[Rockingham]

On some questions, for our modern understanding, the meaning of the words of the Constitution and contemporary documents is obscured by changes in usage. By specialized references, I mean references compiled by historians and constitutional scholars.

The OED is of little help because it is about modern usage, not the usage of the late 18th Century. The language of the founding era of our country is closer to Shakespeare and reading by candlelight than to our era of pop culture and television.

Zounds, would not one of the witte of a codfishe alsoe reckone that to be so?

[inquest]

The OED is of little help because it is about modern usage, not the usage of the late 18th Century.

The unabridged version will help with both, which is exactly why I recommended it.