William Scawen
Encyclopedia
William Scawen was a one of the pioneers in the revival of the Cornish Language
in England. He was a politician who sat in the House of Commons
in 1640 and fought for the Royalist cause in the English Civil War
.
Scawen was the son of Robert Scawen of St Germans and his wife Isabella Nicholls, daughter of Humphrey Nicholls of St Tide. He was a Cornish gentleman and Vice-Warden of the Stannaries
. In April 1640 he was elected MP for St Germans
and for East Looe
in the Short Parliament
. The parliament did not last long enough for all such double elections to be resolved. He supported the Royalist cause in the Civil War and fought alongside Cornish speaking soldiers. On the Restoration he was one of those proposed for the honour of Knight of the Royal Oak.
Scawen realised that the Cornish language was dying out and wrote detailed manuscripts which he started working on when he was 78. Between 1679 and 1680, he made an English translation of a Cornish medieval passion poem 'Pascon agan Arluth'. His main work included observations on the ancient manuscript, entitled, "Passio Christi", written in the Cornish language, and now preserved in the Bodleian Library
at the University of Oxford
(published in London in 1777). It features an account of the language, manners, and customs of the Cornish people
. The only version that was ever published was a short first draft, but the manuscript, which evolved continually until his death, is hundreds of pages long - with small notes stuck in all through it in his increasingly illegible handwriting. He identified sixteen reasons for the decline of the Cornish Language which included gentry antipathy to the language, nearness of English-speaking Devon, loss of records in the Civil War, lack of a Bible in Cornish, end of native language miracle play performances and loss of contact with Brittany.
Scawen's sister Elizabeth married Martin Keigwin, and was the mother of John Keigwin. The Keigwins were also active in promoting the revival of the Cornish language.
William Scawen (1600–1689) was a one of the pioneers in the revival of the Cornish Language
in England. He was a politician who sat in the House of Commons
in 1640 and fought for the Royalist cause in the English Civil War
.
Scawen was the son of Robert Scawen of St Germans and his wife Isabella Nicholls, daughter of Humphrey Nicholls of St Tide.Visitation of the County of Cornwall in 1620 He was a Cornish gentleman and Vice-Warden of the Stannaries
. In April 1640 he was elected MP for St Germans
and for East Looe
in the Short Parliament
. The parliament did not last long enough for all such double elections to be resolved. He supported the Royalist cause in the Civil War and fought alongside Cornish speaking soldiers. On the Restoration he was one of those proposed for the honour of Knight of the Royal Oak.
Scawen realised that the Cornish language was dying out and wrote detailed manuscripts which he started working on when he was 78. Between 1679 and 1680, he made an English translation of a Cornish medieval passion poem 'Pascon agan Arluth'. His main work included observations on the ancient manuscript, entitled, "Passio Christi", written in the Cornish language, and now preserved in the Bodleian Library
at the University of Oxford
(published in London in 1777). It features an account of the language, manners, and customs of the Cornish people
. The only version that was ever published was a short first draft, but the manuscript, which evolved continually until his death, is hundreds of pages long - with small notes stuck in all through it in his increasingly illegible handwriting. He identified sixteen reasons for the decline of the Cornish Language which included gentry antipathy to the language, nearness of English-speaking Devon, loss of records in the Civil War, lack of a Bible in Cornish, end of native language miracle play performances and loss of contact with Brittany.
Scawen's sister Elizabeth married Martin Keigwin, and was the mother of John Keigwin. The Keigwins were also active in promoting the revival of the Cornish language.
William Scawen (1600–1689) was a one of the pioneers in the revival of the Cornish Language
in England. He was a politician who sat in the House of Commons
in 1640 and fought for the Royalist cause in the English Civil War
.
Scawen was the son of Robert Scawen of St Germans and his wife Isabella Nicholls, daughter of Humphrey Nicholls of St Tide.Visitation of the County of Cornwall in 1620 He was a Cornish gentleman and Vice-Warden of the Stannaries
. In April 1640 he was elected MP for St Germans
and for East Looe
in the Short Parliament
. The parliament did not last long enough for all such double elections to be resolved. He supported the Royalist cause in the Civil War and fought alongside Cornish speaking soldiers. On the Restoration he was one of those proposed for the honour of Knight of the Royal Oak.
Scawen realised that the Cornish language was dying out and wrote detailed manuscripts which he started working on when he was 78. Between 1679 and 1680, he made an English translation of a Cornish medieval passion poem 'Pascon agan Arluth'. His main work included observations on the ancient manuscript, entitled, "Passio Christi", written in the Cornish language, and now preserved in the Bodleian Library
at the University of Oxford
(published in London in 1777). It features an account of the language, manners, and customs of the Cornish people
. The only version that was ever published was a short first draft, but the manuscript, which evolved continually until his death, is hundreds of pages long - with small notes stuck in all through it in his increasingly illegible handwriting. He identified sixteen reasons for the decline of the Cornish Language which included gentry antipathy to the language, nearness of English-speaking Devon, loss of records in the Civil War, lack of a Bible in Cornish, end of native language miracle play performances and loss of contact with Brittany.
Scawen's sister Elizabeth married Martin Keigwin, and was the mother of John Keigwin. The Keigwins were also active in promoting the revival of the Cornish language.
Cornish language
Cornish is a Brythonic Celtic language and a recognised minority language of the United Kingdom. Along with Welsh and Breton, it is directly descended from the ancient British language spoken throughout much of Britain before the English language came to dominate...
in England. He was a politician who sat in the House of Commons
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
in 1640 and fought for the Royalist cause in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
.
Scawen was the son of Robert Scawen of St Germans and his wife Isabella Nicholls, daughter of Humphrey Nicholls of St Tide. He was a Cornish gentleman and Vice-Warden of the Stannaries
Lord Warden of the Stannaries
The Lord Warden of the Stannaries used to exercise judicial and military functions in Cornwall, United Kingdom, and is still the official who, upon the commission of the monarch or Duke of Cornwall for the time being, has the function of calling a Stannary Parliament of tinners...
. In April 1640 he was elected MP for St Germans
St Germans (UK Parliament constituency)
St Germans was a rotten borough in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in the English and later British Parliament from 1562 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
and for East Looe
East Looe (UK Parliament constituency)
East Looe was a parliamentary borough represented in the House of Commons of England from 1571 to 1707, in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1797 to 1800, and finally in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 until its abolition in 1832. It elected two Members of Parliament ...
in the Short Parliament
Short Parliament
The Short Parliament was a Parliament of England that sat from 13 April to 5 May 1640 during the reign of King Charles I of England, so called because it lasted only three weeks....
. The parliament did not last long enough for all such double elections to be resolved. He supported the Royalist cause in the Civil War and fought alongside Cornish speaking soldiers. On the Restoration he was one of those proposed for the honour of Knight of the Royal Oak.
Scawen realised that the Cornish language was dying out and wrote detailed manuscripts which he started working on when he was 78. Between 1679 and 1680, he made an English translation of a Cornish medieval passion poem 'Pascon agan Arluth'. His main work included observations on the ancient manuscript, entitled, "Passio Christi", written in the Cornish language, and now preserved in the Bodleian Library
Bodleian Library
The Bodleian Library , the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library...
at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
(published in London in 1777). It features an account of the language, manners, and customs of the Cornish people
Cornish people
The Cornish are a people associated with Cornwall, a county and Duchy in the south-west of the United Kingdom that is seen in some respects as distinct from England, having more in common with the other Celtic parts of the United Kingdom such as Wales, as well as with other Celtic nations in Europe...
. The only version that was ever published was a short first draft, but the manuscript, which evolved continually until his death, is hundreds of pages long - with small notes stuck in all through it in his increasingly illegible handwriting. He identified sixteen reasons for the decline of the Cornish Language which included gentry antipathy to the language, nearness of English-speaking Devon, loss of records in the Civil War, lack of a Bible in Cornish, end of native language miracle play performances and loss of contact with Brittany.
Scawen's sister Elizabeth married Martin Keigwin, and was the mother of John Keigwin. The Keigwins were also active in promoting the revival of the Cornish language.
William Scawen (1600–1689) was a one of the pioneers in the revival of the Cornish Language
Cornish language
Cornish is a Brythonic Celtic language and a recognised minority language of the United Kingdom. Along with Welsh and Breton, it is directly descended from the ancient British language spoken throughout much of Britain before the English language came to dominate...
in England. He was a politician who sat in the House of Commons
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
in 1640 and fought for the Royalist cause in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
.
Scawen was the son of Robert Scawen of St Germans and his wife Isabella Nicholls, daughter of Humphrey Nicholls of St Tide.Visitation of the County of Cornwall in 1620 He was a Cornish gentleman and Vice-Warden of the Stannaries
Lord Warden of the Stannaries
The Lord Warden of the Stannaries used to exercise judicial and military functions in Cornwall, United Kingdom, and is still the official who, upon the commission of the monarch or Duke of Cornwall for the time being, has the function of calling a Stannary Parliament of tinners...
. In April 1640 he was elected MP for St Germans
St Germans (UK Parliament constituency)
St Germans was a rotten borough in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in the English and later British Parliament from 1562 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
and for East Looe
East Looe (UK Parliament constituency)
East Looe was a parliamentary borough represented in the House of Commons of England from 1571 to 1707, in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1797 to 1800, and finally in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 until its abolition in 1832. It elected two Members of Parliament ...
in the Short Parliament
Short Parliament
The Short Parliament was a Parliament of England that sat from 13 April to 5 May 1640 during the reign of King Charles I of England, so called because it lasted only three weeks....
. The parliament did not last long enough for all such double elections to be resolved. He supported the Royalist cause in the Civil War and fought alongside Cornish speaking soldiers. On the Restoration he was one of those proposed for the honour of Knight of the Royal Oak.
Scawen realised that the Cornish language was dying out and wrote detailed manuscripts which he started working on when he was 78. Between 1679 and 1680, he made an English translation of a Cornish medieval passion poem 'Pascon agan Arluth'. His main work included observations on the ancient manuscript, entitled, "Passio Christi", written in the Cornish language, and now preserved in the Bodleian Library
Bodleian Library
The Bodleian Library , the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library...
at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
(published in London in 1777). It features an account of the language, manners, and customs of the Cornish people
Cornish people
The Cornish are a people associated with Cornwall, a county and Duchy in the south-west of the United Kingdom that is seen in some respects as distinct from England, having more in common with the other Celtic parts of the United Kingdom such as Wales, as well as with other Celtic nations in Europe...
. The only version that was ever published was a short first draft, but the manuscript, which evolved continually until his death, is hundreds of pages long - with small notes stuck in all through it in his increasingly illegible handwriting. He identified sixteen reasons for the decline of the Cornish Language which included gentry antipathy to the language, nearness of English-speaking Devon, loss of records in the Civil War, lack of a Bible in Cornish, end of native language miracle play performances and loss of contact with Brittany.
Scawen's sister Elizabeth married Martin Keigwin, and was the mother of John Keigwin. The Keigwins were also active in promoting the revival of the Cornish language.
William Scawen (1600–1689) was a one of the pioneers in the revival of the Cornish Language
Cornish language
Cornish is a Brythonic Celtic language and a recognised minority language of the United Kingdom. Along with Welsh and Breton, it is directly descended from the ancient British language spoken throughout much of Britain before the English language came to dominate...
in England. He was a politician who sat in the House of Commons
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
in 1640 and fought for the Royalist cause in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
.
Scawen was the son of Robert Scawen of St Germans and his wife Isabella Nicholls, daughter of Humphrey Nicholls of St Tide.Visitation of the County of Cornwall in 1620 He was a Cornish gentleman and Vice-Warden of the Stannaries
Lord Warden of the Stannaries
The Lord Warden of the Stannaries used to exercise judicial and military functions in Cornwall, United Kingdom, and is still the official who, upon the commission of the monarch or Duke of Cornwall for the time being, has the function of calling a Stannary Parliament of tinners...
. In April 1640 he was elected MP for St Germans
St Germans (UK Parliament constituency)
St Germans was a rotten borough in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in the English and later British Parliament from 1562 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
and for East Looe
East Looe (UK Parliament constituency)
East Looe was a parliamentary borough represented in the House of Commons of England from 1571 to 1707, in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1797 to 1800, and finally in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 until its abolition in 1832. It elected two Members of Parliament ...
in the Short Parliament
Short Parliament
The Short Parliament was a Parliament of England that sat from 13 April to 5 May 1640 during the reign of King Charles I of England, so called because it lasted only three weeks....
. The parliament did not last long enough for all such double elections to be resolved. He supported the Royalist cause in the Civil War and fought alongside Cornish speaking soldiers. On the Restoration he was one of those proposed for the honour of Knight of the Royal Oak.
Scawen realised that the Cornish language was dying out and wrote detailed manuscripts which he started working on when he was 78. Between 1679 and 1680, he made an English translation of a Cornish medieval passion poem 'Pascon agan Arluth'. His main work included observations on the ancient manuscript, entitled, "Passio Christi", written in the Cornish language, and now preserved in the Bodleian Library
Bodleian Library
The Bodleian Library , the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library...
at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
(published in London in 1777). It features an account of the language, manners, and customs of the Cornish people
Cornish people
The Cornish are a people associated with Cornwall, a county and Duchy in the south-west of the United Kingdom that is seen in some respects as distinct from England, having more in common with the other Celtic parts of the United Kingdom such as Wales, as well as with other Celtic nations in Europe...
. The only version that was ever published was a short first draft, but the manuscript, which evolved continually until his death, is hundreds of pages long - with small notes stuck in all through it in his increasingly illegible handwriting. He identified sixteen reasons for the decline of the Cornish Language which included gentry antipathy to the language, nearness of English-speaking Devon, loss of records in the Civil War, lack of a Bible in Cornish, end of native language miracle play performances and loss of contact with Brittany.
Scawen's sister Elizabeth married Martin Keigwin, and was the mother of John Keigwin. The Keigwins were also active in promoting the revival of the Cornish language.