695. _avow_, vow; to _make avow_ is the old phrase for _to vow_. Tyrwhitt
alters it to _a vow_, quite unnecessarily; and the same alteration has been
made by editors in other books, owing to want of familiarity [287] with old
MSS. It is true that the form _vow_ does occur, as, e. g. in P. Plowm. B.
prol. 71; but it is no less certain that _avow_ occurs also, and was the
older form; since we have _oon auow_ (B. 334), and the phrase 'I make myn
_avou_,' P. Plowman, A. v. 218; where no editorial sophistication can evade
giving the right spelling. Equally clear is the spelling in the Prompt.
Parv.--'_Avowe_, Votum. _Awowyn_, or _to make awowe_, Voveo.' And Mr. Way
says--'_Auowe_, veu; Palsgrave. This word occurs in R. de Brunne, Wiclif,
and Chaucer. The phrase "performed his auowe" occurs in the Legenda Aurea,
fol. 47.' Those who are familiar with MSS. know that a prefixed _a_ is
often written apart from the word; thus the word now spelt _accord_ is
often written 'a corde'; and so on. Hence, even when the word is really
_one_ word, it is still often written 'a uow,' and is naturally printed _a
vow_ in two words, where no such result was intended. Tyrwhitt himself
prints _min avow_ in the Knightes Tale, A. 2237, and again _this avow_ in
the same, A. 2414; where no error is possible. See more on this word in my
note to l. 1 of Chevy Chase, in Spec. of Eng. 1394-1579. I have there said
that the form _vow_ does not occur in early writers; I should rather have
said, it is by no means the _usual_ form.
698. _brother_, i. e. sworn friend; see Kn. Tale, A. 1131, 1147. In l. 704,
_yboren brother_ means brother by birth.