kysse had taken of her, Blanchardyn, 51/26; I shal suffre for this
nyght hym that so grete a dysplaysure hath don to me this day, ibid.
51/31; Blanchardyn thanked the messager, and prayed hym curtaysly
that he wold haue hym for humbly recomended to the goode grace of
the noble pucelle, that so fayre a present had sent to hym, ibid. 82/6;
the paynem knyght, that was full curteys, made a token to hym that
his request he dyde graunte, ibid. 90/26; and for thys werke to conducte
and brynge to an ende, I graunte you euen now, and chose you,
for to be in oure behalue Conestable and hed captayne of oure present
armye, ibid. 100/27; and none of them abode there, but that he was
ded or taken excepte som that fled awaye, that this tydynges brought
to Alymodes, ibid. 191/9; that god that created the firmamente, and
made alle thynges of noughte for the people to susteyne ... kepe and
saue the, Aymon, 24/19; I complayne me to you of the foure sonnes
of Aymon, that hathe my londe dystroyed and wasted, ibid. 89/13;
they coude no counceil gyue, but said they were bygge ynough, Morte
Darthur, 47/10.
(B.) The personal pronoun as an object is not bound by this
rule. In Old English its place was generally before the finite verb,
as may be seen from the Blickling Homilies, where more than 80 per
cent. of the pronouns in the oblique case precede the verb. In Middle
English prose the modern arrangement carries the day, and in Caxton
there are but a small number of instances exhibiting the old use; but
even in these the French influence may have been of some effect:—
I me recommende ryght humbly vnto your good grace, Blanchardyn,
133/18; and to the surplus, to the playsure of oure lorde, and
hym playsed ye shal vnderstande by mouthe ferthere of myn astate,
ibid. 134/4; and yf I maye take hym, I shall not leue hym, for the
duke Aymon that shamfully is goon from me, nor for his foure sones
that I haue made knyghtes, wherof I me repente sore, Aymon, 38/21;
the kyng gaaf hym ayen his salute, and hym demaunded what he was,
ibid. 40/26; he called afore hym his barons, and to theym sayd, ibid.
104/18; ye knowe wel the grete dishonour thei have doon to me,
wherof I me complayne vnto you, ibid. 183/15; I you supplye with
al myn herte that now ye wyll rewarde me wyth a yefte that I shal
desyre, Charles the Grete, 49/28; therof, madame, I you assure, ibid.
92/30. Cf. 127/1, 159/19, 160/15; God me spede, said Blamor de
ganys, Morte Darthur, 306/26; the kyng rode euen to her, and
salewed her, and said god yow saue, ibid. 541/5; I haue none other
wylle than to endeuoyre me þerto, how be it certayn that I may not
acomplysshe to the regarde of the grete honour that ye haue me
shewed, Melusine, 152/13; but it augmenteth my doulour, wherfore
I you commande that ye cesse of this heuynes, ibid. 155/8; but the