also, who was the heir in philosophy
To Aristotle in our language, except you?
The steps of Virgil in poetry
You fellowed also men well known.