Chaucer, The Squieres Tale, 10746.
Chaucer, it will be observed, uses the Anglo-Saxon form of the word. Leden was employed by the Anglo-Saxons in the sense of language generally, as well as to express the Latin tongue.
In the German version of Sir Tristram, Latin is also used for the song of birds, and is so explained by Ziemann:
"Latin, Latein; für jede fremde eigenthümliche Sprache, selbst für den Vogelgesang. Tristan und Isolt, 17365."—Ziemann, Mittelhochdeutsches Wörterbuch.
Spenser, who was a great imitator of Chaucer, probably derives the word leden or ledden from him:
"Thereto he was expert in prophecies,
And could the ledden of the gods unfold."
The Faerie Queene, book iv. ch. xi. st. 19.
"And those that do to Cynthia expound
The ledden of straunge languages in charge."