English Interjections in Fifteenth Century 9 
ford Dictionary on the etymology of the latter. Dewes is from 
OF. deus, nominative form of deu, modern dieu, God. Not in 
native English use, but sometimes kept in translation, or put into 
the mouth of a foreigner or of a fiend. 
York Plays, i, 92, Lucifer: Owe! dewes! all goes downe! 
dyce. Apparently a variant of dewes, in the example cited below. 
Mr. Ramsay, however, classifies it under the head of oaths by 
miscellaneous objects. (See his edition of Magnyfycence, 
ero. extr, ser. OB, p. 83. ) 
Magnyfycence 781, Crafty Conveyance: Nay, come at ones, 
for the armys of the dyce! 
hyll burneth. /Hyil is evidently a variant of hell, from OE. helan, 
hide, conceal. The Oxford Dictionary does not enter the form 
hyll, however. In the York Plays (xxix, 82 and xxxii, 21) 
hulle and hillis are used as verbs meaning to cover. 
Magnyfycence, 2324, Dyspare: Out harrowe! hyll burneth! 
where shall I me hyde? 
hopp illa hayle, wyth yllahayll. Meaning, originally, ill luck 
seize him! A more intensive form of ille hayle, in I, above. 
Hopp comes from the OF. happer, to seize suddenly. The 
French form is either borrowed from the Hollandish happen, to 
bite, with which the meaning accords, or it is simply imitative of 
the sound of the mouth which seizes, bites (Littré). 
York Plays, xi, 245, Rex: Hopp illa hayle! Towneley, viii, 
258, Pharao: wyth ylahayll! 
owe. See owe expressing surprise, in I above. 
York Plays, i, 92, Lucifer: Owe! dewes! all goes downe! 
York, xi, 347, Rex: Owe! come pat in our presence? 
out, outte. For etymology, cf. outte expressing astonishment in 
I above. See, also, under sorrow, lamentation (III); and 
anger (IV). 
York Plays, xxxviii, 288, Miles: What! oute allas! what 
schall I saie? York Plays, xi, 403, Rex: Owte! ay herrowe! 
devill, I drowne! Wisdom, 907, Mynde: Out! I tremble for 
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