Beaufort, daughter of the Duke of Somerset, and this vision awakened the poetical passion within him. James wrote also "Christis Kirk on the Grene," in Aberdeenshire dialect, and "Peblis to the Play" in that of Tweedale. There is little doubt that these helped for a time to check the then fast-disappearing northern English dialect from the literature of England. The following verses from "The King's Quhair," written about 1420, during James's detention in England, serve to illustrate the character of English early in the fifteenth century. Where as in ward full oft I would bewail My deadly life, full of pain and penance, 39 The bird, the beast, the fish eke in the sea, What shall I sayn, what reason may I find, My folk I would argue,40 but all for nought; Among other writers of this period whose work serves to show the growth and development of the English tongue are Langland and Barbour. William (sometimes styled Robert) Langland, who was born about 1330, died 1400, was the author of "The Vision 37 Of what have I been guilty so that I should lack? 38 Since. 39 Fate. 40 Read in "with" to precede "my folk." 41 There was none to work on (i.e., relieve) my pains. of Piers Plowman," an allegorical poem whose theme is similar to that of Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress." For this reason some writers claim that it was he who struck the first telling blow in the fight for the Reformation in England. Be this as it may, it is certain that he never tired of unmasking the ignorant and vicious clergy of his time. The following lines from "The Vision of Piers Plowman," written about 1362, show the alliterative character of Langland's verse and the English of his day: In a summer season, When soft was the sun, Unholy of werkes, Of fairy me thought. John Barbour, born about 1316 at Aberdeen, died 1395, was author of a great epic poem entitled "The Bruce," a narrative based upon historical facts, which in style differs from the English of Chaucer only in the broader vowel sounds of the Scottish epic. The passage cited below, describing the condition of Scotland under Edward I. of England, illustrates the vowel peculiarities referred to strikingly. It occurs in the earlier part of "The Bruce," which was written probably about 1376. Ah! Freedom is a noble thing! Freedom mays55 man to have liking; 56 Then all perquer62 he suld it wit; 59 And suld think freedom mair to prise Than all the gold in warld that is. 4. THE MODERN PERIOD: THE INVENTION OF PRINTING Before treating this period it is necessary to consider the conditions that prevailed shortly before its dawn, because it began with the introduction of printing into England. During the early years of the fifteenth century England was at war with France; later, civil war was a disturbing 55 Makes. 66 Pleasure. 57 Yearned for. 58 Over (more than). 59 The state, condition, or quality. 60 Coupled (attached). 61 Thraldom. 62 Exactly. element at home. Englishmen were occupied in bearing arms for the King abroad and for his rivals at home. Under such conditions little attention was given to the language or the literature of the people. But the union of the White Rose, in the person of Elizabeth of York, with the Red Rose of Lancaster, in the person of Henry VII., brought the War of the Roses to an end and restored peace to the land. Then followed the introduction of printing. "At the very epoch when the greatness of Burgundy was most swiftly ripening," wrote John Lothrop Motley,63 "another weapon was secretly forging, more potent in the great struggle for freedom than any which the wit or hand of man has ever devised or wielded. When Philip the Good, in the full blaze of his power, and flushed with the triumphs of terri torial aggrandizement, was instituting at Bruges the order of the Golden Fleece, to the Glory of God, of the Blessed Virgin, and of the holy Andrew, patron Saint of the Burgundian family, and enrolling the names of the kings and princes who were to be honored with its symbols, at that very moment an obscure citizen of Haarlem, one Lorenz Coster,64 or Lawrence the Sexton, succeeded in printing a little grammar by means of movable types. The invention of printing was accomplished, but it was not ushered in with such a blaze of glory as heralded the contemporaneous erection of the Golden Fleece. The humble setter of types did not deem emperors and princes alone worthy his companionship. His invention sent no thrill of admiration throughout Christendom; and yet what was the good Philip of Burgundy, with his Knights of the Golden Fleece and all their effulgent trumpery, in the eye of 63 "The Rise of the Dutch Republic," Vol. I., p. 45. 64 Spelled also Koster. humanity and civilization compared with the poor sexton and his wooden type?" One need not wonder that Coster's discovery sent no thrill of admiration throughout Christendom, for Coster was not slow to realize that his success would depend upon the length of time he could keep his discovery secret. Therefore, he guarded it jealously, and put all persons who assisted him in his work under oath not to reveal any of the secrets of his printery. But the story of his discovery has yet to be told, and although considered legendary by some writers—even that doyen of printers, Dr. De Vinne, met with no little difficulty in disposing of the story-it will serve its purpose if only to account for the existence of the numerous printed volumes which are attributed to him.65 The earliest evidence favoring Coster's right to be considered the discoverer of printing is "The Chronicle of Cologne," a German book published at Cologne in 1499. This work was printed by Ulrich Zell at Mayence. The "Chronicle" states that "Although the art, as now practised, was discovered at Mayence, nevertheless the first idea came from Holland, and the 'Donate,' which had been previously printed there. Those books are therefore the origin of the art." Laurentius, Laurens or Lorenz Coster, the discoverer of movable types, was a man of means, who lived in Haarlem, Holland. The approximate date of his discovery was 1429; the origin of it was a ramble in the woods near the city where he dwelt. On this occasion Coster cut some letters out of the bark of a tree. By the aid of these letters The reader interested in pursuing this subject further is referred to Humphrey's "History of the Art of Printing" (London), and De Vinne's "Invention of Printing" (New York). |