Andrew of Wyntoun facts for kids
Andrew Wyntoun, also known as Andrew of Wyntoun, was a Scottish poet and a churchman. He lived a long time ago, from around 1350 to 1425. He was a type of priest called a canon and also a prior (a leader in a religious community) at Loch Leven. Later, he became a canon at St. Andrews.
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Andrew Wyntoun and His Famous Book
Andrew Wyntoun is best known for writing a very long poem called the Orygynale Cronykil of Scotland. This book is a history of Scotland, starting from ancient myths and going up to the year 1420.
What Makes the Cronykil Special?
This old book is important for a few reasons. It has one of the earliest mentions of the famous character Robin Hood. Imagine, people were talking about Robin Hood even back then! The book also uses the word "Catholic" in English for the first time. The Oxford English Dictionary even points this out.
Who Asked Him to Write It?
Andrew Wyntoun wrote this huge history book because a powerful person asked him to. His supporter was Sir John of Wemyss. Sir John's family, the Wemyss family, kept one of the oldest copies of the book at their home, Wemyss Castle.
Where Are the Old Books Now?
Today, nine original handwritten copies, called manuscripts, of the Orygynale Cronykil of Scotland still exist. They are kept in different places across the United Kingdom.
- Three copies are safe at the British Library.
- Two copies are at the Advocates' Library in Edinburgh.
- One copy is at the University of St Andrews Library.
- Another copy is still at Wemyss Castle.
- The last copy is privately owned by a person in Duns, Scottish Borders.
People have also printed the Cronykil over the years. The first printed version came out in 1795. Later, new and better versions were published, making it easier for everyone to read Andrew Wyntoun's work.
How Was the Book Written?
The Cronykil is written entirely in pairs of rhyming lines, called couplets. Most of these lines have eight syllables, but sometimes they have six or ten syllables. This style makes the long history feel like a continuous poem.
