—Erest in weyr to Sanct Jhonstoun couth fair.—V. 1697.
Neirest but weir, &c. Edit. 1594. This makes nonsense of the passage, and has been an early alteration. Wallace did not go nearest to Perth, but went to the town itself. The meaning must be, “In the earliest part of spring.” V. Veir, Etym. Dict.
NOTES ON THE NINTH BOOK.
The barge, be that, with a full werlik far, &c.—V. 136.
In Edit. 1594, it is;
The barge began with ane full weirlyke fair.
The language is defective as in MS. But began is scarcely the term that we could suppose the Minstrel to use. He would more probably have said;
The barge, be that, com with full werlik far.
I have therefore adhered to the reading of MS. borrowing the word in brackets in the next verse, from the edition quoted above.