[95]. bismuddet: so BT, a form found here only; comp. ‘smod,’ stain, E. E. Allit. Poems, 59/711: bismotted V, from be + smot; both words mean besmutted, smudged. C has bismuðeled, which, with ð for d, appears to be a derivative of *besmud. bismitted N; OE. smittian, to stain; discoloured. bismoked P, grimed with smoke, is a substitution for a less familiar word. bismulret: bismurlet T; bismorlet V point to a *smyrlian from smyrels, ointment: bismeored C; bismeoruwed N; bismured B; bismered P, besmeared, are variant spellings of the same word; OE. besmierwan. ‘perfusus et fedatus,’ M, a colourless expression beside the vigorous English; ‘esmite ⁊ enbroe,’ F. scale: OWScand. skál, bowl (Björkman, 92, 93): schale CP; scoale N; skale T; bolle V.
[96]. mis wordes, words mispronounced; comp. 62/43 note for another meaning: ‘iargoune paroles corrumpnement,’ F. P omits all from Meaðeleð to fallen. haueð imunt, has an inclination; OE. gemyntan, intend, purpose: the use here is peculiar: þat is in poynt to fallen V; ‘en pensee de cheir,’ F.
[98]. ‘Ecce servi mei’ &c., Isa. lxv. 13.
[99]. hungrin: impersonal; comp. 188/390.
[100]. feorle: apparently for feorli = OE. fǣrlic, sudden; used in ME. for wonder: it may have been suggested by vos confundemini in the next verse: comp. ‘Tamquam prodigium factus sum multis,’ Ps. lxx. 7. But all the MSS. are with B, and F has ‘vous serieȝ la pouture del enemy.’ Quantum &c.: Apocal. xviii. 7. The following Contra &c. is adapted from ‘in poculo, quo miscuit, miscete illi duplum.’ M has the Latin of the text. CN read luctum ⁊ tormentum.
[103]. kealche: kelche BT; keache C. V has ȝif þou þe kelche þe cuppe. Wallynde bras to drinken, and P ȝiue þe gloton þe coppe · he þat wil euere drynk · Coppe in glotonye ȝiue hym wellande bras to drinken, from which it is evident that they regarded kelche as an independent word, perhaps as = OE. celic, cup, used for drinker. But the construction points to a compound, kelche-cuppe, of which the first element must be a verb, perhaps the word which has survived in the Northern dialects as kelch, to throw up, keiltch, an upward lift or push; giving a meaning for the combination of tosspot. M has ‘miscete ei duo. pro cyphatu potus: date ei es candens’; where cyphatus means the man provided with a cup (scyphus). N has gulchecuppe, compound from gulchen, to swallow greedily; comp. ‘ne beo hit neuer so bitter, ne iueleð he hit neuer; auh gulcheð in ȝiuerliche,’ AR 240/2 (gluccheð A; glucches T). wallinde bres: comp. 146/118.
[104]. swelte inwið, burn within: form from sweltan, to swoon, die, with meaning from swelan, to burn: aswelte wiðinnen N: ‘qil arde tout de denȝ,’ F; M has nothing corresponding to ȝeot—inwið. aȝein &c.: comp. ‘Aȝaines an likinge; habben twa ofþunchunges,’ HM 7/35.
[ B. The Outer Rule]
Passages in C (mostly interlined or marginal) which are not in N are inserted between asterisks in the text of the latter. The collations at the foot of pp. 60-75 show the other divergences of C and those of T from N; when not followed by any letter they give the readings of T; those followed by C are the readings of C, while B indicates agreement of T and C as against N.
The Eighth Book of the Ancrene Wisse consists of a brief introduction, to the effect that the outer rule is not rigidly binding, and seven sections (‘stucchenes’ 72/188) treating of i. eating and drinking; ii. worldly possessions and dealings, ll. 1-25; iii. clothes, 26-67; iv. occupations, 67-100; v. care of the person, 101-20; vi. servants, 120-222; vii. use of the rule, and conclusion, 223-39.