I visited the wonderful Sir John Ritblat Gallery at the British Library yesterday (free - it's fantastic - you should all visit). In the middle of the maps, Beatles paraphernalia and really, really old Gospel fragments, is an unimposing-looking post-conquest charter from the king to Christ Church, Canterbury. The details of the charter don't interest me here (that's for the chancery-fanatics to do). What I do want to tell you is a lovely way to say goodbye. The charter is in Latin and Old English, and both versions end with simple but beautiful parting words:
God eow gehealde
(God keep you (plural))
["God yay-ow yu-hay-ald-uh"]
Next time you say goodbye to some dear, old friends: try it.
(here's the link to the Sir John Ritblat Gallery: http://www.bl.uk/whatson/permgall/treasures/index.html)
God eow gehealde
(God keep you (plural))
["God yay-ow yu-hay-ald-uh"]
Next time you say goodbye to some dear, old friends: try it.
(here's the link to the Sir John Ritblat Gallery: http://www.bl.uk/whatson/permgall/treasures/index.html)
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