Page:The Sources of Standard English.djvu/104

Rh This change soon prevailed all through the East Mid&shy;land, from Essex to Yorkshire. Burch, not the Old English burh, is the name given to Peterborough by its Chroniclers. The verbs can and cuthe are most freely employed; of old, may and might would have been used. Forms like thereafter and therein come pretty often, and altogœder is seen for the first time. King Stephen, we are told in the account of the year 1137, had treasure, but ‘scatered sotlice;’ that is, ‘dispersed it like a fool.’ This new word scatter is akin to the Dutch schetteren, which has the same meaning.

EAST MIDLAND DIALECT OF 1160.

Extract from the Peterborough Chronicle for the year 1137.

. . . . . Þa the suikes undergæton þat he milde man was and When traitors understood softe and god and na iustise ne dide. þa diden hi alle good no then they wunder. Hi hadden him manred maked and athes homage made oaths suoren. ac hi nan treuthe ne heolden. alle hi wæron for-&shy; but held sworen. and here treothes forloren. for æuric rice man forfeited every mighty his castles makede and agænes him heolden and fylden against þe land ful of castles. Hi suencten suyðe þa uurecce oppressed sore wretched men of þe land mid castelweorces. Þa þe castles uuaren castle-works were maked. þa fylden hi mid deoules and yvele men. Þa devils