Практикум по английскому языку (по истории Англии Средних веков). Пилипенко В.А - 42 стр.

     It was not until the end of the VIth century that monks came
from Rome to Britain again. The head of the Roman Church was Pope
Gregory. He thought he could spread his influence over England if he
converted the people to Christianity. Firm in this purpose, he sent
monks to convert the Anglo-Saxons. The part of England where they
landed was Kent and the first church they built was in the town of
Canterbury. Up to this day it is the English religious centre. Later,
Christianity spread to Northumbria where some influence from the first
Roman Christians still remained.

                     ÒÅÊÑÒ XII / TEXT XII
   THE NORMAN CONQUEST AND ITS EFFECTS
        All the elements of the feudalism were already
 growing up in England when the Norman conquest
 intensified the process of establishing feudalism. All
 land was now held in feudal service, the services and
 dues became more regular and definite, many English
 freemen cultivating village lands became «villeins» —
 the new Norman lords did not bother about their
 special privileges. And there was now the barrier of
 language between the ruling class and the farming
 ruled class. For two centuries after the Norman
 Conquest, England was ruled by foreign kings. Under
 their rule the Anglo-Saxon and Norman elements
 were gradually welded together. After the Conquest         ñëèëèñü
 Norman French became the language of the upper
 classes and the Government. French was used in
 Parliament, in the law-courts, in all official writings.
        English was looked upon as a rude and               ãðóáûé ÿçûê
 barbarious tongue, and was only heard on the lips of
 serfs and yeomen, or of those who were still proud of      éîìåíû
 the fact that they were native born. In the 14th c.
 English came into its own again. In 1362 it was
 ordained that all pleadings in law courts should be in     ïðîâîçãëàøåíî;
 English, and Parliament was first opened with an           çàñåäàíèÿ
 English speech. By the end of the century the poet
 Chaucer had fixed English as the literary language of
 the country by writing his «Canterbury Tales» in his
 own tongue.




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