all cases, to ascertain the Latin text. I subjoin a
specimen, from Matt, v 11-15.

eadge aron ge mith thy yfle hia gecuoethas iuh and mith thy
11. Beati estis cum maledixerunt uobis et cum

oehtas iuih and cuoethas eghwelc yfel with iuih
persecuti uos fuerint et dixerint omne malum aduersum uos

gesuicas _vel_ w{ae}ges fore mec gefeath and wynnsumiath forthon
mentientes propter me. 12. gaudete et exultate quoniam

mearda iuere monigfalde is _vel_ sint
merces uestra copiosa est

in heofnum su{ae} _vel_ suelce ec forthon
in caelis sic enim

ge-oehton tha witgo tha the weron {ae}r iuih gee
persecuti sunt prophetas qui fuerunt ante uos. 13. Uos

sint salt eorthes th{ae}t gif salt forworthes in thon
estis sal terrae quod si sal euanuerit in quo

ges{ae}lted bith to
sallietur ad

nowihte _vel_ n{ae}nihte m{ae}ge ofer th{ae}t
nihilum ualet ultra

buta th{ae}t gesended bith _vel_ geworpen {'u}t
nisi ut mittatur foras

and getreden bith from monnum
et conculcetur ab hominibus

gie aron _vel_ sint leht middangeardes
14. Uos estis lux mundi

ne m{ae}g burug _vel_ ceastra gehyda _vel_ gedeigla ofer mor
non potest ciuitas abscondi supra monte

geseted ne ec bernas th{ae}ccille _vel_ leht-f{ae}t
posita. 15. neque accendunt lucernam

and settas tha _vel_ hia unther mitte
et ponunt eam sub

_vel_ under sestre ah ofer leht-isern and lihteth allum tha the in
modio sed super candelabrum et luceat omnibus qui in

hus bithon _vel_ sint
domo sunt.

The history of the Northern dialect during the next three centuries, from
the year 1000 to nearly 1300, with a few insignificant exceptions, is a
total blank.

CHAPTER IV

THE DIALECTS OF NORTHUMBRIA; A.D. 1300-1400

A little before 1300, we come to a _Metrical English Psalter_,
published by the Surtees Society in 1843-7. The language is supposed to
represent the speech of Yorkshire. It is translated (rather closely) from
the Latin Vulgate version. I give a specimen from Psalm xviii, 14-20.

14. He sent his arwes, and skatered tha;
Felefalded levening, and dreved tham swa.
15. And schewed welles of watres