The Letter

Dr. Todd, in his *Apology for the Lollards*, published by the Camden Society, alludes to the pronunciation of the old letter  in various words, and remarks that "it has been altogether dropped in the modern spelling of erþ, 'earth,' frut, 'fruit,' erle, 'earl,' abid, 'abide.'" The Doctor is, however, mistaken; for I have heard the words "earl" and "earth" repeatedly pronounced, in Warwickshire, *yarl* and *yarth*.