The Evolution of the English Language

871-899       KING ALFRED

On thære the Gotan of Syinthiu mægthe with Romana rice gewin upahofon and mith heora yningum.

           1154-1189     KING HENRY II

"And of alle than folke The wudenen ther on folde, Wes thisses landes folke Leonede hendest itald;..."                         

            1216-1272     KING HENRY III

Sitteth alle stille, and herkneth to me; The Kyng of Almaigne, bi mi leaute, Thritti thousent pound askede he...

                                                                              1327-1377       KING EDWARD III

And eke full ofte a littell skare Vpon a banke, er men be ware, Let in the streme, whiche with gret peine,...             

         1413-1422         KING HENRY V

I wolle that the Duc of Orliance be kept stille withyn the Castil of Pontefret, with owte goyng to Robertis place, or to any other disport. 

        1438-1485       KING RICHARD III

Right reverend fader in God, right trusty and right wel-beloved, we grete yow wele, and wol and charge you...

1547-1553               KING EDWARD VI

Who that Will followe the graces manyfolde Which are in vertue, shall finde auauncement...                                 

1603-1625               KING JAMES I

I svppose it altogether needlesse (Christian Reader) by commending M. William Perkins, the Author of this booke.

1689-1702             KING WILLIAM III

And when we see a Man of Milton´s Wit Chime in such a Herd, and help on the cry against  Hirelings! 

1727-1760             KING GEORGE II

We Britons in our time have been remarkable borrowers, as our multiform Language may sufficiently shew.                                                                                 

1837-1901                  QUEEN VICTORIA

i thank for your condolesce upon the death of his late Majesty, for the justice you render to his character. 

1936-1953           KING GEORGE VI

1110-1135                 KING HENRY I

Heuene & erthe & all that is, Biloken is on his honde. He deth al  that  his wille is,  On sea and ec on londe. 

1189-1199               KING RICHARD I

"ich was in one sumere dale, in one snive digele pale, I herde ich hold grete tale, An hule and one nightingale"

1272-1307             KING EDWARD I

Thah mi tonge were made of stel, Ant min herte yzote of bras, The goodness myth y never telle,...                                 

1377-1400             KING RICHARD II

Lytel Lowys my sonne, I perceve well by certaine evidences thyne abylyte to lerne scyences touching nombres....                                                                      

1422-1461              KING HENRY VI

When Nembroth by Might, for his own Glorye, made and incorpórate the fisrt Realme, and subduyd it to hymself by Tyranne. 

1485-1509             KING HENRY VII

Wherefor and forasmoche as we haue sent for our derrest wif, and for our derrest moder, to come unto us,

1553-1558             QUEEN MARY I

And after that philosophy had spoken these wordes the said companye of the musys poeticall beynge...                 

1625-1648             KING CHARLES I

The second and third person singular of the present are made of the first, by adding  est and eth: which last is sometimes shortened into s.

1702-1714               QUEEN ANNE

Some by old words to Fame have made pretence. Ancients in phrase, mere moderns in their sense;

1760-1820              KING GEORGE III

There is, it Will be confessed, a delicate sensibility to character, a sober desire of reputation, a wish to possess the esteem of the wise and good.   

1901-1910           KING EDWARD VII

1953-                 QUEEN ELIZABETH II

1135-1154                        KING STEPHEN

Fur in see bi west Spaygne. Is a londe ihone Cokaygne. There nis lond under heuenriche. Of wel of godnis hit iliche.   

1199-1216                          KING JOHN

i syke when y singe for that y se When y with wypinge bihold upon the tre, Ant se Jhesu the suete ys hert blod...             

1307-1327                     KING EDWARD II

Such ne saw they never none, For it was so gay begone, Every nayle with gold ygrave, Of pure gold was his sklave... 

1400-1413                      KING HENRY IV

Right heigh and mygthy Prynce, my goode and gracious Lorde, - I recommaund me to you as lowly as I kan...

1461-1483                     KING EDWARD IV

Forasmoche as we by divers meanes bene credebly enformed and undarstand for certyne, that owr greate adversary Henry.

1509-1547                    KING HENRY VIII

Let hym that is angry euen the fyrste consyder one of these thinges, that like as he is a man... 

1158-1603                QUEN ELIZABETH I

As for the soule, it is no accidentarie qualitie, but a spirituall and inisuible essence or nature, subsisting by it selfe. 

1660-1685                 KING CHARLES II

And I Will venture to say that, by the help of God, and such noble Friends, I Will show a Province in seven years.       

1714-1717                       KING GEORGE I

There is a certain coldness and indifference in the phrases of our European languages;

1820-1830                    KING GEORGE IV

That mourning, thou, that slumbered not before, nor slept great ocean, I laid thy waves to rest and hushed thy mighty minstrely.                                        

1910-1936                 KING GEORGE V