Ayenbite of Inwyt facts for kids

The Ayenbite of Inwyt is the name of a very old book written in a special kind of English called Middle English. It was written in the Kentish area of England. The title means "the again-biting of inner wit," which we would call the Remorse of Conscience today. It's like feeling bad or guilty about something you've done.

This book was translated from a French book. Some people think the translator wasn't very good at their job! But even so, the Ayenbite of Inwyt is super important. It helps us understand how people in Kent, England, spoke in the mid-1300s. It's more useful for learning about language than for its story.

What is the Ayenbite of Inwyt?

The Ayenbite of Inwyt is a translation of a French book called Somme le Roi. This French book was also known as the Book of Vices and Virtues. It was a popular guide about Christian morality, which means how to live a good life according to Christian rules. Many copies of the French book still exist today.

The book talks about good and bad things using allegories. This means it uses symbols and stories to explain ideas. For example, it compares the seven deadly sins to the seven heads of the Beast from the Bible's Book of Apocalypse.

Who Wrote the Ayenbite of Inwyt?

We know a lot about the only surviving copy of the Ayenbite of Inwyt. It was finished on October 27, 1340. A Benedictine monk named Michael of Northgate wrote it. We know this for sure because Michael wrote these details himself in the book!

In the beginning of the book, he wrote something like:

þis boc is dan Michelis of Northgate / ywrite an englis of his oȝene hand. þet hatte: Ayenbyte of inwyt.

This book is [the work of] don Michael of Northgate, written in English in his own hand, that's called: Remorse of Conscience.

And at the end, he added:

Ymende. þet þis boc is uolueld ine þe eve of þe holy apostles Symon an Iudas / of ane broþer of þe cloystre of sanynt Austin of Canterburi / ine þe yeare of oure lhordes beringe 1340.

Let it be known that this work was fulfilled on the eve [of the feast] of the holy apostles Simon and Jude, by a brother of the cloister of Saint Augustine of Canterbury, in the Year of our Lord 1340.

Most people believe that Michael of Northgate was the one who translated the book, not just someone who copied it. His monastery, Saint Augustine's in Canterbury, had two copies of the French book at that time.

Why is the Language Special?

The Ayenbite of Inwyt was written for regular people in Kent. Because of this, its language has some very interesting features.

Unique Words and Spelling

First, the book often uses English words to explain difficult terms. It didn't borrow many words from French or Latin, which was common back then. For example, the title ayenbite means "again-bite" and inwyt means "in-wit" or "inner knowledge." These are direct translations of Latin words. Even the word "amen" is often translated into "so be it" (zuo by hit). This makes it an early example of trying to keep English "pure" from foreign words.

Second, the way words are spelled in the book tells us a lot about how they were pronounced. For example, words that start with an 'f' or 's' sound often start with a 'v' or 'z' sound instead. So, "sin" is spelled zenne, and "father" is vader. "First" might be verst or averst.

The spelling in the Ayenbite is very consistent for its time. This means it probably shows exactly how the author spoke. Experts say it's one of the best examples of a "pure" dialect from that period. Because we know exactly when and where it was written, it's a super valuable tool for understanding the history of language in southern England.