Sir Robert Cotton

1
Sir Robert Cotton (1571-1631)
Cotton Nero A.x (Sir Gawain, Pearl) Cotton
Vitellius A.xv (Beowulf) Cotton Titus C. xvi
(Mandevilles Travels)
2
The opening lines of Beowulf
3
The opening lines of Sir Gawain and the Green
Knight (BL MS Cotton Nero A.x., f.91a)
4
(No Transcript)
5
(No Transcript)
6
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.
7
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 wro3t The 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 bicome That 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.
8
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.
9
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.
10
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.
11
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.
12
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.
13
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.
14
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.
15
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.
16
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.
17
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.
18
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
19
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 watres I
slombred into a slepyng, it sweyed so murye.
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THE DIALECTS OF LATE MEDIEVAL ENGLAND (2) Bot of
alle þat here bult of Bretaygne kynges Ay 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 bee Þat I
haue bought for to vnbynde. Þe feende þame wanne
with trayne Thurgh frewte of erthely foode, I
haue þame getyn agayne Thurgh bying with my
bloode.
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THE DIALECTS OF LATE MEDIEVAL ENGLAND (3)
Ane dooly sesoun to ane cairfull dyte Suld
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 dewolow scon egereugh
an porthow py mar ny wreugh y fyth guow yn
certan kynys tremene rak an porthow hep
dyweth (Cornish Play of the Resurrection, a vyth
ygerys yn weth Cornwall, 15th c.) sur may
thello aberueth an myghtern a lowene