English Interjections nm Fifteenth Century 37 
York Plays, xxx, 360, Beadle: Oyas! oyas! York, xxxi, 
239, Rex: oy! man, arte pou woode? York, xxxi, 319: Do 
crie we all on hym at onys: Oyes! oyes! oyes! Towneley, i, 
416, Caym: And cry oyes, oyes, oy! Coventry, x, Nuncius: 
Oy! al maner men takyth to me tent. Mankind, 659: Oy-yt! 
Oy-yyt! Oyet! 
se. OE. imperative seoh, from séon, to see. 
Magnyfycence, 572: Cockes woundes! se, Syrs, se, se! 
whe. Equivalent to ho above. In etymology, apparently con- 
nected with we, section I above. 
York Plays, xxviii, 250: Whe! stand, traytoure, I telle pe. 
York, xxviii, 251, Cayphas: Whe! do, knyghtis, go falle on 
be-fore. York, xxviii, 299: Whe! yis, felawes, be my faith 
he is fast! 
what. For etymology see what expressing surprise, in I above. 
York Plays, xv, 44: Say, felowes, what! Magnyfycence, 
396: What! I say, herke a worde. Mankind, 719: What, 
how, Mankynde! fle pat felyschyppe, I yow prey! Magnyfy- 
cence, 325: What, Fansy! Fansy! 
here. OF. hér. Evidently connected with the pronominal stem 
*Iu (this), which also yields hither and hence. The develop- 
ment is not clear. 
Mankind, 425: Here, here! se my hede, goode master! 
who(o), whop(p)e, whow, anow. Apparently, natural ejacula- 
tions to attract attention. 
Mankind, 600: Whope! who! Mercy hath brokyn hys neke- 
kycher a-vows. Mankind, 713: Hay, doog! hay, whoppe! 
whoo! go yowur wey lyghtly! Mankind, 726: Whoppe, 
whow! a-now, a-now, a-now, a-now! 
5. Calls of Warning 
alarum. Meaning to arms! Composed of a, /’, and arme. The 
first examples are found about the commencement of the 
fourteenth century. Note Italian all’arme, a signal to an- 
nounce the approach of the enemy. 
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