i. e. gave her the cup of sorrow, of which we all drink; senkede = schenkede, to pour out, to give to drink, to skink. See Orm. ii. 181. Laȝ. ii. 202, 431; Alys. 7581; Owl and Nightingale, p. 70.

[324]

Quat oget nu ðat for-bode o-wold

= What does now that prohibition signify?

i. e. What is the meaning of the prohibition; oget = has, possesses o wold = a wold = in force, in signification. Cp.

Quat-so his dremes owen a wold

= What-soever his dreams do mean.

In ll. [1671], [2122] wold occurs as a noun = interpretation, meaning. The connection between the idea of power, and meaning, interpretation, is not, after all, so very remote. Do we not speak of the force of a word, its power, use, etc., in an expression? See Ormulum, p. 56, l. 11815.

[327]

for is fruit sired [sireð?] mannes mood,