medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
From: Christopher Crockett <[log in to unmask]>
>> Brydgyt Lowe has this boke / and hi that
>> thys boke stels I pre god hi nie byte off
>> his on nels amen ffor this the - - -
>> sooner
> looks like a good, clean Curse, to me.
> though what it is of his that god should neigh bite off --"his on nels"
> ="nails"??-- is beyond my kenning.
yes, it appears to definitely be "nails" --apparently common in a curse or
oath.
here's the OED again, on NAIL:
5. a. A nail used in the crucifixion of Jesus. Freq. as a symbol of the
Passion, esp. in devotion or meditation. Freq. in pl.
b. In oaths, etc.: (by) (God's) nails and variants. Cf. GOD n. 14a. Obs.
In these expressions, nail may sometimes have been taken in sense 1. [1. a.
A smooth horny plate overlying the upper (dorsal) surface of the end of each
finger and toe in humans and most other primates.]
c1390 CHAUCER Pardoner's Tale 288 ‘Harrow,’ quod he, ‘by nayles and by
blood!’
c1400 (c1378) LANGLAND Piers Plowman (Laud) B. XX. 225 Goddes herte, & his
nayles. a1450 (a1425)
1573 New Custom II. iii, His nails, I would plague them one way or another.
still not clear to me how god is going to "nearly bite off his [the thief's or
God's??] own nails," however.
i think i'm going to quit now...
c
**********************************************************************
To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME
to: [log in to unmask]
To send a message to the list, address it to:
[log in to unmask]
To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion
to: [log in to unmask]
In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to:
[log in to unmask]
For further information, visit our web site:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html
|