What follows argues that 'Winifred' is a more likely reading here than the quarto's 'Winfrid', which can be rejected.
The popularity of St Winifred's shrine in Webster's time would seem strong evidence for reading 'Winifred' and not 'Winfrid'.
'A Proverb from
Winfrid's time' is described as Northumbrian:
Winfrid was a West Saxon and, though the poem cannot be localized linguistically, Northumbrian is unlikely.
(2) This corpus includes the following poems: Andreas, Bede's Death Song, Northumbrian version, Beowulf, The Battle of Brunanburh, Caedmon's Hymn, Northumbrian version, The Capture of the Five Boroughs, The Coronation of Edgar, The Death of Edgar, The Death of Edward, Deor, The Dream of the Rood, Durham, Elene, Exodus, The Fight at Finnsburh, The Franks Casket, Genesis A, Genesis B, Judith, Juliana, The Leiden Riddle, The Battle of Maldon, The Phoenix, A Proverb from
Winfrid's Time, Riddle 40, The Rune Poem, The Ruthwell Cross, The Seafarer, Waldere, The Wanderer, Widsio, The Wife's Lament, and Walf and Eadwacer.
