Dialectal Spellings and Textual Evolution:
the Text of Guy of Warwick in Cambridge University Library,
MS Ff. 2.38
Yuzuru Okumuraີ५ఱ‫૽ڠ‬໲‫ڠ‬໐‫ܮ‬ါలĶķ࣢าक़ˎˌˍˎාˎ࠮

Dialectal Spellings and Textual Evolution: the Text of Guy of Warwick in Cambridge University Library, MS Ff. 2.38

Dialectal Spellings and Textual Evolution:
the Text of Guy of Warwick in Cambridge University Library,
MS Ff. 2.38
Yuzuru Okumura

Middle English versions of Guy of WarwickDUHH[WDQWLQ¿YHPDQXVFULSWVEXWVLQFHWZRRIWKHPDUH
RQO\IUDJPHQWVWKHPDMRUDXWKRULWLHVRIWKHURPDQFHFDQEHIRXQGLQWKHIROORZLQJWKUHHPDQXVFULSWV
listed here in the order of assigned date:$81DWLRQDO/LEUDU\RI6FRWODQG$GYRFDWHV¶06 JHQHUDOO\FDOOHGWKH$XFKLQOHFNManuscript), ff. 108r-175v
*&&DPEULGJH*RQYLOOHDQG&DLXV&ROOHJH06 FD SS1) and&)&DPEULGJH8QLYHUVLW\/LEUDU\06)I WKHHQGRIWKH¿IWHHQWKFHQWXU\RUWKHEHJLQQLQJ
of the sixteenth) , ff. 161r -239v.2)
Textual contents of these versions, all translated from the Anglo-Norman source Gui de Warewic, are of
FRXUVHODUJHO\LGHQWLFDOEXWDFRPSDULVRQEHWZHHQWKHPZLOOLQVWDQWO\VKRZWKDWWKH\DUHTXLWHGLVWLQFW
from each other in verse form and presentation of the materials.3) AU differs from the other versions
LQWKDWLWFRQVLVWVRIWKUHHGH¿QLWHO\VHSDUDWHVWRULHVWKH¿UVWVWRU\FDVWLQFRXSOHWVGHVFULEHV*X\¶VFKLYDOULFDGYHQWXUHVEHIRUHKLVPDUULDJHWKHVHFRQGLQVWDQ]DVIRFXVHVRQWKHKHUR¶VSLOJULPDJHDIWHUKLVPDUULDJHDQGWKHWKLUGDOVRLQVWDQ]DVUHODWHVWKHVWRU\RI*X\¶VVRQ5HLQEUXQ/+/RRPLVDUJXHG
WKDW$8ZDVSURGXFHGLQD/RQGRQERRNVKRSZKHUHLWVHGLWRURUFRPSLOHULQYHQWHGWKLVXQLTXHVHULHVRIWKUHHURPDQFHVRXWRIKLVVRXUFHZKLFKµOLNHDOONQRZQ)UHQFKDQG(QJOLVKPDQXVFULSWVRIIHUHGEXW
one continuous story.’4)7KLVDUJXPHQWWKRXJKQRWZLWKRXWPHULWDVLWH[FLWHGVFKRODUO\LQWHUHVWLQWKH
HYROXWLRQRI0LGGOH(QJOLVKYHUVLRQVRIWKHURPDQFHLVGH¿QLWHO\RSHQWRTXHVWLRQLQYLHZRIWKHIDFWWKDWQHLWKHU*&QRU&)SUHVHQWVWKHURPDQFHDVµRQHFRQWLQXRXVVWRU\¶*&ODFNVFRQVLGHUDEOHSDUWRI
5HLQEUXQ¶VVWRU\SUDFWLFDOO\SURYLGLQJRQO\WKHPDWHULDOVFRUUHVSRQGLQJWRWKH¿UVWWZRVWRULHVRIWKH
$8YHUVLRQ,Q&)DVZHOOWKH5HLQEUXQHSLVRGHLVHYLGHQWO\WUHDWHGDVDVHSDUDWHSLHFHEHJLQQLQJZLWKa coloured initial and in display script, on f. 231v (column a, line 1) after the story of Guy ends on f.
231r FROXPQDOLQH DQGWKHUHVWRIWKHSDJHLVOHIWEODQN7KXVDV)0F6SDUUDQVD\VµWKH0LGGOH
English versions of Guy of Warwick deserve closer analysis,’5) DQGZHVKRXOGH[SORLWDQ\VRXUFHRI
information in order to reassess the originality of AU’s tripartite structure.

− 213 −

ີ५ఱ‫૽ڠ‬໲‫ڠ‬໐‫ܮ‬ါ

7KHEDFNJURXQGRIDPHGLDHYDOWH[WLVXVXDOO\FODUL¿HGE\H[DPLQLQJWH[WXDOFRQWHQWVEXWLWLVQRZ
NQRZQWKDWGLDOHFWDOHYLGHQFHFDQEHHTXDOO\LQIRUPDWLYH7ZRRIWKHYHUVLRQVRIWKHURPDQFHOLVWHG
DERYH$8DQG*&KDYHDOUHDG\EHHQVXEMHFWHGWRGHWDLOHGGLDOHFWDOVFUXWLQ\OHDGLQJWRVRPH¿QGLQJVZKLFKVKDUSO\FRQWUDGLFW/RRPLV¶VDUJXPHQW$:LJJLQVIRXQGWKDWWKHFRXSOHWGuy and the stanzaic
GuyRI$8ERWKFRSLHGE\DVLQJOHVFULEHZHUHFRPSRVHGLQGLIIHUHQWGLDOHFWVDQGPDLQWDLQHGWKDW
these portions should therefore be taken as independently translated romances, not as a set of romancestranslated simultaneously out of a single source.6) *&DOVRSURYLGHVGLDOHFWDOHYLGHQFHZKLFKSRLQWVWR
WKHFRPSRVLWHQDWXUHRIWKHWH[WDV,DUJXHGHOVHZKHUHUK\PLQJHYLGHQFHLQ*&LQGLFDWHVWKDWWKLVWH[W
FRQVLVWVRIWZRVHFWLRQVZKLFKDUHGHULYHGIURPGLIIHUHQWDUFKHW\SDOH[HPSODUVDQGWKDWVLJQL¿FDQWO\those sections precisely correspond to AU’s couplet Guy and stanzaic Guy, respectively.7) The dialect
RI&)KRZHYHULV\HWWREHH[DPLQHGFORVHO\8) and I shall in this paper undertake the task, attemptingWR¿QGVRPHOLQJXLVWLFHYLGHQFHZKLFKZRXOGLQGLFDWHWKDW&)LVVWLOODQRWKHUZLWQHVVWRWKHFRPSRVLWH
structure shared by the other extant Middle English versions of the romance. If it proves to be such, the
QHZ¿QGLQJZLOOKHOSWRGHFLGHZKHWKHUWKHURPDQFHZDVJHQHUDOO\DFNQRZOHGJHGDVµRQHFRQWLQXRXVVWRU\¶RUHDFKFRPSRQHQWVHFWLRQRIWKHURPDQFHZDVUDWKHUWUHDWHGDVDQLQGHSHQGHQWURPDQFH
&)ZDVFRSLHGE\DVLQJOHVFULEHWKURXJKRXWDQGLIWKHVFULEHFRQVLVWHQWO\XVHGKLVRZQGLDOHFWDOIRUPVLQFRS\LQJLWWKHUHVXOWDQWODQJXDJHZRXOGRQO\VKRZKRZKHVSHOOHGWKHZRUGVJLYLQJXVIHZ
FOXHVDVWR&)¶VWH[WXDOKLVWRU\)RUWXQDWHO\KRZHYHUKHZDVDVFULEHRIWKHWKLUGW\SHGH¿QHGE\$
0F,QWRVKLHDVFULEHZKRZKLOHPRVWO\XVLQJKLVRZQIDYRXULWHIRUPVVWLOODOORZVVRPHVSHOOLQJVRI
his exemplar to appear in the text he is copying.9) The language of CF, as a result, presents itself as a
PL[WXUHRIGLDOHFWDOIHDWXUHVZKLFKGRQRWQHDWO\¿WLQWRDQ\VLQJOHJHRJUDSKLFDODUHDDQGVRPHRIWKRVHIHDWXUHVLISURSHUO\LGHQWL¿HGDVWKRVHKDQGHGGRZQIURPWH[WVXQGHUO\LQJ&)ZLOOUHYHDOSDUWRIWKH
earlier stages of CF’s textual transmission.
$QDO\VLQJDPL[WXUHRIFRQÀLFWLQJGLDOHFWVLQDVLQJOHWH[WLVDFRPSOH[EXVLQHVVLQGHWDLOEXWWKH
basic procedure is simple, as has been expounded by M. Benskin and M. Laing.10) In order to sort out
WKHFRQVWLWXHQWHOHPHQWVRIDGLDOHFWDOPL[WXUHZHVKRXOG¿UVWRIDOO¿QGDORFDWLRQZKLFKDFFRXQWVIRU
WKHJUHDWHVWQXPEHURIGLDOHFWDOIHDWXUHVLQWKHWDUJHWWH[WWKHIHDWXUHVUHPDLQLQJXQDFFRXQWHGIRUDUH
then analysed afresh by the same process. The process is repeated until all the features attested in the
text are accounted for, and the dialectal subsets thus separated represent the different layers of language
LQWURGXFHGLQWRWKHWH[WDWGLIIHUHQWVWDJHVRIVFULEDOFRS\LQJ,QDVLPSOL¿HGK\SRWKHWLFDOH[DPSOHWKHDSSOLFDWLRQRIVXFKDSURFHGXUHZRXOGVKRZWKDWDWH[WFRSLHGE\DVLQJOHVFULEHH[KLELWVWKHIROORZLQJ
distribution of dialectal features:− 214 −

Dialectal Spellings and Textual Evolution: the Text of Guy of Warwick in Cambridge University Library, MS Ff. 2.38

Table 1: a Hypothetical Example of Linguistically Composite Texts
the target text (copied by a single scribe throughout)
WKH¿UVWKDOI
WKHVHFRQGKDOI
regular
GLDOHFWDOIHDWXUHV6RXWK:HVW0LGODQG
uche µ($&+¶ furst µ),567¶ DQGmeche µ08&+¶ 11)
Northernscattered
GLDOHFWDOIHDWXUHV
regular
GLDOHFWDOIHDWXUHV

mekil µ08&+¶ DQGyher µ<($5¶ 12)˔ et µ<(7¶˔ it µ<(7¶ 13),QWKLVVLWXDWLRQZHFDQUHDVRQDEO\DVVXPHWKDWWKHSUHGRPLQDQW6RXWK:HVW0LGODQGIHDWXUHVVKDUHG
E\WKHWZRKDOYHVRIWKHWH[WUHSUHVHQWWKHODQJXDJHRIWKHVFULEH RURIKLVLPPHGLDWHSUHGHFHVVRULI
he is a literatimFRS\LVW DQGWKDWWKHVFDWWHUHG1RUWKHUQIHDWXUHVZKLFKDUHLQFRPSDWLEOHZLWKWKHVHW
RIWKH6RXWK:HVW0LGODQGIHDWXUHVUHSUHVHQWWKHFRQWULEXWLRQRIDQH[HPSODUXQGHUO\LQJWKHZKROH
of the target text. The features ˔ et and ˔ it might belong to either of these dialectal subsets, but even
VXFKGLDOHFWDOO\XQPDUNHGIRUPVLIGLVWULEXWHGLQVXFKDZD\DVVKRZQKHUHKDYHPXFKWRFRQWULEXWH
WRWH[WXDOVWXGLHVWKHLUSHFXOLDUGLVWULEXWLRQPD\VXJJHVWWKDWWKHH[HPSODURIWKH¿UVWKDOIRIWKHWH[W
DQGWKDWRILWVVHFRQGKDOIDUHZULWWHQLQGLIIHUHQWGLDOHFWV1HHGOHVVWRVD\WKHFRH[LVWHQFHRIWZR
GLIIHUHQWVSHOOLQJKDELWVLQWKHH[HPSODUPD\VLPSO\VKRZWKDWWKHH[HPSODULVDOLQJXLVWLFDOO\FRPSRVLWH
WH[WFRSLHGE\WZRVFULEHVHDFKXVLQJKLVRZQGLDOHFWEXWVXFKD¿QGLQJLIVXSSOHPHQWHGE\H[WUD
linguistic evidence, often enables us to conclude that the exemplar, and hence the target text itself, has a
VXEVWDQWLDOO\DVZHOODVOLQJXLVWLFDOO\FRPSRVLWHVWUXFWXUHFRQVLVWLQJRIWZRFRPSRQHQWVHFWLRQVHDFKRIZKLFKKDVLWVRZQWH[WXDOEDFNJURXQG
$VWKHDERYHH[DPSOHVKRZVLWLVWKHGLVWULEXWLRQRIGLDOHFWDOIHDWXUHVLQWKHWDUJHWWH[WWKDWLV
FUXFLDOO\LPSRUWDQWZKHQDSSO\LQJGLDOHFWDOHYLGHQFHWRWH[WXDOVWXGLHV$VZDVRXWOLQHGDERYHWKHUH
LVVXI¿FLHQWHYLGHQFHWKDWERWK$8DQG*&UHJDUGWKHURPDQFHDVFRQVLVWLQJRIWKUHHVHFWLRQV*X\¶VDGYHQWXUHKLVSLOJULPDJHDQG5HLQEUXQ¶VVWRU\,QDQDO\VLQJ&)¶VODQJXDJHWKHUHIRUH,VKDOO¿UVWGLYLGH
CF, just provisionally at this stage of the argument, into three component sections corresponding to those
RIWKH$8DQGWKH*&YHUVLRQV,VKDOOWKHQH[DPLQHKRZGLDOHFWDOVSHOOLQJVDUHGLVWULEXWHGLQWKRVH
sections, assuming that our scribe might have different spelling habits in different sections. This is of
FRXUVHQRPRUHWKDQDZRUNLQJK\SRWKHVLVEXWLIRXUDVVXPSWLRQSURYHVWREHDFRUUHFWRQHWKH¿QGLQJPLJKWVKHGVRPHOLJKWRQWKHLQWHUQDOVWUXFWXUHRIRXUWH[W7DEOHEHORZVKRZVKRZWKHWKUHHVHFWLRQV
RI&)KHUHSRVWXODWHG KHUHDIWHUUHIHUUHGWRDV&)>*@&)>*@DQG&)>5@UHVSHFWLYHO\ FRUUHVSRQGWR

− 215 −

ີ५ఱ‫૽ڠ‬໲‫ڠ‬໐‫ܮ‬ါ

their counterparts in AU and GC:

Table 2: CF [G1], CF [G2] and CF [R], and their Counterparts in AU and GC14)

CF

AU

GC

sectionline
scribeverse form
line
scribeverse form
predominant dialect
line
scribeverse form

Guy’s adventure
CF [G1]
1-6966

Guy’s pilgrimage
Reinbrun’s story
CF [G2]&)>5@
6967-10786
1-1190scribe (a)couplets
1-69471-3581
1-1521scribe (b)scribe (c)coupletsstanzasLondonEast Midland
Essex
1-44164417-8066
scribe (d)scribe (e)couplets
Central orCentral Midland
South-East Midland
South Midland
North Midland

predominant dialectarchetypal dialect%HIRUH GLVFXVVLQJ KRZ VSHOOLQJ YDULDWLRQV LQ RXU WH[W FRUUHODWH ZLWK YDULDWLRQV LQ LWV WH[WXDODI¿OLDWLRQLWZRXOGEHZRUWKZKLOHWRORFDOLVHWKHSUHGRPLQDQWGLDOHFWRI&)6RPHRIWKHFKDUDFWHULVWLF
spellings regularly used for the relevant items throughout CF are listed in Table 3:

Table 3: Forms in CF15)TWO

LITTLEDID

BETWEEN

Guy’s adventure
CF [G1]WZR
WZRR
WZH\QHWZD\H

Guy’s pilgrimage
CF [G2]

Reinbrun’s story
CF [R]

WZR
WZRR
WZH\H

WZR
WZRR

lytulllytulllytull((lytyll))

dud(((dude)))dud

EHWZHQH

EHWZHQH

dud(((dudd[e,yst])))(((dydyst)))(((dedyst)))EHWZHQH
EHWZ\[

hur

HER
THEY

they
(þey)
(((thay )))(((þay)))

they
þey

− 216 −

þey
(they)

Dialectal Spellings and Textual Evolution: the Text of Guy of Warwick in Cambridge University Library, MS Ff. 2.38

EACH

echeche[-](ych-)(([i,y]che[-]))(((ylke)))

FIRST

fursteecheche[-]TOGETHER-ING (ppl.)

HUNDREDSAWSWRISEE)

sg.
pl.

-ande
-ynge
(-yng)(((-ing)))(((-eng)))
hundurd(hundurde)
VDZH
(sye)
sye
VDZH

sg.
pl.

furste(((fyrste)))togedur-ande(-ynge)((-yng))(((-inge)))(((-ant)))
hundurd((hundurde))
VDZH
sye
VDZH
sye

ech-

no examples-ande(-yng)((-ynge))hundurde
sg.
pl.

VDZH
(((sye)))sye
VDZH

7KHIRUPVOLVWHGLQWKLVWDEOHVKRZWKDWWKHSUHGRPLQDQWODQJXDJHUHPDLQVODUJHO\FRQVLVWHQWWKURXJKRXWthe three sections of CF, but that the language consists of more than one dialectal layer. Among the
IRUPV OLVWHG KHUH WKRVH ZLWK VWURQJO\ GLDOHFWDO FRORXULQJ DUHlytull µ/,77/(¶  dud µ','¶  hurµ+(5¶ furste µ),567¶ togedur µ72*(7+(5¶ DQGhundurd[e] µ+81'5('¶ ZKLFKDUHPRVWOLNHO\WRFRRFFXULQDUHDVUDQJLQJIURPWKH&HQWUDO0LGODQGVWRWKH6RXWK:HVW0LGODQGVRUPRUH
SUHFLVHO\LQWKHEHOWURXJKO\FRYHULQJ/HLFHVWHUVKLUH:DUZLFNVKLUHDQG:RUFHVWHUVKLUH16) and, sincemost of the other forms used throughout CF are readily incorporated into this dialectal layer, the CF
scribe’s dialect (or his immediate predecessor’s) can reasonably be localised in one of these areas. But&)LVDOVRFKDUDFWHULVHGE\WKHIDLUO\IUHTXHQWXVHRIWKHPDUNHGO\1RUWKHUQIRUP-ande µ,1*¶SUHVHQW
participle ending),17)ZKLFKLVSDUWLFXODUO\FRQVSLFXRXVLQUK\PHV18) ,WLVZHOONQRZQWKDWHYHQDVFULEHZKRFRQVLVWHQWO\WUDQVODWHVWKHGLDOHFWDOIRUPVRIWKHH[HPSODULQWRKLVRZQZLOORIWHQNHHSWKHVSHOOLQJV
RIUK\PLQJZRUGVLQWDFWREYLRXVO\EHFDXVHKHZRXOGRWKHUZLVHGLVWRUWUK\PLQJHIIHFWV7KHIRUPVRI
UK\PLQJZRUGVVKRXOGWKHUHIRUHEHUHJDUGHGDVDUFKHW\SDOUDWKHUWKDQVFULEDODQGWKHSUHGRPLQDQFHLQ
CF of -ande for rhyming present participles indicates that the text stems from an archetypal exemplar
FKDUDFWHULVHGE\LWV1RUWKHUQYHUVL¿FDWLRQMany of the minor spelling variants listed in Table 3 are each attested only once: dyd- and dedERWKIRUµ','¶ betwyx µ%(7:((1¶ thay and þay ERWKIRUµ7+(<¶ [i,y]che[-] and ylke (all forµ($&+¶ DQGfyrste µ),567¶ 7KHVHVSRUDGLFIRUPVDOODVVRFLDWHGZLWK(DVWHUQDQG1RUWKHUQSDUWV
of England,19)VKRXOGEHWDNHQDVWKRVHZKLFKRXUVFULEHLQDGYHUWHQWO\SLFNHGXSIURPKLVH[HPSODUEXW

− 217 −

ີ५ఱ‫૽ڠ‬໲‫ڠ‬໐‫ܮ‬ါZKLFKKHIRXQGH[RWLFDQGQHYHUDOORZHGWRVWUD\LQWRKLVWH[WDJDLQ
Some of the other spellings in CF exhibit peculiar patterns of distribution in the text, and I shall
QRZWXUQWRWKHPDQGGLVFXVVKRZWKRVHSDWWHUQVUHÀHFWWKHLQWHUQDOVWUXFWXUHRIWKHWH[W2XUVFULEHWKRXJKµDFRQVFLHQWLRXVDQGFDUHIXOFRS\LVW¶20)RIWHQEHKDYHVLQDQXQSUHGLFWDEOHZD\LQFKRRVLQJDGLDOHFWDOYDULDQWIRUDJLYHQLWHPVZLWFKLQJIURPRQHIRUPWRDQRWKHUDSSDUHQWO\ZLWKRXWDQ\SDUWLFXODU
reasons.21)%XWLWVHHPVSRVVLEOHWRGLVWLQJXLVKDQXPEHURISDWWHUQVLQ ZKLFKVRPHRIWKHGLDOHFWDOVSHOOLQJVDUHGLVWULEXWHGZLWKLQKLVWH[W7KLVFDQEHH[HPSOL¿HG¿UVWO\E\WKHIRUPVOLVWHGLQ7DEOH
VRPHRIZKLFK XQGHUOLQHGLQWKHWDEOH VHHPWREHRISDUWLFXODUUHOHYDQFHWRRXUSXUSRVH

Table 4: Forms for AGAINST , HOME , WITHOUT , MUCH and (THE) SAME in CF

AGAINSTHOMEWITHOUT

CF [G1]
agenste(ageyne)((a˔enste))(((agayne)))(((ageynste)))home(((ZKRPH)))(((hame)))Z\WKRZWHZ\WKRZWHQZ\WKRZWZ\WKRZW\Q

MUCH

moche
((mek[u,y]ll))(THE) SAME-[i,y]lk[e]((-same))

CF [G2]

CF [R]

agenste((ageyne))

ageyn(agayne)((ageyne))home[-](ZKRPH)home[-]Z\WKRZWHQ(Z\WKRZWH)Z\WKRZWHZ\WKRZWHQZ\WKRZW

moche(((mekyll)))(((muche)))-same-[i,y]lk[e](((-self)))

mek[u,y]ll
moche(((mykell)))-[i,y]lk[e]2QHRIWKHFKDUDFWHULVWLFSDWWHUQVRIRFFXUUHQFHFDQEHGHPRQVWUDWHGE\WKHIRUPVIRUµ$*$,167¶
DQGµ+20(¶$JODQFHDWWKHWDEOHZLOOVKRZWKDW agenste µ$*$,167¶ DSSHDUVDVWKHPDMRUIRUP
IRUWKHLWHPLQ&)>*@DQG&)>*@EXWWKDWLWDEUXSWO\GLVDSSHDUVLQ&)>5@,WZLOODOVREHQRWHG
that whome µ+20(¶ VKRZVDVLPLODUSDWWHUQRIRFFXUUHQFHZKLOHEHFRPLQJLQFUHDVLQJO\IUHTXHQWWKURXJK&)>*@DQG&)>*@LWLVXWWHUO\XQDWWHVWHGLQ&)>5@6LQFHwhome is no more than a minor
YDULDQWIRUWKHLWHPLWVDEVHQFHIURPVRPHVWUHWFKHVRIWH[WYLHZHGDORQHPLJKWEHODLGDVLGHDVKDUGO\surprising. But the abrupt and simultaneous disappearance of agenste and whome in the same portion of
WKHWH[WLVVXUHO\VLJQL¿FDQWVXJJHVWLQJWKDW&)>5@KDVDVSHOOLQJV\VWHPZKLFKLVVOLJKWO\EXWGH¿QLWHO\different from those of CF [G1] and CF [G2].
7KHGLVWLQFWLYHQHVVRI&)>5@LQRUWKRJUDSK\LVDOVRLQGLFDWHGE\WKHFKDUDFWHULVWLFGLVWULEXWLRQRI

− 218 −

Dialectal Spellings and Textual Evolution: the Text of Guy of Warwick in Cambridge University Library, MS Ff. 2.38

YDULDQWIRUPVIRUµ:,7+287¶µ08&+¶DQGµ 7+( 6$0(¶7KHVHLWHPVVKDUHDVLPLODUSDWWHUQRIVKLIWIURPRQHW\SHRIIRUPWRDQRWKHUDQGKHQFHDUHGLVFXVVHGWRJHWKHUKHUHEXWVHHQLQGHWDLOWKH
ZD\VLQZKLFKWKH\DUHPDQLIHVWHGLQWKHWKUHHVHFWLRQVRIRXUWH[WDUHGLIIHUHQWIURPLWHPWRLWHP7KH
spelling wythowteWKHPDMRUIRUPIRUµ:,7+287¶LQ&)>*@EHFRPHVDPLQRUYDULDQWLQ&)>*@
VXUSDVVHGLQIUHTXHQF\E\wythowtenEXWLQ&)>5@LWUHJDLQVWKHVWDWXVDVWKHPDMRUIRUPIRUWKHLWHP
Similarly, the variants mek[u,y]llZKLFKLQ&)>*@RFFXUDVUDUHUIRUPVIRUµ08&+¶DUHLQ&)>*@
HYHQORZHULQUHODWLYHIUHTXHQF\EXWWKH\DUHHPSOR\HGLQ&)>5@DVRIWHQDVWKHGRPLQDQWIRUPmoche.
,QWKHFDVHRIµ 7+( 6$0(¶[i,y]lk[e] become increasingly replaced by -same as the text proceeds
IURP&)>*@WR&)>*@EXWWKHODWWHULVWRWDOO\GLVSODFHGE\WKHIRUPHULQ&)>5@7KHIRUPVIRUWKHVH
LWHPVWKXVLQGLFDWHWKDW&)>5@KHUHDJDLQEHKDYHVFKDUDFWHULVWLFDOO\IDYRXULQJIRUPVZKLFKKDYHEHHQ
EHFRPLQJLQFUHDVLQJO\OHVVIUHTXHQWLQWKHSUHFHGLQJVHFWLRQVIt often happens that a mediaeval scribe gradually changes his spelling habit in the course of
FRS\LQJ D WH[W RI H[WHQGHG OHQJWK  +H PD\ FORVHO\ IROORZ KLV H[HPSODU LQ WKH HDUO\ VWDJHV RI WKHtext, but, as the copying proceeds, may gradually eliminate the forms of the exemplar in favour of
KLVRZQ2UOHVVFRPPRQO\KHPD\EHJLQE\XVLQJKLVRZQIDYRXULWHIRUPVEXWPD\VKLIWWRWKH
increasingly familiar forms of the exemplar. In either case, such a transition from one type of dialect
WRDQRWKHULVFKDUDFWHULVWLFLQWKDW¿UVWO\LWEHJLQVDWDIDLUO\HDUO\VWDJHRIFRS\LQJVHFRQGO\LWWDNHV
SODFHQRWDEUXSWO\EXWSURJUHVVLYHO\DQGWKLUGO\LWSURFHHGVH[FOXVLYHO\LQDVLQJOHGLUHFWLRQ2XU
VFULEH¶VEHKDYLRXUVHHQDERYHKRZHYHUGLIIHUVLQHYHU\UHVSHFWIURPVXFKDFRPPRQW\SHRIOLQJXLVWLF
transition: he abruptly discarded the forms agenste and whome after he had copied more than 10,000
OLQHVRIWKHWH[WDQGLQKLVFKRLFHRIIRUPVIRUµ:,7+287¶µ08&+¶DQGµ 7+( 6$0(¶KHVZXQJEDFNDQGIRUWKDVLWZHUHIURPIRUPVRIW\SH$WRWKRVHRIW\SH%DQGDJDLQEDFNWRWKRVHRIW\SH$
7KHGLVWULEXWLRQLQRXUWH[WRIIRUPVIRUWKHVHLWHPVLVWKXVGLI¿FXOWWRH[SODLQXQOHVVZHDVVXPHWKDWLW
UHÀHFWVWKHVKLIWRIVSHOOLQJKDELWRQWKHSDUWRIWKHH[HPSODUXQGHUO\LQJRXUWH[W:KLOHFRS\LQJ&)
[G1] and CF [G2], the scribe reproduced the forms agenste and whome used in his exemplar, probably¿QGLQJWKHIRUPHUTXLWHDFFHSWDEOHDQGWKHODWWHUMXVWWROHUDEOHEXWLQFRS\LQJ&)>5@KHIRXQGQHLWKHURIWKHPXVHGLQKLVH[HPSODUDQGVLQFHWKH\ZHUHQRWKLVXVXDOIRUPVKDGQRUHDVRQWRHPSOR\WKHP
It is also highly likely that wythowte, mek[u,y]ll and -[i,y]lk[e]JUDGXDOO\GHFUHDVHGLQIUHTXHQF\LQ
WKHH[HPSODURI&)>*@DQG&)>*@EXWDJDLQEHFDPHSURPLQHQWLQWKHH[HPSODUXVHGIRU&)>5@
DQGWKDWWKHVHIOXFWXDWLRQVRIVSHOOLQJSUDFWLFHLQWKHH[HPSODUZHUHUHIOHFWHGLQRXUVFULEH¶VFKRLFH
RIIRUPV,QWHUHVWLQJO\WKHH[HPSODURI&)>5@WKXVDSSHDUVWRIDYRXUERWKmek[u,y]ll and -[i,y]lk[e]VLPXOWDQHRXVO\ WKH IRUPHU JHQHUDOO\ DVVRFLDWHG ZLWK WKH 1RUWKHUQ GLDOHFW ZKLOH WKH ODWWHU ZLWK WKHSouthern dialect. The preference for these features might suggest the East Anglian provenance of the− 219 −

ີ५ఱ‫૽ڠ‬໲‫ڠ‬໐‫ܮ‬ါ

exemplar, and this inference seems to be supported by the absence of agenste and whomeLQ&)>5@
ERWKRIWKHVHIRUPVDUHDVFULEDEOHWRWKH&HQWUDODQGWKH:HVW0LGODQGVDQGWKHLUDEVHQFHLQ&)>5@FDQ
EHWDNHQDVDVLJQRI(DVWHUQUDWKHUWKDQ:HVWHUQQDWXUHRILWVH[HPSODU¶VODQJXDJH
6RIDUZHKDYHGLVFXVVHGVRPHGLDOHFWDOIHDWXUHVLQGLFDWLQJWKDW&)>5@LVEDVHGRQDQH[HPSODUZKLFKLVGLDOHFWDOO\GLVWLQFWIURPWKRVHRI&)>*@DQG&)>*@7KHGLVWULEXWLRQRIWKHVSHOOLQJYDULDQWVIRUµ$5( SUHVHQWSOXUDORIbe ¶VKRZQLQ7DOHVXJJHVWVWKDWWKHH[HPSODURI&)>*@LVDOVRWREH
distinguished dialectally from that of CF [G2]:Table 5: Forms for ARE in CF
CF [G1]ARE

CF [G2]be(((bee)))(((bene)))(((beyth)))(((are)))be(((ben[e])))(((bee)))(((are)))CF [R]be(((bee)))Obviously, the beW\SHRIIRUPUHPDLQVGRPLQDQWIRUµ$5(¶WKURXJKRXWWKHWKUHHVHFWLRQVRI&)EXWLWLVQRWHZRUWK\WKDWWKHYDULDQWare, a characteristic feature of the Northern dialect,22) is scattered fairly
evenly in CF [G1] (found in lines 1192, 2793, 3423, 3429 and 4952), but never appears in the rest of
WKHZKROHWH[WH[FHSWWKHVLQJOHRFFXUUHQFHLQOLQHLHLQWKHYHU\HDUO\SDUWRI&)>*@%HVLGHV
the isolated instance of are in CF [G2] should not be overestimated, since it appears as part of the line
µ7KDWZHUH DUHRIJUHWHYDORZUH¶ZKHUHWKHVFULEHKDVHYHU\UHDVRQWRDGRSWWKHIRUPLQVWHDGRIbe
MX[WDSRVHGZLWKwere. This behaviour of the form are, persisting in almost 5,000 lines of CF [G1] but
disappearing thereafter, is another instance of a shift happening abruptly and at a relatively late stage of
WKHWH[WDQGFDQWKHUHIRUHEHEHVWH[SODLQHGE\VD\LQJWKDWWKHIRUPZDVFRQWDLQHGLQWKHH[HPSODURI
&)>*@EXWZDVXQDWWHVWHGLQWKDWRI&)>*@
7KH OLQJXLVWLF GLIIHUHQFH EHWZHHQ WKH WKUHH VHFWLRQV RI WKH H[HPSODU XQGHUO\LQJ &) LV IXUWKHUFRQ¿UPHGE\WKHSHFXOLDUGLVWULEXWLRQRIWKHIRUPVIRUµ6,1&( DGYHUE ¶

Table 6: Forms for SINCE (adverb) in CF

SINCE(adv.)

CF [G1]

CF [G2]sythensythen((syþen))(((syth)))− 220 −

CF [R]
sethyn(syþen)(seþyn)(sythen)(((sythyn)))(((syn)))Dialectal Spellings and Textual Evolution: the Text of Guy of Warwick in Cambridge University Library, MS Ff. 2.38

$Q\VFULEHFRS\LQJDQH[HPSODUZULWWHQLQDGLDOHFWGLIIHUHQWIURPKLVRZQPD\EHJLQKLVMREXQGHUWKHFRQÀLFWLQJSUHVVXUHVIURPKLVH[HPSODU¶VODQJXDJHDQGIURPKLVRZQOLQJXLVWLFSUHIHUHQFH%XWDVZDVVDLGDERYHKHZLOOJUDGXDOO\VHWWOHGRZQWRDODUJHO\FRQVLVWHQWVSHOOLQJSUDFWLFHRIWHQLQIDYRXURIKLVRZQVSHOOLQJKDELWRUOHVVFRPPRQO\LQIDYRXURIKLVH[HPSODU¶VDQGWKHIRUPVZKLFKKHXVHVIRUDSDUWLFXODULWHPZLOOEHFRPHLQFUHDVLQJO\UHVWULFWHGWRDKDQGIXORIYDULDQWVRUHYHQWRDVLQJOH
IRUP2XUVFULEH¶VFKRLFHRIIRUPVIRUµ6,1&( DGYHUE ¶KRZHYHUUDWKHUVKRZVDWUDQVLWLRQLQWKH
opposite direction, from a single form sythenWRQRIHZHUWKDQVL[GLIIHUHQWIRUPVDVWKHWH[WSURFHHGV+HDGKHUHGWRWKHIRUPsythen in copying CF [G1], but in CF [G2] he occasionally used syþen and sythDVZHOOZKLOHUHWDLQLQJsythenDVWKHPDMRUYDULDQWIRUWKHLWHP,Q&)>5@KHIXUWKHULQWURGXFHGWKH
forms sethyn and seþynDQGODUJHO\VZLWFKHGWRWKHPGLYHUWLQJIURPsythenZKLFKKHKDGFKHULVKHGLQ
copying CF [G1] and CF [G2]. All of these variants might belong to his repertoire of spellings, as they
are dialectally unmarked: syþen, syth, sethyn and seþynDUHZLGHO\HYLGHQFHGLQWKH6RXWK(DVWDQG
WKH6RXWK:HVW0LGODQGVDQGsythenLQVWLOOZLGHUDUHDVHYHQLQFOXGLQJWKH1RUWK23) But it is unlikely
WKDWRXUVFULEH¶VEHKDYLRXUZLWKUHIHUHQFHWRWKLVLWHPUHVXOWVIURPKLVRZQIUHHFKRLFHRXWRIWKHIRUPV
available to him. A more plausible explanation is that it mirrors the shifting preference on the part of the
exemplar: the exemplar of CF [G1] used sythenDORQHEXWWKHH[HPSODURI&)>*@XVHGsyþen and sythin addition to sythenZKHUHDVWKDWRI&)>5@SUHIHUUHGsethyn and seþyn7KXVZHKDYHKHUHDIXUWKHU
indication that the three sections of the exemplar underlying CF are dialectally distinct from each other.
2XUGLVFXVVLRQVRIDUKDVEHHQH[FOXVLYHO\FRQFHUQHGZLWKWKHODQJXDJHRI&)EXWLWKDV\LHOGHG
VRPH¿QGLQJVZKLFKFDQFRQWULEXWHWRRXUNQRZOHGJHRIWKHSURFHVVHVWKURXJKZKLFKRXUWH[WHYROYHG
LQWRLWVSUHVHQWVKDSH,WKDVE\QRZEHFRPHFOHDUWKDWWKHH[HPSODURIRXUWH[WQRWLFHDEO\FKDQJHGLWVVSHOOLQJKDELWDVWKHWH[WSURFHHGHGIURP&)>*@WKURXJK&)>*@WR&)>5@DQGVLQFHWKHRUWKRJUDSK\LQ HDFK RI WKHVH VHFWLRQV UHPDLQV ODUJHO\ FRQVLVWHQW LW LV KLJKO\ SUREDEOH WKDW &) DV D ZKROH LV D
composite text, its three sections deriving, directly or indirectly, either from three different exemplars
RUIURPDVLQJOHH[HPSODUFRSLHGE\WKUHHVFULEHVZLWKGLIIHUHQWGLDOHFWDOEDFNJURXQGV24),IZHDVVXPHWKDWRXUWH[WGHULYHVIURPWKUHHGLIIHUHQWH[HPSODUVZHFDQSRVLWDQXPEHURIIXUWKHUSRVVLELOLWLHV,W
LVSRVVLEOHWRWKLQNILUVWO\WKDWRXUVFULEH RUDQ\RIKLVSUHGHFHVVRUV ZDVVRILUPO\GHWHUPLQHGWRSURGXFHDUHOLDEOHWH[WWKDWKHGLGQRWKHVLWDWHWRDEDQGRQDQH[HPSODUZKHQKHZDVDEOHWR¿QGDQRWKHUZKLFKKHEHOLHYHGWREHDPRUHUHOLDEOHRQH$QRWKHUSRVVLELOLW\LVWKDWWKHWKUHHH[HPSODUVZHUHSXWWRJHWKHUE\VKHHUDFFLGHQW$VZDVRIWHQWKHFDVHZLWKZLGHO\GHPDQGHGWH[WVVRPHH[HPSODUFRSLHVRIRXUURPDQFHPD\KDYHEHHQVWRUHGLQWKHZRUNVKRSVDVVHWVRIORRVHO\ERXQGµERRNOHWV¶$IWHUWKRVHH[HPSODUFRSLHVZHUHVSOLWXSLQWRERRNOHWVVRDVWREHFRSLHGE\VHYHUDOVFULEHVVLPXOWDQHRXVO\LWPXVWKDYHEHHQRQO\WRRHDV\WRPL[XSERRNOHWVZKLFKKDGRULJLQDOO\EHORQJHGWRGLIIHUHQWH[HPSODUFRSLHV− 221 −

ີ५ఱ‫૽ڠ‬໲‫ڠ‬໐‫ܮ‬ါ

7KHUHLVIXUWKHUDWKLUGSRVVLELOLW\WKDWHDFKRIWKHWKUHHVHFWLRQVRIRXUURPDQFHZDVVRPHWLPHVERXQG
as an independent booklet and circulated as such: thus, the scribe responsible for the use of multiple
sources copied one of the three sections of the text from one booklet, but, since the booklet lacked theother sections, he had no choice but to adopt another to supplement the missing parts.
This last possibility, if corroborated by further evidence, may provide a fresh insight not only
into the degree of originality of AU’s tripartite structure but also into the evolution of Middle English
YHUVLRQVRIWKHURPDQFHLQWKHIRXUWHHQWKDQG¿IWHHQWKFHQWXULHV$VZDVSRLQWHGRXWDWWKHRXWVHWRIWKLV
discussion and summarised in Table 2, AU and GC have virtually identical composite structures: AU
LVDVHULHVRIWKUHHVWRULHVZKLFKDUHGLVWLQFWIURPHDFKRWKHULQWHUPVRIODQJXDJHDQGYHUVHIRUPDQG
WKH*&FRXQWHUSDUWVRI$8¶V¿UVWDQGVHFRQGVWRULHVFDQOLNHZLVHEHWUDFHGEDFNWRGLIIHUHQWDUFKHW\SDO
H[HPSODUV  ,I RXU DVVXPSWLRQ LV DFFHSWHG WKHUHIRUH LW ZLOO IROORZ WKDW DOO WKH WKUHH H[WDQW 0LGGOH
English versions of Guy of Warwick share practically the same composite structure. Given such a
FRUUHVSRQGHQFHLWZRXOGVHHPVXI¿FLHQWO\OLNHO\WKDWDWOHDVWLQWKHHDUO\VWDJHVRILWVGLVVHPLQDWLRQRXU
URPDQFHZDVQRWDOZD\VFLUFXODWHGDVDFRPSOHWHWH[WEXWWKDWLWVWKUHHVHFWLRQVZHUHRIWHQFLUFXODWHG
DVVHSDUDWHVWRULHVZKLFKZHUHWH[WXDOO\LQGHSHQGHQWIURPHDFKRWKHU,WLVDOVRLQWHUHVWLQJWRQRWHWKDWWKLVDVVXPSWLRQWDOOLHVZHOOZLWKWKHSLFWXUHZKLFKHPHUJHVZKHQZHDUUDQJHWKHWKUHHYHUVLRQVRIRXU
URPDQFHLQFKURQRORJLFDORUGHU$8LVWKHHDUOLHVWH[WDQWYHUVLRQDQGLWLVLQWKLVYHUVLRQWKDWZH¿QG
SRVLWLYHSURRIWKDWWKHURPDQFHZDVFRPSRVHGRIWKUHHVWRULHV,Q*&ZKLFKLVGDWHGEHWZHHQ$8DQG
&)WKHVHFWLRQVHTXLYDOHQWWRWKH¿UVWWZRVWRULHVRI$8DUHXQLWHGLQWRZKDWDSSHDUVWREHDFRQWLQXRXVromance, but the remaining third section is omitted altogether. CF is the latest in date of the three
YHUVLRQV&)>*@DQG&)>*@KHUHDSSHDUDVDVLQJOHVWRU\ZKLOH&)>5@LVDGGHGDVDSLHFHVHSDUDWH
from the preceding materials. The three texts can thus be said to represent different stages of textual
evolution of Middle English versions of our romance, from three mutually independent stories to a story
DVRQHFRKHUHQWZKROHDQGWKLVWRJHWKHUZLWKZKDWFDQEHGHGXFHGIURPGLDOHFWDOHYLGHQFHLQYLWHVXV
WRWKLQNWKDWWKHURPDQFHPD\KDYHHYROYHGLQWKHIROORZLQJZD\WKH)UHQFKRULJLQDOSUHVXPDEO\GXH
WRLWVH[WHQGHGOHQJWKPD\KDYHEHHQGLYLGHGLQWRWKUHHVHFWLRQVHDFKRIZKLFKZDVWKHQWUDQVODWHG
LQWR0LGGOH(QJOLVKDQGFLUFXODWHGLQGHSHQGHQWO\LQHDUO\VWDJHVWKHWKUHHVHFWLRQVPD\KDYHEHHQ
MX[WDSRVHGDVFORVHO\UHODWHGVWRULHVEXWVWLOOLQSLHFHPHDOIRUPDVLQ$8LQVRPHZKDWODWHUVWDJHVWZRRIWKHWKUHHVWRULHVLHWKHPDWHULDOVFRQFHUQLQJWKHKHURPD\KDYHEHHQSLFNHGXSDQGXQLWHG
LQWRRQHDVLQ*&DQGLQ\HWODWHUVWDJHVDOOWKHWKUHHVHFWLRQVPD\KDYHEHHQSXWWRJHWKHUWKRXJKRQO\WZRRIWKHPZHUHLQWHJUDWHGLQWRDVLQJOHVWRU\WKHUHPDLQLQJWKLUGDGGHGDVDVHSDUDWHSLHFHDV
in CF. In any of these stages, there must have been no confusion as to the arrangement of the three
VHFWLRQV*X\¶VDGYHQWXUHGHDOLQJDVLWGRHVZLWKWKHHDUO\\HDUVRIWKHKHUR¶VOLIHQDWXUDOO\FRPHV− 222 −

Dialectal Spellings and Textual Evolution: the Text of Guy of Warwick in Cambridge University Library, MS Ff. 2.38

¿UVW*X\¶VSLOJULPDJHZKLFKGHDOVZLWKWKHODWHU\HDUVRIWKHKHUR¶VOLIHFRPHVQH[WDQGWKHVWRU\RI
5HLQEUXQDVLWIRFXVHVRQ*X\¶VVRQDQGLVWKXVRIFRPSDUDWLYHO\OHVVLPSRUWDQFHWKDQWKHVWRULHVRIWKH
IDWKHULVSURSHUO\SODFHGDWWKH¿QDOSRVLWLRQ7KHUHPLJKWKDYHEHHQFDVHVLQZKLFKWKHWKUHHVHFWLRQVRIWKHURPDQFHZHUHLQWHJUDWHGLQWRDVHDPOHVVO\XQL¿HGZKROHRUHYHQFDVHVLQZKLFKWKHZKROHRIWKHURPDQFHZDVIURPWKHVWDUWWUDQVODWHGDQGFLUFXODWHGDVDVLQJOHVWRU\EXWVXFKFDVHVLIDQ\ZHUHFHUWDLQO\H[FHSWLRQDODVWKHUHFDQEHIRXQGQRSRVLWLYHZLWQHVVWRWKHPLQDQ\RIWKHH[WDQW0LGGOH
English versions of the romance.

NOTES
1) The Zhole volume of this manuscript is devoted to the romance, Zhereas the other tZo manuscripts in this list are
miscellaneous in content.
2) The Auchinleck Manuscript and Cambridge University Library, MS Ff. 2.38 are available in the folloZing
facsimile editions: The Auchinleck Manuscript: National Library of Scotland, Advocates’ MS. 19.2.1, Zith an
introduction by D. Pearsall and I. C. Cunningham (London: Scolar Press, 1977) and Cambridge University
Library, MS Ff. 2.38, Zith an introduction by F. McSparran and P. 5. 5obinson (London: Scolar Press, 1979).
Fragments of Middle English versions of the romance are found in British Library, Sloane MS 1044, no. 625, f.
345r-v and British Library, Additional MS 14408, ff. 74r-77v. There are also early printed editions of the romance
published by: :ynkyn de :orde (:estminster, 1497?: one leaf) (STC 2nd ed. 12541), 5ichard Pynson (London?,1500?: three leaves) (STC 2nd ed. 12540) and :illiam Copland (London, c.1553?) (STC 2nd ed. 12541.5).
3) An outline of the extant versions of the romance is given in J. Zupitza, ed., The Romance of Guy of Warwick: The
Second or 15th-century Version, EETS es 25 and 26, reprinted as one volume (London: Oxford University Press,
1966), pp. v-viii. See also J. Zupitza, ed., The Romance of Guy of Warwick, EETS es 42, 49 and 59, reprinted as
one volume (London: Oxford University Press, 1966).
4) L. +. Loomis,ȦThe Auchinleck Manuscript and a Possible London Bookshop of 1330-1340’, PMLA, 57 (1942),
595-627 reprinted in, and here cited from, Adventures in the Middle Ages: a Memorial Collection of Essays andStudies by Laura Hibbard Loomis, ed. by +. Bullock (NeZ York: Burt Franklin, 1962), pp. 150-87.
5) McSparran and 5obinson, MS Ff. 2.38, p. xi.
6) A. :iggins, ed., Stanzaic Guy of Warwick (Kalamazoo: Medieval Institute Publications, 2004), p. 5. For moredetailed information on the language of the ¿rst story of the AU version, see herȦGuy of Warwick in :arZick?:
5econsidering the Dialect Evidence’, English Studies, 84 (2003), 219-230.
7) Y. Okumura,ȦSpelling Variations and Textual +istory: the Text of Guy of Warwick in Cambridge, Gonville andCaius College, MS 107/176’, Studies in Medieval English Language and Literature, No. 23 (2008), 7-20.
8) The language of the CF scribe, Zho is responsible for the Zhole of the manuscript, has been assigned to
Leicestershire see A. McIntosh, M. L. Samuels and M. Benskin, Zith the assistance of M. Laing and K.
:illiamson, A Linguistic Atlas of Late Mediaeval English (Aberdeen: Aberdeen University Press, 1986), I, p. 67(LP 531). This conclusion, hoZever, results from an analysis of sample portions of the texts copied by the scribe:
ff. 35v-39v (and scan), 102v-111r and 134r-136r of the manuscript and also of Sir Eglamour of Artois from a printed
text the dialect of our text is, therefore, not yet analysed. The Atlas is hereafter referred to as LALME.
9) A. McIntosh,Ȧ:ord Geography in the Lexicography of Mediaeval English’, Annals of the New York Academy of
Sciences, 211 (1973), 55-66 reprinted in Middle English Dialectology: Essays on some Principles and Problems,− 223 −

ີ५ఱ‫૽ڠ‬໲‫ڠ‬໐‫ܮ‬ါ

ed. by M. Laing (Aberdeen: Aberdeen University Press, 1989), chapter 7.
10) M. Benskin and M. Laing,ȦTranslations and Mischsprachen in Middle English manuscripts’, So meny people
longages and tonges: philological essays in Scots and mediaeval English presented to Angus McIntosh, ed. by M.
Benskin and M. L. Samuels (Edinburgh: Middle English Dialect Project, 1981), pp. 55-106 largely reproduced,
Zith rearrangement, in the General Introduction to LALME.
11) LALME, IV, pp. 26, 29 and 171.
12) LALME, IV, pp. 30 and 297.
13) LALME, IV, p. 73.
14) In this table,Ȧscribe (a)ȧ, for instance, is named as such just to distinguish him from scribe (b), and so on. For
information on the dialects of AU and GC, see :iggins, Stanzaic Guy, p. 5 LALME, I, p. 217 (LP 6510) and p.
195 (LP 6350) and Okumura,ȦSpelling Variationsȧ, 10-13.
15) 5elated spellings are hereafter given in a single representation by the use of sTuare brackets. An optional element
is given in sTuare brackets thus, eche[-] is to be read as eche or eche-. STuare brackets enclosing tZo elements
separated by a comma indicate that the segment Zithin the brackets is obligatory, but that it may be realised byeither of the separated elements thus, dudd[e,yst] is to be read as dudde or duddyst, but not as dudd. 5ound
brackets in the tables indicate relative freTuency: no brackets = dominant form (...) = form occurring about 1/3 to
2/3 as freTuently as the dominant form ((...)) = form occurring less than about 1/3 as freTuently as the dominant
form and (((...))) = sporadic form.
16) LALME, IV, pp. 9, 153-54, 171, 203, 211 and 269.
17) LALME, IV, p. 106.
18) Most of the examples of -ande (30 out of 34 examples in CF [G1], 30 out of 31 examples in CF [G2] and all the 7
examples in CF [5]) are found in rhymes.
19) LALME, IV, pp. 11-12, 25-26, 132, 153-54 and 172.
20) McSparran and 5obinson, MS Ff. 2.38, p. xv.
21) This can be seen, for instance, in his choice of forms forȦSA: (pt. of SEE)ȧ: he exclusively uses sawe in ll.
2684-3877 (a total of 17 examples) after both singular and plural subjects, Zhereas he uses sye alone in ll.
4130-4873 (a total of 16 examples).
22) LALME, IV, p. 32.
23) LALME, IV, pp. 69-70.
24) These possibilities are of course not mutually exclusive: it is certainly possible, for instance, that the three sectionsof the exemplar Zere copied by different scribes from different exemplars. It should also be added that Ze canpostulate any number of intervening copies betZeen CF and the exemplars Zhich are responsible for contrastive
spellings. The original exemplars may Zell have contained many other instances of orthographic difference,
Zhich Zere eventually to be Ziped out in CF through the subseTuent processes of scribal translation.

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