224. Note the rime (OE. _sŭm_) with ON. _blóm(i)_, OE. _dōm_, _cōm_. Such rimes occur occasionally in Northern texts of the fourteenth century—never in the South. 233. Psalm lxii. 12 'Also unto Thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy; for Thou renderest to every man according to his work.' 237-40. Loosely constructed. 'Now, if you came to payment before him that stood firm through the long day, then he who did less work would be more entitled to receive pay, and the further <it is carried>, the less <work>, the more <claim to be paid>.' 249-51. On the meaning of these lines there is no agreement. Gollancz and Osgood interpret: 'That man's privilege is great who ever stood in awe of Him (God) who rescues sinners. From such men no happiness is withheld, for,' &c. Yet it is difficult to believe that even a poet hard pressed would use _dard to Hym_ to mean 'feared Him'. One of several rival interpretations will suffice to show the ambiguities of the text: 'His (God's) generosity, which is always inscrutable (lit. lay hidden), is abundant to the man who recovers his soul from sin. From such men no happiness is withheld', &c. The sense and construction of _dard_ (for which the emendation _fard_, pret. of _fere_ 'to go', has been suggested, the rest of the interpretation following Gollancz), and the obscurity of the argument, are the chief obstacles to a satisfactory solution. VII #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'). 15. _On lusti to loke_, 'pleasant to look upon'.