the Romanfh Language . 1 5 1 
century we find, that the Britifh lawyers derived the 
greatert part of their knowledge from thole of the con- 
tinent^; whilft, on the other hand, the Gallic Druids 
are known to have reforted to Britain for inftrudtion in 
their myfterious rites. The Britons, therefore, could not 
be totally ignorant of the Gallic language. And hence 
it will appear, that grimbald, John, and the other doc- 
tors, introduced by Alfred w, could find no great diffi- 
culty in propagating their native tongue in this ifland ; 
which tongue, at that interval of time, could only be the 
true Romance, fince they were cotemporaries with lewis 
the Germanic. 
That the Romance was almoft univerfally underftood 
in this kingdom under edward the Confefior, it being 
not only ufed at court, but frequently at the bar, and 
even fometimes in the pulpit, is a fa£t too well known 
and atteiled r*; to need my further authenticating it with 
fuperfluous arguments and teftimonies. 
duclos, in his Hiftory of the Gallic Romanced, gives 
the abovementioned oath of lewis as the firft monu- 
ment of that language. The fecond he mentions is the 
code of laws of william the Conquerors, whom the 
leal! proficient in the Englifh hiftory knows to have ren- 
dered his language almoft univerfal in this kingdom i 
(x) Gallia Caufidicos docuit facunda Britannos. juv. Sat. xv in. 
(^) william of Malmsb. 1. ii. c. 4. 
(») ingulph. paffira. du chesn-e, tom. iii, 
(a) Mem. des Infcrip. tom. xvii.p. 179. 
(b) wilkins, Leges Anglo-Sax. 
How 
