The Canterbury Fails Kentish Hymn
Jan 29, 2022
Dive into the world of a Kentish hymn and its fascinating liturgical origins. The hosts break down the poem's 10th-century context, all the while enjoying a creative Trinitarian cocktail. They explore the uniqueness of the Kentish dialect and the role of monastic bilingualism. As they read through the hymn, they critique its blandness despite moments of striking imagery. The discussion also touches on the interplay between Latin and Old English, revealing how such hymns may foreshadow later masterpieces in English literature.
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Kentish Hymn As Vernacular Liturgy
- The Kentish Hymn is an Old English versification of Latin liturgy, blending the Te Deum and Gloria into vernacular verse.
- It survives only in a single, sloppily copied 10th-century manuscript likely from St Augustine's, Canterbury.
Check Manuscript Context First
- When studying minor medieval texts, inspect manuscript context and glosses to infer audience and function.
- Use accompanying school texts to gauge whether a piece served educational or devotional purposes.
Manuscript Signals Monastic School Use
- The manuscript mixes Latin school texts with Old English glosses and monastic educational material.
- That context suggests the hymn circulated within monastic learning rather than popular parish liturgy.