impressed on the Highlanders, who think they are particularly offended with mortals who talk of them, who wear their favorite color green, or in any respect interfere with their affairs. This is particularly to be avoided on Friday, when, whether as dedicated to Venus, with whom, in Germany, this subterraneous people are held nearly connected, or for a more solemn reason, they are more active, and possessed of greater power. Some curious particulars concerning the popular superstitions of the Highlanders, may be found in Dr. Graham's Picturesque Sketches of Perthshire" (Scott). See also Lady of the Lake, p. 232, note on 298. 168. Didst e'er, dear Heber, etc. Lockhart states that this paragraph is interpolated on the blank page of the MS.

Scott has the following note here: "The journal of the friend, to whom the Fourth Canto of the Poem is inscribed, furnished me with the following account of a striking superstition:

"Passed the pretty little village of Franchémont (near Spaw), with the romantic ruins of the old castle of the Counts of that name. The road leads through many delightful vales, on a rising ground; at the extremity of one of them stands the ancient castle, now the subject of many superstitious legends. It is firmly believed by the neighboring peasantry, that the last Baron of Franchémont deposited, in one of the vaults of the castle, a ponderous chest, containing an immense treasure in gold and silver, which, by some magic spell, was intrusted to the care of the Devil, who is constantly found sitting on the chest in the shape of a huntsman. Any one adventurous enough to touch the chest is instantly seized with the palsy. Upon one occasion, a priest of noted piety was brought to the vault: he used all the arts of exorcism to persuade his infernal majesty to vacate his seat, but in vain; the huntsman remained immovable. At last, moved by the earnestness of the priest, he told him that he would agree to resign the chest, if the exorciser would sign his name with blood. But the priest understood his meaning, and refused, as by that act he would have delivered over his soul to the Devil. Yet if anybody can discover the mystic words used by the person who deposited the treasure, and pronounce them, the fiend must instantly decamp. I had many stories of a similar nature from a peasant, who had himself seen the Devil, in the shape of a great cat.'' 170. Which, like, etc. The MS. reads:

"Which, high in air, like eagle's nest,
Hang from the dizzy mountain's breast."

179. Hanger. A short broadsword.

195. Amain.

See on i. ind. 91 above.

199. Adept. Originally, an alchemist who had obtained (as the word means by its derivation) the philosopher's stone, etc., but afterwards applied to one who had become an expert in other arts,

art of magic.

as here the

205. Pitscottie. Robert Lindsay of Pitscottie, born about 1500, whose Chronicles of Scotland Scott quotes so often in his notes. 207. The messenger from heaven. See on iv. 278 above. 209. The infernal summoning. See on v. 735 above. 210-213. May pass, etc.

These four lines are not in the 1st ed.

For the Monk of Durham's tale, etc., see iii. 324 fol. above.

John de Fordun was a Scottish historian of the latter part of the 14th century.

220. Gripple. Miserly, grasping. Cf. Barrow, Sermons:

the grip

ple wretch who will bestow nothing on his poor brother," etc. 225. The magpie. This bird, whether wild or tame, has a propensity to seize and carry off bright or glittering articles.

CANTO SIXTH.

8. Terouenne, or Thérouanne, is a small town (formerly a fortress) in France, about thirty miles southeast of Calais.

9. Leaguer. Camp. Cf. All's Well, iii. 6. 27: "the leaguer of the adversaries," etc.

34. The Bloody Heart. Cf. Lady of the Lake, ii. 200, where Ellen Douglas is called “The Lady of the Bleeding Heart;" and for the origin of the cognizance, see our ed. p. 199. Field and chief are heraldic terms, the former meaning the general surface of the shield or escutcheon, the latter the upper part of it. The mullet in heraldry is a star-shaped device.

37. The turret, etc. The MS. reads:

"The tower contain'd a narrow stair,

And gave an open access where," etc.

45. Bartizan. A small overhanging turret. Vantage-coign = Shakespeare's "coign of vantage" (Macbeth, i. 6. 7), or advantageous corner. 54. Steepy. See on v. ind. 39 above. For an instance of the word in prose, see on i. 404 above.

58. For they were.

Because they were. See on iv. 171 above. 69. Adown. A poetical word. Cf. Lady of the Lake, i. 46: "A mo ment gazed adown the dale," etc.

78. Fretted. Adorned with raised work.

"To meet a form so fair, and dress'd

In antique robes, with cross on breast."

99. So witching fair. The MS. has “so sad and fair.”

110. Hilda fair. Scott here quotes Charlton's Hist. of Whitby: "I shall only produce one instance more of the great veneration paid to Lady Hilda, which still prevails even in these our days; and that is, the constant opinion, that she rendered, and still renders, herself visible, on some occasions, in the Abbey of Streanshalh, or Whitby, where she so long resided. At a particular time of the year (namely, in the summer months), at ten or eleven in the forenoon, the sunbeams fall in the inside of the northern part of the choir; and 't is then that the spectators, who stand on the west side of Whitby churchyard, so as just to see the most northerly part of the abbey past the north end of Whitby church,

imagine they perceive, in one of the highest windows there, the resemblance of a woman, arrayed in a shroud. Though we are certain this is only a reflection caused by the splendor of the sunbeams, yet fame reports it, and it is constantly believed among the vulgar, to be an appearance of Lady Hilda in her shroud, or rather in a glorified state; before which, I make no doubt, the Papists, even in these our days, offer up their prayers with as much zeal and devotion as before any other image of their most glorified saint."

121. Brook. This seems to be a pet word with Scott. Note how often it has occurred in the present poem.

129. Of such a stem, etc.

The MS. reads:

“Of such a stem, or branch {

though } weak,

SO

He ne'er shall bend me, though he break."

131. What makes, etc. What has it to do here? Cf. Shakespeare, A. Y. L. iii. 2. 234: "What makes he here?" It was a very common phrase, and is played upon more than once in Shakespeare. See L. L. L. iv. 3. 190 fol., Rich. III. i. 3. 164 fol., etc.

137. Blood-gouts. Drops of blood. Cf. Macbeth, ii. 1. 46: "And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood," etc.

166. Tender word. The MS. has "short caress."

174. Within, etc. The MS. has "Where an old beadsman held my head." A beadsman was a man hired by another to pray for him. Cf. Henry V. iv. I. 315:

"Five hundred poor I have in yearly pay

Who twice a day their wither'd hands hold up
Toward heaven, to pardon blood."

18c. From the degraded, etc. The MS. has

233. A word, etc. See iii. 217 above.

246. Three inches, etc.

Cf. Tempest, ii. 1. 283.

"Whom I, with this obedient steel, three inches of it,

Can lay to bed forever."

248 My hand, etc. The MS. reads:

261. Featly.

featly," etc.

"But thought of Austin staid my hand,
And in the sheath I plunged the brand;
I left him there alone. —

grave,

O good old man! even from the
Thy spirit could De Wilton save."

Adroitly. Cf. Winter's Tale, iv. 4. 176: "She dances

271. Otterburne. See the ballad of "The Battle of Otterbourne" in the Border Minstrelsy.

280. In Twisel glen. "Where James encamped before taking post on Flodden" (Scott). The MS. has "on Flodden plain."

281. I watch my armor, etc. This the candidate for knighthood had

to do.

307. Red Earl Gilbert. 323. You could not, etc. descry."

Cf. 128 above.

The MS. has “You might not by their shine

327. A bishop. "The well-known Gawain Douglas, Bishop of Dunkeld, son of Archibald Bell-the-Cat, Earl of Angus. He was author of a Scottish metrical version of the Æneid, and of many other poetical pieces of great merit. He had not at this period attained the mitre (Scott).

329. Sheen. See on v. 215 above. The rochet is a short surplice worn by bishops.

337. Doffed his furred gown, etc. the "absolute" construction.

That is, these having been doffed;

66

341. The huge and sweeping brand, etc. Angus had strength and personal activity corresponding to his courage. Spens of Kilspindie, a favorite of James IV., having spoken of him lightly, the earl met him while hawking, and, compelling him to single combat, at one blow cut asunder his thigh-bone, and killed him on the spot. But ere he could obtain James's pardon for this slaughter, Angus was obliged to yield his castle of Hermitage, in exchange for that of Bothwell, which was some diminution to the family greatness. The sword with which he struck so remarkable a blow was presented by his descendant, James, Earl of Morton, afterwards Regent of Scotland, to Lord Lindesay of the Byres, when he defied Bothwell to single combat on Carberry-hill. See Introduction to The Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border" (Scott). 342. Wont. See on ii. 587 above.

352. The spurs. See on i. 95 above.

358. Had found untrue. That is, in his combat with Marmion. Cf. i. 175 fol. and v. 604 above.

359. Struck him with his blade. The dubbing which was part of the ceremony.

379. Foul fall him. May it foully befall him, may evil befall him. Cf. Shakespeare, V. and A. 472: "Fair fall the wit that can so well defend her!" where wit is the object of fall.

390. The train, etc. The MS. has "The train the portal arch pass'd through."

392. Plain. Complain. See on iii. 188 above.

396. Part. Depart. See on i. 20 above.

403. Unmeet, etc. The MS. has "Unmeet they be to harbor here." 428. Lord Angus. The MS. has "False Douglas."

431. Fierce he broke forth, etc. Scott says here: "This ebullition of violence in the potent Earl of Angus is not without its examples in the real history of the house of Douglas, whose chieftains possessed the ferocity with the heroic virtues of a savage state. The most curious instance occurred in the case of Maclellan, tutor of Bomby, who, having refused to acknowledge the pre-eminence claimed by Douglas over the gentlemen and Barons of Galloway, was seized and imprisoned by the

earl, in his castle of the Thrieve, on the borders of Kirkcudbright-shire. Sir Patrick Gray, commander of King James the Second's guard, was uncle to the tutor of Bomby, and obtained from the king 'a sweet letter of supplication,' praying the earl to deliver his prisoner into Gray's hand. When Sir Patrick arrived at the castle, he was received with all the honor due to a favorite servant of the king's household; but while he was at dinner, the earl, who suspected his errand, caused his prisoner to be led forth and beheaded. After dinner, Sir Patrick presented the king's letter to the earl, who received it with great affectation of reverence; and took him by the hand, and led him forth to the green, where the gentleman was lying dead, and showed him the manner, and said, "Sir Patrick, you are come a little too late; yonder is your sister's son lying, but he wants the head: take his body, and do with it what you will." Sir Patrick answered again with a sore heart, and said, "My lord, if ye have taken from him his head, dispone upon the body as ye please:" and with that called for his horse, and leaped thereon; and when he was on horseback, he said to the earl on this manner, "My lord, if I live, you shall be rewarded for your labors, that you have used at this time, according to your demerits." At this saying the earl was highly offended, and cried for horse. Sir Patrick, seeing the earl's fury, spurred his horse, but he was chased near Edinburgh ere they left him and had it not been his lead horse was so tried and good, he had been taken' (Pitscottie's History)."

435. Saint Bride. Saint Bridget of Ireland, who became a popular saint in England and Scotland, where she was better known by the corrupted or abbreviated name of Saint Bride. A number of churches were dedicated to her; that in Fleet Street, London, being a familiar example.

456. Saint Jude to speed! Saint Jude be my protection! See on iii. 429 above.

457. Did ever knight so foul a deed! "Lest the reader should partake of the earl's astonishment, and consider the crime as inconsistent with the manners of the period, I have to remind him of the numerous forgeries (partly executed by a female assistant) devised by Robert of Artois, to forward his suit against the Countess Matilda; which, being detected, occasioned his flight into England, and proved the remote cause of Edward the Third's memorable wars in France. John Harding, also, was expressly hired by Edward IV. to forge such documents as might appear to establish the claim of fealty asserted over Scotland by the English monarchs" (Scott).

458. It liked me. It pleased me. For this old impersonal use, cf. Henry VIII. v. 3. 148: 'may it like your grace," etc. It is also used personally; as in Hamlet, v. 2. 276: "This likes me well." 460. Saint Bothan. Cf. i. 306 above. The MS. has here:

"Thanks to Saint Bothan, son of mine

Could never pen a written line,

So swear I, and I swear it still,

Let brother Gawain fret his fill."

474. The heights of Stanrig-moor. Southward from Tantallon.