Note 171 — 162 THE HUNTING OF THE CHEVIOT

The grammatical forms of the Hunting of the Cheviot are, however, older than those of the particular copy of Otterburn which has been preserved. The plural of the noun is very often in -ës or -ys, as lordës, 231; longës, 371; handdës, 601; sydis, 82; bowys, 132, 251, 291, etc., at least sixteen cases. We find, also, sydë at 62, and possibly should read fayllë at 93. The plural in -ës is rare in The Battle of Otterburn: starrës, 454; swordës, 542; Skottës, 591, 621. Probably we are to read swordës length in 553.