© 1997 Nicholas Williams
Pùb gwir gwethys / All rights reserved
An bardhonak-ma a dhendylas kensa le in kesstrîf an Orseth 1997
This poem won first prize in the Gorsedh Competition 1997
Clyckya obma ha goslowes / Click here to listen
Gwersyow 1 - 36
Clyckya obma ha goslowes / Click here to listen
Gwersyow 37 - 72
Clyckya obma ha goslowes / Click here to listen
Gwersyow 72 - 100
Text an bardhonak / Text of the poem
Egery in dyw several fenester rag gweles an text ha goslowes i’n kettermyn.
Open in two separate windows to see the text and listen at the same time
Yma Gerva orth pedn dewetha an bardhonak.
There is a glossary at the end of the poem.
Dyskys down kyn nag oma · me a vynn derivas dhis
a dhew Gernow gerys dâ · ha dell vowns y dystrêwys.
Myhal Josef an kensa · gov in Pluw Gevern genys.
A Vosvenegh y gela · Tomas Flamank o gelwys.
Harry Tûdor, turont brâs · Kembro crev, crav y bythneth,
revaneth o y vynnas · gwann y glem dhe’n gorholeth.
I’n Tour Loundres y ladhas · an pryncys flour floholeth
ha’y vylyny a vlâmyas · wàr Dhûk Gloucester yn tyveth.
Dûk Gloucester cùrunys o · ha Mytern Rychard henwys,
mès y whrug Harry gùstla · bell erbynn y bryns ùntys
ha wosteweth y wana · Desempys in mesk an dreys
cùrun Rychard kefys veu · ha gans an drogwas degys.
Mès y sordyas er y bynn · taunt ha prowt in pow Alban
Dûk Evrok paumster, Perkyn · mab myterneth nyns o màn.
Y tyby tern Dinedyn · y vos ascor ehen splann
hag a’y wovys ev yn tynn · rafna North an tir gans tan.
Y kêwsys Harry yn cler · na wre perthy traitury
mès y ros ev y ordyr · bones res dhe’n bobel ry
in pùb pluw ha tre toll veur · moy ès del yllens tylly,
rag prena caskergh asper · erbynn gorthter Gwydhyly.
“Ren ow anwan,” medh an Gov· “Kemmys my ny vynnaf pê.
“Kernow bohosak yth ov · nyns yw dynerth ow dêwla.
Y’m kentryn colon inof · mos dhe Loundres heb lettya
may hyllyf provia prov · dhe’n kyng crefny in y se."
Dhe Josef y comendyas · Flamank fur, den a’n laha:
“Gwren ny cruny kevva vrâs · creffa ny’s kefyr nefra.
Ny a bÿs a’n mytern grâss · agan toll may lehaho.”
An Gov henna pàn glêwas · caslu cùntell a wruga.
Dre Bow Sows an Gernowyon · heb gul trespas a gerdhas
cosel in cres ha gwiryon · Py le pynag may tregas
cùntelles an diogow · an comners a’s wolcùmmas.
“Re’s bo bennath Duw avàn” · bohosogyon a grias.
Abell dhe’n Ÿst y kerthsons · der oll Gwlas an Hâv ahës
erna hedhas an cothmans · dhe’n ger wella Wells gelwys.
Y’s metyas an cytysans · gans gwres ha dynargh densys.
Y teuth dhe’n baner dyblans · Audley baron enorys.
Pàn esa prest an lu meur · lent dhe Loundres ow nessa
wàr an mytern gans bysmêr · bysy an dus a gria.
Y helwys Harry, “Ny’m deur · godros peryl poos kyn fe.”
Muvys veu y veppyk sur · ha’y vyternes qwit a’n le.
Own a’s teva hag anken · mêny an mytern i’n lÿs.
Erhys veu dhe’n chamberlyn · Daubeny dyberth uskys
dhe witha der y nerth men · pobel penncyta dhowtys
na ve den, flogh na benyn · gans "rûthow rebels" shyndys.
Yth esa an Gernowyon · in tyldys i’n termyn-na
in Guildford rag an sêson · (yw in Sùrrey bùrjestra).
Yth omsettyas soudoryon · Daubeny dour warnedha.
Res o dhodho gul kilden · seyth soudor ledhys pàn veu.
In Henley an mytern fell · ryb an avon a sedha
may halsa diank yn snell · towl ter orto mar teffa.
Y tanvonas in dann gel · canasow i’n nos dhedha:
y fia frank diogel · dhodho omry a wrella.
Ger an mytern pàn glêwas · Tommas a veu tròm-serrys:
“Prag na vynn ev derivas · bones tollow brâs lehës?
Kethneth kyns ès myternas · yw in gwlascor Sows an gis.
Erbynn Duw yth yw pehas · gul dhe’n bobel bos pyllys.”
An Gov a grias “Cothmans · myttyn y whyrvyth an gas.
Ot in hans an eskerens · ha’ga gonnys meur i’n stras.
Haneth pùb den Duw pysens · na vo coward yn tyflas.
Nyns eus genen in defens · ma’s pîkys ha colon vrâs.”
Gwener o, seytegves dëdh · a vis Metheven dyson,
wàr Wûn Deptford myttynweyth · ryb an pons dres an avon
may whrug breseloryon freth · dierbyn an diogyon —
colonecter fast ha fedh · erbynn mergh ha marhogyon.
Nyns eus geryow i’gan yêth · may hyllyf dhis leverel
dell wrug kemmys kescoweth · omlath manly kyns merwel.
Pàn dheuth nosweyth woteweth · y whrug strif ha tros tewel.
Galsa gwaityans gans an jëdh · kellys Kernow wàr an gwel.
Yn harow y feu fethys · Flamank fur wàr wel an goos.
Gov Sèn Kevern o fies · sawder sentry dhe gafos —
mès y feuva dalhennys · in tre Greenwich dre dholos
pàn dorras an dus ervys · scoos sacrys a sans eglos.
Tries veu kyns penn treddeth · Flamank ha Josef kefrÿs
dêwdhen na wrug camm bythqweth · mès herwyth jùsters an lÿs
(breus anewn ha camhenseth) · yth êns traitours negedhys,
gwyw dhe vones heb pyteth · tennys, cregys, qwartronys.
Pàn esa an Kernow crev · dhe’n crogpren ow pos tennys,
orth an rûth ha glew y lev· Josef jentyl a gêwsys:
“Edrek vÿth nyns eus genef · kyn fyv yn tynn tormentys.
My a gev lowena nev · ha nefra hanow i’n bÿs.
Goslowowgh, a bobel dhâ, · orthyf vy kyns ow thormens.
A’gas mytern me a wra · dhywgh why profya profusans:
hedhyw kynth yw ev pÿs dâ · y teu possa rebellyans.
Cales vÿdh i’n câss nessa · dhodho na ve drës in nans.
Dew yw y vebyon genys · Arthùr ha Henry bian.
Arthùr ny welvyth henys · kyns y brÿs ev a dremen.
Y vroder a vÿdh hâtys · kyn fo hùmbrynkyas hautîn.
Ny’n jevyth henath a bes · êthves Henry y honen.
Ev a vynn despîtya Duw · ha sans eglos dysprêsya.
In maw y er a verow · ha’y dhyw vyrgh anvap a wra
(wheryth wherow) in unn rew · rêwlya wàr an wlascor-ma.
Mytern Albanas a’s sew · dhe’n gùrun rag governa.
Ankevys vÿdh yn tien · teylu an Tûdors anwhek,
pàn vo due pymp cans bledhen · trailyans an termyn a dheg
roweth, rychys ha fortyn · dh’agan mammvro druan deg
ha bÿdh clêwys wàr bùb min · mel melodys Kernowek.”
Y porthas ancow ahas · Myhal Josef cuv colon,
gov Pluw Gevern, a garas · Kernow ha’y genesygyon.
Y coodh dhyn ytho whelas · Kernowesow, Kernowyon,
gruthyl worshyp dh’agan gwlas · onen hag oll par dell on.
GERVA
Glossary
Definitions have generally been confined to those relevant for the poem. To keep the glossary to a manageable length the listing excludes the most common words. These are best looked up in Gerlyver Kescows – A Cornish Dictionary for Conversation (Ian Jackson, Agan Tavas 2017). A draft of the Second Edition of Gerlyver Kescows is available on the Vocabulary page of skeulantavas.com. If you need grammar, by far the most helpful book is Desky Kernowek (Nicholas Williams, Evertype 2012). Bear in mind that some of the vocabulary is poetical.
a’n le phr away
ahas adj cruel, dreadful
Alban m Albans or Albanas Scot
ancow m death
anvap adj childless
Arthùr name Arthur
awan (Cambricized form avon) m awenow river
baron m barons baron
Bosvenegh name = Bosvena
bùrjestra f bùrjestrevow borough
bysmêr m reproach
camhenseth m wickedness, injustice
camm m cammow wrong
canasow pl = canhasow
cas f casow battle
caslu m casluyow battalion
chamberlyn m chamberlyns chamberlain
clem m clêmys claim
comner m comners commoner
crav adj niggardly
crogpren m crogprednyer gallows
cùrunya v crown
cuv colon phr dearly beloved
cytysan m cytysans citizen
densys m humanity
dêwdhen du two men
dolo·s v act falsely
due adj over, spent
dûk m dûkys duke
dynargh m salutation
dynerth adj powerless, helpless
dyson adv forthwith
dysprêsya v spurn
ehen f ehenow breed, kindred
er m eryon heir
fedh f faith
fell adj cruel
floholeth m childhood
fortyn m fortune
galsa verb had gone
Godhal m Gwydhyly Gael
gorthter m stubbornness
gov m govyon smith
gruthyl worshyp dhe2 show reverence for
gùstla bell phr wage war
gwlascor f gwlascorow kingdom
gwres f ardour
Harry name Henry
hautîn adj haughty, arrogant
heb lettya phr = heb let
henath m descendants
henys m old age
in hans phr beyond adv
jùster m jùsters justiciar
Kembro m Kembrion Welshman
kentrydna v spur, incite
Kernowes f Kernowesow Cornishwoman
kescoweth m kescowetha companion
kevva f kevvaow assembly
kilden m retreat
kyng m king
lÿs m lÿsyow court
mammvro f native land
manly adv in manly fashion
medh v = yn medh
melody m melodys melody
meppyk m meppygow young son
muvya v = remuvya
mydnas m wish, will
Myhal name Michael
myternas f myternosow monarchy
myttynweyth adv in the morning
negedhys adj renegade
nosweyth f nosweythyow night time
ordyr m ordrys order
par dell phr = kepar dell
paumster m paumsters charlatan
pehas m pehosow sin
Perkyn name Perkin
pik m pîkys pike
Pluw Gevern name St Keverne Parish
Pow Sows name = Pow an Sowson
profusans m prophecy
pylla v plunder
pysy v = pesy
qwartrona v quarter
rafna v ravage
rebel m rebels rebel
ren ow anwan phr by my anvil
revaneth m kingdom
Rychard name Richard
se m sêys seat, throne
Sèn Kevern place St Keverne
sentry m sanctuary, refuge
stras m strâsow low-lying ground
Sùrrey place Surrey
ter adj impetuous, urgent
tern m = mytern
tiogyon pl = tiogow
Tommas name Thomas
traitury m treachery
trega v stay
trespas m breach of the law
tria v try (sb)
Tûdor m Tûdors Tudor
ùntya v anoint
vylyny m villainy
woteweth adv = wosteweth