ERRATA RECEPTA. 59 



likely an adoption of a common rendering of the phrase in audible 

 speech. The arbitrary conversion of a particle in composition into a 

 separate auxiliary and then making the residue of the word another 

 separate verb, all for the purpose of producing an expression that 

 should have, in the vulgar ear, a sense, amounts almost to a quibble or 

 pun. " Depart," in its direct sense of "separate," was no more obsolete 

 at the time in the English language than was "troth" for "true- 

 word," or "endow" for (so to speak) "endower." But linguistics 

 not being an established science in the early years of the reign of 

 Charles II. , the divines of that day are to be excused for not being 

 alive to all the niceties of their mother tongue. 



This will be as fitting a place as any to notice another obsolete 

 expression which, nevertheless, under a changed form, continues in 

 vogue, established in the language by being printed now in its meta- 

 morphosed state. Modern writers of verse who affect the antique, 

 think they give an archaic air to their productions by occasionally 

 inserting the words " I wis." Tor the eking out of a line when two 

 syllables more are essential, the formula is very convenient. In 

 modern reprints of early English poetry this " I wis " is to be seen 

 given as here, as though it were a verb "wis," preceded by a pro- 

 noun of the first person. But in the original editions of the early 

 English poets, the expression appears in a different guise. In them 

 it is "iwis," or "ywis," one word, an expletive with the sense of 

 "assuredly," "in truth." Thus it is interpreted in the notes and 

 glossaries. Here is an example from Chaucer's " House of Fame" : 



" Certes, qnod I, in all mine age 

 Ne saw I such a house at this, 

 And as I Avonder'tl me ywis 

 Upon this house," &c. 



And again, in the "Eriar's Tale," v. 33. : 



" Of his oflSce I shall him tell ywis." 



It is likely that in Shakspeare's time this expression, though still in 

 common use, was popularly misunderstood ; and had begun to be 

 written down and misprinted in the way already indicated. It is 

 certain that in the four passages of Shakspeare where "I wis" occurs, 

 it does no injury to the sense to interpret it as we should do in 

 Chaucer, as a synonym for " surely ;" and such it is probable Shaks- 

 peare intended it to be. In the Glossary to the Globe edition of 



