[1] Respectively the friend and the historian of the Bruce.
[2] Included in Dalzell’s Scotish Poems of the XVIth Century, Edin. 1801, and reprinted in 1868. The following opening lines afford a specimen of the adaptation of a “prophaine sang”:—
[3] The influences which went to fashion and to disintegrate the speech of the North are very clearly and systematically traced in Dr. J. A. H. Murray’s introduction to his Dialect of the Southern Counties of Scotland, London, 1873.
[4] Dr. Murray in a note (p. 71) upon the dialect of Scottish poets of the modern period remarks, “‘Scots wha hae’ is fancy Scotch—that is, it is merely the English ‘Scots who have,’ spelled as Scotch. Barbour would have written ‘Scottis at hes’; Dunbar or Douglas, ‘Scottis quhilkis hes’; and even Henry Charteris, in the end of the sixteenth century, ‘Scottis quha hes.’”
[5] From an eye-witnesslike allusion to the walking-length of Italian ladies’ dresses in his “Contemptioun of Syde Taillis,” and from the Courteour’s speech in “The Monarche” (line 5417) alluding apparently to the Pope’s presence at the siege of Mirandola in 1511.
[6] Play, Davie Lyndsay.
[7] An old Scottish tune.
[8] Given in facsimile by Mr. Laing in his introduction to Lyndsay’s works, p. xxiv.
[9] Pitscottie’s History, Edin. 1728, p. 160.
[10] Charteris’s Preface to Lyndsay’s works, Edin. 1582.
[11] General introduction to Lyndsay’s works, Early English Text Society’s edition.
[12] In his poem on the marriage of Queen Mary with the Dauphin.
[13] though.
[14] Exercised.
[15] promised.
[16] began to go.
[17] wrapped.
[18] afterwards.
[19] nimbly.
[20] Perhaps the Sir Guy of romance.
[21] since.
[22] Butler, Cup-bearer, and Carver.
[23] treasurer.
[24] usher.
[25] loyalty.
[26] Praise.
[27] such.
[28] able.
[29] high of spirit.
[30] describe.
[31] true lovers.
[32] Many of the prophecies of The Rhymer, Bede, and Merlin were printed in a small volume by Andro Hart at Edinburgh in 1615.
[33] The Red Etin, a giant with three heads, was the subject of a popular story mentioned in the Complaynt of Scotland. William Motherwell has a poem “The Etin of Sillarwood.” The Gyre Carlin, or huge old woman, was the gruesome Hecate, or mother-witch, of many peasant stories.
[34] banished.
[35] bush.
[36] lain waking.
[37] beams.
[38] quickly.
[39] Yet fared I forth, speeding athwart.
[40] divert, lit. shorten time.
[41] hillside.
[42] disguised in sad attire.
[43] violent.
[44] oppressed.
[45] formerly.
[46] cursed.
[47] frail.
[48] sufferest.
[49] fair, lit. shining.
[50] Robs.
[51] Concealed.
[52] by myself.
[53] High.
[54] Without delay.
[55] idleness.
[56] rolling.
[57] scowling.
[58] rude, boisterous.
[59] bellow.
[60] over the open field.
[61] without.
[62] know.
[63] knowledge.
[64] oppressed.
[65] every.
[66] must.
[67] wasted, laid waste.
[68] regard.
[69] causes.
[70] An allusion to the departure of the Regent Albany.
[71] lost.
[72] loyalty.
[73] robbery.
[74] tedious.
[75] These lazy sluggards.
[76] i.e. personal interest caused.
[77] Quickly.
[78] cares, business.
[79] know.
[80] complain.
[81] money. Fr. dénier.
[82] every host.
[83] each.
[84] St. John be your surety.
[85] sorrowful.
[86] steeped.
[87] above.
[88] Over outland and mountain.
[89] From John the Commonweill, says Sibbald, it has been suggested that Arbuthnot caught the first hint of his celebrated John Bull.
[90] presently.
[91] opposite.
[92] a cruel fright.
[93] Stones were the bullets of that age.
[94] shout.
[95] pleasure.
[96] intellect.
[97] Solomon-like.
[98] writing.
[99] every.
[100] high.
[101] Sir Gilbert Hay, Merser, and two Rowles, one of Aberdeen and one of Corstorphine, are mentioned in Dunbar’s “Lament for the Makaris.” Henryson and Sir Richard Holland, the author of “The Houlate,” are well known. Sir John Rowle’s “Cursing vpon the Steilaris of his fowlis” is preserved in the Bannatyne MS.
[102] their books live.
[103] stream.
[104] alive.
[105] describe.
[106] these.
[107] write pleasantly.
[108] A chaplain at court, and reputed author of the “Complaynt of Scotland,” Inglis was made abbot of Culross by James V. He was murdered by the baron of Tullialan a few months after this mention of him.
[109] A considerable number of poems bearing the colophon “quod Stewart” are preserved by Bannatyne, but nothing is known of their separate authorship.
[110] speak, narrate.
[111] skilful.
[112] though.
[113] know.
[114] garden.
[115] every one.
[116] ere.
[117] popinjay, parrot.
[118] writing.
[119] banished.
[120] worth.
[121] deserves.
[122] jest.
[123] country lasses who keep kine and ewes.
[124] lost.
[125] The ancient name for Stirling.
[126] The curious earthworks about which the sports of the Knights of the Round Table took place are still to be seen under the Castle-hill at Stirling.
[127] Linlithgow.
[128] pattern.
[129] pleasant.
[130] range in row.
[131] wretched.
[132] feigned to weep.
[133] Dispose of your goods.
[134] faults.
[135] croaking.
[136] a hawk.
[137] croaking.
[138] prayer for the dead.
[139] par cœur.
[140] God knows if we have.
[141] pilfer.
[142] services of thirty masses each.
[143] prattle, rattle off.
[144] make chickens squeak.
[145] The old Scottish liturgy was according to the usage of Sarum.
[146] as surety.
[147] funeral cry.
[148] the great creed.
[149] graceful.
[150] your mouth across their meadows.
[151] truly.
[152] consistory court.
[153] charge.
[154] peacock.
[155] testament.
[156] pleasant.
[157] regret.
[158] practice.
[159] quickly.
[160] ere.
[161] passed to and fro.
[162] region. Lat. plaga.
[163] by thy high intelligence.
[164] without lies.
[165] mix, deal.
[166] utter note.
[167] severe.
[168] a little.
[169] primitives.
[170] preaching.
[171] feared not the hurt.
[172] healed many hundreds.
[173] begat.
[174] reigned.
[175] Already in “The Dreme,” Laing remarks, Lyndsay had mentioned the fatal effects of the Emperor’s liberality to Pope Sylvester in conferring riches on the Church of Rome.
[176] caused.
[177] eyes.
[178] A.D. 314–335.
[179] rest.
[180] Very pleasing.
[181] God knows if then.