hat in his time, somewhere about 1290, the
superior ranks continued to use the French language.[892] Ralph Higden,
about the early part of Edward III.'s reign, though his expressions do
not go the same length, asserts, that "gentlemen's children are taught
to speak French, from the time they are rocked in their cradle; and
uplandish (country) or inferior men will liken themselves to gentlemen,
and learn with great business for to speak French, for to be the more
told of." Notwithstanding, however, this predominance of French among
the higher class, I do not think that some modern critics are warranted
in concluding that they were in general ignorant of the English tongue.
Men living upon their estates among their tenantry, whom they welcomed
in their halls, and whose assistance they were perpetually needing in
war and civil frays, would hardly have permitted such a barrier to
obstruct their intercourse. For we cannot, at the utmost, presume that
French was so well known to the English commonalty in the thirteenth
century as English is at present to the same class in Wales and the
Scottish Highlands. It may be remarked also, that the institution of
trial by jury must have rendered a knowledge of English almost
indispensable to those who administered justice. There is a proclamation
of Edward I. in Rymer, where he endeavours to excite his subjects
against the king of France by imputing to him the intention of
conquering the country and abolishing the English language (linguam
delere Anglicanam), and this is frequently repeated in the proclamations
of Edward III.[893] In his time, or perhaps a little before, the native
language had become more familiar than French in common use, even with
the court and nobility. Hence the numerous translations of metrical
romances, which are chiefly referred to his reign. An important change
was effected in 1362 by a statute, which enacts that all pleas in courts
of justice shall be pleaded, debated, and judged in English. But Latin
was by this act to be employed in drawing the record; for there seems to
have still continued a sort of prejudice against the use of English as a
written language. The earliest English instrument known to exist is
said to bear the date of 1343.[894] And there are but few entries in our
own tongue upon the rolls of parliament before the reign of Henry VI.,
after whose accession its use becomes very common.[895] Sir John
Mandevile, about 1356, may pass for the fath