When I am in need of a little Middle-English, as I am sure many of you also often are, I enjoy the contributions of Geoffrey Chaucer on his posthumous blog. It is fitting to check him out today of all days.
Here is his latest!
A verie joyous "Whan that Aprille Week" to all of yow, my rederes, from yower forwaked and fortravailled blogger. Ich haue been y-laboring for National Adaptacioun of Guido della Colonna’s Historia Destructionis Troiae Moneth (NaAdGuiCollHistDestTroMo) and ich am proud to saye that ich haue y-carved an entyre boke of the double wo of Troylus and Criseyde from the raw matter of the historiale accountes. It hath ben a good way to kepe from thinkinge upon the gret wo and distourbance that hath risen up yn parlement.
In the maner of poostes from two yeeres now, ich do aske yow to use thys fyne daye of Aprille to reden of my werkes. Ich do copye myn owene letter patent from bifor:
…ich praye yow permitten me oon smal moment of sentimente.
On this week cometh the first daye of Aprille. Bifor Aprille was the cruellest moneth (whatever that meneth!), [y-LOL!] it was a moneth of coloures and cries, and pilgrymages. Yt was, I sholde saye, myn favourite moneth.
Ich am nat oon to tooten myne owen horne, but this week ich wolde asken yow to declaymen my tales. To yowrselves, to yowr frendes, or simplye in the marketplace or churchyarde. For charitees sake, ye coulde declaymen them to beggares, leperes, or humorlesse rogues who studien engineerynge. Wherever ye proclaymen them thogh, do yt so in loude voyse and cleere, for yt is only fooles who think a poeme lith on the page aloone.
Yf thou knowst nat this maner of Englyssh, be nat ashamed. Yf thou kanst reden thys blogge, thou kanst reden myn Englisshe. Talke to yt slowlie, as if it were an olde relative whom thou lovest verie muche, and yt shal talke back to thee.
I, Galfridus Chaucer, do invite all my rederes to poost yower contribuciouns as comments to this poost – ye maye make videoes for ye-tube of redynges of myn werkes or of adaptaciouns, ye maye poost linkes to mp3s, or to events, or to peyntures or animaciouns or what-evir ye wolde present to the othir rederes of myn blog to celebrate this joyous moneth. Thos who teche or studye myn werkes may leve testamentz of experiences in yower class roomes, or explain why or whan ye first began to studien myn writinges. May it plese yow to linke, quote, cite and pass this on!
A verie joyous "Whan that Aprille Week" to all of yow, my rederes, from yower forwaked and fortravailled blogger. Ich haue been y-laboring for National Adaptacioun of Guido della Colonna’s Historia Destructionis Troiae Moneth (NaAdGuiCollHistDestTroMo) and ich am proud to saye that ich haue y-carved an entyre boke of the double wo of Troylus and Criseyde from the raw matter of the historiale accountes. It hath ben a good way to kepe from thinkinge upon the gret wo and distourbance that hath risen up yn parlement. 
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I read a comment from Philip Larkin to Kingsley Amiss about some T.V show which allegedly featured some scenes “Not to be watched with ones maiden aunt”…anyway Larkin wrote a couple of words in the Olde Englishe style to Amiss ….very funny I thought, but not to be repeated here….Philip was some what underwhelmed, the programme did not reach the dizzy heights his imagination had plumed…
Heere in Engelond (what ye Pope y-cleped Angel-lond),the sunne ys schinyng, ther be nat shoures swete to-day. But eke it waxeth cold and blow blow the western winde….
Thys morning, Myn mann hath thoghte to bringe me a cup of tee and wakened mee wyth these tydings: “Wake, wyf, thou has receeved an docket for thyn spedyinge full fifty myles an houre on thirty myles limit!”
“Fie! Ah wel-a-daye!” cryde I, “Mine carriage hath monig fyne horses to powere yt, but I hadde y-thoghte the spede reckoners werke nat on that roade. Wat hevinesse thou bringst to me, mine gude mann!”
“Ha, that has quyte y-fuled thee, wyf of mine!” quoth hee, “’twas just a merrie jape for ’tis the First of Aprille!”
Calleva,
An thou beest wrytyng moore like unto that, I mighte woll maken a beverage-shouwre outte of my nostriles.
Jape on, lady.
Delightful, Father Z. I occasionally peek at “Geoffrey Chaucer Hath a Blog”. Thanks for the reminder.