England."] _R_. Also of the aforesaid Saxon tonge that is deled[168] athree and is abide scarceliche[169] with few uplandishe men, is great wonder. For men of the est with men of the west is as it were under the same partie of hevene accordeth more in sownynge of speeche than men of the north with men of the south. Therefore it is that Mercii, that beeth men of myddel England, as it were, parteners of the endes, understandeth bettrie the side longages than northerne and southerne understandeth either other. All the longage of the Northumbers and specialliche at York, is so scharp, slitting and frotynge and unschape that the southerne men may that longage unnethe[170] understande. I trow that is because that they beeth nyh to strange men and nations, that speketh strongliche, and also because the kinges of Englande woneth[171] alway fer[172] from that contray, for they beeth more turned to the south contray, and yif they goeth to the northe contray, they goeth with great helpe and strengthe. The cause why they beeth more in the southe contray than in the northe, for it may be better corn londe, more peple, more noble cities, and more profitable havenes."[173] On this passage we may make the following remarks: 1. That the third person singular of the verb is invariably used with _plural_ as well as singular nouns; _they_ _beeth_, _haveth_. Whereas in Chaucer and Mandeville the same person ends generally in _en_; _they seyn_ for _they say_. The same third person was used for the imperative, by the best English writers, "And soft take me in your armes twey, For love of God, and hearkeneth what I sey." Chaucer, Knight's Tale, 2783. "And at certyn houres, they seyn to certyn offices, _maketh pees_;" that is, _make peace_.--Mandeville, p. 281. 2. That _yif_ is used for _if_; a proof that _if_ is a verb, a contraction of _gif_ or _yif_ (for they were used promiscuously) the imperative of _gifan_, to give.[174] 3. That the subjunctive form of verbs was not used after _if_; _and yif they goeth to the northe contray_. 4. That there were three principal dialects in the English; the _northern_, which was corrupted by the Scots and Picts, and from which the present Yorkshire language is derived; the _middle_, which came from Germany and retained its primitive purity, and is the true parent of modern English; and the _southern_, by which is meant, either the language of the southern parts which was corrupted by an intercourse with foreigners; or what is more probable, the language spoken in Devonshire, and on the borders of Cornwall, which was mixed with the old British, and is now almost unintelligible. 5. That the conquests of the Danes and Normans had corrupted the pure language of the Saxons. 6. That this corruption proceeded principally from the teaching of French in schools.