P. 29. l. 984 _folc frigti_, formidable folk, _frigti_ does not here
signify, as in other parts of the poem, _afraid_, but _to be feared_. 991
_in sunder run_, secret speech or secret communing, private conversation.
See O.E. Hom. 2nd S. p. 29. 1010 _ðe ton_ = the one. _ton_ = that one the
first; _toðer_ = that other, the second.
P. 30. l. 1019 _quamede_ = _quemede_, pleased.
1021-1024
Quoth this one, "this time next year,
Shall I appear to thee here;
By that time shall bliss befall Sarah,
That she shall of a son conceive."
1026
_And it hire ðogte a selli ðhing_,
And it appeared to her a marvellous thing.
1028 _on wane_, wanting one, _i.e._ one less. "In þis burh was wuniende a
meiden swiðe ȝung of ȝeres, _two wone_ of twenti."—(St. Kath. 69.)
1032
_And it wurð soð binnen swilc sel_,
And it became so (came to pass) within such time.
1035 _stelen_ = go away stealthily or secretly.
1036
_Ne min dede abraham helen_, Nor my deed from Abraham hide.
1037 _sinne dwale_ = complaint of sin (see l. 1220); _dwale_ may be taken
as an adj. = grievous, mischievous. 1038 _miries dale_, an error for _mirie
dale_ = pleasant dale. See l. 1121.
1039-40
_ðo adde abram-is herte sor,
for loth his newe wunede ðor_,
Then had Abraham's heart grief,
For Lot, his nephew, dwelt there.
1041-4 "Lord," quoth he, "how shalt thou do (this), if thou shalt take
vengeance thereon; shalt thou not the righteous protect (spare), or for
them (for their sake) to the others mercy bear (show)?" _með beren_ = to
bear mercy, to show mercy to. See ll. 1046, 1242.
1046
_Ic sal meðen ðe stede for ðo_,
I shall have mercy upon the place for those (for their sake).
_Meðen_ signifies to use gently, act with moderation towards any one, to
compassionate, to show mercy to. (See Allit. Poems, p. 45, l. 247; p. 51,
l. 436; p. 54, l. 565; O.E. Hom. 2nd S. p. 153.) 1049 _at-wot_, departed.
There is no such verb as _æt-wítan_, to depart, in Bosworth's A.Sax. Dict.
The only meaning given to _atwiten_ by Stratmann is to reproach, twit.
_At-wot_ may be a blunder for _at-wond_, departed. See l. 3058. Laȝ. l. 87.
We have the O.E. _at-flegen_, _at-gon_, _at-scape_, etc. The simple verb
_wite_ is not uncommon in Early English authors.
"The first dai sal al the se
Boln and ris, and heyer be
Than ani fel of al the land,
. . . . . . . . .
And als mikel the tother day
Sal it sattel and _wit_ away."—(Met. Hom., p. 25.)
"When this was sayd, scho _wyte_ away."—(_Ibid._, p. 169.)
1054 _quake_ is evidently an error for _quate_ = _wait_, look for.