inal settlement of the
English tongue. The close of the great movement towards national unity
which had been going on ever since the Conquest was shown in the middle of
the fourteenth century by the disuse, even amongst the nobler classes, of
the French tongue. In spite of the efforts of the grammar schools and of
the strength of fashion English won its way throughout the reign of Edward
the Third to its final triumph in that of his grandson. It was ordered to
be used in courts of law in 1362 "because the French tongue is much
unknown," and in the following year it was employed by the Chancellor in
opening Parliament. Bishops began to preach in English, and the English
tracts of Wyclif made it once more a literary tongue. We see the general
advance in two passages from writers of Edward's and Richard's reigns.
"Children in school," says Higden, a writer of the first period, "against
the usage and manner of all other nations be compelled for to leave their
own language and for to construe their lessons and their things in French,
and so they have since the Normans first came into England. Also
gentlemen's children be taught for to speak French from the time that they
be rocked in their cradle, and know how to speak and play with a child's
toy; and uplandish (or country) men will liken themselves to gentlemen, and
strive with, great busyness to speak French for to be more told of." "This
manner," adds John of Trevisa, Higden's translator in Richard's time, "was
much used before the first murrain (the Black Death of 1349), and is since
somewhat changed. For John Cornwal, a master of grammar, changed the lore
in grammar school and construing of French into English; and Richard
Pencrych learned this manner of teaching of him, as other men did of
Pencrych. So that now, the year of our Lord 1385 and of the second King
Richard after the Conquest nine, in all the grammar schools of England
children leaveth French, and construeth and learneth in English. Also
gentlemen have now much left for to teach their children French."

[Sidenote: Chaucer]

This drift towards a general use of the national tongue told powerfully on
literature. The influence of the French romances everywhere tended to make
French the one literary language at the opening of the fourteenth century,
and in England this influence had been backed by the French tone of the
court of Henry the Third and the three Edwards. But at the close of the
reign of Edward the