XXI. THE BESTIARY_Selections from Early Middle English, 1130-1250. Part 2: Notes

#Manuscript:# Arundel 292, British Museum: on vellum, 200 × 130 mm.:

late thirteenth century. Its miscellaneous contents, English,

Anglo-French, and Latin, are described in Altdeutsche Blätter, ii.

141-148. The Bestiary is written continuously, but the initials of the

lines and, in the long metres, of the half lines are mostly rubricated.

In most cases the long lines are divided into half lines by a space and

a stop, sometimes one or both are missing. At ll. 439, 493, two words

are carried below the last full line of the folio. Final g of ll. 42,

43, 316, 317, 332, 333, 338, 339, 358, 359, 463, 464, 475, 476, 477,

478, 542, 543, 662 has a stroke or hook added, which appears to be

merely ornamental: similarly the g of wrengðe 69, among 147, ðing 392,

strong 509; h and b are much alike; ƿ is open at the top as in Genesis

and Exodus. Latin headings are in red, some are on the margin, the

others at the head of their sections. As will be seen from the

footnotes, the manuscript was much corrected or altered over erasures,

and that after it was finished, for the substituted words do not always

fill the gaps left by the scraper. The first leaves of the exemplar were

probably damaged at the lower margin, since defective or difficult

passages occur at regular intervals, so l. 32, ll. 89-92, 120, 121, 143,

144, 173, 200, 201.

#Editions:# Wright, T., Altdeutsche Blätter, Leipzig, 1836, 1840, ii.

99-120; Reliquiae Antiquae, London, 1841, i. 208-27. Mätzner, E.,

Altenglische Sprachproben, Berlin, 1867, i. 55-75. Morris, R., An Old

English Miscellany, 1872, 1-25.

#Literature:# (1) =of the English Bestiary=. Hallbeck, E., The Language

of the M. E. Bestiary, Lund, 1905. Holthausen, F., Archiv, lxxxviii.

365-9 (emendations). (2) =of the Bestiaries in general=. A detailed

bibliography will be found in Anglia, Beiblatt, x. 274-87, xii. 13-23,

xiii. 18, 19, 236-9. The following will provide an introduction to the

subject: Ahrens, K., Zur Geschichte des sogennanten Physiologus, Ploen,

1885; Carus, J. V., Geschichte der Zoologie, München, 1872; Land, J. N.

P., Encyclopaedia Britannica, _s.v._ Physiologus; Lauchert, F.,

Geschichte des Physiologus, Strassburg, 1889; Mann, M. F., Französische

Studien, vi. Heft 2, Heilbronn, 1888; Peters, E., Der Griechische

Physiologus und seine orientalischen Uebersetzungen, Berlin, 1898.

#Source:# With the exception of the last section, the English poem is

generally an adaptation of the Latin Physiologus, written in a variety

of verse forms as the concluding line informs us, by one Tebaldus or

Thetbaldus, who is variously described in the headings as Italicus,

Senensis, Placentinus episcopus, and is identified by some with the

Abbot Theobald who presided over Monte Cassino from 1022 to 1035. The

poem is extant in a large number of manuscripts and early printed

editions, the first of which latter with place and date is that of

Antwerp, 1487. It will be found printed in Hildeberti Turonensis

Archiepiscopi Opera, ed. D. A. Beaugendre, Paris, 1708, p. 1174, from

which it is repeated in Migne, P. L., tom. 171, p. 1218, and also as

Appendix i, p. 201 in An Old English Miscellany, ed. Morris. The text is

very unsettled, apparently scribes and editors felt themselves free to

rewrite it on occasion. The passages where the English adapter notably

departs from his original are pointed out in the notes. He was, no

doubt, acquainted with one of the older Latin prose versions of

Physiologus enumerated by M. F. Mann in Anglia vii. 443-6; there is no

positive evidence that he knew the Bestiary of Philippe de Thaün.

#Phonology:# Oral #a# is _a_, dareð 310, late 453; #a# before nasals is

_a_, bane 370, man 194, ðan 157, ðanne 13, wan 386, wanne 10, wankel

446; #a# before lengthening groups is _o_, among 147, folde 33, fondeð

532, stonden 497, but gangen 110 (3 times), gangeð 153, 177, gangande

530, standen 531 with Anglian shortening; in gandre 532 _d_ is

inorganic; funt 93 (OE. #fant#) descends from OE. *#funt#, its use here

possibly influenced by Anglo-Fr. funt. #æ# is mostly _a_ (82 times),

barlic 192, fast 161, fasteð 109, qual 598 r. w. al, togaddre 482, 525,

ðat 3 &c., was 26 &c.; the exceptions mostly descend from OE. forms in

#e#, or are due to analogy, defte 23 (#gedeftan#), dele 4 (comp.

#dell#), festeð 438, festen 417, feste 143, 160 (comp. #feste# _adv._,

Scandinavian influence is also possible), heruest 177 (#herfest#), meche

586 r. w. reche (#gemečča#, but make 574, 576, 578, #gemaca#), nese 3,

223 (#næs-#), resteð 178, 504 (#restan#), steppeð 6 (#steppan#), steppes

5 (#stepe#), weder 270, 521 (#hweþer#): togiddre 282 has _e_ raised to

_i_ before a dental, wos 628 is *#hwās# with vowel from #hwā#. #e# is

_e_, be 588, fel 109; before lengthening groups, felde 307, lengðe 437,

trendled 606, but bi 4, 24 (#bi#); wilc 4, swilc 248, swilk 338, sille

449 (#syllič#) r. w. ille, represent forms with #y#; tetireð 318

(#to-teran#) has _i_ from Fr. tirer, as in tireð 336, possibly helped by

the contracted sing. 3, #tyrþ#; seie 613 (4) r. w. haliweie, seien 385

imitate other parts of the verb without _c_, similarly leigeð 272. #i#

is _i_, biddan 101, is 384, 414 r. w. fis, 509 r. w. fuligewis, mirke 80

r. w. kirke, wile 71 r. w. bile, wille 607 r. w. stille; before

lengthening groups _i_, finden 7, singeð 448, but es 183 r. w. gres, nes

518, merk 341 r. w. werk (due to labial influence), wulle 634, wullen

314. #o# is _o_, bodes 136, nos 303 r. w. gōs; before lengthening

groups, hornes 236, sorgeden 559 (without _i_-umlaut), word 35, but

forwurden 108, wulde 74 (4), wuldest 385 by consonant influence; ouese

362, eaves, is without _i_-umlaut, comp. #ofesc, owisc# and modern Essex

dialectal oavis, but in Layamon eouesen. #u# is _u_, cumeð 40 &c., dure

134, wude 181, wune 281; before lengthening groups, bunden 443, hunger

306, but towrong 42 r. w. strong, with _o_ before _n_, ðrist 231, 428

r. w. list (analogy of #þyrstan#, #þyrstig#). #y# is _i_, dine 646 r. w.

wiðerwine, fille 373 r. w. stille, mankin 168, 243 r. w. win, 569 r. w.

dim, pit 624 r. w. offrigt, stireð 11 (4), unride 389, 507 r. w. wide,

522 r. w. side, wirm 106 (4); before lengthening groups, birdene 289,

minde 263 (3); but dede 171, elp 522 (3) (comp. OE. #elpend#), stereð

309, furg _dat._ with _u_ from the nominative, hungren 428, hungreð 390

(analogy of #hungor#), sundren 577 (analogy of #sundor#), tunder 419

r. w. wunder (once ‘tunderi,’ Oldest E. Texts 570; comp. also OWScand.

tundr), vuemest 639 (#ufemest#), come 664 r. w. nome. #ā# is regularly

_o_, cof 124, invariably non 494 r. w. bon, no 148, on 490 (7) r. w.

gon, 635 r. w. bon, one (#āna#) 579 (3), ston 66 r. w. on; before two

consonants, bitokneð 152, golsipe 245, gost 214; but a, an frequently,

anoðer 262 (unstressed shortened #ā#), atter 121, 241 with shortened #ā#

extending from the oblique cases (Bülbring § 344), gast 435 r. w.

stedefast, 640 r. w. vuemest, which Morsbach, ME. Gr., § 135, anm. 8

deduces from shortened _a_, nummore 208, 455, through loss of stress,

comp. ‘wumme’ 235/21, 121/133. #ǣ{1}# is _e_, hete 56 r. w. wete, mene

248 r. w. ouerwene, rede 38 r. w. guðhede, stel 419 (#stǣli#), wete 190,

209; before two consonants, fles 114, 435, eure 402, neure 16, but

haliweie 612, through association with #hālig#, most 501, moste 384 from

#māst#, goð 66 (5) with _o_ from the plural, oni 378 from #ānig#, ilk 82

(4), ilc 256, ilkines 180 from #ylc#. #ǣ{2}# is also _e_, dede 82 r. w.

mede, forleteð 191, leteð 114, 658, let 156, sed 180 r. w. wed, 658

r. w. ned, slepen 452 r. w. waken, ðer 19 (17), ðere 207, 369, were 61

(8), weren 80 (4), wete 57 r. w. hete, 615 r. w. swete; before two

consonants, neddre 107 (3), but lat 327, 328, lateð 271 r. w. wadeð, ðar

8 (7), ðore 81, 88 r. w. lore (#þāra#), wor 514 (5) from #hwāra#, wore

578 r. w. more, broken 242 in both of which _o_ represents #ā#. #ē# is

_e_, let 642, mede 84 r. w. dede, swetnesse 613; boke _dat._ 665 has the

vowel of the nominative, doð 141 (8) the vowel of the plural. #ī# is _i_

without exception. #ō# is _o_, but kam 29, 352, cam 564, te 107. #ū# is

_u_ without exception. #ȳ# is _i_, briche 293, 592 r. w. heuenriche, fir

123, ðirl 112; before two consonants, filðe 156, wissing 246.

#ea# before #r# + cons. is _a_, art 139, dar 647, narwe 113, sarpe 318;

before lengthening groups, harde 499 (4), forðward 160, but _e_ in ern

73, ernes 37, flerd 351, middelerd 352 and _u_ in wurð 566 (#wearþ#) by

confusion with the present tense. The _i_-umlaut is _a_ in chare 457,

char 519 (see 359/4), warmen 421, but derne 21, 75, dernelike 326. #ea#

before #l# + cons. is _a_, al 116 &c., fallen 56, galle 654, half 460,

salt 155; before lengthening groups _o_, biholdeð 365, kold 495, holdeð

573, olde 581, told 459, twifold 322, wolden 139, wolde 482, but the

contracted? bihalt 520, biwalt 521 have shortened _a_; in helden 136 _e_

is probably miswritten for _o_: the _i_-umlaut is _a_ in falleð 58 (5),

526 r. w. calleð, _e_ in elde 40, 108, elded 139, eldere 171, 241,

unwelde 41, all before lengthening groups, welle 46, 253. #eo# before

#r# + cons. is regularly _e_, berges 481, bergen 8, fer 265, herte 136

(3), stert 6, werc 340; before lengthening groups, erðe 20 (3) and its

compounds. To the #wur# group belong forwurðes 138, forwurðe 196, wurðeð

59 and other forms of #weorþan#, wurði 346, wurðlic 173, but not

forwerpen 257, werpeð 236. The _i_-umlaut is seen in hirde 33, 34

(#hirde#), tirgen 275 (not original); hertien 277 is very doubtful: a

#wyr# word is wurdi 145, without umlaut. The _u_- and _å_-umlauts of #a#

are wanting, bale 172, 379, care 563, but heuekes 664: _o_ in noule 444

(*#nafola#, contrast ‘neauele’ 120/98) is ascribed by Morsbach, ME. Gr.

§ 87, anm. 4, to the influence of _v_, but a diphthong appears to have

developed, the modern East Anglian dialectic word is nowle. The _u_- and

_å_-umlauts of #e# are also wanting, forgelues 138, hert 218 (3), heuene

49 &c., werlde 106, fele 297, 463. #eo#, _u_- and _å_-umlaut of #i# is

_e_, here 280 (5), senden 63, 441, seuene 50, 652, clepeð 221, leneð

510, 523, but limes 41 (3), niðer 4, 500, niðerward 444, siðen 227 r. w.

swīðe, liuen 412: widue 578 is Anglian #widwe#, but wude 181 (*#wiudu#)

has normal _u_ (Bülbring § 264). #ea# after palatals is _a_, chaueles

397, sal 16 &c., sakeð 193, sadue 524 r. w. togaddre, but seftes 356;

before nasal, same 193, 339, 346 r. w. name, and before lengthening

group, _o_ in sonde 431. #ie# after #ġ# is _e_, geld 338, gelt 316,

bigeten 490, 494, forgeten 451, but giueð 291; after #sc#, also _e_,

seld 130 (but #scildan# gives silden 34, sildeð 130), sending 339,

seppande 356 (_i_-umlaut of #ea# after #sc#). EWS. #gief# is gef 274

(5), if 35 (9): if is used from l. 35 to l. 265 and once again at l.

578, gef, which is probably the author’s form, begins at l. 274. #eo#

after #ġ# is _u_ in gungling 543, guðhede 39, _i_ in ging 162, gingen

259, gingid 238, after #sc#, _u_, sulde 123, suneð 193, sunen 210, 285

r. w. munen, sulen 203 (4). #heom# is hem 281 &c.

#ēa# is regularly _e_, ches 586, ded 26 (9), slep 635, lefful 585,

queðsipe 298; the _i_-umlaut is _e_ (Anglian), gemen 260, here 2 &c.,

leueð 85, nede 100 (9), nedeð 113, 164, remeð 527; before two

consonants, bekneð 213. #ēo# is also _e_, be 21 &c., bet 213, bitwen

281, crepeð 111 (3), deuel 164 (5), der 322 r. w. her (4), undergede 568

r. w. manhede, wel 600 (Ang. #hwēl#, Bülb. § 217) r. w. wel; before two

consonants, brest 117 (4), helde 173, but diuel 21, an early instance of

this shortening, cripelande 111 from #crypel#; the _i_-umlaut is _e_,

strenen 485, ten 109. #gesīene# is sene 356, #gīet#, get 62, 385 r. w.

flet. #ēa# after palatals is _e_, ger 492 r. w. her, sep 34, 483.

#a# + #g# is _ag_, dages 607, drageð 6, sage 475, but daies 109, 635;

mugen 323 has the form of the subjunctive #mugon#; sei 159 descends from

#sege#, seieþ 347 from #segeþ#, seit 577 from #segð#. #æ# + #g# is

divided between _ai_ and _ei_, dai 29 (7), 582 r. w. ai, daies 109, 635,

faier 629, lai 28, 633, mai 110 (9), maig 64 (3), mainles 110; breid

548, breides 344 (#bregd#), dei 216, 576, deies 309, meiden 23, 442,

seide 191, 353, seid 549: fagen 394, 415 r. w. dragen is Anglian

#fagen#; muge 126, 187 descends from LWS. #muge#. #e# + #g# is _ei_,

weie 4; forbredes 138 comes from #forbrēdan#, agen 185, 457 from #agēn#:

#e# + #h# is seen in hightes 135, 161, hightest 133. #i# + #g#: the

spirant has been absorbed in lieð 15; final #ig# is _i_, mani 429, manie

441, wurði 346. #i# + #h# is _ig_, idigt 364, sigte 92, wigt 235. #o# +

#h# is _og_, ðogt 501, 559, but forbroiden 108, not from #-brogden#, but

#-brōden#, with a variation which perhaps mimics the alternation of the

ME. infinitives breden (#brēdan#) and breiden (#bregdan#), see NED.

_s.v._ broiden. #u# + #g# is _ug_, fugeles 308, mugen 503, 643, but the

spirant has disappeared in fules 305, 312. #y# + #h# is _ig_, drigten 26

(3), fligt 43, 54, offrigt 625 (late North. #fryhta#). #ā# + #g#, #h# is

_og_, og 263 (3), ogen 210 (4), ogt 623 (#āht#), but ovt 560 r. w. ðogt

577, out 521, forms due to the scribe: steg 639 (#stāh#) has borrowed

_e_, as often elsewhere, from the third class of strong verbs. #ǣ{1}# +

#g#, #h# is _ag_, agte 477, er, meaning or, 99 (9) is descended from

#ǣgþer#, while er, before, 191 (4) is #ǣr#: neggen 122, negge 3

represent #genēgan#. #ǣ{2}# + #g# is seen in haliweie 612 (#wǣg#). #ī# +

#g#: in sti 152 r. w. bi, #g# has disappeared. #ō# + #g#, #h# is _og_,

inog 118, ðogte 354, nogt 122 (9), but nout 11, 593, 622 r. w. ogt, nowt

192, 214, forms due to the scribe. #ȳ# + #g#, drie 615. #ea# + #h#, #ht#

is seen in magt (#mæht#) 426, magti 175, waxe 196, waxeð 124, waxen 445

(#wæxan#); the _i_-umlaut in migt 234, 532 r. w. wiht, migte 21 (3),

nigt 47, but sloð 329 (WS. #sliehþ#) r. w. loð, corresponds to North.

#slāþ#, influenced by OScand. slá. #eo# + #ht# is _igt_, brigt 55 r. w.

fligt, figtande 128, rigt 52, rigten 102, rigteð 125, but sexe 50

(Anglian #sex#), bitwixen 293 (#betweohs#); without umlaut is seð 49

r. w. teð (WS. #siehþ#) as if from #sēoþ#. #ēa# + #g#, #h# is _eg_

(Anglian), egen 16 (5), heg 18, hege 562; eilond 387, 414 (#īegland#) is

from Anglian #ēgland#. #ēo# + #g# is also _eg_, fleges 366, flegeð 48

(3), legeð 350, 577; #ēo# + #h#, ligtlike 315; without _i_-umlaut are

fleð 123, 165 (comp. #flēð#, Durh. Rit.), teð 48 r. w. seð, 274, but

ligten 20, 289. #ā# + #w# is _ow_, _ou_, _ov_, knoweð 106, sowles 103,

soule 158 (4), knov 133, but soge 386 as if from *#sāhe#, sawen 599,

possibly miswritten for sowen. #ī# + #w#, appears in newe 60 (5), neweð

39 (5), newe 141, all from Anglian forms with #ēo#. #ō# + #w#: nowor 35

represents *#nōwar, nōwer# from #nāhwǣr, nāhwār#. #ēa# + #w# is seen in

ðewes 143 and finally in deu 7: #ēo# + #w# in rewen 437, rewe 206,

reufulike 528, speweð 116, finally in gu 549 (4): tre 508, 516, 524, 551

r. w. we, is Anglian #tre(o)#: the _i_-umlaut is wanting in trewe 163,

589, untrewe 61, 96.

In syllables without stress #o# is levelled to _e_, wankel 446, hunger

203, siker 207, wunder 194, sumer 176, te 107. _a_ appears for #e# in

mereman 442, influenced by man. An _e_, generally unmetrical, has been

inserted in deuẹles 436 (but deules 665), folegen 269, folẹgeð 431, 620

(but folgen 439, 643), fugeles 308, lagelike 573, steuẹne 561,

husebondes 299, sineginge 149, wisedom 324, and _i_ similarly in

hardilike 177, fulịgewis 508 (comp. fuliwis 445), haliweie 612

(‘haleweie,’ L 23072), sinịging 256: _e_ is omitted in biforn 62, 68,

268, but metre requires everywhere biforen. The prefix #be-# is _bi-_,

bisetten 167: #ge-# is _i_ in imong 476, it appears also in uniemete 459

(#ungemǣte#) with ie for i as in attrie 228, perhaps an Anglo-Norman

interchange of these symbols. But #ge-# is generally lost, as in bodes

136, minde 263, vnride 389, unwelde 41. #on-# is _a_ in among 147,

#to-#, _te_ in tetireð 318. redi 125 (3) is a ME. formation from

#gerǣde# + #ig#, the termination in sille is #-lic#; #-ung# is _ing_,

drowing 567, groning, woning 662, lesing 478.

Geminated final consonants are invariably simplified as web 363, coc

300, stoc 224, fel 109, hil 18, spel 335, den 8, fen 630, mankin 168,

sin(ful) 82, win 244, char 519, dar 647, fer 265, pit 624; often too

medially as #rr#, chare 457, dure 145; #nn#, wiðerwine 645, cune 148,

cunen 457; #þþ#, siðen 41 (5); #cc#, fecheð 179, reche 585, meche 586.

For #w#, _u_ is written in sadue 524. #r# is doubled in warre 456;

metathesis occurs in ðrist 231, 428. _n_ is added in hauen 183, boðen

181, boden 525, doubled in drigtinnes 242, vnneðes 113, omitted in

euelike 213, and frequent o for #on#. #p# is doubled in steppes 5,

inserted in sampnen 484. #f# between vowels and vowellikes is _u_, rauen

311, geuelic 173, ouese 362, culuer 650, derue 205, once #v# in weveð

360 (but weueð 363), otherwise it is _f_. #f# is doubled in off _prep._

104, 241, 264, 616, while the adverb appears as of 657. #t# is doubled

in little 200, 432, beside litel 131, lost in beste 514, for it _th_ is

written in cethegrande 383: #ts# is _sc_ in giscing 245, _c_ in milce

151. #d# is doubled in togaddre 482, gaddreð 180, omitted in selcuðes

441, as already in OE. #selcūþ# and in sille 449, but already #syllic#

in OE. For #d#, _ð_ is written in ðon 328, faðer 13, queðsipe 298, seð

191, for #þ#, _d_ in boden 525, broder 287, dede 31, 625, filde 160,

lodlike 357, swide 360, swideð 54, dat 634, de 165, dridde 29, drowing

567, wurden 250, mostly due to the scribe’s failure to complete ð: #þ#

is _t_ in forsaket 81, wit 136: after voiceless _t_, _s_ pronominal

words begin with _t_ instead of #þ#, tanne 216, tat 18, te 209, (at) te

134, 361, 586, ter 329, tin 161, tine 159, tis 73, 154, tu 133 (7), tus

77 &c., but de 192, once after _d_, tu 150. In forðward 160, _ð_ has

been wrongly inserted. #sć# is _s_, initially, sadue 524, sakeð 193, sal

16 &c., same 193 (3), sarpe 318, seftes 356, seld 130, sending 339, sep

34, seppande 356, silden 34, sinen 12, sipes 411, sonde 431, sop 356,

sulde 123, suneð 193, sures 203, once _sc_, scrifte 159, once _sk_,

skinbon 272, NED compares NFris. skenbiin, WFris. skynbonke; medially,

golsipe 245, queðsipe 298, but _ss_ in wissing 246 (*#gewȳscung#);

finally, fis 383, fles 114, 435. The stop #c# is _k_ before _e_ and _i_

and in combination with other consonants, forsaket 81, kinde 10,

bitokneð 152, drink 158, but craft 111, in other positions mostly _c_,

cam 564, uncuð 396, blac 598, swic 149, but kam 29, 352, unkuð 97, swik

344, suk 454, smake 3 (ME. formation from #smæcc#): #cc# is _ck_, necke

303. #č# is _ch_, chaueles 397, ches 586, erðchine 308, chare 457, char

519, briche 293, 592, eche 139, quenchet 256, riche 480, but ic 38 &c.,

sekeð 46, kirke 78, Scand. in form, kolde 486, kold 495, mirke 80, merk

341 (see Björkman 146), micle 536, mikle 542 (comp. OWScand. mikil),

wilc 4, swilc 248, swilk 338, ilik 343, lic 662. #čč# is _cch_, dreccheð

88, feccheð 301, but fecheð 179, reche 585, meche 586 and fetchen 265,

witches 427, early instances of tch, but ?wikke 468. #cw# is _qu_, _qw_,

quenchet 256, qwemeð 190, queðsipe 298, quike 253. Palatal #g# is

written _g_, bigeten 490, forgeten 451, gemen 260, geld 338, forgelues

138, ger 491, get 62, ging 162, gingen 259, gingid 238, giueð 291, gu

549, gungling 543, guðhede 39, undergede 568 (#undereode#); it is

doubled in negge 3, neggen 122, lost in if 35 &c. The voiceless spirant

is also represented by _g_, as in egen 16, ðogte 354, soge 386, furg

307, inog 118, ðurg 3: doubled in suggeden 559 (in Orm suhhghen), now

dialectal, mostly Northern, sough, soo. #h# is lost in ire 183, added in

heten 421: #hl# is _l_, lene 110, lepeð 230, lides 16, list 585, listen

74, louerd 19, lude 377; #hn# is _n_, necke 303; #hr#, _r_, raðe 317,

rem 13, remeð 527, rewen 437; #hw#, _w_, wan 386, wat 95, weder 270, wel

600, wete 190, wilc 4, wile 648, wite 599, wos 628, wu 20 &c., and _qu_

in qual (Northern).

#Accidence:# Strong declension of _masc._ and _neut._ nouns. In the

_s. n. a._ dine 646, heuenriche 18, 292, hirde 33, bale 379, golsipe

245, se 404, tre 508, 516, wete 190, 209 have e corresponding to their

OE. vocalic ending, bodi 172, sti 152 have lost final #g#; seppandẹ 356

and haliweie 612 r. w. seie have added e; mere 448 is shortened from

meremenn. _Gen._ -es, bukes 330, foxes 314, sees 407, but heuenriche

558; brest 121, 160 is a composition form: _dat._ -e, bale 172, bile 70

and 15 others with vowel termination in the _nom._, hauen 183 has added

n (nunnation, 457/11), dede 31, dele 4 and 31 others with inflection, of

which ouese 362 is the only word of more than one syllable: without

inflection are bodi 130 (3), drigtin 104, meiden 23, stel 419, der 322,

627, rem 13, 611 and 90 others mostly with long stem vowel or of more

than one syllable; always o dei 576, bi dai 47 &c.; many examples are in

rhyme as mod 249, 348, muð 395, ðogt 501, 559, wold 620. The _pl. n. a._

of masculines ends in -es, chaueles 397, witches 427, daies 109,

fodredes 361; there are no weak forms: neuters are limes 41, 63, sipes

411, 417, 454, bodes 136, 213, lides 16, sep 34, 483, ger 491, 492, ðing

358: datives have -es, berges 481, breides 344, briddes 660, finnes 445,

ðewes 143, ðornes 237, limes 131, wiles 297, but der 603. Of the _fem._

nouns of the strong declension mire 175, neddre 107, 129, same 193,

widue 578 have e corresponding to their OE. vocalic ending in the

_nom._, dede 468, 469, sowle 586 have added e, all others are without e,

culuer 650, ned 142, woning 662 (the verbal substantives are rarely

inflected in any case). Genitives are sinnes 158, sowles 103: birde 117

(comp. #byrdtīd#), erðe 630, helle 638 (comp. #hellewīte#), heuene 638

(comp. heuen 170), kirke 134, 586, soule 158 may be genitives, but are

more probably composition forms. _Dat._ -e, birdene 289, filde 160,

godcundnesse 644, manhede 567, migte 587, werlde 106, sineginge 149,

stefninge 451, but blis 140, 638, hid 120, magt 426, migt 416, tunder

419, werld 201, and the verbal nouns lesing 478, reming 542, sending

339, swiking 477, wissing 359 are without inflection. In the _acc._

forðward 160, migt 234, 532, ned 659, stund 309, 408 and the verbal

nouns billing 316, 338, foxing 333, giscing 245, drowing 567, siniging

256, tokning 463, wissing 246, 255 are without inflection, bote 150,

guðhede 39, nede 100, 216, 280, soule 172, 478, steringe 451 with 27

others have e, besides fille 319, 373, forbisne 322. _Pl. n._ are fedres

56; _dat._ harmdedes 299, misdedes 151, sinnes 75; _a._ forbisnes 219,

kindes 218, seftes 356 (sometimes _masc._), sinnes 159, stefnes 448,

agte 477. Nouns of the weak declension have -e in the _nom._, bane 370,

sunne 12; _d._ make 576, erðchine 308; _a._ fode 64 (5), wille 330, but

fod 207, licham 214 before a vowel: genitives are belles 541, huntes

548: _pl. n._ egen 44, 80, fleges 366, husebondes 299; _dat._ egen 16,

87; _a._ egen 55, willen 515. The minor declensions are represented by

fet (steppes) _pl. a._ 5; teð _pl. a._ 318; man _s. n._ 73, mannes

_s. g._ 148, man _s. d._ 444, _a._ 124, men _pl. n._ 305, sipmen 451,

manne _pl. g._ 24, men ?_pl. d._ 144, manne 359, men _pl. a._ 428; boc

_s. n._ 350, boke _s. d._ 38 (4); furg _s. d._ 307; gos _s. a._ 302;

nigte _s. d._ 588, bi nigt 47, 150, o nigt 576, nigt _s. a._ 582; faðer

_s. n._ 13, fader 30, _s. d._ 640; broder _s. n._ 287, _s. a._ 535; fend

_s. n._ 349.

Adjectives which in OE. end in a vowel have -e throughout, briche 592,

eche 139, minde 263, newe 210, softe 176, but swet _s. d. neut._ 231

(comp. #swētnes#, #swōt#) and merk _s. d. f._ 341 have lost e; those in

#-ig# lose g, attrie 228 (with ie for i), droui 407, holi 642, redi 311,

weri 511. Weak inflections are _s. voc._ cristene 133, _d._ rigte 70,

sinfule 340, _a._ olde 210, 581: strong are _s. n. f._ bare 121, ilike

442, like 444, _s. d. m._ rigte 435, _s. d. f._ quike 253; others are

uninflected in the singular: mikel _s. n. m._ 565 has _d._ mikle 542,

but mikel 230, _pl. n._ mikle 433, 536: litel _s. n. neut._ 131 has

_s. a. f._ little 200, _pl. n._ 432. The _pl. n._ has -e, kolde 486,

leue, loðe 594, warre, wise 456; the exceptions are all predicative,

fagen 394, 415, kold 495, siker 207, strong 63, twifold 471, uncuð 396,

war 204, wod 250; _dat._ -e, iuele 343, wite 599, but dern 75 r. w. ern;

_acc._ -e, erðliche 213, but brigt 55 r. w. fligt. #ān# as article

unstressed is a 28, 46 &c., before consonants, an 391, 282 before vowels

and h, twice 106, 596 before w, divided in a neilond 387, 414, while the

numeral and indefinite pronoun is on 268, 530, (on) on 223, 635, one

_s. d. neut._ 264; #āna#, alone, is one 579, 580, 622: #nān# as adj. is

no 148, 444 &c., non 64 &c., none _s. d. neut._ 65, as pronoun, non 267,

271, 285, 494, 556, 597. Adjectives used as nouns with inflection are

_s. d._ geuelike 214, 593, gode 65, nakede 165, _pl._ grete 400, sinfule

167, selcuðes 441, smale 399: nouns used as adjectives are flerd, fox

351. Comparatives and superlatives have -e, _s._ fairere 597, more 194,

beste 514, firste 552, moste 384, swetteste 392, _pl._ eldere 171, 241,

but best 667 r. w. nest, vuemest 639 r. w. gast, most 501 before vowel.

The personal pronouns are ic 38 (6), before vowel, h or palatal g, i 37

(5) before consonants, we, wes (= we es) 651, ur _pl. g._ 285, 661, vs,

ðu, tu 133 &c., ðe, te 142, gu _pl. d._ 549, 575. The pronoun of the

third person is _s. n._ he _m._ 2, 330, ge _f._ 175, 179, get (= ge it)

195, it _neut._ 29, 450, itt 601, _d._ him _m._ 5, 521, hire _f._ 184,

499, ire 183, _a._ him _m._ 13, 128, hire _f._ 299; _pl. n._ he 264,

625, _g._ her 556, _d._ hem 281, 546, _a._ 369, is 7, 137, 304.

Reflexives are us 663, ðe 160, him _s. d._ 64, 103, 109, himself 65,

hire 372, him _s. a._ 8 (13), hire 178, 365, hem _pl. a._ 413, 421, 484:

definitive is himseluen 520: possessives are _s._ ðin 156, tin 161, ði,

before consonant, 160, 478, _pl._ ðine 151, tine 159, ðin 477 before

vowel; _s._ his 3 &c., _pl._ hise 16 &c., his, before vowel, 44, 55;

hire 179, 496; vre 19 &c., here 280, 427. The definite article is ðe

without inflection, te 13, 623, de 165, 192, atte 134, 361, 586: _s._

ðat 18 &c., tat 18, _pl._ ðo 432, 604 are demonstratives. The compound

demonstrative is _s._ ðis 77, tis 73, _pl._ ðise 398. The relatives are

ðe 19; it means, of which 621, during which 201, and ðat 13, it means,

in which 517, on which 206, about which 191, that which 184, 470, dat,

for whom, 634. Interrogatives are wat 127, 133, 170, wos 628, wilc 4;

the correlative is swilc 248, swilk 338. Indefinites are wo so 335, 577;

wat 95; man 2, 194, 221, 304; sum 461; oni 378; oðres _s. g._ 273, oðer

_s. d._ 378, _a._ 267, _pl._ oðre 276 (6), oðer 603; an oðer 10, 262;

ilk 82, ilc 256, ilkines 180; eurilc 257, 286; mani 429, _pl._ manie 441

(4), manikines 358; fele 297, 463; al 54 &c., all 211, _pl._ alle 5,

241.

Only three verbs have the infinitive in -e, biswike 327 r. w. dernelike,

chare 457 r. w. ware, rede 38 r. w. guðhede, one or two in -ien, luuien

135, ?hertien 276, the rest, in number 111, of which 18 are of the

second weak conjugation, end in -en. The _dat. inf._ is not inflected,

its sign is to (31) or for to (6). Presents are _s._ 1. haue 549, mene

248, seie 557 (4); 2. hauest 137, forbredes, forgelues, forwurðes 138;

3. falleð 58 (4), wakeð 33, wuneð 401 (5) and over 200 others in -eð;

hatieð 304, rotieð 311; forsaket 81, quenchet 256; atbrested 548, bekned

213, gingid 238, bilimpes 275; contract verbs, fleð 123, 165, teð 48

r. w. seð, 274, seð 49, sloð 329 r. w. loþ, contracted forms are abit

581 r. w. sit, bet 213, bit 195, 211, 370, 379 (read biteð in all these

places), bit 330, bit 192 (read bideð), biwalt 521 r. w. bihalt, fet

214, 337 r. w. ket, 605, fint 209 (read findeð), flet 386 r. w. get,

fret 319, 373 (read freteð in both places), gelt 316, geld 338, hitt

365, lat 327, 328, lið 11 (read lieð as in l. 15), seit 577, sit 520,

576, 580 r. w. abit, smit 391, underset 516 r. w. bet, stant 2; _pl._ 1.

hauen 176 (3), wunen 201, haue we 295, fele we 552, haue 659; 3. beren

278, cumen 276 (4), haten 299, noten 488, sundren 577, waken 453; sen

413, ten 266, hatien 305, cume 536: _subjunctive s._ 3. fare 99, se 122,

tide 499, but derie 186; _pl._ 1. bimene we 663, leue we 590, luue we

587, 590, seke we 207, wende we 588: _imperative s._ 2. bid 150, help

144, swic 149, herkne 506, newe 141, reche 585, sei 159, deme 145; _pl._

2. hereð 45, muneð 575. Past of Strong Verbs: I a. _s._ 3. lai 28, 633;

_subj. s._ 2. soge 386; 3. sete 388: I b. _s._ 3. bar 24, kam 28, 352,

cam 564; _pl._ 3. broken 242; _subj. s._ 3. come 22: I c. _s._ 3. wan

632, wurð 566: II. _s._ 3. ros 31, 637, steg 639: III. _s._ 3. ches 586:

IV. _s._ 3. sop 356, stod 557: V. _s._ 2. hightest 133, hightes 135,

161; 3. fel 551, let 642, slep 635; ?_subj. pl._ 1. helde we 173.

Participle present: V. gangande 530; past: I b. broken 137, forbroken

108: I c. bred 117, bunden 443, doluen 27, forbroiden, forwurden 108,

towrong 42 r. w. unstrong: II. fordriuen 411, sinen 12, writen 572: III.

forloren 69: IV. faren 589: V. IV. waxen 445: V. biholden 512, fallen

570, sawen 599. Past of Weak Verbs: _s._ 3. dennede 23, filstnede 30,

seide 191, ðogte 354; _pl._ 3. remeden 561, suggeden 559, wuneden 493.

Participles present: cripelande 111, figtande 128, secande 536; past:

cloðed 124, cristned 134, elded 139, eried 308, herd 459, idigt 364,

ikindled 10, lered 239, offrigt 625, seid 549, set 220, tokned 627, told

621, 628, trendled 600; inflected are cloðedẹ _s. d._ 166, forbisnede

_s. d._ 464. Minor Groups: og _pr. s._ 263 (3), ogen 1 _pr. pl._ 210

(3), _pr. pl._ 653; can _pr. s._ 79, canne (= can he) 534, cunen _pr.

pl._ 457, cune 2 _pr. s. subj._ 148, cunne _pr. s. subj._ 7 (3); dar

_pr. s._ 647, dure 2 _pr. s. subj._ 145; salt 2 _pr. s._ 155, sal _pr.

s._ 16 &c., sulen 1 _pr. pl._ 203, 292, _pr. pl._ 485, 594, sulde _pt.

s._ 123; mai _pr. s._ 110 (9), maig 64, 400, 433, mugen 1 _pr. pl._ 323,

643, _pr. pl._ 503, muge _pr. s. subj._ 126, 187, migte _pt. s._ 21,

554, 556, migten _pt. pl._ 560; moten 1 _pr. pl._ 210, mote 2 _pr. s.

subj._ 151; ben _inf._ 84 (4), to ben _dat. inf._ 263, 653, art 2 _pr.

s._ 140, 162, is _pr. s._ 10, 662, es 183, nes 518, beð 313, ben 1 _pr.

pl._ 34, 204, be we 205, arn _pr. pl._ 41 (11), aren 394, 415, ben 450,

senden 63, 441, be _pr. s. subj._ 21, 615, ben 1 _pr. pl. subj._ 207,

293, be we 589, 655, ben _pr. pl. subj._ 282, be 2 _pr. s. imp._ 163,

was _pt. s._ 26 &c., weren 1 _pt. pl._ 250, _pt. pl._ 80, 559, 625, were

2 _pt. s. subj._ 134, _pt. s. subj._ 61 (7), wore 578; wile 1 _pr. s._

575, wille 37, wile _pr. s._ 71 (12), wille 34 (5), wulle 634, wilen

_pr. pl._ 367, wullen 314, wile _pr. s. subj._ 4, 327, 328, wuldest 2

_pt. s._ 385, wulde _pt. s._ 553, 2 _pt. s. subj._ 74, _pt. s. subj._

353, 354; don _inf._ 330, 531, ðon 328, fordon 354, to don _dat. inf._

212, 515, 661, doð _pr. s._ 141 (10), do we 1 _pr. pl. subj._ 172, 205,

657, dede _pt. s._ 171, don _pp._ 663; gon _inf._ 155, 225, goð _pr. s._

66 (5), gon _pr. pl._ 482, 491, 1 _pr. pl. subj._ 35, 254, go 2 _pr. s.

imp._ 157, undergede _pt. s._ 568.

Noteworthy among adverbs are lic, equally, 662, nede, of necessity, 129

(#nīede#), ðer wile, whilst, 648, welle, very, 18 (also in Layamon,

29622), which seems to have added a superfluous adverbial e; among

prepositions, mitte 454, 546, one 334, 388, onẹ 420; conjunctions, ⁊

(ant), meaning if, 2, er, or, 99 &c., wiles, whilst, 88 (4), wor so,

wheresoever, 602 (4).

#Vocabulary:# The Scandinavian element is large: ai 46 (7), arn 41 &c.,

aren 394, 415, blast 541, bone 101, boðe 47, boðen 181, boden 525, brest

458 (OE. #byrst# would in this text be birst), brennen 249, brenning

229, brinneð 227, bro 598 (OWScand. brá), calleð 527, call(ing) 563,

costes 284, derflike 313, feg 160, fro 31 &c., gapeð 390, gres 182, heil

59, ille 410, ill(ing) 317, ket 336, lage 15 &c., leiðe 357, oc 55, 159,

or 76, 116, 119, rapelike 178, reiseð 13, reisen 553, renneð 178, scaðe

447, skemt(ing) 332, skies 50, swideð 54, takeð 71, til 12, ðeðen 364,

ðog 21 &c., (un)skil 331, wille 35, wrengðe 69, wrong 62, probably hileð

318, vncost 148, wore 578, possibly fikeð 532, listneð 306 (comp.

#hlystan#), liuenoðe 200, (o) twinne 195; influenced in form are

atbrested 548, atbrosten 458, come 664, frame 323 (#fremu#), in meaning,

onde 310. French are bec 42, capun 300, caue 186, cete 397, cul 604,

dragunes 622 (‘draguns,’ P. de Thaün), gin 521, grace 104, haleð 184,

leun 2, market 378, panter 596, poure 144, pride 247, prophetes 555,

rime 572, robb(inge) 657, simple 655, spuse 587, tireð 336, turtres 572,

uenim 116 (venin); pre-Conquest Latin is crede 98. The proper name

Moyses 553 is the Vulgate form.

#Dialect:# The author of the Bestiary lived in East Anglia, sufficiently

near its northern border to account for such rhymes as loð : sloð 328,

329, stedefast : gast 434, 435, vuemest (read -mast) : gast 639, 640.

The large Scandinavian element also points to the northern part of East

Anglia. How far he was responsible for the Northern or North Midland

broken 242, offrigt 625, qual 598, sawen 599, senden 63, 441, soge 386,

s as the regular and frequent representative of #sć#, as in sadue, sal,

sarpe &c., the 2, 3 pr. s. in -es, bilimpes 275, forbredes, forgelues,

forwurðes 138, higtes 135, 161, and the participles in -ande it is

impossible to determine. But he certainly did not write gangande 530,

secande 536, and transmission through a Northern or North Midland copy

may accordingly be assumed. Our manuscript was written by a scribe of

the Southern border of East Anglia. He has left his mark in a number of

syncopated presents which spoil the metre and probably in the case of

others where the full form is metrically admissible, in luuien 135,

hatieð 304, rotieð 311, wulle 634, wullen 314, and probably in were 134

&c., since wore 578 r. w. more is the only form controlled by rhyme. He

is also responsible for dede 171, stereð 309, #æ# + #g# as _ei_, dei

576, meiden 23 &c., for vuemest 639, daies 109, 635, out 521, ovt 560,

nout 11, 593, 622, nowt 192, 214, occasional alterations without any

systematic attempt at revision. We may perhaps venture the guess that

the poem was written in Lincolnshire and copied in Essex.

#Metre:# Thetbaldus attempts a variety of metres, ‘temptans diversis si

possem scribere metris;’ leonine hexameters for his Lion, Eagle, Siren,

Onocentaur and Panther, leonine elegiacs for the Ant, Fox, Stag, Whale

and Elephant, sapphics for the Serpent, catalectic dactylic tetrameter

for the Spider, adonics for the Turtle. The English adapter emulates his

versatility and moreover mixes different kinds of verse in the same

article. In alliterative long line are ll. 1-24, 32-35, 106-151,

156-161, 164-166, 170-173, 175-179, 184-197, 199-204, 297-299, 304-315,

318, 356, 357, 360-370, 376-381, 441-448, 451, 458, 459. Of these the

great majority are of the first kind described on p. 463, lines with

alliteration only, as 2-8, 10, 11, 15, 18-21, 23, 106-111 &c. Of the

second are 13, 16, 114, 134-136, 141, 150, 171, 173, 176, 185, 195,

312-315, 364, 370, 376, 379, 380, 459, of the third, 24, 112, of the

fourth 12, 116, 118, 144, ?298, 305, 306, 362, 381, but groups of lines

in this class, such as 26-31, 152-155 have attained to their full

development as syllabic verse and are printed like the octosyllables and

similar metres from which they are indistinguishable. Lines of the fifth

class are discussed in the notes. They are numerous, indeed the parts

written in alliterative verse are in much worse state than the rest of

the text, probably because the scribe’s ignorance of the technique of

the native metre gave him greater scope for alteration. The changes he

has made are of the kind described on pp. 464, 465, prominent among them

is the rearrangement of words, mostly in a prose order, which often

results in the elimination of rhymes. These rhymes are mostly imperfect;

inflectional as reiseð : makeð 13, drinkeð : neweð 118 &c., luken : egen

16, leuen : luuien 135, name : queðsipe 298, ouese : felde 362, or

partial in correspondence of sound, as sinen : abuten 12, dure : were

134, herte : kirke 136, men : abuten 144, hulen : fules 305, wunder :

hunger 306, mere : -mete 459. The most frequent alliterative combination

is 2 + 1, as at 4, 15, 18, 19, 106-109, 113, 115, 117, 365 (#h#itt,

#h#ole, bi#h#oldeð) &c., it occurs in at least one third of the lines;

next in number is 1 + 1, as in 5, 10, 16, 20, 21, 23, 34, 35, 110, 196

(for#w#urðe, #w#axe), 458 (at#b#rosten, #b#rest) &c., 2 + 2 is seen in

111, 123, 160, 363, 367, 1 + 2 in 2, 11, 114, 128, 135, crossed

alliteration in 3, 6, 148, 157, 161, 170, 203, 360, 445 (#f#is,

#f#uli#w#is, #f#innes, #w#axen), 448, distinct alliteration in 147, 165.

The septenarius is the metre of ll. 205-216, 294, 295, 572-579, 585-594.

For the structure of this verse, see p. 327; the following is a

restoration and scansion of the passages in the Bestiary.

do wé | forðí | so dóð | ðis dér || ðánne | bé we | gléwe, 205

Ón ðat | daí ðat | dóm sal | bén || ðát it | ús ne | réwe.

Séke we | hére | sóules | fód || ðat wé | ben sík|er ðóre,

Só ðis | wírm in | wínter | ís || ðan gé | ne tíl|eð móre.

ðe mír|e sún|eð ðe bár|lic séd || ðanne gé | fíndeð | ðe wéte;

ðe óld|e lág|e we óg|en súnen || ðe né|we we mót|en séken. 210

ðe córn | ðat gé | to cáu|e béreð || ál get | bíteð o|twínne;

ðe lág|e us lér|eð gód | to dón || ant ús | forbéd|eð sínne:

It bét|eð ús | érðlich|e bódes || ant bék|neð héu|enlíke;

It féd|eð ðe líc|ham ánt | te góst || oc nógt | o géu|enlíke.

vre lóu|erd críst | it lén|e ús || ðát his | láge us | féde 215

nú in | érd ant o | dómes | deí || ant tán|ne we háu|en néde.

ðús is | úre | lóuerdes | láge || lúue|líke to | fíllen; 294

hérof | háue we | míkel | néd || ðat wé | ðar wíð | ne díllen.

In bók|e ís | ðe túr|tres líf || wríten | ál o | ríme; 572

wu lá|gelík|e ge hóld|eð lúue || ál hir|e líf|tíme.

géf ge | ónes | máke | háueð || fro hím | ne wíl|e séden:

múneð|, wímmen|, híre | líf || íc it | wíle gu | réden. 575

bi hí|re mák|e ge sít | onígt, || o deí | ge góð | ant flégeð:

wó so | séit he | súndren | ógt || i seí|e ðát | he légeð.

Oc if hér|e mák|e wér|e déd || ant gé | wídu|e wóre,

ðánne | flégeð ge | óne ant | fáreð || non óð|er wíl|e móre.

Líst ilk | léfful | mán her|tó || ant hér|of óft|e réche; 585

vre sówl|e át|te kírk|e dúre || chés hire | críst to | méche.

hé is | úre | sóule | spúse || lúue we | hím wið | mígte,

ant wénd|e wé | néure | fro hím || be daí|e né | be nígte.

ðog he bé | fro úr|e sígt|e fáren || bé we him | álle | tréwe:

non óð|er lóu|erd ne léu|e wé || ne lúu|e nón|e néwe. 590

léue we | ðát he | líueð | aí || úp on | héuen|ríche,

ant ðéð|en hé | sal cúm|en éft || ant bén | us ál|le bríche,

fór to | démen | álle | mén || oc nógt | on géu|elíke;

hise lóð|e súl|en to héll|e fáren || hise léu|e tó | his ríche.

The writer handles this metre skilfully; the stresses coincide generally

with the natural accent and the rhymes are good. The variations from the

norm of the verse are those described on p. 328, but in proportion

fewer.

For the octosyllable see p. 564. In this metre are ll. 26, 27, 37-46,

48, 49, 54-59, 62-64, 68-71, 230-236, 238, 239, 250, 257-260, 262-271,

276, 278, 279, 281, 282, 284, 285, 288, 289, 292, 293, 322, 323,

325-331, 334-337, 341, 343-354, 359, 371, 372, 383-388, 390-402,

405-416, 419-424, 426-439, 454, 455, 463, 465, 466, 475, 476, 480-491,

494-496, 499-501, 508-511, 516-526, 528-533, 536-541, 546-549, 551-570,

580-583, 596-625, 627-648, 650-667. Of these some are to be emended,

others are peculiar in scansion, as, ðo úr|e drígt|en déd | wás 26, ánt

óc | on swímm|eð bí|forén || ant áll|e ðe ód|re fól|egén 268, 269, álle

gret fís 383, ðerforẹ óð|re físs|es tó | him drágen 393, wúneð | ðis fís

lúd|ẹre stéuẹne 561, hem tó | cam críst | urẹ héu|en kíng 564, ðre

lónde 617, wor só | he wálk|eð, wor só | he wúneð 618, ful wél | his

gálle 654, ðe wírm | ge lét|eð ant líu|ẹð bi séd 658, In wát|ẹr ge is

Verses of three measures are ll. 28-31, 47, 50-53, 60, 61, 65-67,

152-155, 162, 163, 167 (two lines), 168, 169, 180-183, 218-229, 237,

241-249 (241, 242 originally four lines, see note), 251-256, 272-275,

277, 280, 286, 287, 290, 291, 300-303, 316, 319, 320, 324, 332, 333,

338-340, 358, 373, 374, 389, 403, 404, 417, 418, 450, 456, 457, 461,

464, 467-474, 477, 478, 492, 493, 497, 498, 502, 503, 527, 534, 535,

542-545. Noteworthy are, bó|ðe bi nígt | ant bi daí 47, so rígt|e só |

he cúnne 52, ánt | he bíll|eð ðer ón 67 (anapaest in last foot occurs

several times in this metre), ðis líf | bitók | neð ðe stí 152, ðát | tu

sált | ðurg gón 155, aí | ðe sín | fúle || bisétt|en hé | wíle 167,

of ðe stón 222, wiðínn|ẹ he haú|ẹð brenníng 229, bi swílc | átter | i

méne 248, drínk|en hís | wissíng 255, it quénch|et ílc | sinịgíng 256,

méde 291, ge fécch|eð óft|ẹ in ðe tún 301, frét|eð hí|re fílle 319, ánt

al ðe sé 404, síp|es ón | to fésten 417, ant áll|e úp | to gángen 418,

súm ðing | tókneð | bi ðís 461, ant wík|ke ís | herẹ déde 468, ?on

wérld|e wún|en hér 493, ðat he múg|en rís|en wíð 503. Verses of two

measures are ll. 317, 449 (mánie | ant sílle), 452, 460.

Common Metre consists of alternate octosyllable and three-bar lines

arranged in stanzas of four lines, rhyming a : b : a : b. In this are

ll. 73-104, 504-507, 512-515. Scan, ðó|re sát|anás | forsákeð 81, to

| wel hís|e wíken 515. The stanza, ll. 89-92, is desperate.

Syncope of the middle vowel takes place in filstnẹde 30, heuẹne 49, 51,

562, 565, 639, seuẹne 50 (but seuene 652), sinịging 256, iuẹle 344,

chauẹles 397, folẹgeð 431, 620, deuẹles 436, slumẹren 452, wunẹden 493,

stedẹfast 509, suggẹden 559, sorgẹden 559, remẹden 561, steuẹne 561,

taunẹde 631, heuẹkes 664: e is also slurred or lost in ouẹr 48, 629,

630, clepẹð 221, hauẹð 229, ogẹn 284, arẹn 394, forbisnẹde 464, bergẹs

481, cumẹð 543, oðẹ 549, makẹn 556, watẹr 664, makẹð 666; in many other

cases there is the alternative of a three-syllable foot, as for

instance, of an anapaestic last foot in 502, 604. Hiatus occurs in

stille 28, golsipe 245, giuernesse 246, pride 247, 257, alle 264, 418,

540, nede 267, raðe 333, same 339, wulde 354, were 387, eure 402, ðanne

485, 511, name 489, wanne 499, helpe 538, 546, migte 556, oliue 583.

#Introduction:# Before the middle of the second century A.D., there

appeared at Alexandria a Greek book, in which marvellous accounts of the

nature and properties of certain animals, plants, and stones were used

as allegorical and mystical illustrations of the dogmas of the Christian

faith. The natural history element was an amalgam of popular conceptions

and travellers’ tales, sheltering under the authority of ὁ Φυσιολόγος,

the Naturalist, by whom the compiler probably meant Aristotle, and from

whom the book itself was in later times called Physiologus. The didactic

portion was a product of Alexandrian Judaeo-Christian theology, inspired

by similar moralisations in the Septuagint and influenced by the

pervading atmosphere of Egyptian nature symbolism.

In its primitive form the book is probably best represented by the

version printed in Lauchert, pp. 229-270. It had an amazing success, it

passed everywhere with the Christian faith and soon found translators

into Ethiopic, Armenian, Syriac (more than once), and Arabic. There is

evidence of a prose version in Latin as early as the fifth century; from

Latin it passed into most of the literatures of Europe. But the metrical

version of Thetbaldus appears to have driven out the older Latin

versions, one of which, however, is the main source of the Anglo-Norman

poem written by Philippe de Thaün on English ground about 1130 A.D.

1-35. Compare generally CM 18641-60.

2. #⁊# = ant, with the subjunctives #here#, #smake# means if; some

explain it by supposing ellipsis of ȝif.

3. #smel#, sense of smell, power of smelling; Mätzner compares ‘Smel of

neose is þe ueorðe of þe vif wittes,’ AR 104/17; ‘Þonne is þe hundes

smel for-do,’ ON 822. #Smake#, perceive by smell; a rare transitive use;

see 211/497 for the intransitive, give out a smell.

Selections from Early Middle English, 1130-1250. Part 2: Notes · 第 662 / 959 题