How To: Writing Archaic Speech · 7:53pm Oct 4th, 2014
I've linked several wiktionary articles in this post. They are somewhat advanced in places, and may not be that clear. In these cases, I've linked to the most appropriate section. In any event, I advise you to do some research on your own time.
THIS POST IS NOT INTENDED TO SERVE AS A DEFINITIVE GUIDE. I AM NOT AN EXPERT, SIMPLY SOMEONE WHO HAS INTEREST IN SUCH MATTERS.
§1: From What?
Whence is equivalent to from where, making "from whence" incorrect - it would mean from from where. "Whence comest thou?" means "where are you coming from?" and "back whence they came" means "back where they came from". Similarly, "hence" means "from here" - so "from hence" is also wrong. Compare to "thence" - "from there". Also, don't use "henceforward" in a formal setting, use "henceforth".
§2: You and Yours
Thou and thee are forms of you - subject and object, respectively. In English, "you" acts as both, which complicates things a little. This isn't meant to be an in-depth article on English grammar, so the best I can do is tell you to study on your own. Actually, if you're doing any kind of serious writing, you should already have a good understanding of such things.
Thy and thine are possessive, but not the same. In general, if the next word starts with the sound of a consonant, use thy. If it starts with the sound of a vowel, use thine instead.
