The Proverbs of Alfred is a collection of early Middle English sayings ascribed to King Alfred the Great (called "England's darling"), said to have been uttered at an assembly in Seaford, East Sussex.[1] The collection of proverbs was probably put together in Sussex in the mid-12th century.[2][3] The manuscript evidence suggests the text originated at either a Cluniac or a Benedictine monastery: either Lewes Priory, 10 mi (16 km) to the north of Seaford, or Battle Abbey, 25 mi (40 km) to the north-east.[4]
The text appears to have been produced in the late 12th century.[5] There is no reason to suppose that any of the proverbs go back to King Alfred. King Alfred, who translated several works into the vernacular, is not known to have translated or composed proverbs. However, his legendary status in later tradition gave him a reputation for having done so, as the Middle English poem The Owl and the Nightingale likewise suggests. Some of the proverbs in the Proverbs of Alfred appear elsewhere under another name (Hendyng, which may itself be less of a proper name than an adjective).
Form and contentsedit
The proverbs are in alliterative verse, but the verse does not adhere to the rules of classical Old English poetry. Caesurae are present in every line, but the lines are broken in two (cf. Pearl). The collection shows signs of transition in verse form from the earlier Anglo-Saxon alliterative form to the new Norman rhyme form, for rhyme occasionally occurs in the poetry. Late in the poem, the verse even picks up Norman metre and something like a couplet form. At the same time, the proverbs resemble the gnomic compositions of earlier Anglo-Saxon instruction. The proverbs are expressed as highly compressed metaphors that are halfway to the poetry found in the Anglo-Saxon riddle and Gnomic Verses. Collections of sayings and precepts were common in Latin as well, but the distinctive compression of the Alfredian proverbs is clearly a sign of their Anglo-Saxon origin.
Given that it is most likely that the author and his antecedents gathered up proverbs over time, the heterogeneous contents of the book are predictable. The proverbs contain popular wisdom, religious instruction, and advice on the wickedness of women. The latter is most likely a scribal interpolation.
Sampleedit
An example of the Proverbs is lines 423–448, here in the translation of Christopher Cannon.[6]
þus queþ Alured: Eure þu bi þine luye þe word of þine wyue. to swiþe þu ne arede. If heo beo i-wreþþed myd worde oþer myd dede wymmon wepeþ for mod oftere þan for eny god And ofte lude & stille for to vor-drye hire wille. Heo wepeþ oþer-hwile for to do þe gyle Salomon hit haueþ i-sed þat wymmon can wel vuelne red. þe hire red foleweþ heo bryngeþ hine to seorewe for hit seyþ in þe loþ as scumes for-teoþ hit is i-furn i-seyd þat cold red is quene red. hu he is unlede þat foleweþ hire rede. Ich hit ne segge nought for-þan þat god þing ys god wymmon. þe mon þe hi may i-cheose and i-couere over oþre.
Thus said Alfred: Do not, ever in your life, take the word of your wife too quickly as counsel. If she is angered by some word or deed a woman weeps for anger more often than for any good reason. And often she is loud as well as quiet in order to get her own way. She weeps at other times in order to deceive. Solomon has said that a woman is good at giving bad advice. He who follows her advice she brings to sorrow. For it says in the song how women deceive, [and] it was said long ago that a woman’s advice is bad advice, [and] how he is miserable who follows her advice. I do not say therefore that a good woman is a good thing when a man can choose her and win her over others.
^Baugh, Malone, The Literary History of England: Vol 1: The Middle Ages (to 1500), p. 154.
^Deskis, Susan E. (2017). "Proverbs of Alfred". Wiley Online Library - Proverbs of Alfred - Abstract. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 1–2. doi:10.1002/9781118396957.wbemlb026. ISBN9781118396957.
^Rouse, The Idea of Anglo-Saxon England, pp. 38-39.
^ abRouse, The Idea of Anglo-Saxon England, p. 13.
^Christopher Cannon, 'Proverbs and the Wisdom of Literature: The Proverbs of Alfred and Chaucer’s Tale of Melibee’, Textual Practice, 24.3 (2010), 407–34 (pp, 413-14) doi:10.1080/09502360903471862.
Sourcesedit
Keynes, Simon, and Lapidge, Michael, Alfred the Great: Asser's Life of King Alfred & Other Contemporary Sources. Penguin Classics, 1984. ISBN978-0-14-044409-4
Further readingedit
Arngart, Olaf (ed.). The Proverbs of Alfred. 2 vols. Lund, 1942–55.
Anderson, O.S. The Proverbs of Alfred, 1: A study of the texts. Lund and London, 1942.
Arngart, Olaf. The Distichs of Cato and the Proverbs of Alfred. Lund, 1952.
Arngart, Olaf (ed. and tr.). The Proverbs of Alfred. An Emended Text. Lund, 1978.
Rouse, Robert Allen. The idea of Anglo-Saxon England in Middle English romance. Woodbridge: D.S. Brewer, 2005. Especially chapter 2. ISBN1-84384-041-3.
External linksedit
The Cambridge History of English Literature
January 01, 1970
proverbs, alfred, collection, early, middle, english, sayings, ascribed, king, alfred, great, called, england, darling, said, have, been, uttered, assembly, seaford, east, sussex, collection, proverbs, probably, together, sussex, 12th, century, manuscript, evi. The Proverbs of Alfred is a collection of early Middle English sayings ascribed to King Alfred the Great called England s darling said to have been uttered at an assembly in Seaford East Sussex 1 The collection of proverbs was probably put together in Sussex in the mid 12th century 2 3 The manuscript evidence suggests the text originated at either a Cluniac or a Benedictine monastery either Lewes Priory 10 mi 16 km to the north of Seaford or Battle Abbey 25 mi 40 km to the north east 4 Contents 1 Transmission 2 Form and contents 3 Sample 4 References 4 1 Sources 5 Further reading 6 External linksTransmission editThe Proverbs of Alfred survive in four manuscripts of the 13th century Cotton Galba A xix MS C Maidstone Museum A 13 MS M Cambridge Trinity College B 14 39 MS T Oxford Jesus College 29 MS J 5 The text appears to have been produced in the late 12th century 5 There is no reason to suppose that any of the proverbs go back to King Alfred King Alfred who translated several works into the vernacular is not known to have translated or composed proverbs However his legendary status in later tradition gave him a reputation for having done so as the Middle English poem The Owl and the Nightingale likewise suggests Some of the proverbs in the Proverbs of Alfred appear elsewhere under another name Hendyng which may itself be less of a proper name than an adjective Form and contents editThe proverbs are in alliterative verse but the verse does not adhere to the rules of classical Old English poetry Caesurae are present in every line but the lines are broken in two cf Pearl The collection shows signs of transition in verse form from the earlier Anglo Saxon alliterative form to the new Norman rhyme form for rhyme occasionally occurs in the poetry Late in the poem the verse even picks up Norman metre and something like a couplet form At the same time the proverbs resemble the gnomic compositions of earlier Anglo Saxon instruction The proverbs are expressed as highly compressed metaphors that are halfway to the poetry found in the Anglo Saxon riddle and Gnomic Verses Collections of sayings and precepts were common in Latin as well but the distinctive compression of the Alfredian proverbs is clearly a sign of their Anglo Saxon origin Given that it is most likely that the author and his antecedents gathered up proverbs over time the heterogeneous contents of the book are predictable The proverbs contain popular wisdom religious instruction and advice on the wickedness of women The latter is most likely a scribal interpolation Sample editAn example of the Proverbs is lines 423 448 here in the translation of Christopher Cannon 6 thus queth Alured Eure thu bi thine luye the word of thine wyue to swithe thu ne arede If heo beo i wreththed myd worde other myd dede wymmon wepeth for mod oftere than for eny god And ofte lude amp stille for to vor drye hire wille Heo wepeth other hwile for to do the gyle Salomon hit haueth i sed that wymmon can wel vuelne red the hire red foleweth heo bryngeth hine to seorewe for hit seyth in the loth as scumes for teoth hit is i furn i seyd that cold red is quene red hu he is unlede that foleweth hire rede Ich hit ne segge nought for than that god thing ys god wymmon the mon the hi may i cheose and i couere over othre Thus said Alfred Do not ever in your life take the word of your wife too quickly as counsel If she is angered by some word or deed a woman weeps for anger more often than for any good reason And often she is loud as well as quiet in order to get her own way She weeps at other times in order to deceive Solomon has said that a woman is good at giving bad advice He who follows her advice she brings to sorrow For it says in the song how women deceive and it was said long ago that a woman s advice is bad advice and how he is miserable who follows her advice I do not say therefore that a good woman is a good thing when a man can choose her and win her over others References edit Keynes and Lapidge Alfred the Great p 47 Baugh Malone The Literary History of England Vol 1 The Middle Ages to 1500 p 154 Deskis Susan E 2017 Proverbs of Alfred Wiley Online Library Proverbs of Alfred Abstract John Wiley amp Sons pp 1 2 doi 10 1002 9781118396957 wbemlb026 ISBN 9781118396957 Rouse The Idea of Anglo Saxon England pp 38 39 a b Rouse The Idea of Anglo Saxon England p 13 Christopher Cannon Proverbs and the Wisdom of Literature The Proverbs of Alfred and Chaucer s Tale of Melibee Textual Practice 24 3 2010 407 34 pp 413 14 doi 10 1080 09502360903471862 Sources edit Keynes Simon and Lapidge Michael Alfred the Great Asser s Life of King Alfred amp Other Contemporary Sources Penguin Classics 1984 ISBN 978 0 14 044409 4Further reading editArngart Olaf ed The Proverbs of Alfred 2 vols Lund 1942 55 Anderson O S The Proverbs of Alfred 1 A study of the texts Lund and London 1942 Arngart Olaf The Distichs of Cato and the Proverbs of Alfred Lund 1952 Arngart Olaf ed and tr The Proverbs of Alfred An Emended Text Lund 1978 Rouse Robert Allen The idea of Anglo Saxon England in Middle English romance Woodbridge D S Brewer 2005 Especially chapter 2 ISBN 1 84384 041 3 External links editThe Cambridge History of English Literature Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Proverbs of Alfred amp oldid 1213880031, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
