annexed to Malyne's Consuetudo vel Lex Mercatoria, edit. 1636, folio, gives rather a different explanation of the origin of the term "waste-book" to that contained in the answer of your last correspondent. "Waste-book," he observes,
"So called, because, when the Matter is written into the Journall, then is this Book void, and of no esteeme, especially in Holland; where the buying people firme not the Waste-book, as here our nation doe in England."
Jas. Crossley.
Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Craigs (Vol. iii., p. 119.).—L. M. M. R. is informed that there is a tradition of King Arthur having defeated the Saxons in the neighbourhood of this hill, to the top of which he ascended for the purpose of viewing the country.
In the Encyclopædia Britannica we have another explanation also (sub voce), as follows:—
"Arthur's Seat is said to be derived, or rather corrupted, from A'rd Seir, a 'place or field of arrows,' where people shot at a mark: and this not improperly; for, among these cliffs is a dell, or recluse valley, where the wind can scarcely reach, now called the Hunter's Bog, the bottom of it being a morass."
The article concludes thus:
"The adjacent crags are supposed to have taken their name from the Earl of Salisbury; who, in the reign of Edward III., accompanied that prince in an expedition against the Scots."
But query "a height of earth;" "earthes" (an old form of the genitive), or "airthes height," not unnaturally corrupted to "Arthur's Seat."
W. T. M.