Chapter I: Preface

The present work, begun during the author's tenure of a Faulkner Fellowship in the University of Manchester, and completed in subsequent years, is an endeavour to trace the history of the teaching and use of French in England during a given epoch, ending with the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes and the Revolution of 1689, which events mark the beginning of a new period in the study of the French language in this country. No attempt has been made to treat the wider topic of French influence in England in its literary and social aspects (this has already been done by competent hands), though this side of the question is naturally touched upon occasionally by way of reference or illustration.

I gladly take this opportunity of expressing my gratitude to Professor L. E. Kastner, at whose suggestion this investigation was undertaken, for his generous assistance, and the unfailing interest he has shown in my work during the whole course of its preparation. I am likewise considerably indebted to Dr. Phoebe Sheavyn for helpful criticism and advice, to Professor Tout for kindly reading through the introductory chapter, and to Mr. J. Marks for a careful revision of the proofs and many useful indications. I owe a great deal to my father also, whose sympathetic advice and encouragement did much to lighten my task. Nor can I close this list of acknowledgments without recording my obligation to the Secretary of the Press, Mr. H. M. McKechnie, for the valuable assistance he has so freely given me during the progress of this volume through the Press.

KATHLEEN LAMBLEY.

DURHAM, _January 1920_.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I

INTRODUCTORY

CHAPTER I PAGE

THE THIRTEENTH AND FOURTEENTH CENTURIES 3

French grammars in mediaeval England--The use of the French
language--Latin, French, and English vocabularies--French at the
Universities--Popularity of French in the thirteenth century--Ceases
to be a vernacular in England--Treatises for teaching French--A
treatise on French verbs--The _Orthographia Gallica_--The _Tractatus
Orthographiae_--T. H. Parisiis studentis--Walter de
Bibbesworth--French in the schools and Universities--The fourteenth
century--Treatises on French--The _Nominale_--Model letters--Recovery
of English in the second half of the fourteenth
century--Deterioration of Anglo-French--English in official documents
and correspondence--Decline in use of French.

CHAPTER II

THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY 26

Triumph of continental French over Anglo-French--"Doux françois de
Paris" a foreign language--Standard of French taught in
England--_Femina_--Treatises on Grammar--Barton's
_Donait_--Epistolaries--Books of conversation in French--The
Cambridge manuscript in French and English--First printed books for
teaching French--Dialogues in French and English--Caxton, Wynkyn de
Worde, and Pynson--French by conversation--Approaching improvement in
the standard of French taught in England--Palsgrave's Grammar.

PART II

TUDOR TIMES

CHAPTER I

THE FRENCH LANGUAGE AT COURT AND AMONG THE NOBILITY 61

French at the Court of the Tudors--English neglected by
foreigners--Latin a spoken language--Defective pronunciation of the
English--Interest in modern languages awakened--French holds the
first place--Its use in correspondence and in official documents--The
French of Henry VIII., his courtiers, and the ladies--Of Anne Boleyn
and the other Queens--Of the royal family, Edward, Mary, and
Elizabeth--French tutors--Bernard André--French Grammars--Alexander
Barclay's _Introductory_--Practice and Theory--Pierre Valence, tutor
to the Earl of Lincoln--His _Introductions in French_--Fragment of a
Grammar at Lambeth--French Humanists as Language masters--Bourbon and
Denisot--England and the _Pléiade_.

CHAPTER II

FRENCH TUTORS AT COURT--GILES DUWES--JOHN PALSGRAVE--JEAN BELLEMAIN 86

French tutors at Court--John Palsgrave and Giles Duwes--Palsgrave's
_Esclarcissement_--The pronunciation of French--His second and third
books--The vocabulary--The _Introductorie_ of Duwes--His
Dialogues--The methods of the two teachers--Dates of composition and
editions--Attitude of the two teachers to each other--Duwes on
English teachers of French--Palsgrave's claims--Palsgrave's
acquaintance with French literature--Incidents in Duwes's career in
England--His royal pupils--Palsgrave's teaching career--Mary Tudor
his pupil--The Duke of Richmond, Gregory Cromwell, etc.--Palsgrave in
the North, at Oxford, and in London--Jean Bellemain, tutor to Edward
VI.--The King's French exercises--Intercourse with Calvin--Bellemain
on French orthography--French tutor to Elizabeth--Her translations
from the French--A. R. Chevallier.