ABSTRACT
16.1. The development by which will has come to be an ordinary auxiliary for the future and in many connexions has lost the meaning of volition completely, had already begun in OE times, though most often OE wile has kept much of its original meaning; a clear old example of the futuric meaning seems to be Beow. 446 Ac he me habban wile dreore fahne, gif mec deað nimeð (while the preceding line 442 implies more clearly intention). In ME the futuric will is very frequent (e. g. Ch A 3578 Be myrie, for the flood wol passe anon | 4111 Our corn is stole, men wil us foles calle) and throughout the modern period it is firmly etablished.
