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What does the e. m. English word fra mean

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Hampie
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 Message 1 of 15
11 August 2011 at 7:15pm | IP Logged 
So, during my usual surfing around the Internet, reading about what I stumble upon, I managed so somehow get
me into King James I & IV’s Dæmonologie and it is almost readable lest some words that I cannot understand at all!
The little word ‹far› is making me really, really mad because it does not really seem to be able to look up and was
not used by Shakesbear (and the only early modern English dictionaries there is are all shakesbearian). Here’s an
example paragraph wherein one can find the little bugger:

Phi. Ye have reason forsooth; for as the common Proverbe saith: They that suppe keile with the Devill, have need of
long spoones. But now I praie you goe forwarde in the describing of this arte of Magie.

Epi. Fra they bee come once unto this perfection in evill, in having any knowledge (whether learned or
unlearned) of this black art: they then beginne to be wearie of the raising of their Maister, by conjured circkles;
being both so difficile and perilous, and so commeth plainelie to a contract with him, wherein is speciallie
conteined formes and effectes.
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Improbably
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 Message 2 of 15
11 August 2011 at 7:43pm | IP Logged 
From dictionary.com:

Fra

 [frah] Show IPA
noun Roman Catholic Church .
a title of address for a friar or brother.

Don't quite see how it fits, but that's at least one possible answer. ;P
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Arekkusu
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 Message 3 of 15
11 August 2011 at 8:00pm | IP Logged 
from or because?

It would help if we had more than a single instance.
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Hampie
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 Message 4 of 15
11 August 2011 at 9:09pm | IP Logged 
Arekkusu wrote:
from or because?

It would help if we had more than a single instance.

Dæmonologie is actually full of fra’s all over, and they seem to start a clause every time. My first guess was ‹for›
but I though that used to be spelled fore (as in wherefore) when used that way during that time ‹Fore I cannot come
shall he not give me more time› or something alike…
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amethyst32
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 Message 5 of 15
11 August 2011 at 9:27pm | IP Logged 
I think it means "for" also.
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Iversen
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 Message 6 of 15
11 August 2011 at 10:07pm | IP Logged 
Or a simpler spelling for "frae", which is a Middle English synonym for "from"
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ScottScheule
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 Message 7 of 15
11 August 2011 at 11:35pm | IP Logged 
See http://www.gutenberg.org/files/10625/10625-h/dict1.html, which gives Middle English definitions.

Fra is listed as meaning fro, which means "from." That certainly works for some of the Demonology.

"I know well inough where fra that errour which ye alleage hath proceeded"

"The first is, whereby shal these possessed folks be discerned fra them that ar trubled with a natural Phrensie or Manie."

"But fra this last symptome is excepted such"

And so on.


Edited by ScottScheule on 11 August 2011 at 11:45pm

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Hampie
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Studies: Latin, German, Mandarin

 
 Message 8 of 15
12 August 2011 at 12:42am | IP Logged 
Thank you all :D. I just hate when there’s something there that you quite can’t grasp. It never ever exith my minde
until I can finde out what it is and it eludeth ones tryes.


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