Page:The ancient language, and the dialect of Cornwall.djvu/94

 74 east into Cornwall, each wave modifying the dialect spoken by the Cornish during the long period of the decay of the ancient Celtic tongue of the County. As a Cornishman, one often feels *^at home" in reading some parts of Chaucer, especially the '' Coke's Tale of Gamelyn," thus, the following verse, when read in Cornish fashion, does not seem to have been written 500 years ago : — " As they were eting and drinking Of the best loele and fine, Then said the Von to the t'other This is yonge Gamelyn." In the following comparisons, the ordinary English word is first given in black letter (^^ Advise "), then the Cornish form of it in ITALICS ^ and for each some quotations by way of illustration. Thus the reader will be enabled to judge for himself. The spelling in the extracts from Chaucer, is that given in ^^The Complete Edition of the Poets of Great Britain" published by John and Arthur Arch, of London, and Bell, Bradfute and Mundell of Edinburgh, The following is the LIST OF WORDS COMPARED WITH SOME IN CHAUCER, VIZ :— Advise. AFISE. "Now be well avysed ageyne to-morowe day, Then shalt thou have thy jugement, ther is no more to say." (The Merchants Second Tale.) " And so much the more that thou art nat wise, And cans't nat me of no maner avlse,'' (Ibid.)