[149] Mixture; an old French word, now written _melange_. [150] corrupted. [151] These words represent barbarity and roughness in speaking. [152] Corruption of the native tongue. [153] hear [154] since [155] know. The Germans preserve the verb _koennen_, to be able. The pronouns _hir_ and _hire_ for _their_, still remain in the German _ihr_. [156] Country-people, so called from, their living on the mountains or high lands; hence _outlandish_. [157] attempt with eagerness. [158] time. [159] _sithe_ is the origin of _since_. [160] _Del_ signifies a _part_ or division; it is from the verb _dæler_ to divide, and the root of the English word _deal_. _Dæler_ is preserved in the Danish. [161] learning. [162] their. [163] In the original these words are obscure. [164] This is from the verb _sollen_, implying obligation, duty. [165] their. [166] foreign; Lat. _advena_. [167] realm. [168] divided. [169] Scarcely. [170] hardly. [171] dwelleth. [172] far. [173] I find in an "Essay on the language and versification of Chaucer" prefixed to Bell's edition of his works, part of this extract copied from a Harlein manuscript, said to be more correct than the manuscript from which Dr. Hickes copied it. But on comparing the extracts in both, I find none but verbal differences; the sense of both is the same. [174] In a charter of Edward III. dated 1348, _yeven_ is used for _given_. _Yave_ for _gave_ is used by Chaucer.--Knight's Tale, line 2737. "And _yave_ hem giftes after his degree." In a charter of Edward the Confessor, _gif_ is used in its Saxon purity. In the same charter, _Bissop his land_, is used for a genitive. The Scotch wrote _z_ for _y_; _zit_ for _yet_; _zeres_ for _years_.--Douglass. I do not find, at this period, the true Saxon genitive in use: The _Bissop his land_, is deemed an error. This mode of speaking has however prevailed, till within a few years, and still has its advocates. But it is certain the Saxons had a proper termination for the genitive or possessive, which is preserved in the two first declensions of the German. Example of the declension of nouns among the Saxons. A WORD. _Sing._ _Plu._ Nom. Word word Gen. Wordes worda Dat. Worde wordum Acc. Word word Voc. Eala thu word eala ge word Abl. Worde wordum Hickes Sax. Gram. [175] CUSTODES in castellis strenuos viros ex Gallis collocavit, et opulenta beneficia, pro quibus labores et pericula libenter tolerâ rent, distribuit.--Orderic. Vital. lib. 4. [176] The word _ax_ for _ask_ is not a modern corruption. It was an ancient dialect, and not vulgar.