Note 3116 — The Romaunce of the Sowdone of Babylone and of Ferumbras his Sone who Conquerede Rome: ◊ (continued 2)

p. 89, l. 3103. alto hewe must be more correctly written al to-hewe;—to-, as a mere prefix (signifying “in twain, asunder, apart” = Germ. zer) belongs essentially to the verb; the intensive adverb al (= “utterly, omnino,”) used before verbs beginning not only with to-, but also before other prefixes, still further strengthens, and belongs to, the whole expression. So al to-treden, l. 1382, to-braste, l. 1168.