Prudie: I tried to answer you before, but it got washed away.
Hardy was writing that line in about 1912, so not middle-English - any clumsiness was his choice of phrasing rather than how our ancestors spoke a century ago.
Some misunderstandings on this site are genuine, some are mischevious; I am long enough in the tooth and hopefully have picked up a little wisdom with the years to recognise the difference.
And, like most people, if I suspect mickey-taking, I will react to it.
I try and react differently to genuine misunderstandings, but if people persist in reading my questions or comments and for no good reasons take the wrong end of the stick, I might get a tad exasperated.
I answered your questions over and over. I gave you examples, gave you alternatives to the phrase and explained in laymans terms what 'reining in' was. At no time did I take the mickey or be insulting towards you. You on the other hand called me and a few other that tried to help you 'Toe Rags'. Your reply was removed by either a moderator or the Ed.
And the essential difference between me and you, lydia, is that I often doubt whether I am right. You, on the other hand, have absolute faith in your brilliance.