363 Till hewe doune Jedward forest. Since the time of the Romans and the disastrous march of Septimius Severus (third century) the forests of Scotland had been recognized as the natural defences of the country. They are, for the most part, the “strengths” which figure so prominently in Barbour. See on Jedward, Bk. VIII. 427.
375 And of archeris a gret menyhe. Cf. note on 377.
380 The entre. As in the wood of the King’s Park (Bk. XI. 446).
383 a penny-stane cast. A “penny-stane” was a flat stone used as a quoit, hence “as wide only as the throw of a quoit.”
384 Douglas thiddir yheid. “Douglas abandoned his position and retired” (Illustrations, p. 3).
406 on thame schot thai. In Stevenson this, the main attack, follows the surprise at Lintalee (p. 4).
418 reft the liff. Richmond was slain (Scala., p. 143; Stevenson, p. 4).
419 Ane hat. Hailes notes that “In Histoire de Bretagne par Lobineau, t. i., p. 665, there is a portrait of Arthur de Richemont, Duke of Brittany, with a furred hat, such as is described by Barbour” (Annals, ii., p. 82 note). Richmond was identified by the hat on the word of a prisoner. See lines 480-5.
441 ane clerk, Elys. “A clerk called Helias” (Stevenson, p. 3). Stevenson says he was a “noble ‘schavaldur.’” See on this Bk. V. 205 (note).