some hesitation: thus þicȝan which, although partly belonging to the fifth ablaut series in OE., only shows weak forms in our text, is followed by (5). Minor distinctions are omitted; f. i. under sē̆, sē̆o, þ(ð)æ(a)t, it has been thought sufficient to make it clear that the vowel of the neuter nominative or accusative may be æ or a and no distinction is made between the places which have þ(ð)æt and those which have þ(ð)at.
In conclusion of tliese preliminary remarks, I wish to express my deep gratitude to Prof. Napier who, besides setting me on the track of the Medicina, gave me a lesson in editing when I submitted him my copy of it and has since read through my introduction with great profit to the present publication.[1] I shall be glad to hear of any suggestion tending to the improvement of my work which may have escaped the attention of that eminent scholar.
§ 2.–The description of ms. given by Mr. Berberich in his introduction[2] applies to our portion of it (pp. 44a–51) in so far as it refers to the sections of the Herbarium which were left undamaged by the fire of 1731. As far as I can judge the text is written in the same hand from end to end, the hand belonging to a scribe who was not very particular about the exactness and correctness of what he wrote. The titles, isolated from the context, and a large number of the first letters of sections are written in red; such additional titles as occur in the margin are also in red, with one exception[3], the places where red colour was to be used for the first letter of Wiþ(ð) being sometimes
