Historical Documents: Anglicana Currens and Textura Formata

M7 - Anglicana Currens (1453)

1 - Item, the said little house draws not 5,000 tiles, which after 16 pence the thousand

2 - Should draw 6 shillings, 8 pence. Notwithstanding, if Sir Thomas thinks that he should be allowed

3 - He shall be. And you must remember in this new work how that he, for the said work, noble

4 - Has received 6 shillings, 8 pence of you, and 8 shillings of Robert Tolle before Michaelmas, as appears

5 - In his account, 8 shillings. And what he has received of Tolle since Michaelmas, 5 shillings, 4 pence.

6 - Tell you, I suppose it is 10 shillings. And then by this reckoning, he should be 13 shillings, 4 pence ahead.

7 - Hand, which I would you should gather up in this new work as well as you might.

8 - For I am beholden to do him but little favor. Item, beware there leave no firs

9 - More in the dike that you repair, and that the wood be made of faggot,

10 - Laid up forthwith as it is felled, for taking away. I would you were

11 - Here on Saturday at even, though the red ageyn on Monday. ((John Paston)).

M8 - Textura Formata (1st line)

Secretaria Formata (2-5 lines)

Secretaria Facilis (6-end) (c. 1470-80)

1 - So after these quests of Sir Gawayne, Sir

2 - Tor, and King Pellynore, then it befell that Merlin

3 - Fell in dotage on the damsel that King Pellynore

4 - Brought to court, and she was one of the damsels of the Lady of the

5 - Lake that hight Nenyve. But Merlin would not let her have

6 - No rest, but always he would be with her, and ever she made

7 - Him good cheer till she had learned of him all manner of things

8 - That she desired, and he was assotted upon her that he

9 - Might not be from her. So on a time, he told to King

10 - Arthur that he should not endure long, but for all

11 - His crafts, he should be put into the earth quick. And so

12 - He told the king many things that should befall,

13 - But always he warned the king to keep well his sword

14 - And the scabbard should be stolen by a woman from

15 - Him that he most trusted. Also, he told King Arthur

16 - That he should miss him. "And yet had ye lever than all

17 - Your lands have me again." "Ah," said the king, "since ye

18 - Know of your evil adventure, purvey for it, and put

19 - It away by your crafts, that miss adventure may fade."

20 - "Nay," said Merlin, "it will not be." He departed from the king. And within

21 - A while, the damsel of the lake departed, and Merlin

22 - Went with her evermore where she went. And often

23 - Merlin would have had her privily away by his subtle

24 - Crafts. Then she made him to swear that he should never do

25 - None enchantment upon her if he would have his will.

26 - And so he swore. Then she and Merlin went over the sea unto

27 - The land of Benwick, there as King Ban was king,

28 - That had great war against King Claudas, and there

29 - Merlin spoke with King Ban's wife, a fair lady and a good, her

30 - Name was Elayne. And there he saw young Lancelot.

31 - And there the queen made great sorrow for the mortal

32 - War that King Claudas made on his lords.