English Interjections in Fifteenth Century 31 
veracem. Hence verily is a hybrid, composed of a Latin root 
and a vernacular suffix. 
Everyman: Nay, verily! Everyman: Verily, Fellowship, 
gramercy! Everyman: Trust me, verily. 
ye, ya, yaa, yee, yea, yha, yhe, yis, yys, yey, yes. All ME. 
forms of modern yes. 
Mankind, 85: Yys, Mary, I prey yow. Wisdom, 712: Ya! 
wo ys hym xall hem offende? Magnyfycence, 506: Yes, yes, 
by lakyn, I shall the warent. Magnyfycence, 609: Ye, for 
your wyt is cloked for the rayne. York Plays, xi, 231: Yaa! 
sir, he saide pou suld despise. Digby Plays, Burial of Christ, 
186: Yee, yee, Josephe! of hir he had grete compassion. 
Towneley, xii, 135: yey, bot tell me, good, where ar youre 
shepe, lo? London Lyckpenny: Yea, by Cock. Coventry, 
Xxx, stage direction: Et clamabant omnes: “ yys! yys! yys! alle 
we seye he is worthy to dey, ya! ya! ya!” York, v, 41, 
Satan: Yha, Eue, to me take tente. . York, v, 75, Satan: Yhe! 
why trowes pou noyte me? York, xxviii, 299: Whe! jis, 
felawes, be my faith he is fast. 
yowe. In meaning, perhaps equivalent to ya and its variants, 
above. 
York Plays, xxx, 295, Cayphas: Yowe! that schalke shuld 
not shamely be shente. 
nay, na, no. Nay is a loan-word from ON. nei, no, not, which 
is composed of the negative particle and ei, ever (compare 
Gothic aiw). Hence nay is, literally, not ever. The ME. no 
has been noted but rarely in exclamations. 
Towneley Plays, iv, 128: Shuld I that ganstand! We, nay, 
ma fay! Towmneley Plays, ii, 93, Caym: Nay! thou fyndys 
me not so mad! Towneley Plays, ii, 314, Caym: We! na! I 
aght the a fowll dispyte. Coventry, xii, Joseph: Nay! nay! yet 
it God fforbede. London Lyckpenny: Nay, by Cock. Siege 
of Harfleur: Nay, said the captain, by God and by St. Denis! 
Wisdom, 853: Nay! I kan bettur hym qwytte. Mankind, 118: 
Be-tray! nay, nay, ser! nay, nay! Castell of Perseverance, 
1718: Nay! be Belyals bryth bonys. York, xi, 338, Rex: No! 
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