24 Mary Crawford 
benste. For meaning and etymology, see benste expressing sur- 
prise, in class I. 
Towneley Plays, xii, 46: Benste, benste, be us emang. 
hayl(e), all hayle, heyl(1), alle heyl. Meaning be hale! be well! 
For other uses, see hayle, in combinations, to show surprise, in 
I; consternation in II, above. According to Bjorkman (Scandi- 
navian Loan-Words in Middle English, p. 43) hail is probably 
a Scandinavian loanword. Compare Old West Scandinavian 
heill, Old Swedish hél. Modern hail! is evidently not direct 
from OE. hal, which would give (w)hole; nor from OE. hal, 
which, normally, would give modern heal. 
- Hail, as an interjection, implies respectful or reverential 
greeting. 
Mankind, 202: All heyll, semeley father! ye be welcome to pis 
house! Castell of Perseverance, 1748: heyl, set in pyn selle! 
Castell of Per., 1795: heyl, syr kynge! fayre pee be-falle! York 
Plays, xii, 145, Angel: Hayle! Marie! full of grace and blysse. 
York, xiii, 75,.Joseph: All hayle! God be here-inne! York, 
xiv, 58, Mary: Hayle my fadir and hayle my sone! Coventry, 
xxiv, Nuncius: Alle heyl! Martha and Mawdelyn eke. 
Coventry, ii, Serpens: Heyl ffayr wyff and comely dame! 
welcom(e), -cum. Meaning welcome guest. From OE. wil- 
cuma, a combination of willa, will, and cwma, comer, an agent- 
noun from cuman, come. 
Everyman: Welcome, my Good Deeds! now I hear thy voice. 
York Plays, xii, 201, Elizabeth: Welcome! mylde Marie. York, 
xiii, 89, Marie: Welcome! als God me spede. Magnyfycence, 
920, Fansy: Nowe welcom, by the God holy! Magn., 1516: Wel- 
come, Pleasure, to our Magnyfycence. Castell of Perseverance, 
588: Welcum, syr, semly in syth! 
what che(e)re. Meaning how are you? ME. chere was adopted 
from Norman chere, face, which is from late Latin cara, face, 
countenance. Hence chere signifies disposition, mood, showing 
in conduct. 
Assembly of Gods, 1471: What chere! howe lyketh the thys 
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