The Lady of the Lake [107]
variety of the metre, which resembles that of Marmion. The three-accent lines introduced at intervals give it lightness, and the repetition of the same rhyme enables the poet to throw together without break all that forms part of one picture" (Taylor).
377. Erne. Eagle. See Wb.
392. I see, etc. Cf. iv. 152 above.
396. Boune. See on iv. 36 above. Most eds. misprint "bound."
404. Barded. The reading of the 1st ed. and that of 1821; "corrected" in all the recent ones into "barbed." Scott doubtless wrote barded (= armored, or wearing defensive armor; but applied only to horses), a word found in many old writers. Cf. Holinshed (quoted by Nares): "with barded horses, all covered with iron," etc. See also Wb. Scott has the word again in the Lay, i. 311:
"Above the foaming tide, I ween, Scarce half the charger's neck was seen; For he was barded from counter to tail, And the rider was armed complete in mail."
405. Battalia. Battalion, army. The word is not a plural of battalion, as some have seemed to think. See Wb.
414. Vaward. In the vanward, or vanguard; misprinted "vanward" in some editions. Shakespeare has the noun several times; as in Hen. V. iv. 3. 130: "The leading of the vaward;" Cor. i. 6. 53: "Their bands i' the vaward;" and figuratively in M. N. D. iv. 1. 110: "the vaward of the day," etc.
419. Pride. Some eds. misprint "power."
429. As. As if. See on ii. 56 above.
434. Their flight they ply. The reading of the 1st ed. and that of 1821. Most of the eds. have "plight" for flight, and Taylor has the following note on Their plight they ply: "The meaning of this is not very clear. Possibly 'they keep up a constant fire,' but they seem in too complete a rout for that." Cf. iii. 318 above.
438. The rear. The 1st ed. has "their rear."
443. Twilight wood. Cf. 403 above. "The appearance of the spears and pikes was such that in the twilight they might have been mistaken at a distance for a wood" (Taylor).
449-450. And closely shouldering, etc. This couplet is not in the MS.
452. Tinchel. "A circle of sportsmen, who, by surrounding a great space, and gradually narrowing, brought immense quantities of deer together, which usually made desperate efforts to breach through the Tinchel" (Scott).
459. The tide. The 1st ed. has "their tide."
473. Now, gallants! etc. Cf. Macaulay, Battle of Ivry:
"Now by the lips of those ye love, Fair gentlemen of France, Charge for the golden lilies,-- Upon them with the lance!"
483. And refluent, etc. The MS. reads:
"And refluent down the darksome pass The battle's tide was poured; There toiled the spearman's struggling spear, There raged the mountain sword."
488. Linn. Here the word is = cataract. See on i. 71 and ii. 270 above.
497. Minstrel, away! The MS. has "Away! away!"
509. Surge. Note the imperfect rhyme. See on i. 223 above.
511. That sullen. The reading of the 1st ed. and that of 1821; "the sullen" in many eds.
514. That parts not, etc. Lockhart quotes Byron, Giaour:
"the loveliness in death That parts not quite with parting breath."
515. Seeming, etc. The MS. reads:
"And seemed, to minstrel ear, to toll The parting dirge of many a soul."
For part = depart, see on ii. 94 above.
523. While by the lake, etc. The MS. reads:
"While by the darkened lake below File out the spearmen of the foe."
525. At weary bay. See on i. 133 above.
527. Tattered sail. The 1st ed. has "shattered sail;" not noted in the Errata.
532. Saxons. Some eds. misprint "Saxon."
538. Wont. See on i. 408 above.
539. Store. See on i. 548 above. Bonnet-pieces were gold coins on which the King's head was represented with a bonnet instead of a crown.
540. To him will swim. For the ellipsis, see on i. 528 above.
556. Her billows, etc. The 1st ed. has "Her billow reared his snowy crest," and "its"
377. Erne. Eagle. See Wb.
392. I see, etc. Cf. iv. 152 above.
396. Boune. See on iv. 36 above. Most eds. misprint "bound."
404. Barded. The reading of the 1st ed. and that of 1821; "corrected" in all the recent ones into "barbed." Scott doubtless wrote barded (= armored, or wearing defensive armor; but applied only to horses), a word found in many old writers. Cf. Holinshed (quoted by Nares): "with barded horses, all covered with iron," etc. See also Wb. Scott has the word again in the Lay, i. 311:
"Above the foaming tide, I ween, Scarce half the charger's neck was seen; For he was barded from counter to tail, And the rider was armed complete in mail."
405. Battalia. Battalion, army. The word is not a plural of battalion, as some have seemed to think. See Wb.
414. Vaward. In the vanward, or vanguard; misprinted "vanward" in some editions. Shakespeare has the noun several times; as in Hen. V. iv. 3. 130: "The leading of the vaward;" Cor. i. 6. 53: "Their bands i' the vaward;" and figuratively in M. N. D. iv. 1. 110: "the vaward of the day," etc.
419. Pride. Some eds. misprint "power."
429. As. As if. See on ii. 56 above.
434. Their flight they ply. The reading of the 1st ed. and that of 1821. Most of the eds. have "plight" for flight, and Taylor has the following note on Their plight they ply: "The meaning of this is not very clear. Possibly 'they keep up a constant fire,' but they seem in too complete a rout for that." Cf. iii. 318 above.
438. The rear. The 1st ed. has "their rear."
443. Twilight wood. Cf. 403 above. "The appearance of the spears and pikes was such that in the twilight they might have been mistaken at a distance for a wood" (Taylor).
449-450. And closely shouldering, etc. This couplet is not in the MS.
452. Tinchel. "A circle of sportsmen, who, by surrounding a great space, and gradually narrowing, brought immense quantities of deer together, which usually made desperate efforts to breach through the Tinchel" (Scott).
459. The tide. The 1st ed. has "their tide."
473. Now, gallants! etc. Cf. Macaulay, Battle of Ivry:
"Now by the lips of those ye love, Fair gentlemen of France, Charge for the golden lilies,-- Upon them with the lance!"
483. And refluent, etc. The MS. reads:
"And refluent down the darksome pass The battle's tide was poured; There toiled the spearman's struggling spear, There raged the mountain sword."
488. Linn. Here the word is = cataract. See on i. 71 and ii. 270 above.
497. Minstrel, away! The MS. has "Away! away!"
509. Surge. Note the imperfect rhyme. See on i. 223 above.
511. That sullen. The reading of the 1st ed. and that of 1821; "the sullen" in many eds.
514. That parts not, etc. Lockhart quotes Byron, Giaour:
"the loveliness in death That parts not quite with parting breath."
515. Seeming, etc. The MS. reads:
"And seemed, to minstrel ear, to toll The parting dirge of many a soul."
For part = depart, see on ii. 94 above.
523. While by the lake, etc. The MS. reads:
"While by the darkened lake below File out the spearmen of the foe."
525. At weary bay. See on i. 133 above.
527. Tattered sail. The 1st ed. has "shattered sail;" not noted in the Errata.
532. Saxons. Some eds. misprint "Saxon."
538. Wont. See on i. 408 above.
539. Store. See on i. 548 above. Bonnet-pieces were gold coins on which the King's head was represented with a bonnet instead of a crown.
540. To him will swim. For the ellipsis, see on i. 528 above.
556. Her billows, etc. The 1st ed. has "Her billow reared his snowy crest," and "its"