Page:The Journal of English and Germanic Philology Volume 18.djvu/580

 576 S Mutter shide sb., shin-bone, sleet v., slidding ppl. a., sliddery, sloe- thorn, shock sb 1, share sb 2 , s&oa^, stor sb 1 , slaver v., slavering shoulder-bone, shoulder-blade, shadow, snipe sb, sra've/ v., smear sb 6, smeardock, smear-wort, sour-dock, *solwy a., s/we/d- 1., spiced, spindle, spire v. 1, stalk sb 1 , starling, stark v., , thaw v., titmouse, tipping sb. 1, /MJ 1 , thill-horse, thwittle sb, thunwong, tongue 14, /o/> sb 2, JrowgA sb, to sb. From the persistency with which in these instances the name is given as Walter de Bibbesworth it would seem fair to infer that the scholars who at present constitute the board of editors of the NED are in possession of information superior to that of Thomas Wright who, on the authority of MS. Arundel No. 220 (Brit. Mus.) and MS. Sloane No. 809, stated the author's name was Walter de Biblesworth. It is fairly possible that Wright misread the name in both MSS. which according to him is exhibited in MS. Arundel as Sire Gauter de Bibelesworthe, in MS. Sloane as monsire Gauter de Biblesworde. If this is not the correct reading, we should be told so at the earliest opportunity. In the meanwhile I think it not amiss to repub- lish from Wright's work the text of the introduction to the treatise. It is of great interest not only because it gives the name of the author, but tells us also who inspired him to write and what the purpose of his writing is. So far as I can see, what he actually offers falls short of his intentions: he is too much concerned about teaching the meaning of words of similar spelling to do much real teaching the young Isuch knowledge of the elements as he professes. (INTRODUCTION MS. ARUNDEL No. 220) Le treytyz ke moun sire Gauter de Bibelesworthe fist a ma dame Dyonisie de Mounchensy pur aprise de langwage, co est a saver, du primer temps ke homme nestra, ouweke trestut le langgage pur saver nurture en sa juvente; pur trestut le Fraunceys de sa neyssaunce, et de membres du corps, ouweke kauntke il apent dedans et deores; pus to le Fraunceys com il en court en age de husbonderie, cum pur arer, rebiner, waretter, semer, sarcher, syer, feucher, carier, batre, moudre, pestrer, breser, bracer, haute feste arayer; pus tot le Fraunsoys kaunt a espleyt de chas, cum de venerie, pescherie en viver ou en