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XVI 40. The vocalism of leuiende 221 is ME.; also that of hermen 1017, ferres 228 2212;

50. We perhaps see a proof of Norman influence in the use of u in leuiende 221;

60. oþþer, oððer (= mod. or) the first examples of which known to NED. appear in the Περὶ διδάξεων and in the OE. Chronicle under the date 1127 is very frequent in our text. Two other examples of comparatively recent words are before in her-before 103 of which NED. has no example without the termination in n before 1200 and fort (= till) the first example of which to my knowledge occurs in the Ancren Riwle (about the beginning of the 13th century).

§ 4.–The chief points to be examined in connection with spelling are 10. the cases of confusion of letters, the additions and omissions; 20. the abbreviations; 30. the accents, doss etc.

As in the Herbarium, the cases of confusion of letters are numerous; they can be divided under three heads: a) those in which the confusion is merely graphic; b) those which can be explained by some association; c) those in which a pure scribal error has to be admitted. It need hardly be added that several reasons may have contributed to the confusion.

a) The confusion seems to be merely graphic, viz. to be due to the resemblance of letters when we meet: