English Interjections in Fifteenth Century 17 
do wey,—wa. Cf. do way! expressing impatience, in IV above. 
Towneley Plays, x, 326, Angelus: Do wa, Joseph, and mend 
thy thoght. York, v, 121, Adam: Do wey, lefe Eue, whame 
pan? 
go to. Expressing impatient reproach. Apparently more fre- 
quent in the next century. 
Mankind, 89: Go to! for I haue hade a praty scott-lynge. 
late be, let be. Meaning, forbear! cease! let be! 
De Regimine Principum, 2103: Nay, lat be pat! York Plays, 
xiii, 297, Mary: Forgiffnesse, sir! late be! for shame. (Lov- 
ing reproach. ) 
s(c)hame, for shame. OE. scamu, sceamu. Perhaps from skam, 
cover. Shame is an expression still used to express reproach. 
York Plays, v, 106, Adam: Allas! what haue I done, for 
shame! Kingis Quair, 58: Sluggart, for schame! lo, here 
thy goldin houre. Occleve, Jereslaus’s Wife, 87: ffor shame, 
fy. 
wa worthe (you). For etymology see wa worthe, expressing 
lamentation, in III above. 
York Plays, xiii, 97, Joseph: A! maidens, wa worthe you! 
Castell of Perseverance, 2883: ow, Werld! Werld euere worthe 
wo! 
VI. Mockery and Contempt 
Interjections expressing mockery occur less frequently than 
those representing the more primitive emotions. (See Class I.) 
The first three listed here are common in modern usage, having 
retained their original force. The place of the fourth in this 
class is doubtful. The remaining forms are rare, even in the 
fifteenth century. 
strawe, stra. Figuratively used to indicate anything absolutely 
worthless. Still in use with the same meaning, though not in 
interjectional form. 
Gavin Douglas, Prolog to Aeneid I, 17: Stra for pis ignorant 
blabring imperfyt! Magnyfycence, 549: Tusche, a strawe! 
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