The Copybook

Short passages for reading, drawn from history, legend, poetry and fiction.

343

© Motacilla, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0.

The Nativity from The York Corpus Christi Pageants

While Joseph is away trying to find light for the darksome stable, Mary brings into the world the Light of everlasting Day.

Read

344

By an anonymous Italian artist (15th century), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.

The Ox and the Ass from The York Corpus Christi Pageants

The chill of the night is relieved by the warmth of the beasts in their stalls, prompting Mary and Joseph to reflect on the promises of Scripture.

Read

345

By Laurits Andersen Ring (1854–1933), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.

The Last Voyage of Scyld of the Sheaf from Beowulf

The Old English epic ‘Beowulf’ tells how Scyld, beloved King of the Danes, was committed to the ocean at his death — just as he had been at his birth.

Read

346

© Mary Harrsch, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.

The Trouble With Men by Aristophanes

The exasperated women of Athens challenge the men of the City to decide whether women are a blessing or a curse.

Read

347

By Lovis Corinth (1858–1925), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.

Mrs Nickleby’s Cold Cure by Charles Dickens

Charmed by their attentions to her daughter Kate, Mrs Nickleby rewards Mr Pyke and Mr Pluck with a reminiscence about her favourite home remedy for colds.

Read

348

© Ryzhkov Sergey, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0.

‘Your Child Shall Be Healed’ by St Bede of Jarrow

When the plague once again visited Northumbria, Bishop Cuthbert of Lindisfarne left his island retreat and brought comfort and healing to the suffering.

Read

Clay Lane The Copybook
About Clay Lane nicholas@claylane.uk

© Nicholas Armitage / Clay Lane, 2025

April 23 NS

April 10 OS

St George, Patron Saint of England : George served in the Roman army and lies buried in Israel, yet he makes an ideal patron for England.
Christ is Risen! : Felicia Skene recalls the Easter celebrations on one emotionally-charged night in Athens
Approachable : Replace the verb ‘can’ with these alternatives, and explain how the meaning of the sentence has changed.
The First Easter : In a translation from the Authorized Version of the Bible, published in 1611, St Mark recounts the discovery of Christ’s empty tomb.
A Collect for Easter Day : A short prayer from the Book of Common Prayer, for the day of Christ’s resurrection.
The Gambler : Which well-known expression is Dr Johnson talking about here?
If I Had But Two Little Wings : Samuel Taylor Coleridge holds on to those precious moments when loneliness is a problem for tomorrow.
Red Eye : Reconstruct the speaker’s original words from these reports.
Responsible : Combine each group of ideas into a single sentence, in as many ways as you can.
Opposites : Suggest words that seem opposite in meaning to the words in this list.
Three of a Kind : For each of these things, think of three different varieties of it.
The Son of God Goes Forth to War : A hymn in praise of St Stephen, the first Christian martyr.
Peace Plan : Report this brief exchange between Anna and M. Pierre and Tolstoy’s War and Peace
Metaphors : Choose one of these words and use it metaphorically, not literally.
Latest

Clay Lane Home

Search

Blog

The Copybook

Think and Speak

Comfortable Words

Word Games

Featured Authors

Featured Subjects

Search The Copybook

About Clay Lane

Close Menu