X.
Nae minstrels played to them but doubt,[142]
For gleemen there were halden out,
Be day, and eke by nicht;
Except a minstrel that slew a man,
So to his heritage he wan,
And enterit by brieve of richt.[143]
Then cried Mahoun for a Hieland Padyane:[144]
Syne ran a fiend to fetch Makfadyane,
Far northwast in a neuck;
Be he the coronach[145] had done shout,
Ersche men so gatherit him about,
In hell great room they took:
Thae tarmigants, with tag and tatter,
Full loud in Ersche begoud to clatter,
And roup like raven and rook.[146]
The Devil sae deaved[147] was with their yell;
That in the deepest pot of hell
He smorit[148] them with smoke!
[110] Mahoun, or the devil, proclaimed a dance of sinners that had not received absolution.
[111] The evening before Lent, usually a festival at the Scottish court.
[112] go prepare a show in character.
[113] gambols.
[114] Holy harlots (hypocrites), in a haughty manner. The term harlot was applied indiscriminately to both sexes.
[115] Names of spirits, like Robin Goodfellow in England, and Brownie in Scotland.
[116] Pride, with hair artfully put back, and bonnet on side: "vaistie wanis" is now unintelligible; some interpret the phrase as meaning "wasteful wants", but this seems improbable, considering the locality or scene of the poem.
[117] His cassock for the nonce or occasion.
[118] a cheat or impostor.
[119] groans.
[120] bear.
[121] Boasters, braggarts, and bullies.
[122] Arrayed in the accoutrements of war.
[123] In coats of armour, and covered with iron network to the heel.
[124] Wild was their aspect.
[125] brands beat.
[126] many strong dissemblers.
[127] With feigned words fair or white.
[128] spreaders of false reports.
[129] usurers.
[130] Misers.
[131] a great quantity.
[132] gold of every coinage.
[133] his grunt.
[134] Many a lazy glutton.
[135] served with care.
[136] loins.
[137] quicker of apprehension.
[138] neighing like an entire horse.
[139] corpse.
[140] grease.
[141] Their reward, or their desire not diminished.
[142] No minstrels without doubt—a compliment to the poetical profession: there were no gleemen or minstrels in the infernal regions.
[143] letter of right.
[144] Pageant.
[145] By the time he had done shouting the coronach or cry of help, the Highlanders speaking Erse or Gaelic gathered about him.
[146] croaked like ravens and rooks.
[147] deafened.
[148] smothered.