William Caxton

Name: Dialogues in French and English
Author: William Caxton

Summary

“Dialogues in French and English”, is a work by William Caxton. It explores elements such as Michelant, Vng and Flemish.

Quotes from Dialogues in French and English (William Caxton)

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ The original work contains so many references to the city of Bruges that it is impossible to doubt that it was compiled there. According to Michelant, the Paris MS. was written in the first half of the fourteenth century. The MS. used by Caxton must itself have been written not later than the second decade of the fifteenth century; unless, indeed, it was an unaltered transcript from an older MS. The evidence on which this conclusion is based is somewhat curious. Caxton’s text contains two passages in which the pope is spoken of as still resident at Avignon. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ Confite is a misreading on Caxton’s part for confire, comfrey; Michelant has the right word.
1531. Sera should be fera, as in Michelant; the sense is ‘the abatement which you will make will cause it to be sold.’ Caxton attempts to translate the erroneous reading sera, but his translation makes no sense.
161-1719. This interesting portion of the dialogue is not in Michelant.
1818. It en is not = Flemish het en es niet. Evidently when this was written Caxton had become more familiar with Flemish than with his native language. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ Clarisse la esbourysse Clarisse the nopster 12 Scet bien son mestier. Can well her craft. “Tresquand le a elle aprys “Syth whan hath she lerned it Draps esbourier?” Cloth for to noppe?” “Que demandes vous? “What axe ye? 16 Elle eu fu berchie. She was ther with rocked. Elle a bien a faire She hath good to doo Quelle gaigne moult, That she wynne moche, Car elle est moult gloutee.” For she is moche lichorous.” 20
DAvid le lormier
Est ung bon ouurier
DAvid the bridelmaker
Is a good werkman
De faire selles, For to make sadles, Frains, & esperons, Bridles, and spores, 24 Et ce quil y affiert. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ Est aus Joustes, Is atte Justes, Aux tournoys, acompaignie At the tornoye, acompanyed Tres honnourablement; Right worshipfully; 28 Il a mon rouchin, He hath my coursour, Mon palefroy, mon destrier, My palfreye, my stede, Mes lances. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ Content with you; Car il me semble For me semeth 40 17 PAYING THE BILL.—ENGLISH GROATS, FLEMISH COINS, ETC.
Que vous maues1 bien fait. 1 manes That ye haue to me well done. Ployes le de par dieu.” Folde it up in goddes name.” “Non2 feray, sauue le vostre grace; 2 Nou “I shall not, sauf your grace; Je veul que vous messures.” I wyll that ye mete it.” 4 “Dame, puis que ie me tieng “Dame, syth that I me holde Plainement content, Playnly content, Et puis que bien me souffist, And sith it well me suffyseth,
Il nest besoin de le remesurer. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ In a good seruise; Ce quil escript That whiche he writeth 8 Demeure celee. Abydeth secrete. P. 35. Cest la plus noble mestier Hit is the most noble craft Qui soit au monde; That is in the world; Car il nest si hault For ther is none so hye 12 Ne si noble Ne so noble Qui se ahontier peult That may hym shame De le aprendre ne de le faire. For to lerne ne for to doo. Se nest lescripture Yf it were not the scripture 16 La loy & foy periroyent,
The law and faith shold perisshe,
Et toute la saincte escripture And all the holy scripture Ne seroit mise en oubly. Shall not be put in forgeting. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ That whiche I haue begonne,
32 Diray ie du meilleur: I shall saye the beste: Cest que dieu nous crea That is, that god hath made vs A la samblance Vnto the lykenes De luy mesmes. Of hym selfe. 36 Je dy au commencement, I saye atte begynnyng, Qui bien fera bien aura. Who doth well shall well haue. Dieu est misericors, God is mercyfull, Et si est iuste; And so he is rightfull; 40 48 SERVE OUR LORD AND THE SAINTS.
Il a mercy des pecheurs He hath mercy of the synnars Qui cognoistre se veullent; Which hem selfe wyll knowe ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ For seuen shelynges.” “Je vous en croys bien; “I you bileue well; Mais ce nest mye drap But this is no suche cloth De tant dargent, Of so moche money, 28 Ce scaues vous bien! That knowe ye well! Ce que vous en laires This that ye shall leue Le sera3 vendre.” 3 See the Notes. Shall be solde.” “Sire, que vault il?” “Syre, what is it worth?” 32 “Dame, il me vauldroit “Dame, it were worth to me Bien trois souls.” Well thre shellyngs.” “Cest mal offert, “That is euyll boden, Ou trop demande; Or to moche axed; 36 Encores ameroie mieulx Yet had I leuer
Quil fust dor in vostre escrin.” ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ Le pape de romme, The pope of rome, Qui demeure a auignon; Which duelleth at auynyon; 20 Qui par droit deuroit estre That by right shold be A grand romme. At grete rome. Apres est le empereur Next is the emperour Le plus grand seigneur, The grettest lorde, 24 Lemperesse greigneur dame, Themperesse the grettest lady, De tout le monde; Of all the world; Elle est royne dallemaygne. She is quene of almayne. Le roy de fraunce The kyng of fraunce 28 Est le plus riche roy Is the most riche kyng De tresour qui vist Of tresour that lyueth De la la mer ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ Menra du fien sur ma terre Shall lede dong on my land Quand elle sera ahanne, Whan it shall be ered, 12 Et sur mon courtil And on my herber Quand il sera fouys, Whan it shall be doluen, Et au gardin And in to the orchard Entour les arbres. Aboute the trees. 16 Rolland le mainouurier Rolande the handwerker Fera mon prayel, Shall make my pryelle, Vne soif entour. An hegge aboute. Rogier le coustre Roger the sextayn 20 Est a auignon, Is at auinion, Pour empetrer For to gete Vne cure, vne chapelrie; A cure, a fre chapell; Voire se dieu plaist. Ye truly, yf god wyll. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ Hym or hem first to grete, 16
Sil est ou sils sount hommes de valeur.
Yf he be or they be men of valure.
Ostes vostre chappron Doo of your hood Pour dames & damoysellys; For ladies and damoyselles; Se ilz ostent leur chaperon, Yf they doo of their hood, 20 Sy le remettes de vous mayns.
So sette it on agayn with your handis.
En telle maniere In such manere P. 4. Les poes saluer: May ye salewe them: “Sire, dieu vous garde!” “Syre, god you kepe!” 24 Cest le plus bryef That is the shortest Que on puise dyre That one may saye Aux gens en saluant. To the peple in salewyng. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ Shall be my byledyng.” 12 “Amand, vostre serouge, “Amand, your cosen alyed A plus belle amye Hath a fairer lyef Que vous nayes, Than ye haue, Et mieulx aprise And better taught 16 Que ie nen scay nulle; Than I knowe ony; Elle est belle et sage, She is faire and wyse, Si quils pourroient auoir So that they myght have Asses des biens ensamble.” Ynough of goodes to gedyr.” 20 “Amelberge est bien plaisante; “Amelbergh is well plaisaunt; Dieu luy doinst bon eur! God gyue her good happe! Ves le cy ou1 elle vient.” ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ Come ye fro the toune?” “Oyl, sire, sil vous plaist.” “Ye, sire, yf it plese you.” “Quelles nouuelles “What tydynges Nous apportes vous?” To vs brynge ye?” 32 “Bonnes et belles; “Good and fair; P. 28. Car on dist For men saye Que paix serra That peas shall be Entre les deux roys Bitwene the two kynges 36 Et leurs royames, And theyr royames, Ou trieues2 pour trois ans.” 2 trienes Or triews for thre yere.” “Sire, de celle bouche “Sir, with that mouth Puyssies vin boire.” Mote ye wyn drynke.” 40 30 NAMES: BAUDEWIN—BERTRAN. English and Scotch Peace. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ That gladly shall doo it.” “Sire, grand mercy “Syre, gramercy De vous courtoyses parolles Of your courtoys wordes 12 Et de vostre bonne volente; And of your good wyll; Dieu le vous mire!” God reward you!” “Dieu le me laisse deseruyr! “God late me deserue it! Sachies certainement1 1 certaineint Knowe ye certaynely 16 Que vous ne y estes That ye be not Point engaignies2, 2 eugaignies Nothyng deceyued5, 5 deceyned Car ce vous feroye ie, For that wold I doo Pour vous et pour les vostres. For you and for youris. 20 A dieu vous comande. To god I you commaunde. Je prenge congie3 a vous.” ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ Which ben worth good money. Gervas le feure Geruays the smyth Est biaucop plus rices. Is moche richer. Encore dont prest il Neuertheles leneth he 12 La liure pour trois mailles. The pound for thre halfpens. P. 37. Gertrude la soeur Gillebert Gertrude the suster of Gylbert Est morte et trespassee; Is deed and passed; Prijez pour son ame. Praye for her soule. 16 Quand trespassa elle? Whan passed she? Droit maintenant. Right now. Dieu luy pardonne God forgyue her Ses pechies et ses meffais. Her synnes and her trespaces. 20 Nous yrons au corps We shall goo to the corps Demain a loffrande. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ The whiche I wyll begynne. Se vous estes maries, Yf ye be maried, Et vous aues femme, And ye haue a wyfe, 16 Et vous ayes marye, And ye haue a husbonde, Se vous maintenes paisiblement, So mayntene you pesibly, Que vous voisins ne disent That your neyghbours saye not De vous fors que bien: Of you othirwyse than well: 20 Ce seroit virgoingne. Hit shold be shame. Se vous aues pere & mere, If ye haue fader and moder Si les honnoures tousiours; So worshippe them alleway; Faictes leur honneur; Doo to hem worshipp; 24 Deportes les; Forbere them ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ Whiche is at his ease atte leste.
P. 46. Aller veoir le sacrament Goo see the sacrament 32 Est vng bon desiunement. Is a good brekefast. Se vous debues Yf ye owe Aucunes pelerinages, Ony pylgremages, Si les payes hastiuement. So paye them hastely. 36 Quand vous estes meus Whan ye be meuyd Pour aller vostre voyage, For to goo your viage, Et vous ne scaues le chemin, And ye knowe not the waye, Si le demandes ainssi3, 3 amssi So axe it thus, 40 49 TRAVEL TALK. LODGING FOR HORSE AND MAN.
En commandant les gens a dieu: In comandyng the peple to god: ‘A dieu, bonnes gens ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ The following comparative specimen of the two versions will afford some notion of the orthographical and grammatical differences between them, and also of the degree in which Caxton’s English was influenced by his Flemish original.
ix MICHELANT. CAXTON.
Pierres le bateur a l’arket
Pietre de coutenslaerre
Pyere le bateure de laine
Peter the betar of wulle
Va tout useus,
Gaet al ledich,
Va tout oyseux,
Gooth alle ydle,
Car ses doiiens
Want siin deken
Car son doyen
For his dene
Li ha desfendu son mestier
Heeft hem verboden sin ambocht
Lui a deffendu son mestier ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ Men ought to worshippe them; 28 Car il dist en son liure: For he saith in his booke: “Honnoure pere & mere.” “Worshippe fader and moder.” Se vous aues enfans, Yf ye haue children, Si les chastoyes de la verge,
So chastyse them with the rodde,
32 Et les instrues And enforme them De bonnes meurs With good maners Le temps quilz soient jofnes; the tyme that they be yong; P. 9. Les envoyes a lescole Sende them to the scole 36 Aprendre lire et escripre, To lerne rede and to write, quilz ne resambloient bestes. That they resemble not bestis. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ For men may not so moche write
Quon ne trouueroit toudis plus:
Me shold fynde alway more: 28 Le parchemin est debonnaire; The parchemen is so meke; Il seuffre sour luy escripre Hit suffreth on hit to write Quancques on veult. What someuer men wylle. [CH. X.]
CY appres vous deuiseray
Vng liuret quon appelle
HEre after I shall deuyse you
A litell book that men call
32 Le nombre, le quel est The nombre, the which is Moult prouffytable, Moche prouffytable1, 1 pronffytable P. 48. Par le quel By the whiche 36 On pourra scauoir compter Men shall mowe conne rekene De denier as deniers ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ La les prisonniers sont; There the prisonners bee;
Il y sont laronnes, mourdriers,
There ben theues, murderers, 12 Faulx monnoyers, robbeurs, False money makers, robbers, Afourceurs de femmes, Rauisshers of wymmen, Coppeurs de boursses. Cuttars of purses. Les vng pend on; That one men hange; 16 Les aultres traynnon; The othir be drawen; Les aultres mettons sur roels; The othir ben sette on wheles; Ceux qui coppent boursses Them that cutte purses Coppe on les oreylles. Cutte men the eres of. 20 Bussyn a a nom Bussin is named P. 41. Ly bouriaulx de bruges. The hangman of bruges. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ Men saye who serueth our lord, 16 Et la vierge marie, And the mayde marye, Les sains apostles, The holy apostles, Les2 quatre euangelistes, 2 Le The foure euangelistes, Angeles et archangeles, Angelis and archangelis, 20 Prophetes et martirs, Prophetes and martris, Patriarces, confesseurs, Patriarkis, confessours, Sainttes viergenes, Holy virgynes, Sainctes vesues, Holy wedowes, 24 Saints innocens— Holy innocentes— Ces saints et sainctes— These saynctes— Il attend bon loijer He attendeth good reward Enuers dieu par leurs priers. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ Il me souhaidera des crappes;
He shall weeshe me of the grapes;
Car en les vignes For in the vyneyerd 40 47 NAMES: Kettlemaker, Proctor, &c. GOD IS MERCIFUL.
Gaignera il asses. He shall wyn [n] e ynowh. Ysaac le chauderlier Ysaac the ketelmaker Donne quatre chaudrons, Gyueth four ketellis,
Contenant douze galons chescun,
Conteynyng twelue galons euerich,
4 Pour quarant gros le piece. For fourty grotes the pece. Et le bon chandelliere And the good candelmaker
Donne quatre chandeylles de sieu1 1 sleu
Gyueth foure talow candellis Pour vng denier le piece. For one peny the pece. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ Singes, asnes, chiens. Apes, asses, houndes. 20 Ourse mengue on bien; A bere, men ete well; Si faitton chieures. So doo men ghotes. On ne mengue point Men ete not Aigles, griffons, Eygles, griffons, 24 Espreuiers, faucons, Sperhawkes, faucons, Oistoirs, escouffles. Haukes, kytes. Des bestes venimeuses:— Of bestes venemous:— Serpens, lasartz, scorpions, Serpentes, lizarts, scorpions, 28 Mouches, veers; Flies, wormes; Qui de ces veers sera morse
Who of thise wormes shall be byten
Il luy fauldra triacle; He must have triacle; Se ce non, il en moroit. Yf not that, he shall deye. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ Shall nothyng excuse hem. 28 Chescun si acquite Euery man so acquite hym Comme il vouldra respondre! As he wylle ansuere! Gombers le bouchiere Gombert the bocher Demeure dencoste le boucerie. Duelleth beside the bocherie. 32 Il vent si bien ses chars He selleth so well his flessh Que luy appiert; That to hym it appereth; Car luy voy si poure For I sawe hym so poure Quil ne scauoit1 1 scanoit That he knewe not 36 Que bouter en sa bouche. What to put in his mouth. Pour ce est bonne chose Therfore it is good thyng Scauoir vng bon mestier. To conne a good craft. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ Vne liure de strelins, A pound sterlings, Vne marcq que vault A marcke that is worth Deux nobles1 dangleter, 1 uobles Two nobles of englonde, 24 Vne liure de gros, A pound grete, Monoye de flaundres, Moneye of flaundres, Vne soulde que vault A shellyng that is worth Trois gros ou douze deniers, Thre grotis or twelue pens, 28 Vne gros vault quatre deniers, A grote is worth four pens, Vng denier, vne maille, A peny, a halfpeny, Vng quadrant, vne mite. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ Draps ou aultres marchandisses,
Wullen cloth or othir marchandise,
Sy alles a le halle So goo to the halle Qui est ou marchiet; Whiche is in the market; Sy montes les degretz; So goo vpon the steyres; 32 La trouueres les draps:
There shall ye fynde the clothes:
Draps mesles, Clothes medleyed, Rouge drap ou vert, Red cloth or grene, Bleu asuret, Blyew y-asured, 36 Gaune, vermeil, Yelow, reed, Entrepers, moret, Sad blew, morreey, Royet, esquiekeliet, Raye, chekeryd, Saye blanche & bleu, Saye white and blew, 40 15 HOW TO BUY CLOTH. HE TRIES TO BEAT HER DOWN.
Escarlate en grain. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ Ung somme dargent en sel,
YEt I wyll bystowe
A somme of siluer in salte,
20 En poit, en harpoit, In pycche, in rosyn, En verde chire, In grene waxe, En rouge et gaune chire, In rede & yelow waxe, 24 En noir chire, In black waxe, De quoy on emplist Wherof be fyllyd Les tables The tables En quoy on aprend In which men teche 28 Les enfans escripre; The children to write; Et du sieu, And of siewet, Saing du porc The fatte of a swyne Pour faire pottages; For to make potages; 32 Saing de herencs; Sayme of hereng; On en oint les sorles. Men enoynte therwyth shoes. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

William Caxton, Dialogues in French and English

“ That I ne bye
20 Peaulx de vaches, Hydes of kyen, De quoy on fait cuyr. Wherof men make lether.
De peaulx de chieures ou de bouk
Of fellis of gheet or of the bukke
Faitton bon cordewan; Make men good cordewan; 24 De peaulx de brebis Of shepes fellis Peult estre fait le basenne; May be made the basenne; Si en faitton parcemin So make men also perchemyn En quoy on escript. In whiche men write. 28 Or aues oyet Now haue ye herd Des draps, des laines, Of clothes, of wulle, Des peaulx, et des cuyrs Of fellis, and of lether, Tout en ung chapitle. Alle in one chapitre. ”

William Caxton

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Quotes from Dialogues in French and English (William Caxton)

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