This was the work of a monk named _Orm_ or _Ormin_, who lived in the beginning of the thirteenth century, during the reign of King John and Henry III., and it resembles our present English much more nearly than the poem of Layamon.

In his dedication of the work to his brother Walter, Orm says--and we give his words as an illustration of the language in which he wrote: Ice hafe don swa summ thu bad Annd forthedd te thin wille Ice hafe wennd uintill Ennglissh Goddspelless hallghe lare Affterr thatt little witt tatt me Min Drihhten hafethth lenedd I have done so as thou bade, And performed thee thine will; I have turned into English Gospel's holy lore, After that little wit that me My lord hath lent.
The poem is written in Alexandrine verses, which may be divided into octosyllabic lines, alternating with those of six syllables, as in the extract given above.

He is critical with regard to his orthography, as is evinced in the following instructions which he gives to his future readers and transcriber: And whase willen shall this booke Eft other sithe writen, Him bidde ice that he't write right Swa sum this booke him teacheth And whoso shall wish this book After other time to write, Him bid I that he it write right, So as this book him teacheth.
The critics have observed that, whereas the language of Layamon shows that it was written in the southwest of England, that of Orm manifests an eastern or northeastern origin.

To the historical student, Orm discloses the religious condition and needs of the people, and the teachings of the Church.

His poem is also manifestly a landmark in the history of the English language.
ROBERT OF GLOUCESTER .-- Among the rhyming chroniclers of this period, Robert, a monk of Gloucester Abbey, is noted for his reproduction of the history of Geoffrey of Monmouth, already presented by Wace in French, and by Layamon in Saxon-English.