Layamon (fl. 1190-1220) was a poet and a cleric, and he is best known as the author of 16,095-line Middle English poem the Brut (c. 1189-1216), which is extant in two manuscripts: British Library, Cotton MS Caligula A.ix and British Library, Cotton MS Otho C.xiii. He is commonly known as “Laȝamon” (Caligula) or “Laweman” (Otho), which are often modernised as “Layamon” and “Lawman”. In the Caligua Brut, Layamon reveals various biographical details in his prologue:
An preost wes on leoden; Laȝamon wes ihoten.
he wes Leouenaðes sone; liðe him beo Drihten.
He wonede at Ernleȝe; at æðelen are chirechen.
vppen Seuarne …
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1960 words
Citation: Shirley, Victoria. "Layamon". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 30 July 2022 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=2650, accessed 21 November 2024.]
