Chapter VIII: Front Matter (8)

a, prefixed to verbs of Anglo-Saxon origin, has sometimes a negative, sometimes an intensative power: before nouns and adjectives it represents _on_ and _at_, as, a-brood, a-fore (æt-foran), a-rowe (i. e. _on a row_), a-loft (i. e. _on high_), &c. In words of Anglo-Norman origin, it answers to the prepositions, _a_, _ab_, _ad_, of the original Latin words

a (A.N.) 355, _ah!_ (an interjection)

abidynge (A.S.) 413, _patient_

abiggen (A.S.) 35, 127, abien, 58, abugge, 122, abye, 164, abyen, 393, _to make amends for_, _to atone for_. _pret. s._ aboughte, 168, 190, 231, 268. _part. past_, abought, 392

abite (A.S.) 331, _to bite, nip_

a-blende (A.S.) 377, a-blynden, _to blinde, dazzle_. _pret. s._ a-blente, 388

abosten (A.N.) 126, _to assault_

abouten, aboute (A.S.) _about_

a-brood (A.S.) _abroad_

ac (A.S.) _but, and_

a-cale (A.S.) 393, _cold_. It occurs in the Romance of the Seven Sages (Weber, p. 59):

That night he sat wel sore _a-kale_,
And his wif lai warme a-bedde.

accidie (A.N.) 99, _sloth, a fit of slothfulness_

acombren (A.N.) _to embarrass, bring into trouble_

acorden (A.N.) _to agree, accord_

acorse, acursen (A.S.) 375, _to curse._ acorsed, 375, _accursed_

acoupen (A.N.) 272, _to blame, accuse._ (for acoulpen)

a-drad (A.S.) 397, _afraid_

a-drenchen (A.S.) 198, _to drown_

afaiten, 291, affaiten 81, 119, (A.N.) _to tame_

a-feren (A.S.) 395, 435, _to frighten_, _drive away_. a-fered, 376, _afraid_, _terrified_

affraynen (A.S.) 347, _to ask_, _question_, _interrogate_

afore (A.S.) _before_

aforthe (A.S.) 129, _to afford_

afrounte (A.N.) _to encounter_, _attack_, _accost rudely_. _pret. s._ afrounted, 425

a-fyngred (A.S.) 133, 176, 283, 403, _a-hungered_, _hungry_

a-furst (A.S.) 176, 283, _a-thirst_, _thirsty_. The two forms, _a-fyngred_ and _a-furst_, appear to be characteristic of the dialect of the counties which lay on the Welsh border. They occur once or twice in MS. Harl. 2253, which, in my Specimens of Lyric Poetry, I have shown to have been written in Herefordshire. They also occur in several other manuscripts which may probably be traced to that part of England. In the Romance of Horn, in the MS. just mentioned, we have the lines:--

Horn set at grounde,
Him thohte he wes y-bounde,
He seide, Quene, so hende,
To me hydeward thou wende.
Thou shench us with the vurste,
The beggares bueth _a-furste_.

i. e. the beggars are thirsty. Whitaker gives a very remarkable translation of _a-furst and a-fyngred_, i. e. _frost-bitten, and with aching fingers_. Ritson has no less inaccurately explained _a-furste_ in the Romance of Horn, by _at first_: the Cambridge MS. of this Romance, earlier and better than the MS. Harl., reads:--

Thu gef us with the furste,
The beggeres beoth _of thurste_.

ayein (A.S.) _again_, _in return for_. ayeins, _against_, _towards_

a-gulte (A.S.) 273, 313, 318, 365, _to fail in duty towards any one_, _offend_, _sin against_

aiels (A.N.) 314, _forefathers_

+aisliche (A.S.) 471, _fearfully_. The Anglo-Saxon _egeslice_

aken (A.S.) _to ache_. _pret. pl._ oke, 359

al (A.S.) _all_. _pl._ alle, _gen. pl._ alre, aller. oure aller fader, 342, _the father of us all_. your aller heed, 424, _head of you all_

a-leggen (A.N.) 207, _to allege_

a-liry (A.S.) 124, _across_, _cross-legged_

alkenamye (A.N.) 186, _alchemy_

allowen (A.N.) 294, _to allow_, _approve_

a-loft (A.S.) 378, _on high_

almarie (A.N.) 288, _a cupboard_

almesse (A.S.) _alms_

a-lough, a-logh (A.S.) 241, 242, _below_

+aloute (A.S.) 495, _to salute_

als (A.S.) _also_

a-maistren, a-maistryen (A.N.) _to overcome_, _be master of_

amenden (A.N.) _to make amends for_

amercy (A.N.) _to amerce_

amortisen (A.N.) 314, _to amortize_, _to give property in mortmain_

ampulle (A.N.) 109, _a small vessel containing holy water or oil_

an (A.S.) 2, _on_

ancres (A.S.) 3, 308, _anachorites, monks who live in solitude_. It is applied to nuns, in the early English Rule of Nuns. See Reliquiæ Antiquæ, vol. ii, p. 1

and (A.S.) the conjunction, is frequently used in the sense of _if_. and men crye, 362, _if men cry_

aniente (A.N.) 365, _to destroy, annihilate, reduce to nothing_

anoon (A.S.) _anon_

anoy (A.N.) _annoyance_

+anuel (A.N.) 475, _an annuity_: a yearly salary paid to a priest for keeping an anniversary

apayen (A.N.) 123, _to satisfy, to please_

apeiren (A.N.) 80, 111, 125, 127, 141, _to lessen, diminish, impair_

apertli (A.N.) _openly_

appenden, apenden (A.N.) 17, _to belong, appertain to_

apposen (A.N.) 18, 43, 252, 318, _to raise questions, to object_

arate (A.S.) 208, 283, _to rate, scold, correct_ (the A.S. aretan?)

arayen (A.N.) _to array_

arere (A.N.) _backwards, back_

arwe, _pl._ arewes (A.S.) 438, _an arrow_

arst (A.S.) 287, _first, erst_

ascapen (A.N.) _to escape_

askes (A.S.) _ashes_

asondry (A.S.) 358, _separated_

aspare (A.N.) 303, _to spare_

aspien (A.N.) to _espy_. _part. s._ aspied, 350

assaien, assaie (A.N.) 334, 336, _to assay, try_

assetz (A.N.) 362, _assets sufficient to pay the debts or legacies of a testator_. A law term

assoille (A.N.) 57, 188, 407, 419, _to assoil, absolve, to explain or solve_

astronomien (Lat.) _an astronomer_

a-thynken (A.S.) 374, _to repent_

attachen (A.N.) 40, _to attach, indict_

atte (A.S.) _at the_. atte nale, 124, _at the ale_, a corruption of the Saxon, æt þan ale

attre (A.S.) 243, _poison, venom_

a-tweyne (A.S.) _in two_

aught (A.S.) _something, anything, everything_

auncer (A.N.) 90, _a small vessel or cup_. In Low-Latin it is called _anceria_. See Ducange, s. v., who quotes from a charter of the date of 1320 the words, Una cum cuppis, _anceriis_, tonis, et aliis utensilibus

auntren (A.N.) _to venture, adventure_, _pret. s._ auntrede, 382, auntred, 435

auter, _pl._ auteres (A.N.) _altar_

avarouser (A.N.) _more avaricious_

aventrous (A.N.) 370, _adventurers, adventurous persons_

aventure (A.N.) _an adventure, an accident_. an aventure, 47, _by adventure, by chance_

avoutrye (A.N.) _adultery_

avowen (A.N.) _to make a vow_

avowes (A.N.) _vows, promises_

awaiten (A.N.) 346, _to watch, wait_. a-wayte, 193, _to see or discover by watching_

awaken (A.S.) _to awake_. _pret. s._ awaked, 396, awakned, 424, a-wook, 147, _part. past_, awaked, 425

awreken (A.S.) _to avenge, revenge_. _part. pas._ a-wroke, 129

+awyrien (A.S.) 490, _to curse, execrate_

axen (A.S.) 71, _to ask_. _pret. s._ asked, 81

ay (A.S.) _ever, always_

B.

bakstere (A.S.) 14, 47, _a woman who bakes_

bale (A.S.) 70, 209, 381, 371 (?), evil, mischief, punishment

+bale (A.S.) 490, _a bon-fire_ (_rogus_)

baleis (A.N.) 184, 229, _a rod_

baleisen (A.N.) 87, _to beat with a rod_

balled (A.S.) 436, _bald_. _balled reson_, 176, _a bald reason, a bare argument_

ballok-knyf (A.S.) 302, _a knife hung from the girdle_

bannen, banne (A.N.) 18, 143, 167, 310, _to ban, curse, banish_. _pret. s._ banned, 173

banyer (A.N.) 321, _a banner-bearer, standard-bearer_

barn (A.S.) 353, _a child_

baselarde (A.N.) 61, 302, _a kind of large dagger, carried in the girdle_

batauntliche (A.N.) 286, _hastily_. Cotgrave gives the Fr. phrase, il arriva tout batant, _he came very hastily_

baude (A.S.) _a bawd_

baudy (A.N.) 88, _dirty_, applied to garments. Thus in Chaucer, Cant. T. l 16102:--

His overest sloppe it is not worth a mite
As in effect to him, so mote I go.
It is al _baudy_ and to-tore also.

baw (A.S.) 210, 419, _an interjection of contempt_. Whitaker says that the word is still used in Lancashire, and that "the verb means _alvum levare_"

bayard (A.N.) 72, a term for a horse. It means properly a _bay horse_

beau-peere (A.N.) 383, _a common title for a monk_. "Beau-pere, titre que l'on donnoit aux religieux." _Roquef._

beche (A.S.) _a beech-tree_

bede, _pl._ bedes (A.S.) prayer. Our modern word _beads_ is derived from this word, because it was by such articles, hung on a cord, that our forefathers reckoned the number of their prayers

bedeman (A.S.) 45, _a person who prays for another_

+been (A.S.) 493, _bees_

beigh (A.S.) _pl._ beighes, _rings, bracelets, collars_

bekene (A.S.) 363, _a beacon_

+beldyng (A.S.) 483, _building_. belded, 483, _built_

+bellyche (A.N.) 461, _fairly_

bel-sire (A.N.) 168, _grandfather_, or rather, _an ancestor_

belwe (A.S.) 222, _to bellow_

ben (A.S.) _to be_. _pres. pl._ arn, aren _or_ ben, we beth, 391, ye aren, 301, they arn, 375. _subj. sing._ weere, 15, 19, 417, _pl._ were. what she were, 19

bene (A.S.) _a bean_, +_pl._ benen (A.S.) 495, _beans_

+beneson (A.N.) 489, _blessing_

+beouten (A.S.) 489, _without_

beren, bere (A.S.) _to bear_. _pr. s._ he berth, 341. _pret. s._ bere, 54, bar, 28, 109, _pl._ baren, 98. _part. pas._ born, y-bore, 377

bergh (A.S.) 112, _a hill, mount_

bern (A.S.) 416, _a barn_

best, beest, _pl._ beestes (A.N.) _a beast, animal_

bet (A.S.) 389, _better_

bete (A.S.) 375, _to beat_. _pret. s._ bette, 184, 436. _part. pas._ y-bet

bete (A.S.) 131, _to amend, heal, abate_. that myghtt not bete my bale (Sir Amadas, l. 46), _that might not amend my misfortune_. bete his nede (Rom. of Alexand. l. 5065, in Weber), _to satisfy his need_

bettre (A.S.) _better_

bi- _or_ be- is a very common prefix to words in our language derived from the Anglo-Saxon, and has chiefly an intensative power, although it modifies the meaning in various degrees. Many verbs are no longer known, except in this compound form. Thus we have:--

bi-dravelen (A.S.) 88, _to slobber or slaver on anything_

bi-fallen (A.S.) _to befal, happen_. _pr. sing._ bifel

bi-yete (A.S.) _begetting, offspring_

bi-ginnen (A.S.) _to begin_. _pret. s._ bi-gonne, 106

bi-heste (A.S.) 50, _a behest, command_

bi-hest (A.S.) 432, _a promise_

bi-holden (A.S.) _to behold_. _pr. sing._ biheeld

+bi-hirnen (A.S.) 488 (?)

bi-hoten (A.S.) _to promise_. _pres. s._ bi-hote, 104. _pret. s._
bi-highte, 81, 345, 389. bi-hote God, 133, _an exclamation_

by-japen (A.S.) 386, 453, _to mock_

bi-kennen (A.S.) 31, 154, _to commit to_

bi-knowen (A.S.) 13, 45, _to know, recognize, acknowledge_. _pret. s._
bi-knewe, 404, _part. past_, bi-knowe, 370

bi-lien (A.S.) 174, bi-lye, 101, _to calumniate_. _part. past_,
bi-lowen, 29

bi-love (A.S.) 184, _false love_ (?)

bi-loven (A.S.) 130, _to make friends_ (?)

by-menen (A.S.) _to signify_. _pret. s._ by-mente, 370

by-molen (A.S.) 273, 274, _to spot, stain_

by-nymen (A.S.) _to take from_. _part. past_, by-nomen, 62

bi-quasshen (A.S.) 384, _to crush to pieces_

bi-reve (A.S.) 132, _to take from, bereave_

bi-rewe (A.S.) 242, _to rue_

bi-seken, bi-sechen, 18 (A.S.) _to beseech_. _pret._ bi-soughte. _part.
pas._ bi-sought

bi-semen (A.S.) _to appear_

bi-setten (A.S.) 93, 95, _to place, set_

bi-seggen (A.S.) _to reproach, insult_. _part. past_, bi-seye, 437

bi-sherewen (A.S.) 75, _to curse_

bi-shetten (A.S.) 40, _to shut up_. _part. past_, bi-shet, 405

bi-sitten (A.S.) 36, 195, _to beset_

+be-slomered, 476, _bedaubed_

bi-snewed (A.S.) 301, _snowed over, covered with snow_

bi-speren (A.S.) 303, _to lock up_

bi-swynken (A.S.) 323, _to labour hard_. _pret. pl._ bi-swonke, 442

bi-tiden (A.S.) _to happen to, betide_

bi-wicchen (A.S.) 405, _to bewitch_

bicche (A.N.) 98, _a bitch_

bidden, bidde (A.S.) _to pray, to ask, beg, to require, to order_. _pres. s._ he bit, 308, 188. _pret. s._ bidde, bad, _pl._ beden, 372, 404. _part. act._ biddynge. (if he) bede, 157

bidder (A.S.) _pl._ bidderes, _an asker, petitioner_

biden (A.S.) 387, 428, _to bide, wait_. _part. past_, boden

bienfait (A.N.) _a benefit_

bi-girdle (A.S.) 156, _a bag to hang at the girdle, a purse_

bi-hynde (A.S.) _behind_

bikere (A.S.) 429, _to skirmish, fight_

+bild (A.S.) 460, _a building_

bile (A.S.) _a bill_

bilyve (A.S.) 410, 425, _food_

bynden (A.S.) _to bind_. _pret. s._ bond, 352. _part. pas._ bounden

bisie (A.S.) _busy_

bismere, bismare (A.S.) 82, 413, _infamy, reproach, disgrace_

biten, bite (A.S.) 446, _to bite, urge_. _pres. s._ bitit, 225. _pret. s._ boot, 82

byte (A.S.) 381, _a morsel_, _bit_

bi-time (A.S.) _betimes_

bittre (A.S.) 393, _bitterly_

bi-yonde (A.S.) _beyond_: when used indefinitely it signifies _beyond sea_, _ultra mare_

blancmanger (A.N.) 252, _a made dish for the table_. Receipts for cooking it are given in most of the early tracts on cookery

bleden (A.S.) _to bleed_. _pret. s._ bledde, 402, 415

blenche (A.S.) 112, _to draw back_

blende (A.S.) 181, _to blind_. blent, _blinded_

+blenying (A.S.) 468, _blistering_

bleren (A.S.) _to blear, to make a person's sight dim, impose upon him_. bler-eighed, 367, _blear-eyed_

blisse (A.S.) _joy, happiness_

blisful (A.S.) _joyful, full of happiness, blessed_

blody (A.S.) 129, 213, _by blood, of or in blood_

bloo (A.S.) _blue_

blosmen (A.S.) _to blossom_. _pret._ blosmede

blowen (A.S.) _to blow_. _pret. s._ blewe, _blew_. _part. past_, y-blowe, 360

blustren (A.N. ?) 108, _to wander or stray along without any particular aim_

bochier (A.N.) _a butcher_

+bode ( ) 493 (?)

bolden (A.S.) _to encourage, embolden_

bole (A.S.) _a bull_

bolk (A.S.) 100, _a belching_

bolle (A.S.) 83, 99, _a bowl_

bollen, bolne (A.S.) _to swell_. _pres. s._ bolneth, 84

book, _pl._ bokes (A.S.) _a book_

boold (A.S.) 373, _bold_

boon (A.S.) _a bone_

boor (A.S.) _a boar_

boot (A.S.) _a boat_

boote (A.S.) 70, 139, 189, 209, 233, 266, _help, reparation, amendment, restoration, remedy_

bootne (A.S.) _to restore, remedy_. _part. pas._ bootned, 128

boot-les (A.S.) 369, _without boots_

borde (A.S.) _table_. Hence the modern use of the word _board_ when we speak of "_board and lodging_"

bord-lees (A.S.) 239, _without table_

borgh, 70, 143, 181, 346. borugh, 426, 439, _pl._ borwes, 19 (A.S.) _a pledge, surety_. _s. in obj. case_, borwe, 285

borwen (A.S.) 71, _to give security, or a pledge to release a person or thing, to bail, to borrow_. _pret. s._ borwed

bosarde (A.N.) 189, _a worthless or useless fellow_. It is properly the name of a worthless species of hawk, which is unfit for sporting; and is thus used in Chaucer's version of the Romance of the Rose, l. 4033:--

This have I herde ofte in saying,
That man ne maie for no daunting
Make a sperhawke of _a bosarde_.

The original is,--

Ce oï dire en reprovier,
Que l'en ne puet fere espervier
En nule guise _d'ung busart_.

bosten (A.S.) _to boast_. _part. past_, y-bosted, 351

bote-lees (A.S.) 381, _without remedy_

botenen (A.N.) _to button_. +_part. past_, y-botend, 468, _buttoned_

bothe (A.S.) _both_. The genitive, botheres, _of both_, occurs. hir botheres myghtes, 340, _the might of both of them_. hir botheres right, 371, _the right of each of them_.

botrasen (A.N.) 113, _to make buttresses to a building_

bouchen (A.N.) 5, _to stop people's mouths (?)_

bouken (A.S.) 274, 306, _to buck (clothes)_

bour (A.S.) _a bower, chamber_

bourde (A.S.) _a game, joke_

bourdynge (A.N.) 297, _jesting_

bourn, _g._ bournes (A.S.) _a stream or river_

bowe (A.S.) 112, _a bough, branch_

bown (A.S.) 37, _ready_

boy (A.S.) 6 (?)

boye (A.S.) 214, _a lad servant_

breden (A.S.) _to breed_. _pret. pl._ bredden

brede (A.S.) _breadth_

breed (A.S.) _bread_

breeth (A.S.) 388, _breath_

breken (A.S.) _to break, tear_. _pret. s._ brak, 388. _part. pas._ y-broken, broke, y-broke, 416

breme (A.S.) 241, _vigorous, fierce, furious_. Chaucer, C. T. l. 1701, speaking of Arcite and Palamon, says they--"foughten breme, as it were bolles two," _fought as fiercely as two bulls_. In the Romance of Sir Amadas (Weber, p. 250) a person is described as coming "lyke a breme bare," _like a fierce boar_. It appears to be most commonly applied to animals. In the Towneley Mysteries, p. 197, Anna says to Cayphas, "Be not to breme," _be not too fierce_

brennen, brenne (A.S.) 360, _to burn_. _pret. s._ brende, 367. _part. pas._ brent

bresten (A.S.) _to burst_, _pret. s._ brast, 127

brevet (A.N.) 5, _a little brief or letter_

brewestere (A.S.) 14, 47, _a woman who brews_

brid, _pl._ briddes (A.S.) _a bird_

bringen (A.S.) _to bring_. _pret. s._ broughte, broghte. _part. past_, y-brought, broght, 235

brocage (A.N.) 33, 289, _a treaty by a broker or agent_. It is particularly applied to treaties of marriage, brought about in this way. In Chaucer's Romance of the Rose, l. 6971, Fals Semblant says,--

I entremete me of _brocages_.
I maken pece, and mariages.

So in the Miller's Tale (C.T. 3375), it is said of Absolon,

He woweth hire by mene and by _brocage_,
And swor he wolde ben hir owne page.

That is, he wooed her by the agency of another person, whom he employed to persuade her to agree to his wishes.

broches (A.N.) _brooches, jewels_.

broches, 362, _matches_ (?)

brocour (A.N.) 31, 32, 45, 84, _a seller, broker, maker of bargains_

broke (A.S.) _a brook_

brok, _pl._ brokkes (A.S.) 119, _an animal of the badger kind_

brol (A.S.) 55, 494, 495, _a child, brat_. Reliquiæ Antiquæ, ii, 177:--

Whan hi commith to the world, hi doth ham silf sum gode,
Al bot the wrech _brol_ that is of Adamis blode.

brood (A.S.) _broad_

brotel (A.S.) 153, _weak, brittle, unsteady_

+brothels (A.S.) 496, _wretches, men of bad life_. In the Coventry Mysteries (Ed. Halliwell, p. 308), the term is applied to the damned who suffer punishment in hell:--

In bras and in bronston the _brethellys_ be brent,
That wene in this werd my wyl for to werke.

In another play in the same collection, p. 217, it is applied to the woman taken in adultery:--

Com forthe, thou bysmare and _brothel_ bolde.

brouke (A.S.) 209, _to enjoy, use, to brook_

brugg, _pl._ brugges (A.S.) _a bridge_

bruneste (A.S.) _brownest_

buggen, bugge (A.S.) 412, _to buy_. _pres. pl._ biggen. _pret._ boughte. _part. act._ buggynge, 410

bummen (A.S. ?) 90, _to taste_ (?)

burde (A.S.) 44, 404, _a maiden, damsel, lady_

burdoun (A.N.) 108, _a staff_

burel (A.N.) _a kind of coarse brown woollen cloth_. burel clerkes, 191. Tyrwhit (Glos. to Chaucer) thinks this means _lay clerks_. In the Canterbury Tales, l. 7453, the friar says:--

And more we se of Goddis secré thinges,
Than _borel folk_, although that thay ben kinges,
We lyve in povert and in abstinence,
And _borel folk_ in riches and dispence.

The hoste says (l. 15440)--

Religioun hath take up al the corn
Of tredyng, and we _burel men_ ben schrympes.

_Borel folk_ and _borel men_ evidently mean _laymen_

burgage (A.N.) 48, _lands or tenements in towns, held by a particular tenure_

burgeise (A.S.) _burgess, inhabitant of a borough_

burghe (A.S.) 135, _burgh, town_

burghe (A.S.) _castrated_, applied to a hog. burghe swyn, 34, _a barrow hog_

burjonen (A.N.) 299, _to bud, or spring_

burn (A.S.) _pl._ burnes, _a man_. buyrn, 341, 346

+burwgh (A.S.) 458, _a castle, palace, or large edifice_

busk, _pl._ buskes (A.S.) 223, _a bush_

busken (A.S.) 44, 167, _to busk, go, to array, prepare_

buxom (A.S.) _obedient_. buxomnesse, _obedience_

C. K.

caas (A.N.) _case_

cacchen (A.S.) 236, _to catch, take_. _part. past_, caught, 361

cachepol (A.S.) 372, 373, _a catchpole_

kaiser, kayser (A.S.) 404, _an emperor_

cammoke (A.S.) 414, a weed more commonly known by the name of _rest-harrow (anonis)_

kan (A.S.) _can_

capul, caple (A.N.) 354, _pl._ caples, 415, 416, _a horse_ (said to be derived from the Low-Latin _caballus_)

caractes (A.N.) 233, _characters_

cardiacle (Gr.) 266, 430, _a disease affecting the heart_

careful (A.S.) _pl._ carefulle, 403, _full of care_

carien (A.S.) _to carry_

caroyne, careyne (A.N.) _carrion, flesh, a corpse_

carpen (A.N.) 356, 400, _to talk, chat, tell_. _part. pas._ y-carped, 313

+cary (A.N. ?) 475, _a kind of coarse cloth_

casten (A.S.) _to cast_

catel (A.N.) 70, 78, 175, 437, _goods, property, treasure, possessions_

cauken (A.S. ?) 223, 241, a technical term, applied to birds at their time of breeding. It is found in the St. Albans Book of Hawking, 1496, sign. A. i.; "And in the tyme of their (the hawks') love, they calle, and not _cauke_."

kaurymaury, 81, _care, trouble_?

+cautel (A.N.) 469, _a cunning trick_

kaylewey ( .) 334 (?)

kemben (A.S.) 174, _to comb_

kene (A.S.) _sharp, earnest_

kennen, kenne (A.S.) 355, 396, 410, _to teach_, _pres pl._ konne, 3. _imperat._ kenne (_teach_), 20. _pret._ kenned, 67, 241, kennede, 409

kepen, kepe (A.S.) _to keep, to abstain_, 60. _pret. pl._ kepten, 235, 404. have kepe this man, 352, _have this man to keep_

kernelen (A.N.) 113, _to embattle a building, build the battlements_

kerse (A.S.) 174, _cress_

kerven (A.S.) _to carve_. +_part. past_, y-corven, 460

kerver, 184, _a sculptor_

cesse (A.N.) 375, _to end, cease_

kevere (A.N.) 445, _to recover_

kex (A.S.) 361, _the dried stalk of hemlock_

chace (A.N.) 351, _to race, to go fast_

chaffare (A.S.) 131, 292, 301, 305, 338, _to deal, traffic, trade_

chaffare (A.S.) 3, 31, 85, 268, 305, _merchandise_

chalangen (A.N.) _to challenge, claim_. chalangynge, 82. chalanged, 87

chapitle (A.N.) _a chapter_

+chaple (A.N.) 485, _a chapel_

chapman (A.S.) _a merchant, buyer_

+chapolories (A.N.) 483, _chapelaries_

+charthous (A.N.) 490, _Carthusians_

chastilet (A.N.) _a little castle_

chatre (A.N.) 287, _to chatter_

chauncelrie (A.N.) _chancery_

cheke (A.S.) 68, _the cheek_, maugree hire chekes, 68. We have in Chaucer, _maugré thin eyen_, _maugré hire hed_, &c. See Tyrwhit's Gloss, v. _Maugre_. One of these instances is exactly analogous to the passage of Piers Ploughman (C. T. l. 6467):--

And happed, al alone as sche was born,
He saugh a mayde walkyng him by-forn,
Of which mayden anoon _maugré hir heed_,
By verray fors byraft hir maydenhed.

cheker (A.N.) _the exchequer_

chele (A.S.) 176, 439, _cold_

chepen (A.S.) 296, _to buy_

chepyng (A.S.) 68, 135, _market, sale_

cherl (A.S.) 210, _pl._ cherles, 337, 375, _a serf, peasant, churl_

+cherlich (A.N.) 485, _richly, sumptuously_

chervelle (A.S.) 134, _chervil, a plant which was eaten as a pot-herb (cerefolium)_

chese (A.S.) 296, _to choose_

cheeste, cheste (A.S.) 33, 169, 253, _dissension, strife, debate_

cheve (A.N.) 375, _to compass a thing, to succeed, or bring to an end, to obtain, adopt_. _pres. s._ cheveth, 287. _pret. pl._ cheveden, 3, chewe, 381, 439. lat hem chewe as thei chosen, _let them take as they choose_

chewen (A.N.) 26, 490, _to eschewe_

chibolle (A.N.) 134, _a kind of leek_, called in French _ciboule_

chicke, _pl._ chicknes, 67 (A.S.) _a chicken_

chevysaunce (A.N.) 92, 426, _an agreement for borrowing money_

chiden (A.S.) _to chide_

child (A.S.) _a child_. _gen. pl._ childrene, 72

chymenee (A.N.) 179, _a fire-place_

chirie-tyme, 86, _cherry-time_

chyvelen (A.S. ?) 88, _to become shrivelled_

+chol (A.S.) 464, _the jowl_

kidde, _see_ couthen

kirk (A.S.) _a church_

kirtel (A.S.) _a kirtle, frock_

kissen (A.S.) 395, _to kiss_. _pret. s._ kiste, 394

kith, kyth (A.S.) 55, 324, 400, _relationship, family connection_. to kith and to kyn, 268, _to family connection and kindred_

kitone (A.N.) _kitten, young cat_

clawe (A.S.) 274, _to brush, to stroke_

clene (A.S.) _pure, clean_. clenner, 410, purer. clennesse, _purity, cleanness_

clepen, clepe (A.S.) _to call_. _pret._ cleped, 436. _part. pas._ cleped, 174

clergie (A.N.) _science, clergy_

clerk (A.N.) _pl._ clerkes, _gen. pl._ clerkene, 72, _a scholar_

cler-matyn (A.N.) 135, _a kind of fine bread_

cleven (A.S.) _to split, cleave_ (intransitive). _pret. s._ cleef, 373

cleymen (A.N.) 389, _to claim_. _pret. s._ cleymede, 430

cliket (A.N.) 114, _a kind of latch key_. cliketten, 114, _to fasten with a cliket_. Tyrwhit explains the word simply as meaning a key--but in Piers Ploughman it is put so in immediate apposition with the word key, that it must have differed from it. In Chaucer, C. T. 9990, et seq. it appears to be the key of a garden gate:--

This freissche May, that I spake of so yore,
In warm wex hath emprynted the _cliket_
That January bar of the smale wiket,
By which into his gardyn ofte he went;
And Damyan, that knew al hir entent,
The _cliket_ counterfeted prively.

In a document of the date 1416, quoted by Ducange, v. _Cliquetus_, it is ordered that, Refectorarius semper teneat hostium refectorii clausum _cum cliqueto_

clyngen (A.S.) 276, _to shrink, wither, pine_. Reliq. Antiquæ, vol. ii, p. 210:--

When eld me wol aweld, mi wele is awai;
Eld wol keld, and _cling_ so the clai.

clippe (A.S.) 359, 394, _to embrace, enfold_

clips (A.N. ?) 377, _an eclipse_

clyven (A.S.) 367, _to cleave, stick to_

clokken (A.N.) 45, _to limp or hobble, to walk lamely_

clomsen (A.N.) 276, _to shrink or contract_. A verb used often in the Wycliffite Bible. In Prompt. Parv. aclomsid.

clooth (A.S.) _cloth_

clouch (A.S.) _pl._ clouches, _a clutch_

clouten (A.S.) _to patch, mend_. _part. past_, y-clouted, 120

clucche (A.S.) 359, _to clutch, hold_

knappe (A.S.) 133, _a knop, a button_

knave (A.S.) 14, 66, _a servant lad_

+knoppede (A.S.) 476, _full of knobs_

knowelichen (A.S.) _to acknowledge_. _pret. s._ kneweliched, 239, 407. _part. act._ knowelichynge, 400

knowes (A.S.) 98, _knees_

knowen, knowe (A.S.) 408, _to know_, _pres. pl._ knowen. _pret. s._ knew, 232. _pl._ knewen, 237. _part. pas._ knowen, knowe

coffe (A.S. ?) 120, _a cuff_

+cofrene (A.N.) 455, _to put in a coffer_

coghen (A.S.) 367, _to cough_

coke (A.S.) _a cook_

cokeney (A.N.) 134, _some kind of meager food, probably a young or small cock, which had little flesh on its bones_. This meaning of the word (which has been misunderstood) may be gathered from a comparison of the passage in Piers Ploughman with one in the "Turnament of Tottenham," where the writer intended to satirize the poorness of the fare:--

At that fest were thei servyd in a rich aray,
Every fyve and fyve had _a cokeney_.

Heywood, in his Proverbs, part i, chap. xi, gives a proverb in which the word is evidently used in the same sense, and appears to be intentionally contrasted with a _fat hen_:--

--Men say,
He that comth every daie shall have _a cocknaie_,
He that comth now and then, shall have a fat hen;
But I gat not so muche in comyng seelde when,
As a goode hens fether or a poore egshell.

I think that _cokenay_ in Chaucer is the same word, used metaphorically to signify a person without worth or courage (C. T. 4205):--

And when this jape is tald another day,
I sal be hald a daf, _a cokenay_.

coker (A.S.) 120, _a short stocking, or glove, a sheath_

coket (A.N.) 135, _a kind of fine bread_

cokewold (A.N.) 75, _a cuckold_

cole (A.N.) 134, _cabbage_

coler (A.N.) _a collar_

collen (A.N.) 203, _to embrace, put one's arms round a person's neck_, in French, _accoller_

colomy (A. .) 267 (?)

colvere (A.S.) 319, _a dove, pigeon_

come (A.S.) 416, _to come_. _pres. s._ he comth, 18, 332. _pret. s._ cam, kam, coom, 168, com, 400. _pl._ comen, 438, come, 235, 237, 430, coome, 416, coomen, 438. _subj._, til he coome, 328, er thei coome, 353

comsen (A.N.) 23, 24, 49, 77, 81, 119, 136, 152, 244, 372, _to begin, commence, to endeavour_. _pret. s._ comsede, 402, 403. comsynge, 382

comunes (A.N.) 80, 420, _commons, allowance of provision_

confus (A.N.) _confused_

congeyen, congeien (A.N.) 258, _to give leave, dismiss_

congie (A.N.) 258, _leave_

konne (A.S.) 401, 408, 437, _to learn, know_. _pres. s._ kan. _pret._ kouthe, 411, koude. _subj._ in case that thow konne, 424, and thou konne, 397, _if thou know_. _pret. act._ konnyng, 206, _knowing_

konnynge (A.S.) 409, _knowledge, science, cunning_

contenaunce (A.N.) 2, 203, _appearance, gesture, carriage_

contrarien (A.N.) 367, _to go against, vex, oppose_

contree (A.N.) _a country_

contreve (A.N.) _to contrive_. contreved, _contrived_

conying (A.N. ?) _a rabbit_

copen (A.N.) 51, _to cover with a cope, like a friar_

coppe (A.N.) 44, 191, _a cup, basin_

coroune (A.N.) _a crown_

corounen (A.N.) _to crown_. _part. p._ y-corouned

cors (A.N.) 295, _the body_

corsaint (A.N.) 109, _a relique, the body of a saint_

corsen (A.S.) 305, _to curse_

corsede (A.S.) _cursed_. corseder, 421, _more cursed, worse_

cost (A.N.) 33, 151, 376, _a side, region_

costen (A.N.) _to cost_. _pret. s._ costed, 13. _part. pas._ costned, 13

cote (A.S.) 152, _a cottage, cot_

coten (A.N.) 51, _to dress in a coat_

+cotinge (A.S.) 468, _cutting_

coupable (A.N.) 366, _guilty, culpable_

coupe (A.N.) 44, 95, _a cup_

coupen (A.N.) _to cut out, fashion_ (?) _part. past_, y-couped, 370

courben (A.N.) 19, 28, _to bend, stoop_

courtepy (A.N.) 82, 128, _a short cloak of coarse cloth_

couthen (A.S.) 87, _to make known, discover, publish_. _pret._ kidde, 103, 269

+couuen (A.S.) 473, perhaps an error in the old printed text for _connen_

coveiten (A.N.) _to covet_

covent (A.N.) 428, _a convent_

coveren (A.N.) 238, _to recover_

cracchen (A.S.) 211, 322, _to scratch_

crafte (A.S.) _craft, art_. crafty-men, 121, _artisans_

creaunt (A.N.) 239, _believing_

crepen (A.S.) _to creep_. _pret. s._ crope, _pl._ cropen

cryen (A.N.) _to cry_. _pret. s._ cried, cryde, 374, _pl._ cryden, cride

croft (A.S.) _a small inclosed field, a croft_

crokke (A.S.) 412, _a pot, pitcher, vessel of earthenware_

+crom-bolle (A.S.) 476, _a crum-bowl_

crop (A.S.) 332, 334, _the head or top of a tree or plant_; hence the expression "root and crop," still in use

cropiers (A.N.) _the housings on the horse's back_

croppen (A.S.) 319, _to eat (said of a bird), to put into its crop or craw_

crouche (A.N.) 109, _a cross_. Hence is derived the name of _the Crutched Friars_

+crouken (A.S.) 495, _to bend_

+crucchen (A.S.) 495, _to crouch_

cruddes (A.S.) _curds_

cruwel (A.N.) 269, _cruel_

ku, _pl._ kyen (A.S.) 125, _a cow_

kulle (A.S.) 344, kille, 434, _to kill_. _pret. s._ kilde, 431. _part. past_, kulled, 339. to kulle, 338

culorum (_Lat._) 60, 198, _the conclusion or moral of a tale_

cultour (A.S.) 123, kultour, 61, _a culter, blade_

cuppe-mele (A.S.) 90, _cup by cup_

kutte, 79 (A.S.) _to cut_. _imperat._ kut, 75. _pret. pl._ kitten, 128

kynde (A.S.) _nature, race, kind_

kynde (A.S.) _natural_. kyndeliche, 382, _naturally_

kyng (A.S.) _pl._ kynges. _gen. pl._ kyngene, 21, 400, _a king_

kyng-ryche (A.S.) _a kingdom_

kyn, _gen. s._ kynnes (A.S.) 40, _kin, kind_. This word is used in the genitive case in such phrases as the following: of foure kynnes thynges, 151, _of four kinds of things_. othere kynnes men, 177, _other kinds of men_. none kynnes riche, 213, _no kind of rich men, or rich men of no kind_. many kynnes maneres, 359, _many sorts of manners_. any kynnes catel, 400, _any kind of property_