Exploration of 'to guild the lily' and 'to fight fire with fire'

English spelling largely reflects the state of the language in the late 1500s. In this episode, we look at one of the first English spelling books, and we explore several plays by William Shakespeare to examine the way he rhymed words. We also explore the way modern spellings reflect the pronunciation of words during the Elizabethan period. Works discussed in this episode include:
King John – William Shakespeare
Richard II – William Shakespeare
The English School-Maister – Edward Coote
Haue With You to Saffron-Walden – Thomas Nashe
A Midsummer Night’s Dream – William Shakespeare

TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 174