Siôn Cent facts for kids

Siôn Cent (pronounced "Shon Kent") was an important Welsh poet who lived a long time ago, likely between the years 1400 and 1430. He wrote in the Welsh language and is a big name in the history of Welsh literature from the Middle Ages.

A portrait believed to be Siôn Cent.

Who Was Siôn Cent?

Siôn Cent was sometimes called by other names, like Sion Gwent or Jack of Kent. This can be a bit confusing! People sometimes mixed him up with other educated or religious people from his time who had similar names. For example, there was a Dr. John Kent who studied at Cambridge University, and a friar named Dr. John Gwent. There was also a bishop named John Kemp.

Where and When Did He Live?

Based on his poems, we think Siôn Cent wrote between 1400 and 1430. He is often linked to the area of Brecknockshire in Wales. He even wrote a poem praising Brecknock, which shows he knew the area well and loved it. He was also connected to parts of Herefordshire and Monmouthshire.

Many people believe he died at a place called Kentchurch Court. There's an old oil painting at Kentchurch Court that some say is a portrait of Siôn Cent. It shows an older man in monk-like clothes, holding a book. Some even think the famous artist Jan van Eyck painted it!

Siôn Cent is thought to have worked for the Scudamore family as a chaplain, which is like a religious leader. He might have also been a secretary and a tutor for their children. People say he was very smart and could speak Welsh, Latin, and English fluently. Some stories even say he translated the Bible into Welsh.

His Unique Poetry

Siôn Cent is most famous for using his poetry to share his Christian beliefs. This was quite different from other Welsh poets of his time, who often wrote poems praising important leaders or patrons.

He used a special Welsh poetry style called cywydd (pronounced "kuh-with"). But instead of praise, he used it to talk about the problems and sins he saw in the world. His poems often had a serious or even sad feeling. This might have been because of the difficult times he lived in, with diseases like the Black Death and wars happening, including the Owain Glyndŵr rebellion in Wales.

What Made His Poems Special?

Siôn Cent's poems had a unique feature: they were divided into sections, and the last line of each section was always the same. This repeated line acted like a chorus or a main idea for the poem.

His best-known poems often talked about how uncertain life is and how everyone will eventually face death and judgment. He described the world in a serious way, but he also had hope for a good life in heaven.

In the 1420s, he even criticized another poet named Rhys Goch Eryri. Siôn Cent felt that Rhys Goch Eryri's poems, which praised worldly things, were wrong and perhaps even influenced by the Devil.

Perhaps his most famous poem is "I wagedd ac oferedd y byd" (which means "In praise of the vanity and wantonness of the world"). In this poem, he turns away from praising nobles, which he saw as just flattery. Instead, he focuses on the blessings of heaven. Siôn Cent's poetry became very popular and inspired many other Welsh poets to write more religious poems.

Later on, Siôn Cent was sometimes linked to a folk tale character called Jack o' Kent. However, this character is probably a mix of several different people, not just Siôn Cent himself.

See also

• Jack o' Kent
• Medieval Welsh literature
• Owain Glyndŵr