#Dialect#: Irregular, but predominantly North-West Midland; cp. V and
VI.
#Inflexions#:—
VERB: pres. ind. 3 sg. _warys_ 19, _has_ 20.
3 pl. _ben_ 11, _sayn_ 182, _haue_ 31.
pres. p. _claterand_ 137, _þriuaund_ 158, _leymonde_ 153;
beside _blowyng_ 106, _doutyng_ 114.
strong pp. _slydyn_ 6, _stoken_ 11.
The weak pp. and pa. t. have _-it_, _-(e)t_ for _-(e)d_:
_drepit_ 9, _suet_ 24.
PRONOUN 3 PERS.: pl. nom. _þai_ 45;
poss. _hor_ 8, beside _þere_ 9, 10;
obj. _hom_ 24.
#Sounds and Spelling#: Northern and North Midland forms are _qwiles_ (=
_whiles_) 39, _hondqwile_ 117; and _wysshe_ 4 (note). West Midland
indications are _buernes_ 'men' 90, 91 = OE. _beorn_ (but _buerne_ 'sea'
159 = OE. _burn-_ is probably miswritten owing to confusion with _buern_
'man'); and perhaps the spelling _u_ in unaccented syllables: _mecull_
10, _watur_ 119, _wintur_ 124.
* * * * *
4. _wysshe_ = _wisse_ 'guide'. In the North final _sh_ was commonly
pronounced _ss_; cp. note to I 128-9, and the rimes in XVII 1-4.
Conversely etymological _ss_ was sometimes spelt _ssh_.
7-8. _strongest... and wisest... to wale_, 'the strongest... and
wisest... that could be chosen' (lit. 'to choose').