Sounds: OE. y often shows the Western development, as in huyre(d) 108, 133, &c.; abugge 75, 159; beside bigge 275. So Cornehulle b 1. But such forms were not uncommon in the London dialect of the time.
b. The second extract has a more Southern dialectal colouring. Note especially the gen. pl. forms lollarene 31, knauene 56, lordene 77, continuing or extending the OE. weak gen. pl. in -ena; and menne 29, 74, retaining the ending of the OE. gen. pl. manna.
The representation of unaccented vowels by u in hure (= 'their') 50, (= 'her') 53; (h)us 'his' 60, 101; clerkus 65, is commonest in Western districts. h(w) is no longer aspirated: wanne 1, werby 35, MS. eggen 19; and conversely hyf 'if' 43, his 'is' 105.
a 9. for shedyng, 'to prevent spilling'; and so for colde 62 'as a protection against cold'; for bollyng 209 'to prevent swelling'; for chillyng 306, &c.
a 11. Þat ȝe han silke and sendal to sowe: The construction changes as if Piers had begun: Ich praye ȝow, which is the reading in the C-text. The difficulty of excluding modern ideas from the interpretation of the Middle Ages is shown by the comment of a scholar so accomplished as M. Petit-Dutaillis: 'Il attaque les riches peu miséricordieux, les dames charmantes aux doigts effilés, qui ne s'occupent pas des pauvres' (Soulèvement, p. lxii). But there is no hint of satire or reproach in the text. The poet, always conventional, assigns to high-born ladies the work which at the time was considered most fitting for them. So it is reported in praise of the sainted Isabella of France, sister of St. Louis: Quand elle fust introduicte des lettres suffisamment, elle s'estudioit à apprendre à ouurer de soye, et faisoit estolles et autres paremens à saincte Eglise—'When she was sufficiently introduced to letters, she set herself to learn how to work in silk, and made stoles and other vestments for Holy Church.' (Joinville, Histoire d. S. Louys, Paris 1668, pt. i, p. 169.)
a 19. for þe Lordes loue of heuene: cp. l. 214, and notes to I 44, I 83, II 518.
a 23. on þe teme, 'on this subject'; teme 'theme' is a correct form, because Latin th was pronounced t. The modern pronunciation is due to the influence of classical spelling.
a 32. affaite þe, 'tame for thyself'; cp. l. 64 (I shal) brynge me = 'bring (for myself)', and the note to II 289.
a 40-1. 'And though you should fine them, let Mercy be the assessor, and let Meekness rule over you, in spite of Gain.' This is a warning against abuse of the lord of the manor's power to impose fines in the manorial court with the object of raising revenue rather than of administering justice. Cp. Ashley, Introduction to English Economic History, vol. i (1894), pt. ii, p. 266. For maugré Medes chekes cp. 151.