NOTES ON THE THIRD BOOK.
And fra the tyme that he of presoune four,
Gude souir weide dayly on him he wour:
Gude lycht harness, fra that tyme, wsyt he euir.—V. 83.
Instead of And fra the tyme, read, Ay fra the tyme, as in MS.
It is remarkable that in all the copies, without exception, as far as I know, it is somer or summer weid, or weed. Of what use could this have been to Wallace, when in “sodeyn stryff?” The term is the same with E. sure, i.e. secure armour, although light.
His face he kepit, for it was euir bar,—
In to his weid, and he come in a thrang.—V. 91.
I have pointed this passage according to what seems the sense. Having so many enemies, when he was accidentally “in a crowd, he muffled up his face,” that his features might not be recognised. Hamilton of Gilbertfield, although in many instances he has given an air of ridicule to this ancient poem, by the grossness of his phraseology, seems to have hit the true sense here, which is totally lost by the mode of punctuation in most of the editions. He renders it;—
His face, when he came in among strange folk,
He held it best to hide within his cloak.—P. 42.
Send twa skowrrouris to wesy weyll the playn.—V. 103.
Scurriours, Edit. 1620. In that of Perth, thowrrouris; but in MS. it may be read tkowrrouris, t or c being put for s. We have skouriouris, IV. 431.
The knycht Fenweik conwoide the caryage.—V. 117.
—The knycht Fenweik, that cruell was and keyne;
He had at dede off Wallace fadyr beyne.—V. 169.
“Among other antiquities there may be mentioned, a place called Beg, above Allinton, where the brave Wallace lay in a species of rude fortification with only fifty of his friends, yet obtained a complete victory over an English officer of the name of Fenwick, who had two hundred men under his command. This gallant hero, it is well known, had several places of retirement towards the head of this parish and in the neighbourhood, some of which retain his name unto this day; Wallace-hill in particular, an eminence near the Galla-law, and a place called Wallace-Gill, in the parish of Loudoun, a hollow glen, to which he probably retired for shelter when pursued by his enemies.” P. of Galston. Stat. Acc. II. 74.
Schir Amar Wallange, a falss traytour strange, &c.—V. 261.
The Minstrel, it has been said by Lord Hailes, “always speaks of Aymer de Valloins, Earl of Pembroke, as a false Scottish knight.” Annals, I. 245. But, as Kerr has observed, although he designs him “a false traitor,” &c. his country is no where mentioned; unless this should be viewed as implied in what is said, B. VII. 1097, concerning his forsaking “his awne land for euirmar.” Kerr views this, however, as referable to his quitting Bothwell, the heritage of Moray, which had been given to Valloins. V. Hist. Bruce, I. 115.