Middle English

The Norman Conquest destroyed the literary high culture of Anglo-Saxon England. The Middle English that was increasingly widely used again after about 1200 was grammatically much changed from Old English, and had absorbed many Norse and Anglo-Norman words. English was the usual language of most of the towns founded by Norman and English rulers in Wales. Large numbers of Middle English words passed into Welsh.

This example of Middle English comes from the medieval romance 'Sir Cleges'. Sir Cleges is the tale of a spendthrift knight reduced to poverty and restored to prosperity, against a background of Christmas festivities.

It was composed in the late 1300s/early 1400s, probably in the north-west Midlands.

Transcription of the audio passage:

Sir Cleges and his son gent

The right waye to Cardiffe went

Uppon Cristemas Daye.

To the castell he cam full right

As they were to mete dy?t,

At noun, the soth to saye.

In Sir Cleges thow?t to goo,

But in pore clothyng was he tho

And in sympull araye.

The portere seyd full hastyly:

"Thou chorle, withdrawe þe smertly,

I rede the, without delaye — 'Ellys, be God and Seint Mari,

I schall breke thyne hede on hig?t!

Go stond in beggeres row?t.

Yf þou com more inward,

It schall þe rewe afterward,

So I schall þe clow?t.'

'Good sir,' seyd Sir Cleges tho,

'I pray you lat me in goo

Nowe, without dow?t.

The kynge I have a present brow?tt

From hym þat made all thynge of now?t;

Behold all abow?t!'

English translation:

Sir Cleges and his fine son took the road straight to Cardiff on Christmas day. He went directly to the castle, as they were sitting down to eat, at noon to tell it true. Sir Cleges meant to go in, but he was poorly dressed then, and in simple costume. The porter very quickly said 'You churl, take yourself off smartly, I tell you, without delay, or by God and Holy Mary I'll break the crown of your head. Go and stand in the crowd of beggars. If you come further in, you'll regret it afterwards. I shall hit you so hard'. 'Good sir', said Sir Cleges then, 'I pray you, let me go in now, without doubt. I have brought the king a present from him who made everything from nothing. Look all around.'

Source: D. Speed (ed) 1987, '4. Sir Cleges', Medieval English Romances Part One (Department of English, University of Sydney), 169-92.

Middle English reading and translation by Professor John Hines, Cardiff University.