_And with the swerd_ awkwart _he him gawe._--V. 407.
In Edit. 1594,--ane _ackwart_ straik him gaif.
This is followed by subsequent editions. The line, as it stands in MS., is both clumsy and nonsensical. But perhaps Blind Harry used this for athwart; as it occurs in the same sense, II. 109.
_Went till his eyme, and tauld him of this_ drede. MS.--V. 437.
Of the _deid_, Edit. 1594. Of the _deed_, Edit. 1620.
This is more in character, than to suppose that Wallace, after so chivalrous an achievement, should run to his uncle, and tell him in what terror he was for the vengeance of the English. The term here used, indeed, seems to reduplicate on the phrase which occurs v. 434, “this worthi werk.”
Aboundandely _Wallace amang thaim yeid;_ _The rage of youth maid him to haf no dreid._--V. 27.
This is most probably for _abandounly_; signifying, “without regard to danger,” as it is indeed explained in the following line. In Edit. 1594, it is rendered,--All but _abaissing_; 1620 and 1648, _abasing_.
_He bar a_ sasteing _in a boustous poille._--V. 33.
A _sting_ signifies a pole; but this _sasteing_ must have been something fixed in a larger _poille_ or pole. Norw. _sjaastang_ is explained, “a pole wherewith skins are taken off or laid on smoky vents.” _Sjaa_ itself signifies the skin taken from the stomachs of animals, of which parchment is made. V. Hallager Ordsamling. But as Scottish _say_ signifies a water bucket, this may refer to the pole used for carrying it. The following definition might seem to throw light on this singular term. “_So_ or _soa_, a tub with two ears to carry on a _stang_.” Ray’s Collection of North Country Words. The term was most probably pronounced _saysting_; as _a_, in our old writers, must often have been sounded _ai_.
_The Aperse of Scotland left in cayr._--V. 170.
In MS. it is,--_Prophesye out_ Scotland is left, &c.
As this has no meaning, I have altered it, according to the reading of Edit. 1594, 1620, and 1648:
The _Apersie_ of Scotland is in greit cair.
Celimus _was maist his geyeler now._--V. 234.
In editions _Cellinus_. In MS. the initial letter is wanting, as is generally the case in MSS. which were afterwards to be illuminated. But from the copies it appears probable that it was _C_. This name is certainly given figuratively, or in reference to some jailor, celebrated in the romances then in vogue. Or could the Minstrel allude to _Celaeno_, one of the fabled harpies? If so, _Cellinus_ would perhaps be the original reading.