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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^[1] 2₂₁;

6⁰. oþþer, oððer (= mod. or) the first examples of which known to NED. appear in the Περὶ διδάξεων^[2] 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^[3] and fort (= till) the first example of which to my knowledge occurs in the Ancren Riwle^[4] (about the beginning of the 13^th 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.

1⁰. Confusion of letters; additions and omissions.

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:

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1. It is true that spellings in u occur in the word even as early as the 11^th century (HES. § 589).
2. cf. s. v. under a). The Περὶ διδάξεων is here dated 1200–25.
3. cf. s. v. 3 b. biforr (Orm).
4. cf. Morris’s Specimens of early English IX, 311 etc. Of course the A. R. writes uort.