kem, kemb, comb.
kemp, kempe, kempy, I, 301, 1; 302, 6, B 1; 303, C 1, 9; 309, 3, 5; II, 53 f., 25, 31, 55; III, 447 a: champion, fighting-man (A. S. cempa). kemp o the ship, V, [151] f., F 2, 4, is no doubt a corruption.
kempery(e), II, 54 f., 54, 66, 68: company of fighting men (or, if adjective, fighting).
kempy. See kemp.
ken, I, 343, 42; 345, 41; 348, 21; III, 268, 4: know. III, 266, 4: to make known.
kene, cawte and kene, III, 296, 26: wise, shrewd, or, perhaps, brave.
kenna, know not.
kep, keep, cap, cape, catch, stop, intercept: II, 322, 21; 325, 21; 407, 13; 413, 6, 8; III, 125, 34; 245, 2; 246, E 2; 436, 5, 7; IV, 480 f., 17, 18, 19; V, [230], 10, 11. she keppit him (received him) on a penknife (as he leaned over to her), II, 147, 6. she keppit Lamkin, II, 335, M 7; V, [230] b, Y 10: encountered. he kepped the table, door, wi his knee, I, 476, J 5; 481, 42; II, 91, 26; 94, 18; 271, 17: took, struck. keppit, III, 246, D 2, is an obviously wrong reading, and should be kicked; cf. 243, 2; 245, 2; 246, E 2. kepd the stane wi her knee, II, 421, 29, is absurdly taken from other ballads (and from ball-playing). pret. kept, kepd, kepped, kepit, keppit. See cap.
kepe, I, 329, 2: care for, value. kepe I be, III, 100, 80: care I to be.
keping, IV, 313, 20: meeting. The meaning is that he went to meet (come should be came) the body which was lying at the gates. There was no procession towards him.