[92] For haggard see p. [108].
[93] In Old French confusion sometimes arose with regard to final consonants, because of their disappearance in the plural (see p. [118], [n.]). In gerfaut, gerfalcon, for Old Fr. gerfauc, the less familiar final -c was, as in boulevart, replaced by the more usual -t.
[94] An unoriginal g occurs in many English words derived from French, e.g., foreign, sovereign, older sovran, sprightly for spritely, i.e., sprite-like, delight, from Old Fr. delit, which belongs to Lat. delectare.
[95] "Also, that no 'denizen' poulterer shall stand at the 'Carfax' of Leadenhall in a house or without, with rabbits, fowls, or other poultry to sell ... and that the 'foreign' poulterers, with their poultry, shall stand by themselves, and sell their poultry at the corner of Leadenhall, without any 'denizen' poulterer coming or meddling in sale or purchase with them, or among them."
The word carfax, once the usual name for a "cross-way," survives at Oxford and Exeter. It is a plural, from Fr. carrefour, Vulgar Lat. *quadrifurcum (for furca), four-fork.
[96] This word is getting overworked, e.g., "The Derbyshire Golf Club links were yesterday the venue of a 72-hole match" (Nottingham Guardian, 21st Nov. 1911).
[97] Cf. Ger. schenken, to pour, and the Tudor word skinker, a drawer, waiter (1 Henry IV., ii. 4).
[98] Perhaps it is the mere instinct to make an unfamiliar word "look like something." Thus Fr. beaupré, from Eng. bowsprit, cannot conceivably have been associated with a fair meadow; and accomplice, for complice, Lat. complex, complic-, can hardly have been confused with accomplish.
[99] Lat. præposterus, from præ, before, and posterus, behind.
[100] This etymology is, however, now regarded as doubtful, and it seems likely that Old Fr. escurie is really derived from escuyer. If so, there is no question of contamination.