Letter about pilchards

Original

Durt Newlin in Bleau Pawle, 22 East, 1711.

Sarra Wheage, Me rig fanja guz lether zithan lebma, buz nagerra termen dem de screffa du straft arta; rag nag ez buz lebban duath dem dro d’an hollan kear, merastha Dieu ma augutti ull gwerres; ma owne du vee ma duath do nisau blethan dro d’an hern, nages priize veeth es moase whath ragt’angi; an hern gwave vedn geele droeg d’an hern have, rag ma dro da deux mill hosket whath in Falmeth, gwerres ha de boas gwerres; ha mouns screffa inna warbeddn ni.

Na Gwitha Hern ree pell

Ken Gwarra; rag prijse da eu gwella

Transliteration

Dhort Lulyn en Pluw Pawl, 22 Est, 1711.

Sira hweg, my a wrug fanja agas lether seythen alebma, bus nag era termyn dhemm dhe skrifa dhewgh straft arta; rag nag eus bus lebmyn diwedh dhemm a-dro dhe'n holan ker. Meurasta Duw, yma ogatti oll gwerthys. Yma own dhe'vy, yma diwedh dhe nessa bledhen a-dro dhe'n hern. Nag eus pris vyth eus ow moas hwath ragt'anjei. An hern gwav a vedn gwul drog dhe'n hern hav, rag yma a-dro dhe dew vil hosket hwath en Falmeth, gwerthys ha dhe voas gwerthys; ha ymons ow skrifa ena warbydn ni.

Na wra gwitha hern re bell

kens gwertha; rag pris da yw gwell

Translation

From Newlyn in the parish of Paul, 22 August, 1711.

Dear Sir, I received your letter a week ago, but I didn't have time to write to you straight after, for I have only now finished with the expensive salt. Thanks to God, it's almost all sold. I am afraid we are finished until next year with the pilchards. There isn't a price still going for them. The winter pilchards will harm the summer pilchards, for there are around two thousand barrels still in Falmouth, sold and to be sold, and they are writing there against us.

Do not keep pilchards too long

before selling, for a good price is better

Links

• Modern Cornish http://www.moderncornish.net/late-texts/Pender-Oliver-letteraboutpilchardstogwavas.html

Further reading

• Nicholas Williams, Desky Kernowek, page 192

Reference

Gw MSS