gode honourable companye, and at manye faire dede of armes (alle be it that I dide none myself, for (on account of) myn unable insuffisance (infirmity) now I am comen hom (mawgree myself) to reste; for gowtes (gout), artetykes' (rheumatism), that me distreynen (afflict), tho diffynen (these determine) the ende of my labour, agenst my wille (God knowethe). And thus takynge solace in my wrecched reste, recordynge the tyme passed, I have fulfilled (accomplished) theise thinges and putte hem wryten in this boke, as it (they) wolde come in to my mynde (memory), the yeer of grace 1356 in the 34 yeer that I departede from oure contrees. Wherefore I preye to alle the rederes and hereres of this boke, gif it please them, that thei wolde preyen to God for me, and I schalle preye for hem. And alle tho (those) that seyn for me a Pater Noster with an Ave Maria that God forgeve me my synnes, I make hem parteneres and graunte hem part of alle the gode pilgrimages and of alle the gode dedes, that I have don, gif any be to his plesance (pleasure); and noghte only of tho (not only of them) but of alle that evere I shalle do unto my lyfes ende. And I beseche2 Almyghty God, fro (from) whom alle godenesse and grace comethe fro, that he vouchesaf3 of his excellent mercy and habundant (abundant) grace, to fulle fylle (to fill completely) hire (their) soules with inspiracioun of the Holy Gost, in makynge defence (in warding off) of alle hire gostly enemyes here in erthe, to hire salvacioun, bothe of body and soule; to worschipes

(1) Artetykes, probably derived from Lat. or rather Gr. arthritis, rheumatism or gout.

(2) Beseche, A.S. gesecan, to seek, enquire; the be has taken the place of the ge. It is a very remarkable fact, that of several thousands of A.S. words beginning with ge, not one survived the 12th century. In a comparatively few instances, the ge was softened into y or i in p.p., and into a and e in some other words, while many took up with be as a substitute, using it as ge had been used, as a kind of clamping particle to brace up and complete the sense of the word. See an interesting note in Craik's "English of Shakespeare," pp. 222, 223.

(3) Vouchesaf, fr. old Fr. voucher, to warrant, and sauf, safe-to grant a warrant of safety, as from a superior to an inferior, therefore to condescend, which is the usual meaning; now obsolete.

(4) Defence, fr. Fr. défendre, to defend against enemies, therefore, to keep them off. In mod. Fr. défense means prohibition, as, "Défense de fumer," prohibition of smoking.

(5) Worschipe, fr. A.S. wurthscipe, honour. This original sense is preserved in the Marriage Service, "With my body I thee worship." In Wiclif's version we find Worschipe thi fadir and thi modir." Cf. also "Your worship," i.e. your honour, in addressing a magistrate.

(honour) and thankynge of him that is thre and on (three and one) withouten begynnynge and withouten erdynge, that is withouten qualitee, good, and withouten quantytee, gret; that in alle places is present, and alle thinges conteynynge (comprehending); the whiche that no goodness may amende, ne non (and no) evelle empeyre (impair) that in perfeyte Trynytee lyvethe and regnethe God, be (in) alle worldes and be (in) alle tymes. Amen, Amen, Amen.

JOHN WICLIF.

1. THE SONG OF MOSES ON THE DESTRUCTION OF THE EGYPTIANS.2

(FROM "TRANSLATION OF THE BIBLE," WRITTEN ABOUT A.D. 1380.)

SYNGE we to the Lord for he is magnafied gloriousli; he castide (cast) down the hors and the stiere3 (rider) into the see. My strengthe and my preisyng (glory) is the Lord, and he is maad to me into (for) heelthe.

This is my God: : y schal glorifie hym, the God of my fadir; and I schal enhaunce (exalt) hym.

The Lord is as a man fighten (to fight); his name is almighte. He castide down into the see the charis (the cars, chariots) of Farao and his oost (host), his chosun princes weren drenchid in the reed see.

The deepe watris hiliden' (covered) them; they yeden3 (went) doun into the depthe as a stoon.

(1) Perfeyte, fr. Fr. parfait, perfect. When the Latin became a direct element in our language, many words, originally taken from the French, were assigned to their Latin source; hence we have rejected perfeyt, and adopted perfect.

(2) Wiclif's translation contains many Romance words (ie. words derived from Latin, either directly, or through French), but mainly consists of the idioms and words of the old language. Its style strikingly resembles Mandeville's.

(3) Stiere, a mounter, a rider, fr. A S. stigan, to mount, Sem. Sax. stigen, O.E. steyen. Fr. stigan comes stighel, a stile, and steyers or stairs.

(4) Hiliden, fr. A.S. hilan or helan, to cover over, Sem. Sax. hælen. See note 7, p. 4.

(5) Yeden, they went, fr. A.S. gán or gangan, pret. eode, p.p. gangen, gan. For yeden we also find yoden.

Lord, thy right hond is magnyfied in strengthe; Lord, thi right hond smoot the enemye.

And in the mychilnesse (greatness) of thi glorie thou hast put doun all thyn adversaryes; thou sentist thine ire that devouride hem (them) as stobil (stubble).

And watris weren gaderid in the spirit of thi woodnesse1 (by the breath of thine anger); flowinge watir stood; depe watris weren gaderid in the middis of the see.

The enemy seide, y schal pursue and y schal take, y schal depart2 (part, divide) spuyles (spoils); my soul schal be filled (satisfied); y schal drawe out my swerde; myn hond schal sle (slay) hem3.

Thi spirit (breath) blew; and the see hilide (covered) hem, thei weren drenchid (drowned) as leed (lead), in grete watris.

Lord, who is lyk thee in (among) stronge men; who is lyk thee: thou art greet doere in hoolynesse; ferdful1 (fearful) and preisable (worthy of praise) and doying miracles (wonders).

2. CLAIMS OF THE POPE TO BE CONSIDERED AS THE VICAR OF PETER."

(FROM "APOLOGY FOR THE LOLLARD DOCTRINES," WRITTEN ABOUT A.D. 1380.)

I KNOWLECH® (acknowledge) to a (have) felid' (thought) and seid

(1) Woodness, fr. A.S. wód, O.E. wode, mad, strong, angry. Wode is often found in the old ballads. In Chevy Chase (see "Studies in English Poetry," p. 43)—

"Like lions wode they laid on load."

(2) Depart, fr. old Fr. départir. to sever. The words in the Marriage Service, "till death us do part," are a corruption of "depart" or sever, as above. In mod. Eng., we have part for depart, in a different sense, as in Gray's elegy—

"The curfew tolls the knell of parting (i.e. departing) day."

(3) Hem, fr. Sem. Sax heom. The demonstrative form them is not yet introduced, though thei has taken the place of A.S. hi.

(4) Ferdful, fr. A.S. forhtfull, which is fr. forht, fear; hence the d (for t), which is dropped in the modern form.

(5) Wiclif is defending himself against the accusations of his enemies. One is that he has asserted that "The pope is not the Vicar of Christ nor of Peter."

(6) Knowlech, fr. A.S. cnawan or gecnawan, to know, Sem. Sax. icnawen or icnawe, ta-cknowledge, the a, perhaps, representing the older i or ge. The word acknowledge is, however, of recent date; knowlach, knowliche, knowlage were the early forms. No satisfactory explanation has yet been given of the term. ledge.

(7) To a felid. This use of a for have is peculiar, and, according to modern

thus, wan (when) he fillith not in dede, ne in word, the office of Petir in yerth (earth), ne doith not (and doeth not) the thing in that office that he is holden (beholden or bound) to do; but doth contrarili, and so in dede he is not the Vicar of Petir in dede. And this sterith (stirreth) me to fele thus; the apostel Paul seith thus, If ani man have not the Spirit of Crist, he is not of him; that is, as the glose (gloss or commentary) seith, he that hath not the Spirit after witt (knowledge) or dedes, he is not of the body of Crist. Also this seith Seint Jerom: Noght (not) alle bischoppis in name ar bischoppis in dede; thu tenders to (thou regardest) Petir, but considir Judas; thu takst up Steven, lok ageyn to Nicol; the kirkis (church's) dignite makith not only (is not the only thing that constitutes) a cristun man. Corneli Centurio (the Centurion Cornelius) yet uncristund (unchristened) is clensid with the Hooli Goost. Daniel, yet a barne (child), jugid the prestis. It is not light (a light thing) to stond in the place of Peter and Poule, and hald (hold) the place of hem (them) that regnun2 (reign) in heven with Crist. Sonnid (spoiled) salt is not worth, but that it be cast forth, and soilid of suynne (defiled by swine). Also Austeyn (Augustine) seith, Nout ilk (not every one) that seith pes (peace) to you is to be hard (heard, listened to), as colver (pigeon) or dove. He that hath not in him (himself) the resoun (reason) of gevernauns (government), ne hath not wipid a wey (away) his defautis (faults), ne mendid the crime of his sonnes (sons) is more to be seid (called) a unschamfast

notions, provincial. "A done then," for "have done then," "leave off," &c., is still often heard in the north.

(1) Tenders, fr. Fr. tendre, to stretch, approach towards, labour to obtain; hence to care for, heed, regard. "Thine especial safety which we do tender" (Shakspere). "Whom his godly example had provoked to tender and seeke the glory of God" (Udall). "We, greatly tendring the wealth of our people," &c. (Hacluyt). In modern use also in Queen's letters, "As ye tender the favour of almighty God." (2) Regnun. The term. un was in use at this time, as well as the en, and ud, also in the p.p. for ed. See Chaucer, Wright's edition, where we have bathud, enspirud, esud, &c. In the above text we have also id, felid, &c.

(3) Sonnid. The meaning given above, borrowed from Dr. Todd's Glossary to the work, is altogether conjectural.

(4) Defautis, fr. old Fr. defaut or default (where the 7 shows its connection with Lat: fallere), with the pl. term. appended, which throughout the above passage is is and not es.

(5) Unschamfast, unbashful. The word shamefacedness, occurring in our modern edition of the Testament (1 Tim. ii. 9), is a printer's corruption of the A.S. sceamfæstnes, meaning, as Dr. Trench interprets it, "a being established firmly

(shameless) hound than a bischop. Not alle prestis are had for prelats, for the name makith not the bischop, but the lif.

JOHN DE TREVISA.'

CHANGE IN THE STUDIES OF ENGLISH

SCHOOLS.

(FROM THE TRANSLATION OF HIGDEN'S "POLYCHRONICON," WRITTEN IN A.D. 1385.)

THIS apairynge2 (injuring or impairing) of the birthe tonge (the mother tongue, English) is by cause (because) of twey (two) thingis: oon is for (by reason that) children in scole, agenes (against, contrary to) the usage and maner of alle other naciouns, beth (are) compelled for to leive her (their) owne langage, and forto constrewe (construe) her lessouns and her thinges a (into) Frensche, and haveth3 siththe (have since) that the Normans come first into England. Also gentil mennes children beth ytaught forto speke Frensche from the tyme that thei beth rokked in her cradel and kunneth (know how to) speke and playe with a childes brooche. And uplondishe men

and fast in honourable shame." So steadfastness, that which is made fast in its stead or place. Chaucer has

"Shamefast sche was in maydenes shamfastnesse."

(1) De Trevisa, Vicar of Berkley, Gloucestershire, and Chaplain of Thomas, Lord Berkley, at the request of his patron, translated the "Polychronicon" of Ralph Higden, a Benedictine monk of Chester, from Latin into English; and is also said to have left behind him a translation of the Old and New Testaments, which, however, appears to be now lost.

(2) Apairynge or apeirynge, most probably fr. old Fr. empirer, to make worse, impair or degrade. Chaucer has "to apeiren any man, or him defame." (3) Beth, haveth. This writer constantly uses beth and haveth for 3rd pers. pl., Mandeville and the others ben or been and han. The former usage is one of the marks of the Southern, and the latter of the Midland dialect, while s characterises the Northern. So we loveth is Southern, we loven Midland, and we loves Northern.

(4) Her. This word, as we have seen, was in 4.S. heora and hira, in Sem. Sax. hire, then later here, and now her; the term being entirely gone.

(5) Uplondishe, fr. A.S. uplandisc, living up country, rural, rustic.

D