Note 2396 — The Romaunce of the Sowdone of Babylone and of Ferumbras his Sone who Conquerede Rome: ◊ (continued 2)

p. 69, l. 2390. By God and seynte Mary, myn avour. I think the words myn avoure are due to the scribe, not to the author, as they spoil the rhythm. So we get Mary : we. This rhyme, although not perfect, is of no rare occurrence in Mid. Eng. works, see Introduction, p. xliv. As to the spelling of avour I am not aware of any other instance of this form of the word. There is a form avyowre cited by Halliwell. Besides, avoury and avowery, which he quotes under different heads, are perhaps only different spellings of the same word.